Trigger (Automation)

A trigger is the event that starts an automation. In a Zap it is the first step, such as "new payment in Stripe" or "new row added." When the trigger fires, the automation runs its actions. A Zap has exactly one trigger, and the trigger does not use a billable task.

Polling vs instant triggers

A trigger finds new data in one of two ways:

• Polling triggers ask the source app for new data on a fixed schedule. On Zapier the interval depends on your plan. The Free plan checks about every 15 minutes, and paid plans check as often as every 1 to 2 minutes. New data can wait up to one full interval before the Zap runs.
• Instant triggers use a webhook. The source app sends data when the event happens, and the automation runs within seconds on any plan.

Deduplication

A polling trigger reads recent data again on every check. The platform deduplicates it so the Zap runs only on records it hasn't seen. Without deduplication, the same payment could start the Zap again and again.

Why the difference matters

For time-sensitive events, such as a failed payment or a fraud alert, use an instant trigger. A polling trigger can delay the alert by several minutes. For syncs that aren't urgent, polling works and is often simpler to set up.

ChargeBell receives Stripe events by webhook and posts each alert to Slack as it arrives. A failed card or a new subscriber reaches your team without waiting for a poll.