Microsoft Power Automate vs Workato
Microsoft Power Automate and Workato are both workflow automation tools. Microsoft Power Automate is aimed at small businesses and enterprise, while Workato is aimed at enterprise.
Microsoft's workflow automation and RPA platform for Microsoft 365
Enterprise integration and automation
| Pricing | Paid · $15 | Paid |
| Starting price | $15/mo | Not published |
| Free plan | No | No |
| Free trial | 30 days | — |
| Built for | Small businesses, Enterprise | Enterprise |
| Platforms | web, windows, ios, android | web |
| Country | US · 2016 | US · 2013 |
| Rating | — | — |
Choose Microsoft Power Automate if
Organizations standardized on Microsoft 365 that need governed workflow automation and desktop RPA for legacy apps.
- Deep native integration with Microsoft 365, Teams, SharePoint and Dynamics
- Many Microsoft 365 licences already include standard connector flows
- Combines API automation and desktop RPA in one platform
Look elsewhere if: Small teams on mostly non-Microsoft SaaS apps who want quick, simple automations (Zapier, Make, n8n).
Choose Workato if
Enterprises with complex integrations.
- Enterprise-grade
- Business and IT collaboration
- Strong connectors
Look elsewhere if: SMBs (Zapier, Make).
Microsoft Power Automate vs Workato pricing
Microsoft Power Automate
- Premium$15/user/moBilled yearly; cloud flows, attended desktop RPA, process mining
- Process$150/bot/moBilled yearly; unattended desktop flows for one bot
- Hosted Process$215/bot/moBilled yearly; adds a Microsoft-hosted virtual machine
- Process Mining add-on$5,000/tenant/moBilled yearly; requires Premium, 100 GB data storage
Workato
- PlatformCustomQuote-based; pay-as-you-go to enterprise-wide
Microsoft Power Automate · Key features
- Cloud flows triggered by events, schedules or buttons across 1,000+ connectors
- Desktop flows that automate Windows apps and websites through RPA
- Attended bots on user PCs and unattended bots on VMs
- Copilot that drafts flows from a plain-language description
- Approvals built into Teams, Outlook and the mobile app
- Process and task mining to find bottlenecks before automating
Cons
- Licensing is confusing, with premium connectors and per-bot charges
- Designer is slower and less intuitive than Zapier or Make
- Error messages and debugging can be hard for non-developers
Workato · Key features
- 1,200+ enterprise connectors
- Recipes and workflow automation
- AI agents (Genies)
- API management
- Governance and security
- Embedded iPaaS
Cons
- Expensive
- Quote-based pricing
- Overkill for SMBs
Microsoft Power Automate vs Workato: FAQ
Do Microsoft Power Automate and Workato have a free plan?
Microsoft Power Automate has no free plan, a 30-day free trial. Workato has no free plan.
Which is better for small businesses, Microsoft Power Automate or Workato?
Microsoft Power Automate lists small businesses as a core audience, while Workato is aimed more at enterprise.