Software · head to head
Automate.io vs Salesforce Flows
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Automate.io no longer exists as a product. automate.io redirects to notion.com, which acquired the company and wound the integration service down; Salesforce Flows not suitable for highly complex scenarios with intricate decision-making or bulk data processing
- They diverge on capability: Automate.io covers Multi-step automations, Salesforce Flows covers Visual flow builder.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Automate.io and Salesforce Flows actually diverge.
| Attribute | Automate.io | Salesforce Flows |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | usage-based | Unknown |
| Platforms | Web, Mobile | Salesforce Cloud, Web, Mobile |
| Founded | 2014 | 1999 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Automate.io
- Multi-step automations
- Data mapping
- Scheduling
- API integrations
- 500+ apps
- Slack
- Salesforce
- HubSpot
Only in Salesforce Flows
- Visual flow builder
- Approvals
- Scheduled actions
- Screen flows
- Multi-step workflows
- Salesforce native
- External APIs
- Third-party apps
Both cover
- Conditional logic
- Error handling
- Webhooks
- Cloud deployment
- Web support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Automate.io
- Workflow Automation
- Data Integration
- Process Automation
- App Integration
- API Connectivity
Salesforce Flows
- Workflow Automation
- Data Integration
- Process Automation
- App Integration
- API Connectivity
Both are used for workflow automation, data integration, process automation, app integration, api connectivity, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Automate.io
- No longer exists as a product. automate.io redirects to notion.com, which acquired the company and wound the integration service down
- Existing automations were not portable to Notion, so users had to rebuild elsewhere
Salesforce Flows
- Not suitable for highly complex scenarios with intricate decision-making or bulk data processing
- No automatic record locking, causing conflicts when multiple users update same records
- Limited error handling compared to Apex
- Requires Enterprise edition or higher for full capabilities
- Auto-launched Flows cannot display screens to users
- Complex dependency management and configuration challenges when deploying between environments
Pricing, plan by plan
Automate.io
Free- FreeFree
- 250 tasks/month
- 2 automations
- Starter$15/month
- 5000 tasks/month
- Unlimited automations
- Email support
- Professional$50/month
- Unlimited tasks
- Priority support
- Advanced features
Salesforce Flows
Free- Salesforce FreeFree
- 2 user licenses
- Basic workflows
- Limited automation
- Starter$25/user/month
- Sales flows
- Lead routing
- Email marketing analytics
- Professional$100/user/month
- Sales quoting
- Forecasting
- AppExchange access
- Enterprise$165/user/month
- Full Flow Builder
- Custom objects
- Sandboxes
Which should you pick?
Choose Automate.io if
- You need multi-step automations.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Mobile.
- You also want data mapping.
Choose Salesforce Flows if
- You need visual flow builder.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Salesforce Cloud, Web, Mobile.
- You also want approvals.
Questions people ask
- Is Automate.io or Salesforce Flows better?
- Neither clearly leads. Automate.io starts at Free and Salesforce Flows at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Automate.io or Salesforce Flows?
- Automate.io starts at Free and Salesforce Flows at Free.
- Does Automate.io or Salesforce Flows run on more platforms?
- Automate.io runs on Web, Mobile. Salesforce Flows runs on Salesforce Cloud, Web, Mobile.
- Can I use Automate.io for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Automate.io best used for?
- Automate.io is most often used for workflow automation, data integration, process automation, app integration.
- What can Automate.io do that Salesforce Flows cannot?
- Automate.io covers Multi-step automations, Data mapping, Scheduling, API integrations. Salesforce Flows covers Visual flow builder, Approvals, Scheduled actions, Screen flows. Both handle Conditional logic, Error handling, Webhooks, Cloud deployment.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Salesforce Flows: Which Salesforce editions include Flows?
Salesforce Flow Builder is included in Enterprise Edition ($165/user/month) and above. Professional Edition lacks advanced automation capabilities and Flow Builder access. Starter and lower editions have limited Flow support.
SourceSalesforce Flows: What are the main limitations of Salesforce Flows?
Flows are limited by DML operations (max 150 data elements that modify data), SOQL queries (max 100 data elements that retrieve data), and are not designed for bulk processing. Auto-launched Flows do not support screens and have limited error handling compared to Apex.
SourceSalesforce Flows: Can Salesforce Flows integrate with external systems?
Yes, through MuleSoft connectors and Salesforce API Catalog. Pre-built connectors exist for systems like Asana, and admins can create custom connectors. Complex integrations may still require Apex or third-party platforms.
SourceSalesforce Flows: When was Salesforce Flow redesigned?
Flow Builder was introduced in Spring '19 as a replacement for the previous Flow Designer, providing a more familiar interface similar to other Salesforce Lightning Builder tools.
Source