Fortra's Automate vs IBM Cloud Pak for Automation comparison

Why PeerSpot?

Fortra and IBM are both solutions in the Business Orchestration and Automation Technologies category. Fortra is ranked #6 with an average rating of 8.8, while IBM is ranked #33. Fortra holds a 2.2% mindshare in BOAT, compared to IBM’s 0.9% mindshare. Additionally, 97% of Fortra users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of IBM users who would recommend it.

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Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between Fortra's Automate and IBM Cloud Pak for Automation based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out in this report how the two Business Orchestration and Automation Technologies solutions compare in terms of features, pricing, service and support, easy of deployment, and ROI.

To learn more, read our detailed Fortra's Automate vs. IBM Cloud Pak for Automation Report (Updated: September 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Fortra's Automate vs. IBM Cloud Pak for Automation

September 2026

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

Automation Anywhere

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2026, in the Business Orchestration and Automation Technologies category, the mindshare of Automation Anywhere is 6.0%, down from 8.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Fortra's Automate is 2.2%, up from 1.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of IBM Cloud Pak for Automation is 0.9%, up from 0.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Business Orchestration and Automation Technologies Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Automation Anywhere	6.0%
Fortra's Automate	2.2%
IBM Cloud Pak for Automation	0.9%
Other	90.9%

Business Orchestration and Automation Technologies

Featured Reviews

Venkat Sivaprakash

Management Consultant at Accenture

Has significantly improved document-driven workflows and reduced processing time across finance and HR functions

Automation Anywhere has evolved significantly and upgraded itself to provide agentic AI and AI-based automation solutions for document automation. The product has matured considerably over time. We can create workflows that can call an API. We can include prompts in particular workflows for ChatGPT-related functions, connecting to an LLM and RAG to perform tasks. For document automation, modern features are available to train documents, ensuring high accuracy and repeatability over time. The system is very easy to use. I recently completed a course in document automation, typically designed for people involved in coding and technical aspects. Though I understand coding comprehensively, I don't do actual coding. The course was very accessible. Currently, extensive coding isn't necessary due to the hybrid model incorporating GenAI aspects, low-code, no-code capabilities, APIs, and numerous pre-built objects in Automation Anywhere. The features include GenAI-driven prompting methods and workflow creation capabilities. In these workflows, we can create decision boxes and call APIs without coding. We simply pull objects, drop them, connect them, and add minimal coding when needed. The most crucial aspect isn't coding but rather sizing the automation and fleshing out the details. Automation Co-pilot takes notes and performs automated analysis. It can extract details from videos, summarize conversations, and provide detailed information. During calls, it identifies instructions and performs tasks such as preparing reports and reconciliation. Automation Anywhere can also connect with Microsoft Co-pilot. Through Co-pilot, real-time operations can be executed, allowing direct interaction between vendors and automation through this component.

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Jane Rachma Kiniti

IT Project Manager at Labo des histoires

Automate has streamlined workflows and increased efficiency with powerful automation

The best features of the solution are the flexible automation features, it is rich with beautiful connectors, and it is easy to use with little to no coding knowledge required to get started, so anybody can use the tool. The intuitive interface of Automate has an intuitive design, which makes it easy to learn and use even without a strong technical background, and it has a drag-and-drop interface, which makes everything so easy and straightforward. The error handling capabilities in complex automation tasks are powerful, as it handles all types of tasks, whether complex or simple. I've never faced any problems even when dealing with complex tasks, so everything is super smooth and highly reliable, even when dealing with big tasks, as it has never slowed down. Automate's compatibility with existing IT infrastructure has impacted our business operations positively by providing smooth integration with other software that we use, such as Gmail, Jira, and Microsoft 365 apps, which gives us a unified platform instead of having to keep switching from one software to another, saving a lot of time and streamlining the whole workflows. The automated analytics have helped improve our business processes since it has increased our efficiency by automating our everyday tasks, freeing up time for us to focus more on strategic activities such as analyzing data and developing new business strategies. It is also cost-saving. By minimizing manual labor, it decreases human errors that can lead to costly mistakes. By automating the tasks, it helps to save costs, and it also improves our accuracy by reducing these errors to ensure that tasks are done almost perfectly.

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SYEDMUJTABA

Vice President - Digital Automation Services at Techvista Systems

Effectively handles parallel instances effectively

I find it quite straightforward, perhaps around 8.5 out of 10 in terms of ease. When we upgraded from the old version of IBM BPM to the new one within IBM Cloud Pak for Automation, we didn't encounter any major issues. There were some minor ones, but they were easy to overcome.The migration process was part of our deployment strategy. We had a plan to migrate two processes per week from on-premises to the cloud. The migration involved taking the instances and migrating them to the new environment. There is an inbuilt feature in IBM Cloud Pak for Automation that facilitates the migration process, although I personally haven't conducted it myself; it's managed by my team. Overall, the setup process was relatively smooth.

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"We are able to satisfy our clients in ways that we did not think was possible."

"It gives us the capability of leveraging our investments in different applications. I can use Automation Anywhere to tie a number of applications or processes together, without having to do in-depth coding to automate something."

"Manual efforts have been reduced and the accuracy has increased. In the processes I have done, the accuracy has reached 100 percent, and manual load and time has been reduced."

"With its user-friendly user interface, our developers are able to quickly pick it up."

"Automation Anywhere's central command center is good."

"We have been able to take an accounting task and clear a very large backlog, therefore being completely up-to-date on the task since implementing a bot on it."

"I like Automation Anywhere's cloud-based nature. You don't need any on-prem infrastructure to host it."

"I really like Screen Recording because it is used to record a task or a series of actions."

More Automation Anywhere pros

"Overall, the whole product is really nice and provides significant benefits."

"Regarding errors, there is a sixty to sixty-five percent chance that our errors get resolved by Fortra's Automate by default."

"Automate increases efficiency and eliminates errors during documentation and invoicing processes."

"We are still in the process of rolling it to production and tweaking it (our AD groups are a mess), but the improvements are priceless. Having users ID's created the same way every time without human error is the best part. We don't need to worry about why groups were not added, user rights not set to folders or missing a private folder being created, typos or just even knowing when things are done and logged."

"This tool has machine learning and voice recognition and computer vision, which are both quite useful aspects. These aren't available in other tools. It's a good addition to this tool and it gives the solution an edge on the market."

"The best features in Fortra's Automate include centralized job orchestration and reliable scheduling, along with role-based security and audit trails, which I value the most about this product."

"Fortra's Automate helps to automate things and reduces our manual work, saving our time, so I do not think there is any downside I feel as an automation tool."

"The return on investment I have seen with Fortra's Automate is greater than sixty percent, as it significantly improves our workflow and our team's capabilities."

More Fortra's Automate pros

"I believe two significant features of IBM Cloud Pak for Automation are the focus on SLA management and the capability to handle parallel instances effectively. Parallel instances, for instance, are valuable when dealing with a large number of users, enabling tasks to be performed concurrently for efficient system operation. The SLA aspect is crucial for tracking and ensuring timely completion of tasks. Additionally, the cloud compatibility of IBM BAW allows for seamless migration from on-premises to the cloud. This version also includes a business rule management system for storing and managing business rules effectively."

"What this product allows us to do is to move from on-prem instances where we are running independent instances of FileNet, Datacap, and ODM. It allows us to leverage container-based resiliency and availability modeling so that we have some visibility across the CP4BA ecosystem. We're now migrating all of our data to be in the Cloud Object Storage, and we can now use some of the features of Azure in terms of how we store and retrieve content for our members and our providers."

Cons

"It would be really good if they could give more priority to tickets which are raised by partners. Right now, Automation Anywhere customers and employees have higher priority."

"The support and user community need improvement."

"There have been problems with scalability. It comes down to how we handle the code."

"The focus on usability and user experience is bang on. Addressing several personas and making it easy for every persona to adopt and embrace is the spot on focus. That's an area that has a lot more room to improve. In the absence of that, the skills and expertise in the industry are going to struggle and if you need broader adoption, which has maximum potential, the persona-based user experience is a focus and I'd say Automation Anywhere is already working on."

"It needs to have more options for integrating with other tools."

"Enhancing the support tiers might be beneficial, and pricing has been a primary challenge, with a need for cheaper options and more tiered support."

"Automation Anywhere can improve the product in potential areas of improvement with respect to automation and AI."

"However, the AI Sense Recorder is too slow, so they can enhance its features for easier user experience."

More Automation Anywhere cons

"The vendor is currently working on a solution that allows us to automatically create a process that is based on a document that we receive via email."

"When I compare Fortra's Automate with other software like Power Automate or UiPath, those software are more user-friendly."

"The user interface could be slightly enhanced to make it more modern."

"The technical support could be better. We suffer from language barriers, as we are in Argentina."

"The product also has a limited use case in some respects."

"We really need a free development environment for customers. Building and testing automation on production isn't ideal."

"Error messages should be better. For error status, there should be better documentation because a lot of times, error messages that you get are quite vague. For example, you get a message saying that the workflow has run into an unknown status, which is vague. It just tells you that it failed, but you don't know how or why it failed. It makes debugging difficult."

"I would like the updates to be easier to deploy. Integration with Amazon S3 is somewhat lacking."

More Fortra's Automate cons

"One of the challenges we're having is finding vendors who have experience in developing on the cloud. We can find developers on the old platform, but it is leading-edge technology. So, we are having some challenges, and IBM is assisting us to find vendor partners. To be able to leverage all the capabilities of the new platform, we have to upgrade our existing ecosystem of FileNet applications. Upgrading to the new platform while trying to modernize is always challenging because it is like you have a moving target."

"Upgrading to the new platform while trying to modernize is always challenging because it is like you have a moving target."

"I believe there is room for improvement in the user interface, particularly in the Process Portal that customers use to view and manage their tasks. The UI of the Process Portal needs enhancement. Additionally, in the next release, I would like to see improved compatibility with Angular, allowing for direct integration with front-end systems. It would be beneficial to have built-in GUI features based on Angular within the system, rather than developing separate applications externally. This, in turn, would provide a more seamless and enhanced front-end experience."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"I would rate the cost of Automation Anywhere as a six out of ten, with ten being the most expensive."

"In terms of monetary savings, we automated a bot in three days that has saved us $30,000 in costs."

"I feel the cost of licensing is very high for the A2019 version."

"The licensing fees are approximately $10,000 USD for between five and ten users."

"The cost is affordable, which makes an easy barrier to entry for the RPA market."

"Our company is investing a lot of money in Automation Anywhere. They have saved money wherever humans are working. They invest a lot of money in FTEs and other logistics, so the money saving is very pretty good with Automation Anywhere. While I don't know the exact figure, the tool is saving us millions of dollars as well as saving about 40,000 hours in the last year."

"They are already coming out with a community license, which is really good. That's something that I wish to have."

"The pricing for Automation Anywhere is reasonable."

More Automation Anywhere pricing and cost advice

"I like the way this solution is priced because you can buy a license, or you can buy the software outright."

"I'm only involved in running the product and maintaining the systems, so I can't speak to the cost."

"I believe the price falls within a reasonable range, which significantly influenced our decision regarding the product. This aspect is crucial for any technological solution, especially in our country where enterprises might be hesitant to invest heavily in something untested or uncertain about its practicality and potential returns."

"It has gone up in price. The price of Fortra's Automate has increased since we first started using it. It does a lot but also costs a lot. It was a lot more affordable before Fortra owned the software."

"From a distributor's side, one of the biggest selling points is its price point. Without going into any numbers, compared to UiPath, Automation Anywhere, and Blue Prism, we're significantly cheaper. The main difference is that other competitors usually charge you per process. However, in Automate's case, it's priced per bot. So, a bot can run multiple processes at the same time, but you are only priced for a single bot."

"From a distributor's perspective, one of the biggest selling points of Automate is its price point."

"The pricing is quite reasonable. We can run the process with one bot. The limitation is at the server level because they have some resources, and sometimes that is enough. It isn't too expensive, so you can get a good return off of one, and you can also have a pack of five bots that is quite competitive."

"The cost is a bit high for a small business like ours, but we manage with Fortra's Automate."

More Fortra's Automate pricing and cost advice

"Its cost is almost the same or comparable to what we pay with FileNet, but I'm not sure what we pay a year. A good part of CP4BA is the CPU-based licensing model. When we're dealing with 50,000 dentists, for example, if we were to use Salesforce, we would be hit with the licensing of 50,000 dentists, whereas when we build out in CP4BA, it is just based on our CPU usage, not on individual licenses."

"IBM Cloud Pak for Automation is relatively expensive, especially considering it is designed for long-living processes, not for normal automation needs. On a scale of one to ten, I would rate the pricing at around 9. There are no additional costs beyond the standard licensing fees, but IBM has multiple pricing models that make it expensive in its own way. Different plans are available, but overall, the experience suggests it is a costly solution."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Outsourcing Company

15%

Financial Services Firm

12%

Manufacturing Company

11%

Comms Service Provider

11%

Financial Services Firm

11%

Manufacturing Company

Outsourcing Company

Computer Software Company

Construction Company

13%

Financial Services Firm

11%

Outsourcing Company

11%

Wholesaler/Distributor

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	161
Midsize Enterprise	85
Large Enterprise	561

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	33
Midsize Enterprise	13
Large Enterprise	11

No data available

Questions from the Community

How good is Automation Anywhere for RPA processes?

It depends on your use case. Is it simply to automate a couple of processes? Is it to augment a human team? AA is ver...

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How good is Automation Anywhere for RPA processes?

From my experience using AA tool, it depends on the applications that you want to automate, because there some applic...

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How good is Automation Anywhere for RPA processes?

It is a highly preferred RPA tool. You can check my Automation Anywhere Review to know more.

See all answers

What is your primary use case for HelpSystems AutoMate?

I mainly use Fortra's Automate to automate routine IT tasks and schedule workflows, which reduces manual work. I auto...

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Fortra Automate?

The setup cost is free, but I believe it is a little expensive.

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What needs improvement with Fortra Automate?

Fortra's Automate could be improved as the reporting could be more flexible, and some advanced workflows could be eas...

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Comparisons

UiPath Platform vs Automation Anywhere

Compared 11% of the time

Blue Prism vs Automation Anywhere

Compared 6% of the time

Microsoft Power Automate vs Automation Anywhere

Compared 5% of the time

AutomationEdge vs Automation Anywhere

Compared 3% of the time

IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA) vs Automation Anywhere

Compared 2% of the time

More Automation Anywhere Competitors

UiPath Platform vs Fortra's Automate

Compared 11% of the time

Microsoft Power Automate vs Fortra's Automate

Compared 8% of the time

OpenText Operations Orchestration vs Fortra's Automate

Compared 3% of the time

Blue Prism vs Fortra's Automate

Compared 3% of the time

Automic Automation vs Fortra's Automate

Compared 3% of the time

More Fortra's Automate Competitors

Appian vs IBM Cloud Pak for Automation

Compared 14% of the time

IBM BPM vs IBM Cloud Pak for Automation

Compared 12% of the time

Camunda vs IBM Cloud Pak for Automation

Compared 12% of the time

Nintex Process Platform vs IBM Cloud Pak for Automation

Compared 8% of the time

Azure Automation vs IBM Cloud Pak for Automation

Compared 7% of the time

More IBM Cloud Pak for Automation Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Automation Anywhere

October 2026

Download Automation Anywhere product report

Buyer's Guide

Fortra's Automate

October 2026

Download Fortra's Automate product report

Buyer's Guide

Process Automation

October 2026

Download IBM Cloud Pak for Automation product report

Also Known As

Automation Anywhere, Testing Anywhere, Automation Anywhere Enterprise, Agentic Process Automation System (Now Certified for WorkSpaces)

HelpSystems Automate, Automate

No data available

Interactive Demo

Automation Anywhere

Demo not available

Fortra

Demo not available

IBM

Overview

Automation Anywhere offers ease of use, robust system connectivity, and GenAI-driven document automation through a cloud-native platform, significantly enhancing productivity across multiple industries with advanced AI features.

Delivering a comprehensive suite of tools designed for easy integration and rapid deployment, Automation Anywhere drives efficiency by reducing costs and automating repetitive tasks. Its cloud-native platform supports broad industry adoption, including advanced AI features like process automation and Co-Pilot, streamlining complex workflows with minimal technical skills required. Users benefit from robust integration capabilities, which facilitate seamless interaction with multiple systems. However, there is room for improvement in areas such as user-friendliness for beginners, stability, flexible licensing, and enhanced OCR functionality. Organizations in sectors such as banking, finance, manufacturing, and healthcare gain from the improved operational efficiency and ROI Automation Anywhere offers.

What are the important features of Automation Anywhere?

Ease of Use: Simplifies automation tasks with a user-centric interface.
Robust Connectivity: Provides seamless integration with multiple systems.
GenAI-Driven Document Automation: Leverages AI to automate document management.
Process Automation & Co-Pilot: Enhances workflow automation with advanced AI.
Cloud-Native Platform: Enables rapid deployment and integration.

What benefits should be evaluated in reviews?

Time Savings: Automation drastically reduces manual processing time.
Cost Efficiency: Decreases overall operational costs by automating tasks.
Productivity Enhancement: Streamlines workflows with AI-driven tools.
Improved Integration: Enhances ability to work with multiple systems.
Scalability: Supports growth with a flexible cloud-native architecture.

In the insurance industry, Automation Anywhere is utilized for automating processes such as enrollment management and compliance checks. Its applications extend to supply chain management, financial transactions, and business performance monitoring across sectors like banking, finance, manufacturing, and healthcare, helping organizations to automate routine tasks, improve efficiency, and reduce costs.

Automation Anywhere

Fortra's Automate offers a user-friendly platform for task automation, featuring a drag-and-drop interface that aids in scheduling, file management, and integrating with services like Azure and AWS.

Fortra's Automate provides substantial ease in automating complex tasks through its intuitive design. It offers seamless integration capabilities, especially with Azure and AWS, and comes equipped with strong error handling. Cost-effective and requiring minimal coding, it supports a broad range of industries by effectively automating tasks such as HR operations, invoice management, and data processing across servers.

What features stand out in Fortra's Automate?

Drag-and-Drop Interface: Simplifies task setup and automation without deep coding expertise.
Scheduling and File Management: Ensures efficient, automated handling of tasks and file transfers.
Integration Capabilities: Works with platforms like Azure and AWS for enhanced performance.
Error Handling: Offers solid solutions to manage and resolve task execution errors.
Minimal Coding: Facilitates automation with limited coding requirements, broadening accessibility.

What benefits should users consider in reviews?

Cost-Effectiveness: Provides affordable licensing options for diverse businesses.
Operational Efficiency: Enhances productivity by automating repetitive tasks, reducing manual errors.
Versatility: Adapts well across sectors like banking, healthcare, and transportation.
Robust Support: Offers extensive assistance with automation features.
IT Compatibility: Easily integrates into existing IT infrastructures.

In industries such as healthcare and transportation, Fortra's Automate facilitates the automation of client management, HR operations, and data processing, boosting efficiency. Banks utilize it for managing extensive invoice workflows, while distribution sectors rely on its capabilities for insurance checks and system support. Its applicability across servers makes it a valuable tool for any sector seeking to reduce manual workload and improve task accuracy.

Fortra

IBM Cloud Pak for Automation enhances efficiency with a comprehensive suite of tools designed for business process automation and optimization. It offers robust features that streamline workflows, help in faster decision-making, and foster agility.

IBM Cloud Pak for Automation provides a modular platform for businesses aiming to automate operations and orchestrate workflows seamlessly. It integrates AI-powered solutions to handle repetitive tasks and enable intelligent automation across the enterprise. With cloud-native architecture, it supports rapid deployment and scalability, making it adaptable to evolving needs. Its flexibility allows for the integration of third-party applications, ensuring a customizable approach that meets diverse automation requirements. Its compatibility with Kubernetes further boosts its deployment capabilities, enabling businesses to manage workloads more efficiently.

What features make IBM Cloud Pak for Automation stand out?

AI-Powered Automation: Uses machine learning to streamline tasks.
Workflow Orchestration: Organizes business processes for swifter management.
Robust Integration: Seamlessly integrates with third-party tools for enhanced workflows.
Cloud-Native Architecture: Ensures scalability and adaptability to changing conditions.

What benefits and ROI should users expect?

Increased Efficiency: Automation of repetitive tasks leads to improved workflow speed.
Reduced Costs: Less manual intervention saves resources and operational costs.
Agility: Quick adaptation to business changes due to seamless integration and orchestration.
Scalability: Designed to grow with business demands, supporting expansion without disruption.

IBM Cloud Pak for Automation is extensively implemented in industries such as finance, healthcare, and manufacturing. In finance, it automates back-office operations, thereby increasing processing speed for transactions. Healthcare leverages it to manage patient data and streamline administrative tasks, which enhances both efficiency and patient care. In manufacturing, it drives production line automation, enabling better quality control and faster time-to-market. Its industry-specific applications underline its adaptability and effectiveness in automating and optimizing enterprise processes.

IBM

Sample Customers

Google, Linkedin, Cisco, Juniper Networks, DellEMC, Comcast, Mastercard, Quest Diagnostics

Aldergrove Financial Group, Preferred Health Professionals, Mindbeam Technologies, First Credit Union in British Columbia, Vestcom International, Prime Liberty Benefits, University of Tampa, CNLBancshares, World Precision Instruments, BJ's Restaurants, Globe Pequot Press, Accudata Technologies, Norton Healthcare, Pacific Toxicology Laboratories

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Buyer's Guide

Fortra's Automate vs. IBM Cloud Pak for Automation

September 2026

Free Report: Fortra's Automate vs. IBM Cloud Pak for Automation

Find out what your peers are saying about Fortra's Automate vs. IBM Cloud Pak for Automation and other solutions. Updated: September 2026.

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