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Power Automate vs Zapier Plus

Power Automate logo

Power Automate

Software

Automate your workflows with cloud and desktop RPA

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zapier Plus logo

Zapier Plus

Software

Advanced automation with Zapier

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • 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; Zapier Plus task-based pricing model becomes expensive at scale (10,000 tasks per month costs approximately $600/month)
  • They diverge on capability: Power Automate covers Cloud flows, Zapier Plus covers Advanced app integrations.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Power Automate and Zapier Plus actually diverge.

Attributes where Power Automate and Zapier Plus differ
AttributePower AutomateZapier Plus
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
PlatformsWeb, DesktopWeb
Founded20162011

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 Power Automate

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

Only in Zapier Plus

  • Advanced app integrations
  • Workflow automation
  • Multi-step Zaps
  • Custom logic
  • Webhooks
  • Team collaboration
  • Premium support
  • 7000+ apps

Both cover

  • Cloud deployment
  • Web support

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 Zapier Plus
  • Running attended and unattended robotic process automationnot Zapier Plus

Zapier Plus

  • 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

Zapier Plus

  • Task-based pricing model becomes expensive at scale (10,000 tasks per month costs approximately $600/month)
  • Free plan limited to 2-step Zaps only and 100 tasks per month, with no access to webhooks or advanced features
  • 15-minute polling interval on free plan prevents real-time automation triggers
  • Limited support for complex nested conditional logic compared to workflow platforms like n8n or Make
  • Third-party orchestration layer adds latency compared to native integrations within single platforms

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

Zapier Plus

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 100 tasks per month
    • Unlimited Zaps, Tables, and Forms
    • 2-step Zaps only
  • Professional$19.99/month (annual pricing)
    • 750+ tasks per month
    • Multi-step Zaps
    • Webhook support
  • Team$69/month (annual pricing)
    • 2,000+ tasks per month
    • All Professional features
    • 25 users

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 Zapier Plus if

  • You need advanced app integrations.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want workflow automation.
Zapier Plus review

Questions people ask

Is Power Automate or Zapier Plus better?
Neither clearly leads. Power Automate starts at Free and Zapier Plus at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Power Automate or Zapier Plus?
Power Automate starts at Free and Zapier Plus at Free.
Does Power Automate or Zapier Plus run on more platforms?
Power Automate runs on Web, Desktop. Zapier Plus runs on Web.
Can I use Power Automate for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 Zapier Plus is typically brought in for.
What can Power Automate do that Zapier Plus cannot?
Power Automate covers Cloud flows, Desktop RPA, Button flows, Automated flows. Zapier Plus covers Advanced app integrations, Workflow automation, Multi-step Zaps, Custom logic. Both handle Cloud deployment, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Zapier Plus: How much does Zapier cost and what is included in each plan?

Zapier offers a Free plan with 100 tasks per month at no cost. The Professional plan starts at $19.99 per month (billed annually) for 750 tasks, with pricing scaling up based on task volume. The Team plan starts at $69 per month for 2,000 tasks. Enterprise plans are custom priced. Annual subscriptions receive 33% off compared to month-to-month billing.

Source
Zapier Plus: What is a task in Zapier and how much does it cost if I exceed my plan limit?

Each trigger and action pair in a Zapier workflow counts as one task. For example, a 5-step Zap that runs 1,000 times per month uses 5,000 tasks. If you exceed your plan's task limit, you can enable pay-per-task overage pricing. At higher volumes, Zapier can cost significantly more than competitors like Make or n8n.

Source
Zapier Plus: What can I do with Zapier's free plan?

The Free plan includes 100 tasks per month, unlimited Zap workflows, unlimited Tables and Forms, two-factor authentication, and basic AI features. However, it is limited to simple 2-step Zaps (one trigger, one action), no webhook support, 15-minute polling intervals for trigger checks, and only 2,500 records in Tables.

Source
Zapier Plus: How many apps and integrations does Zapier support?

Zapier supports integration with over 7,000 applications and services, including all major SaaS platforms such as Salesforce, HubSpot, Slack, Notion, GitHub, Stripe, Xero, and QuickBooks. This extensive app library is one of Zapier's main competitive advantages.

Source
Zapier Plus: Does Zapier support webhooks and advanced workflow features?

Professional and higher plans support webhooks, allowing data from apps without native Zapier integrations. Multi-step Zaps support conditional paths, filters, and approval workflows. Code steps allow custom JavaScript or Python logic for advanced automation. The free plan does not support webhooks.

Source
Zapier Plus: What are Zapier's limitations for complex automation scenarios?

Zapier's linear workflow builder struggles with deeply nested conditions and multi-outcome branching logic. As a third-party orchestration layer, Zapier adds latency compared to native integrations. Free plan polling is every 15 minutes, limiting real-time responsiveness. For high-volume automation (10,000+ tasks/month), Zapier becomes significantly more expensive than alternatives.

Source
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