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Software · head to head

Salesforce Flows vs Workato

Salesforce Flows logo

Salesforce Flows

Software

Automation inside Salesforce

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Workato logo

Workato

Software

The enterprise integration platform

From
$99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Salesforce Flows has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Salesforce Flows not suitable for highly complex scenarios with intricate decision-making or bulk data processing; 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: Salesforce Flows covers Visual flow builder, Workato covers Process orchestration.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Salesforce Flows and Workato actually diverge.

Attributes where Salesforce Flows and Workato differ
AttributeSalesforce FlowsWorkato
Starting priceFree$99/month
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsSalesforce Cloud, Web, MobileWeb, On-premise
Founded19992014

Identical on both: 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 Salesforce Flows

  • Visual flow builder
  • Approvals
  • Scheduled actions
  • Screen flows
  • Multi-step workflows
  • Conditional logic
  • Salesforce native
  • External APIs

Only in Workato

  • Process orchestration
  • Master data management
  • Integration templates
  • Real-time sync
  • Monitoring
  • API management
  • Workflow analytics
  • 1000+ apps

Both cover

  • Error handling
  • GDPR
  • HIPAA
  • Cloud deployment

What people use each for

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

Salesforce Flows

  • Workflow Automation
  • Data Integration
  • Process Automation
  • App Integration
  • API Connectivity

Workato

  • Workflow Automation
  • Data Integration
  • Process Automation
  • App Integration
  • API Connectivity

Both are used for workflow automation, data integration, process automation, app integration, api connectivity, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.

Where each one falls short

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

Salesforce Flows

  • Not suitable for highly complex scenarios with intricate decision-making or bulk data processing
  • No automatic record locking, causing conflicts when multiple users update same records
  • Limited error handling compared to Apex
  • Requires Enterprise edition or higher for full capabilities
  • Auto-launched Flows cannot display screens to users
  • Complex dependency management and configuration challenges when deploying between environments

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

Salesforce Flows

Free
  • Salesforce FreeFree
    • 2 user licenses
    • Basic workflows
    • Limited automation
  • Starter$25/user/month
    • Sales flows
    • Lead routing
    • Email marketing analytics
  • Professional$100/user/month
    • Sales quoting
    • Forecasting
    • AppExchange access
  • Enterprise$165/user/month
    • Full Flow Builder
    • Custom objects
    • Sandboxes

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 Salesforce Flows if

  • You need visual flow builder.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Salesforce Cloud, Web, Mobile.
  • You also want approvals.
Salesforce Flows 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 Salesforce Flows or Workato better?
Neither clearly leads. Salesforce Flows 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, Salesforce Flows or Workato?
Salesforce Flows has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Salesforce Flows and $99/month for Workato.
Does Salesforce Flows or Workato run on more platforms?
Salesforce Flows runs on Salesforce Cloud, Web, Mobile. Workato runs on Web, On-premise.
Can I use Salesforce Flows for free?
Yes. Salesforce Flows has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Workato starts at $99/month.
What is Salesforce Flows best used for?
Salesforce Flows is most often used for workflow automation, data integration, process automation, app integration.
What can Salesforce Flows do that Workato cannot?
Salesforce Flows covers Visual flow builder, Approvals, Scheduled actions, Screen flows. Workato covers Process orchestration, Master data management, Integration templates, Real-time sync. Both handle Error handling, GDPR, HIPAA, Cloud deployment.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Salesforce Flows: Which Salesforce editions include Flows?

Salesforce Flow Builder is included in Enterprise Edition ($165/user/month) and above. Professional Edition lacks advanced automation capabilities and Flow Builder access. Starter and lower editions have limited Flow support.

Source
Salesforce Flows: What are the main limitations of Salesforce Flows?

Flows are limited by DML operations (max 150 data elements that modify data), SOQL queries (max 100 data elements that retrieve data), and are not designed for bulk processing. Auto-launched Flows do not support screens and have limited error handling compared to Apex.

Source
Salesforce Flows: Can Salesforce Flows integrate with external systems?

Yes, through MuleSoft connectors and Salesforce API Catalog. Pre-built connectors exist for systems like Asana, and admins can create custom connectors. Complex integrations may still require Apex or third-party platforms.

Source
Salesforce Flows: When was Salesforce Flow redesigned?

Flow Builder was introduced in Spring '19 as a replacement for the previous Flow Designer, providing a more familiar interface similar to other Salesforce Lightning Builder tools.

Source
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