Try our new research platform with insights from 80,000+ expert users

IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA) vs Python RPA comparison

Sponsored
 

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
8.0
Automate saves time and resources, achieving ROI quickly by reducing manual tasks and IT staff needs through automation.
Sentiment score
8.2
IBM Robotic Process Automation delivers 20-30% ROI, with medium projects seeing returns in six to eight months.
Sentiment score
8.2
Python RPA boosts efficiency, reduces errors, saves costs, and enhances productivity, enabling employees to focus on higher-value tasks.
Fortra's Automate has effectively replaced the workload of an entire employee, saving us significant time and money.
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
7.4
Automate customer service is praised for responsive, effective support despite occasional communication issues, with knowledgeable and helpful staff.
Sentiment score
6.9
IBM RPA support is praised for responsiveness and expertise, with minor technical issues but calls for more educational resources.
Sentiment score
7.3
Python RPA is praised for responsive, knowledgeable customer support with high ratings for professionalism and effective guidance through issues.
They don't always understand the processes I'm trying to implement.
They are very responsive and have been able to resolve any issues I have encountered.
I would rate the technical support as a nine out of ten because it is quite fast and courteous.
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.0
Automate offers scalable, cost-effective deployment with support for load balancing and high availability, although scaling complexity exists.
Sentiment score
7.6
IBM RPA excels in scalability, easily adapting in cloud environments with Kubernetes, aiding diverse business needs across industries.
Sentiment score
6.9
Python RPA efficiently scales projects, handles tasks, integrates smoothly, and meets diverse needs, but optimal scaling may require expertise.
It is easy to increase one bot or one studio without needing to buy another orchestrator, which can be quite expensive.
I would rate the scalability of IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA) as eight on a scale of one to ten.
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
7.0
Automate is praised for stability and performance, despite occasional errors, connectivity issues, and recommendations for server improvements.
Sentiment score
6.8
IBM RPA is generally stable, rated 8/10, with minor issues like memory overload, valued for scalability and integration.
Sentiment score
8.3
Python RPA is praised for its stability, reliability, and robustness in handling complex workflows with minimal glitches or errors.
The stability of Fortra's Automate is excellent.
It has very robust features, and it is not prone to instability.
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

Users seek improvements in web automation, UI, security, OCR, integration, documentation, stability, AI, cloud functionality, and community access.
IBM RPA needs improved AI, integration, user features, pricing, support, and community tools for enhanced user experience.
Python RPA users face stability issues, complex setup, insufficient documentation, and slow performance with large datasets.
Integration with Amazon S3 is somewhat lacking.
I would prefer not having to log in to update a ticket; being able to respond via email would be beneficial.
I find that most important features are strong, however, there is a lack of good development for artificial intelligence, such as machine learning.
 

Setup Cost

Automate offers a cost-effective, scalable pricing model with lower costs per bot, unlike UiPath and Blue Prism.
IBM RPA's flexible pricing, offering trials and payment options, is viewed as costly by some, affordable by others.
Python RPA provides flexible and competitively priced plans, beneficial for both small projects and large enterprises, with excellent support.
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.
 

Valuable Features

Automate offers easy task development and integration with AI resources, efficiently handling tasks with strong support for secure transfers.
IBM Robotic Process Automation is user-friendly, integrates with systems, automates tasks, enhancing efficiency, productivity, and morale.
Python RPA is valued for its ease of use, flexibility, integration, quick deployment, customization, community support, cost-effectiveness, and scalability.
Automate's non-reliance on additional orchestrators makes it quite cost-effective.
The most valuable features of Fortra's Automate include its FTP functionality and file manipulation capabilities.
I really like the API functionality; it's a slick aspect of the solution when I'm using it.
We haven't encountered any errors in the last four years, which speaks to its reliability.
 

Categories and Ranking

Automate
Sponsored
Ranking in Robotic Process Automation (RPA)
5th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.2
Number of Reviews
26
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
24
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Python RPA
Ranking in Robotic Process Automation (RPA)
18th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.2
Number of Reviews
3
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2025, in the Robotic Process Automation (RPA) category, the mindshare of Automate is 1.6%, up from 1.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA) is 2.8%, up from 2.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Python RPA is 2.0%, up from 0.1% 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.
Natalia  Raffo - PeerSpot reviewer
Robust and good for data processing while being helpful for building data science use cases
The processing of data is good. We can use many different types of data, including images and videos. We can use different libraries to do better preprocessing of different types of data. We can do different models in recommendation systems for things like videos and sales strategy. We can do language processing or sentiment analysis to predict things for our clients. We can design and develop machine learning applications that can predict events. We can use these on libraries to solve complex problems when we have a lot of data. It's possible to use the solution with other tools. It's very agile. In the financial advisory and portfolio management space, several budget management applications are now available in the market. These have machine learning based functionality. In Python, I use different machine learning algorithms to enable customers to keep track of their expenses and provide recommendations on better savings. These are machine learning algorithms that customize financial portfolios by looking at income rate tolerance and preferences, et cetera.
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Robotic Process Automation (RPA) solutions are best for your needs.
850,236 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
15%
Computer Software Company
12%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Healthcare Company
6%
Financial Services Firm
17%
Computer Software Company
16%
Educational Organization
9%
Insurance Company
6%
Financial Services Firm
16%
Manufacturing Company
13%
Government
8%
Computer Software Company
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
No data available
 

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 product must be promoted more. There are no promotions.
What is your primary use case for IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA)?
We're working with different clients from the manufacturing environment. We have implemented end-to-end solutions. We...
What do you like most about Python RPA?
Keyword-driven automation has been beneficial in streamlining operations.
What needs improvement with Python RPA?
I've worked with file detection for secure transactions. I use a machine learning model to predict events related to ...
 

Also Known As

HelpSystems Automate, Automate
IBM RPA
No data available
 

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
Home Credit, Silimed, Hilton, Al Hilal Bank, Baskin and Robbins
Find out what your peers are saying about IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA) vs. Python RPA and other solutions. Updated: April 2025.
850,236 professionals have used our research since 2012.