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Software · head to head

Google Chat vs Microsoft Power Automate

Google Chat logo

Google Chat

Software

AI-powered team messaging and collaboration

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Microsoft Power Automate logo

Microsoft Power Automate

Software

Automate tasks across cloud and on-premises apps

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Microsoft Power Automate has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Google Chat not sold as a standalone product; it is included only with paid Google Workspace subscriptions (Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus); Microsoft Power Automate free plan limited to 750 flow runs/month and standard connectors only; premium connectors require paid plans

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Google Chat and Microsoft Power Automate actually diverge.

Attributes where Google Chat and Microsoft Power Automate differ
AttributeGoogle ChatMicrosoft Power Automate
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, Cloud, Desktop
FoundedUnknown2016

Identical on both: 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 Google Chat

Nothing recorded that Microsoft Power Automate does not also cover.

Only in Microsoft Power Automate

  • Automated flows
  • Instant flows
  • Scheduled flows
  • Desktop automation
  • Process mining
  • Business process flows
  • Approval workflows
  • 500+ connectors

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Google Chat

No use cases recorded yet. See the Google Chat review.

Microsoft Power Automate

  • Workflow Automationnot Google Chat
  • Data Integrationnot Google Chat
  • Process Automationnot Google Chat
  • App Integrationnot Google Chat
  • API Connectivitynot Google Chat

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Google Chat

  • Not sold as a standalone product; it is included only with paid Google Workspace subscriptions (Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus)
  • Gemini AI features inside Chat, including message summarization and conversation insights, are limited to Business and Enterprise tier Workspace plans

Microsoft Power Automate

  • Free plan limited to 750 flow runs/month and standard connectors only; premium connectors require paid plans
  • Not suitable for long-running workflows; can fail unexpectedly without warning
  • Limited to simple linear logic; fails with complex workflows involving multiple stakeholders
  • Tasks cannot automate at scale when requiring more than approximately 60 users

Pricing, plan by plan

Google Chat

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Google Chat review.

Microsoft Power Automate

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 750 flow runs/month
    • Standard connectors only
    • Basic cloud flows
  • Premium$15/user/month
    • Cloud flows (DPA)
    • Attended RPA
    • 250 MB Dataverse database
  • Process$150/bot/month
    • Unattended automation
    • Cloud and desktop flows
    • 50 MB Dataverse database
  • Hosted Process$215/bot/month
    • Microsoft-managed virtual machine
    • Unattended automation
    • Same Dataverse entitlements as Process plan

Which should you pick?

Choose Google Chat if

Nothing in the data separates Google Chat from Microsoft Power Automate on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Google Chat review

Choose Microsoft Power Automate if

  • You need automated flows.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Cloud, Desktop.
  • You also want instant flows.
Microsoft Power Automate review

Questions people ask

Is Google Chat or Microsoft Power Automate better?
Neither clearly leads. Google Chat starts at On request and Microsoft Power Automate at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Google Chat or Microsoft Power Automate?
Microsoft Power Automate has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Google Chat and Free for Microsoft Power Automate.
Does Google Chat or Microsoft Power Automate run on more platforms?
Google Chat runs on Web. Microsoft Power Automate runs on Web, Cloud, Desktop.
Can I use Microsoft Power Automate for free?
Yes. Microsoft Power Automate has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Google Chat starts at On request.
What can Google Chat do that Microsoft Power Automate cannot?
Microsoft Power Automate covers Automated flows, Instant flows, Scheduled flows, Desktop automation.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Microsoft Power Automate: Is Power Automate included with Microsoft 365?

Yes. If you have an eligible Microsoft 365 subscription, you can use Power Automate at no extra cost for flows relying only on standard connectors (SharePoint, Outlook, Teams). Premium connectors (Salesforce, SAP, Oracle) require paid plans.

Source
Microsoft Power Automate: How many flow runs are allowed on the free plan?

Power Automate's free tier (included with Microsoft 365) is limited to 750 flow runs per month and standard connectors only. Out of 900+ total connectors, the free plan only includes Microsoft ecosystem apps and limited third-party apps.

Source
Microsoft Power Automate: What's the difference between Premium and Process plans?

Premium ($15/user/month) provides attended automation with cloud flows and standard RPA. Process plan ($150/bot/month) enables unattended automation where bots run without human intervention on virtual machines for high-volume, repetitive tasks.

Source
Microsoft Power Automate: Does Power Automate support long-running workflows?

No. Power Automate is not suitable for long-lasting workflows because they can run without warning and fail unexpectedly. The platform is built for linear, branching logic (if-then) rather than complex, multi-step business processes involving multiple stakeholders.

Source
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Related pages

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