Dictionary term
Polling vs Push
Two ways to get new data: polling repeatedly checks a source on a schedule, while push (webhooks) has the source send data the instant an event occurs.
In plain English
Polling means an automation keeps checking for new data on a timer. Push means the other app tells it right away when something new happens.
Analogy
Polling is refreshing your inbox every minute; push is getting a notification the second mail arrives.
Why it matters
Push triggers react instantly and only run when there is real data. Polling costs vary by platform: in Make every scheduled trigger check is an operation that uses credits even when nothing is new, while Zapier does not charge tasks for polls that find nothing.
In practice
A Zapier polling trigger checks for new rows every 15 minutes, while a webhook trigger fires immediately.
Related terms
Sources
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