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Automation Integration · head to head

Microsoft Power Automate vs Optimizely

Microsoft Power Automate logo

Microsoft Power Automate

Automation Integration

Automate tasks across cloud and on-premises apps

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Optimizely logo

Optimizely

Marketing

Digital experience optimization

From
$10000/year
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: Microsoft Power Automate free plan limited to 750 flow runs/month and standard connectors only; premium connectors require paid plans; Optimizely no pricing is published and no minimum is stated
  • They diverge on capability: Microsoft Power Automate covers Automated flows, Optimizely covers A/B testing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Microsoft Power Automate and Optimizely differ
AttributeMicrosoft Power AutomateOptimizely
Starting priceFree$10000/year
Pricing modelUnknownquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Cloud, DesktopWeb, Mobile
CategoryAutomation IntegrationMarketing
Founded20162010

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Optimizely

  • A/B testing
  • Multivariate testing
  • Personalization
  • Feature management
  • Analytics
  • Google Analytics
  • Adobe Analytics
  • ISO27001

Both cover

  • SOC2

What people use each for

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

Microsoft Power Automate

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

Optimizely

  • A/B testing and experimentation across web and product experiencesnot Microsoft Power Automate
  • Feature flagging and personalisation for digital productsnot 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

Optimizely

  • No pricing is published and no minimum is stated
  • Every plan is individually packaged, so no two quotes are necessarily comparable
  • Reaching a figure requires a demo or sales conversation

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

Optimizely

$10000/year
  • Enterprise$undefined/year
    • A/B testing
    • Personalization
    • Feature management

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.
Microsoft Power Automate review

Choose Optimizely if

  • You need a/b testing.
  • You work on Web, Mobile.
  • You also want multivariate testing.
Optimizely review

Questions people ask

Is Microsoft Power Automate or Optimizely better?
Neither clearly leads. Microsoft Power Automate starts at Free and Optimizely at $10000/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Microsoft Power Automate or Optimizely?
Microsoft Power Automate has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Microsoft Power Automate and $10000/year for Optimizely.
Does Microsoft Power Automate or Optimizely run on more platforms?
Microsoft Power Automate runs on Web, Cloud, Desktop. Optimizely 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. Optimizely starts at $10000/year.
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 Optimizely is typically brought in for.
What can Microsoft Power Automate do that Optimizely cannot?
Microsoft Power Automate covers Automated flows, Instant flows, Scheduled flows, Desktop automation. Optimizely covers A/B testing, Multivariate testing, Personalization, Feature management. 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
Optimizely: How much does Optimizely cost?

Optimizely does not publish pricing rates. The company states that every plan is individually packaged based on specific customer needs. Interested customers must request a demo or contact the sales team to receive customized pricing.

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
Optimizely: What is the pricing model for Optimizely?

Optimizely uses a custom enterprise pricing model rather than published rate cards. Pricing is determined through direct consultation with the sales team based on the customer's digital needs and feature requirements.

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
Optimizely: Is there a free trial of Optimizely?

Optimizely does not specify free trial availability on its website. Customers interested in exploring the platform are directed to request a demo through the company's website to discuss trial options.

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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