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Zapier vs Microsoft Power Automate

Zapier logo

Zapier

All industries

Automate your work across 7,000+ app integrations

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Microsoft Power Automate logo

Microsoft Power Automate

Automation & Integration

Automate tasks across cloud and on-premises apps

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Zapier the free plan allows 100 tasks per month and only two-step Zaps, one trigger and one action; Microsoft Power Automate free plan limited to 750 flow runs/month and standard connectors only; premium connectors require paid plans
  • They diverge on capability: Zapier covers App integrations, Microsoft Power Automate covers Automated flows.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Zapier and Microsoft Power Automate differ
AttributeZapierMicrosoft Power Automate
Pricing modelusage-basedUnknown
PlatformsWeb, ApiWeb, Cloud, Desktop
CategoryAll industriesAutomation & Integration
Founded20112016

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Zapier

  • App integrations
  • Workflow automation
  • Trigger-based actions
  • Multi-step Zaps
  • Data formatting
  • Conditional logic
  • Error handling
  • Team collaboration

Only in Microsoft Power Automate

  • Automated flows
  • Instant flows
  • Scheduled flows
  • Desktop automation
  • Process mining
  • Business process flows
  • Approval workflows
  • 500+ connectors

Both cover

  • Salesforce
  • SOC2

What people use each for

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

Zapier

  • Lead managementnot Microsoft Power Automate
  • Data synchronizationnot Microsoft Power Automate
  • Email automationnot Microsoft Power Automate
  • Social media postingnot Microsoft Power Automate
  • Customer onboardingnot Microsoft Power Automate

Microsoft Power Automate

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

Where each one falls short

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

Zapier

  • The free plan allows 100 tasks per month and only two-step Zaps, one trigger and one action
  • Multi-step Zaps, filters, paths, webhooks and the formatter all require a paid plan
  • Premium app connectors are withheld from the free plan
  • Free Zaps poll for new data every 15 minutes against 2 minutes on Professional and 1 minute on Team
  • Paying monthly rather than annually costs 50 percent more, so the 2,000-task Professional plan is $73.50 a month instead of $49

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

Pricing, plan by plan

Zapier

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 100 tasks/month
    • 5 Zaps
    • Two-step Zaps
  • Starter$19.99/month
    • 750 tasks/month
    • 20 Zaps
    • Multi-step Zaps
  • Professional$49/month
    • 2,000 tasks/month
    • Unlimited Zaps
    • Custom logic

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

Which should you pick?

Choose Zapier if

  • You need app integrations.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want workflow automation.
Zapier review

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

Questions people ask

Is Zapier or Microsoft Power Automate better?
Neither clearly leads. Zapier starts at Free and Microsoft Power Automate at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Zapier or Microsoft Power Automate?
Zapier starts at Free and Microsoft Power Automate at Free.
Does Zapier or Microsoft Power Automate run on more platforms?
Zapier runs on Web, Api. Microsoft Power Automate runs on Web, Cloud, Desktop.
Can I use Zapier for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Zapier best used for?
Zapier is most often used for lead management, data synchronization, email automation, social media posting. Of those, lead management and data synchronization are not what Microsoft Power Automate is typically brought in for.
What can Zapier do that Microsoft Power Automate cannot?
Zapier covers App integrations, Workflow automation, Trigger-based actions, Multi-step Zaps. Microsoft Power Automate covers Automated flows, Instant flows, Scheduled flows, Desktop automation. Both handle Salesforce, 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
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
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
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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Related pages

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