Softwr

Automation & Integration · head to head

Power Automate vs Workato

Power Automate logo

Power Automate

Automation & Integration

Automate your workflows with cloud and desktop RPA

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Workato logo

Workato

Automation & Integration

The enterprise integration platform

From
$99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Power Automate has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Power Automate unattended automation is priced per bot rather than per user, at $150 a bot per month against $15 per user for the attended Premium plan; Workato the pricing page names four product lines, Enterprise iPaaS, Agentic solutions, API Management and Data Orchestration, and publishes no figure for any of them, gating all of it behind Schedule a demo
  • They diverge on capability: Power Automate covers Cloud flows, Workato covers Process orchestration.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Power Automate and Workato actually diverge.

Attributes where Power Automate and Workato differ
AttributePower AutomateWorkato
Starting priceFree$99/month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, DesktopWeb, On-premise
Founded20162014

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), 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 Power Automate

  • Cloud flows
  • Desktop RPA
  • Button flows
  • Automated flows
  • Scheduled flows
  • Approvals
  • Business process flows
  • Analytics

Only in Workato

  • Process orchestration
  • Master data management
  • Integration templates
  • Real-time sync
  • Error handling
  • Monitoring
  • API management
  • Workflow analytics

Both cover

  • Salesforce
  • SAP
  • Cloud deployment

What people use each for

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

Power Automate

  • Automating business processes across Microsoft 365 and other applicationsnot Workato
  • Running attended and unattended robotic process automationnot Workato

Workato

  • Workflow Automationnot Power Automate
  • Data Integrationnot Power Automate
  • Process Automationnot Power Automate
  • App Integrationnot Power Automate
  • API Connectivitynot Power Automate

Where each one falls short

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

Power Automate

  • Unattended automation is priced per bot rather than per user, at $150 a bot per month against $15 per user for the attended Premium plan
  • Having Microsoft host the virtual machine for a bot adds $65 a month, taking it to $215 per bot
  • Every published price requires annual payment
  • Copilot Studio is a separate product at $200 a month for 25,000 credits rather than an included feature

Workato

  • The pricing page names four product lines, Enterprise iPaaS, Agentic solutions, API Management and Data Orchestration, and publishes no figure for any of them, gating all of it behind Schedule a demo

Pricing, plan by plan

Power Automate

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 300 flows
    • Limited capacity
  • Cloud flows$15/month
    • Unlimited flows
    • Advanced features
  • Desktop flows$75/month
    • RPA capabilities
    • UI automation
    • Advanced features

Workato

$99/month
  • Starter$99/month
    • Up to 50 recipes
    • Basic integrations
    • Email support
  • Professional$299/month
    • Unlimited recipes
    • Premium integrations
    • Priority support
  • Enterprise$999/month
    • Custom SLA
    • Dedicated support
    • Advanced security

Which should you pick?

Choose Power Automate if

  • You need cloud flows.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Desktop.
  • You also want desktop rpa.
Power Automate review

Choose Workato if

  • You need process orchestration.
  • You work on Web, On-premise.
  • You also want master data management.
Workato review

Questions people ask

Is Power Automate or Workato better?
Neither clearly leads. Power Automate starts at Free and Workato at $99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Power Automate or Workato?
Power Automate has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Power Automate and $99/month for Workato.
Does Power Automate or Workato run on more platforms?
Power Automate runs on Web, Desktop. Workato runs on Web, On-premise.
Can I use Power Automate for free?
Yes. Power Automate has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Workato starts at $99/month.
What is Power Automate best used for?
Power Automate is most often used for automating business processes across microsoft 365 and other applications, running attended and unattended robotic process automation. Of those, automating business processes across microsoft 365 and other applications and running attended and unattended robotic process automation are not what Workato is typically brought in for.
What can Power Automate do that Workato cannot?
Power Automate covers Cloud flows, Desktop RPA, Button flows, Automated flows. Workato covers Process orchestration, Master data management, Integration templates, Real-time sync. Both handle Salesforce, SAP, Cloud deployment.
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