Automation & Integration · head to head
Microsoft Power Automate vs Celigo
Microsoft Power Automate
Automation & Integration
Automate tasks across cloud and on-premises apps
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
Celigo
Automation & Integration
The iPaaS platform for mid-market and enterprise
- From
- $400/month
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Microsoft Power Automate has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Microsoft Power Automate free plan limited to 750 flow runs/month and standard connectors only; premium connectors require paid plans; Celigo prices are not published on any of the three editions
- They diverge on capability: Microsoft Power Automate covers Automated flows, Celigo covers App integration.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Microsoft Power Automate and Celigo actually diverge.
| Attribute | Microsoft Power Automate | Celigo |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | $400/month |
| Pricing model | Unknown | subscription |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Web, Cloud, Desktop | Web, Mobile |
| Founded | 2016 | 2008 |
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Automation & Integration).
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 Microsoft Power Automate
- Automated flows
- Instant flows
- Scheduled flows
- Desktop automation
- Process mining
- Business process flows
- Approval workflows
- 500+ connectors
Only in Celigo
- App integration
- Process automation
- Master data management
- API management
- Workflow builder
- Error handling
- Analytics
- 800+ apps
Both cover
- Custom APIs
- SOC2
- HIPAA
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Microsoft Power Automate
- Workflow Automationnot Celigo
- Data Integrationnot Celigo
- Process Automationnot Celigo
- App Integrationnot Celigo
- API Connectivitynot Celigo
Celigo
- Integrating NetSuite with ecommerce and CRM systemsnot Microsoft Power Automate
- Prebuilt integration templates between common business applicationsnot Microsoft Power Automate
- Building custom flows between internal systemsnot Microsoft Power Automate
- Governance and auditability over integrations on the higher editionsnot Microsoft Power Automate
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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
Celigo
- Prices are not published on any of the three editions
- Billed on endpoints and flows, so the cost is driven by how many systems you connect rather than by volume through them
- API Builder, lookup caching and a sandbox all require the Professional edition
- Single sign-on is optional on Standard and included from Professional up
- Unlimited endpoints and the full governance features are Enterprise only
Pricing, plan by plan
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
Celigo
$400/month- Growth$400/month
- 50 integrations
- Basic support
- Scale$1200/month
- Unlimited integrations
- Priority support
- Enterprise$3000/month
- Custom solutions
- Dedicated support
Which should you pick?
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.
Choose Celigo if
- You need app integration.
- You work on Web, Mobile.
- You also want process automation.
Questions people ask
- Is Microsoft Power Automate or Celigo better?
- Neither clearly leads. Microsoft Power Automate starts at Free and Celigo at $400/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Microsoft Power Automate or Celigo?
- Microsoft Power Automate has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Microsoft Power Automate and $400/month for Celigo.
- Does Microsoft Power Automate or Celigo run on more platforms?
- Microsoft Power Automate runs on Web, Cloud, Desktop. Celigo runs on Web, Mobile.
- Can I use Microsoft Power Automate for free?
- Yes. Microsoft Power Automate has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Celigo starts at $400/month.
- What is Microsoft Power Automate best used for?
- Microsoft Power Automate is most often used for workflow automation, data integration, process automation, app integration. Of those, workflow automation and data integration are not what Celigo is typically brought in for.
- What can Microsoft Power Automate do that Celigo cannot?
- Microsoft Power Automate covers Automated flows, Instant flows, Scheduled flows, Desktop automation. Celigo covers App integration, Process automation, Master data management, API management. Both handle Custom APIs, SOC2, HIPAA.
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.
SourceMicrosoft 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.
SourceMicrosoft 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.
SourceMicrosoft 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