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Software · head to head

Loom vs Microsoft Power Automate

Loom logo

Loom

Software

Record instantly, share anywhere

From
Free
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

  • Each has a real cost: Loom free tier capped at 25 total videos with 5-minute maximum recording length per video; Microsoft Power Automate free plan limited to 750 flow runs/month and standard connectors only; premium connectors require paid plans
  • They diverge on capability: Loom covers Screen & camera recording, Microsoft Power Automate covers Automated flows.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Loom and Microsoft Power Automate differ
AttributeLoomMicrosoft Power Automate
Pricing modelfreemiumUnknown
PlatformsWebWeb, Cloud, Desktop
Founded20152016

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 Loom

  • Screen & camera recording
  • Instant sharing
  • Video editing
  • Viewer analytics
  • Comments & reactions
  • Transcription
  • Custom CTAs
  • Drawing tools

Only in Microsoft Power Automate

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

Both cover

  • SOC2

What people use each for

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

Loom

  • Asynchronous video communication and screen recordingnot Microsoft Power Automate
  • Product demonstrations and tutorialsnot Microsoft Power Automate
  • Meeting transcription and documentationnot Microsoft Power Automate
  • Team communication and knowledge sharingnot Microsoft Power Automate

Microsoft Power Automate

  • Workflow Automationnot Loom
  • Data Integrationnot Loom
  • Process Automationnot Loom
  • App Integrationnot Loom
  • API Connectivitynot Loom

Where each one falls short

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

Loom

  • Free tier capped at 25 total videos with 5-minute maximum recording length per video
  • Free tier limited to 50 workspace members
  • AI features (auto-meeting recaps, auto-notes, auto-editing) only available on paid Business+AI and Enterprise tiers
  • Video branding (Loom logo) appears on free and Business plan videos; only removed on Business+AI tier

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

Loom

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Loom 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 Loom if

  • You need screen & camera recording.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want instant sharing.
Loom 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 Loom or Microsoft Power Automate better?
Neither clearly leads. Loom starts at Free and Microsoft Power Automate at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Loom or Microsoft Power Automate?
Loom starts at Free and Microsoft Power Automate at Free.
Does Loom or Microsoft Power Automate run on more platforms?
Loom runs on Web. Microsoft Power Automate runs on Web, Cloud, Desktop.
Can I use Loom for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Loom best used for?
Loom is most often used for asynchronous video communication and screen recording, product demonstrations and tutorials, meeting transcription and documentation, team communication and knowledge sharing. Of those, asynchronous video communication and screen recording and product demonstrations and tutorials are not what Microsoft Power Automate is typically brought in for.
What can Loom do that Microsoft Power Automate cannot?
Loom covers Screen & camera recording, Instant sharing, Video editing, Viewer analytics. Microsoft Power Automate covers Automated flows, Instant flows, Scheduled flows, Desktop automation. Both handle SOC2.

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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