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IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA) vs Microsoft Power Automate comparison

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Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 4, 2024

Review summaries and opinions

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

ROI

Sentiment score
8.1
Automate boosts efficiency with 30% more productivity, saving 200 hours monthly and reducing costs without needing consultants.
Sentiment score
8.3
IBM RPA offers 20-30% ROI, short payback period, cost-effectiveness, automates tasks, and enhances client satisfaction and financial benefits.
Sentiment score
7.8
Microsoft Power Automate offers efficient, cost-effective integration under o365, delivering higher returns than competitors through automation and strategic licensing.
Fortra's Automate has effectively replaced the workload of an entire employee, saving us significant time and money.
It has reduced our expenditures in terms of purchasing more products and employing more technicians.
My customers have seen high ROI with IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA) because it has a lower cost than other vendors.
It has helped us save time, and we've saved thousands of hours through automation.
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
7.5
Automated customer support is highly rated for quick responses and expertise, though some find the knowledge base lacking.
Sentiment score
6.6
IBM RPA offers reliable customer service, though some users seek better educational resources and more experienced level-one support.
Sentiment score
6.3
Microsoft Power Automate customer service varies by region and level, with generally prompt support and valuable online resources.
They don't always understand the processes I'm trying to implement.
I would rate the technical support as a nine out of ten because it is quite fast and courteous.
They are very responsive and have been able to resolve any issues I have encountered.
They need to improve their support by having more experienced level one support.
Having experience with coding is essential to fully utilize Power Automate.
On a scale of one to ten, the technical support of Microsoft Power Automate rates as three within India, and eight or nine for support from outside India.
I have contacted the technical support of Microsoft regarding some issues, and their support is good.
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.0
Automate is praised for scalability and cost-effectiveness, yet faces challenges with complexity and operating system support.
Sentiment score
7.6
IBM RPA is highly scalable, appreciated for its cloud flexibility, aided by Kubernetes, microservices, and AI expansion efforts.
Sentiment score
6.9
Microsoft Power Automate offers scalable solutions, though licensing and external complexities may affect scalability in larger enterprises.
It is easy to increase one bot or one studio without needing to buy another orchestrator, which can be quite expensive.
The solution is very scalable because it's supported by Cloud Pak for Automation, allowing scaling with other solutions or independently.
I would rate the scalability of IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA) as eight on a scale of one to ten.
Microsoft Power Automate is scalable enough for me and my customers.
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
7.0
Automate version 11 is stable and reliable, with occasional slowdowns reported, scoring 7 to 9 out of 10.
Sentiment score
6.9
IBM RPA is generally stable, with improved version 11, but some users report minor issues and memory concerns.
Sentiment score
7.6
Microsoft Power Automate is stable and reliable, but some users experience issues with updates and complex workflows.
It has very robust features, and it is not prone to instability.
The stability of Fortra's Automate is excellent.
IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA) has been running smoothly for four years without any errors, which indicates a high level of stability.
 

Room For Improvement

Automate needs improved web automation, UI, security, OCR, stability, documentation, integration, user experience, community support, and cloud functionality.
IBM RPA needs stronger AI, better integrations, user-friendly features, and improved support to address user challenges and requests.
Microsoft Power Automate struggles with high costs, limited integration, complex workflows, and needs improvements in AI, RPA, and documentation.
I would prefer not having to log in to update a ticket; being able to respond via email would be beneficial.
Integration with Amazon S3 is somewhat lacking.
I find that most important features are strong, however, there is a lack of good development for artificial intelligence, such as machine learning.
To improve IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA) for the next release, there should be more integration with external systems, and more integration with IBM's data and AI platforms is needed.
Developers should have discretion over which view they want to use, either the old designer view or the new designer view, as Microsoft is forcing the new designer view, which most developers don't prefer.
It would be better to make it a wizard more than requiring coding.
 

Setup Cost

Automate offers flexible and competitive pricing, appealing to budget-conscious buyers with options for unlimited bots and reasonable costs.
IBM RPA pricing is often high with annual licensing, but it offers flexibility, bundling, and a free trial.
Microsoft Power Automate is cost-effective with flexible pricing, but premium services can increase overall costs for organizations.
Competitors are often more expensive than Automate.
It offered what we wanted at a good, competitive price.
It does a lot but also costs a lot.
The pricing of IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA) is an area that could be improved.
Microsoft Power Automate is reasonably priced compared to others in the market.
 

Valuable Features

Automate offers a user-friendly interface for easy task automation with efficient features, Azure integration, and cost-effective scalability.
IBM Robotic Process Automation boosts efficiency and productivity with user-friendly automation, integration, and advanced analytics features.
Microsoft Power Automate streamlines automation with low-code tools, Office 365 integration, extensive connectors, and strong community support.
Automate's non-reliance on additional orchestrators makes it quite cost-effective.
I find the ease of use from a programming perspective very valuable.
The most valuable features of Fortra's Automate include its FTP functionality and file manipulation capabilities.
We haven't encountered any errors in the last four years, which speaks to its reliability.
The analytics and reporting tools in IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA) are the best compared to all other RPAs because all other RPAs only use dashboards while IBM is the only one to have a reporting tool that includes dashboards.
We have saved thousands of hours by automating tasks that would have been labor-intensive and error-prone if done manually.
If I want to fill something in Power Platform and need to fill another item in Salesforce, instead of doing the same task in different platforms, I can directly fill it in Power Platform and integrate it with Salesforce through API in Microsoft Power Automate, and my work is complete.
It helps show the optimal way to utilize a process by discovering, validating, and improving the process automation.
 

Categories and Ranking

Automate
Sponsored
Ranking in Robotic Process Automation (RPA)
5th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.2
Number of Reviews
27
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
IBM Robotic Process Automat...
Ranking in Robotic Process Automation (RPA)
10th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.3
Number of Reviews
25
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Microsoft Power Automate
Ranking in Robotic Process Automation (RPA)
3rd
Average Rating
7.8
Reviews Sentiment
7.0
Number of Reviews
128
Ranking in other categories
Process Mining (4th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2025, in the Robotic Process Automation (RPA) category, the mindshare of Automate is 1.7%, up from 1.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA) is 3.0%, up from 2.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft Power Automate is 20.0%, down from 21.6% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Robotic Process Automation (RPA)
 

Featured Reviews

Anabel Marco - PeerSpot reviewer
Automates processes efficiently with cost-effective scaling and robust customer support
Web scraping is quite good since it offers a lot of possibilities. Another important feature for me is its compatibility with MBI, the Power that is ISEQUADO Centers. I appreciate the ability to scale and increase the number of bots or studios without additional expense. Automate's non-reliance on additional orchestrators makes it quite cost-effective.
GeorgeTzifas - PeerSpot reviewer
Provides smart AI tools and easy to use
I would like to have more flexibility in connecting the platform with third-party systems. It is easy to connect IBM RPA with other IBM products, but it is complicated when connecting to non-IBM systems. So, I would like IBM RPA to be even more flexible in connecting to third-party systems.
MohammedIdais - PeerSpot reviewer
Facilitate informed decision-making through data analytics and efficient process automation
The most valuable feature for me is the process mining capability. It helps show the optimal way to utilize a process by discovering, validating, and improving the process automation. For example, when building a process from start to end, I may not be sure if it is efficient or optimized. This feature provides validation and improvement of the process using process mining. Additionally, it has amazing integration capabilities with multiple systems, directly working with the database.
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856,873 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
14%
Computer Software Company
12%
Manufacturing Company
7%
Educational Organization
6%
Computer Software Company
19%
Financial Services Firm
16%
Insurance Company
6%
Government
6%
Financial Services Firm
15%
Computer Software Company
13%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Insurance Company
5%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about HelpSystems AutoMate?
We use it for specific cases, mainly secure file transfers, which are vital for us. And it works for us.
What is your primary use case for HelpSystems AutoMate?
I am a consultant and I am making a lot of processes in human resources, payroll, certifications, trainings, web scra...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Fortra Automate?
The pricing is quite good compared to its competitors. Competitors are often more expensive than Automate. I would ra...
What do you like most about IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA)?
Integrating the tool with SAP, EBS, or other ERPs is easy.
What needs improvement with IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA)?
The pricing of IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA) could be improved.
What is your primary use case for IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA)?
We usually use IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA) ( /products/ibm-robotic-process-automation-rpa-reviews ) to autom...
RPA that Bots can run without centralized control?
Yes, Attended Bots which can run without centralized control Module. RPA Tools like Automation Anywhere, uiPath ,Pow...
How do I choose between UiPath and Microsoft Power Automate?
Microsoft‌ ‌Power‌ ‌Automate‌ ‌is‌ ‌intuitive‌ ‌and‌ ‌easy‌ ‌to‌ ‌integrate‌ ‌and‌ ‌use.‌ ‌I‌ ‌like‌ ‌that‌ ‌there‌ ‌...
How is Automation Anywhere compared to Microsoft Power Automate?
‌Neither‌ ‌solution‌ ‌requires‌ ‌any‌ ‌coding‌ ‌experience,‌ ‌and‌ ‌both‌ ‌are‌ ‌easy‌ ‌to‌ ‌use‌ ‌and‌ ‌have‌ ‌great...
 

Also Known As

HelpSystems Automate, Automate
IBM RPA
Power Automate, Microsoft Flow, MS Power Automate, WinAutomation by Softomotive, ProcessRobot by Softomotive, Minit
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

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
The Hanover Insurance Group
1. Coca-Cola 2. General Electric 3. Siemens 4. Accenture 5. Deloitte 6. Johnson & Johnson 7. Ford 8. Nestle 9. Procter & Gamble 10. IBM 11. Amazon 12. Google 13. Microsoft 14. Adobe 15. Cisco 16. Oracle 17. SAP 18. Intel 19. HP 20. Dell 21. Verizon 22. AT&T 23. T-Mobile 24. Walmart 25. Target 26. Home Depot 27. McDonald's 28. Starbucks 29. Nike 30. Apple 31. Facebook 32. Twitter
Find out what your peers are saying about IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA) vs. Microsoft Power Automate and other solutions. Updated: June 2025.
856,873 professionals have used our research since 2012.