IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA) vs SAP Intelligent RPA comparison

IBM and SAP are both solutions in the Robotic Process Automation (RPA) category. IBM is ranked #10 with an average rating of 7.8, while SAP is ranked #9 with an average rating of 8.0. IBM holds a 2.8% mindshare in RPA, compared to SAP’s 1.8% mindshare. Additionally, 88% of IBM users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 87% of SAP users who would recommend it.

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 4, 2024

IBM Robotic Process Automation and SAP Intelligent RPA compete in the automation software category. IBM RPA seems to have the upper hand due to its strong analytics and integration with IBM Watson, whereas SAP excels in adaptability and flexibility.

Features: IBM RPA is known for its ease of use, integrating seamlessly with IBM Watson, and providing robust analytics and hybrid cloud integration. SAP Intelligent RPA is flexible, handling both attended and unattended tasks, offering smooth integration with CRMs, databases, and APIs.

Room for Improvement: IBM RPA can improve by enhancing its machine learning capabilities, browser compatibility, and Microsoft systems integration. SAP Intelligent RPA needs better SAP GUI stability, improved data extraction processes, and more flexible error messaging and Outlook integration.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: IBM RPA supports versatile deployment in hybrid cloud environments, with generally positive customer support though it can vary in quality. SAP Intelligent RPA is flexible in both cloud and on-premises deployments but needs better technical support and resource accessibility.

Pricing and ROI: IBM RPA has higher pricing with annual licensing but offers significant ROI, with returns often in less than a year. SAP Intelligent RPA's SaaS model is adaptable to various business needs, providing cost-effective solutions over time with a similar ROI period.

To learn more, read our detailed IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA) vs. SAP Intelligent RPA Report (Updated: April 2025).

Buyer's Guide

IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA) vs. SAP Intelligent RPA

April 2025

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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

Automate

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 SAP Intelligent RPA is 1.8%, up from 0.7% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Robotic Process Automation (RPA)

Featured Reviews

Anabel Marco

Account Director at a tech services company with 11-50 employees

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.

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GeorgeTzifas

Chief Operating Officer at Anyrobotics RPA Experts

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.

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Keerthana Jayathran

SAP BTP Developer at Wipro Limited

Offers integration of the document extraction service into SAP ALC, enabling the direct upload and extraction of details

I found that SAP Intelligent RPA can be somewhat unstable when using SAP GUI. When we upgraded from SAP GUI version 7.50 to version 7.70, we had to update our SAP Intelligent RPA screens even though the screens were the same. This was difficult and time-consuming. The one I would like to see is in context with the screens, if they are using the same SAP UI, and if it updates, it should not be changed. At least it should be able to identify the screen. There should be more of an error, like a proper error feature, in future releases. Sometimes, we don't understand why that automation is not learning what, like, where it is stuck, what the reason is, or what the criteria we are missing to add. A proper error message would be helpful.

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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

"The most valuable feature is the drag-and-drop interface, which is very Windows-like."

"This product is quite easy to install, learn, and use, with our new employees being able to start using it in projects for clients after only two weeks of internal training."

"We have tried other RPA solutions like UiPath or Automation Anywhere. They are fantastic products but complex, and it's hard to understand everything. It would be best if you had a skilled developer or several. Automate is easy to implement, administer, and use. It's appropriate for us because our cases are simple and easy to automate. We don't need complicated tools with many features; We prefer to get a significant ROI quickly."

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

"I like the interface; it makes managing automation easy. We can set different schedules and templates for each task."

"The pricing is excellent. I would give them perfect marks in that regard."

"The solution is continuously adding more integrations to help with workflows and bot and task creation."

"The ability to connect to websites and pull data is the solution's most valuable feature."

More Automate pros

"The solution's ease of use is its most valuable aspect."

"One of the most impactful features of IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA) has been its one-time setup capability."

"It is a good tool for automation."

"The good stuff about IBM is the fact that it's very easy to use, there are very nice and smart AI tools within the licensing that you don't have to pay any access. Moreover, it's more precise and more secure."

"I think simplicity is key. One of the things that we've noticed is how our developers have been able to quickly adopt the platform; but not only the developers or the techy people, also the business."

"It's integrated with all the other products within the Salesforce ecosystem."

"The initial setup is very easy."

"The most valuable feature is the ability to automate mundane tasks. This improves efficiency, reliability, etc. You can form critical operations which can be highly automated."

More IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA) pros

"The initial setup of SAP Contextor is easy."

"Scalability is fine. It is pretty nice."

"It is a stable solution...It is a scalable solution."

"The most valuable feature of SAP Contextor is that everyone is in one place in the program that I need."

"It is remarkably easy to configure and code, and it doesn't require an extensive technical background or coding expertise."

"Contextor is a good solution for a Citrix environment. It's the first with this tool. Other tools provide the same functionality, but not with the Citrix environment."

"The standout features of SAP Intelligent RPA are its flexibility and integration capabilities."

"Most of the details are already in the help portal and SAP notes are available. It is well documented as part of the product support."

Cons

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

"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."

"It would be an improvement if Automate had better stability tools, whether by recommending a certain amount of memory because it can be a memory hog at times."

"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."

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

"I currently have three bugs open with them that I don't know if they are addressed in the new release."

"The documentation is not that great."

"I would like to see some better web automation, a wizard like the one in the product WinAutomation would be very nice."

More Automate cons

"The product's document readers must be improved to capture the data well."

"We're based in Thailand, but the documentation is not in Thai, which makes it difficult for us. If they could translate all of their documentation into our language, we'd be very grateful."

"The users should be allowed to create folders in Control Center."

"IBM should provide specific solutions for specific problems, like templates for invoicing processes, or general templates for creating efficient processes."

"The time it takes for approvals, and risk analysis could be faster."

"IBM’s support should improve response time."

"Capturing GUI operations is very easy, but capturing IBM Logistics automation is hard. It does not always work with browsers or automotive applications like SAP."

"Needs better integration with artificial intelligence or with machine-learning."

More IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA) cons

"There should be more of an error, like a proper error feature, in future releases. Sometimes, we don't understand why that automation is not learning what, like, where it is stuck, or what is the reason like, or what is the criteria we are missing to add. So a proper error message would be helpful."

"SAP Contextor could improve by automating some processes."

"The tool's licensing has been kind of a challenge...At the moment, the tool does not offer different licensing models to users."

"I found that the SAP scripting of a program is easier than SAP Contextor."

"I would like to see a better capacity for unstructured data, for example, PDF, or text within images."

"The initial setup is of medium complexity. It is neither too hard nor too simple. You need some background in SAP and an understanding of it."

"One way SAP Intelligent RPA could improve is by integrating built-in DI services for document processing."

"For potential features or improvements, one aspect I would suggest enhancing is the flexibility of the extraction process."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"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."

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

"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."

"Compared to other products, the pricing model for this solution is much more convenient, flexible, and adaptable to the Portuguese reality."

"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."

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

"It comes with a package that costs approximately $20,000 USD per year."

"While solutions like UiPath and Blue Prism cost around $11,000-$12,000 for each license, this product costs around $7,000 and you can keep it forever."

More Automate pricing and cost advice

"The pricing is reasonable for this solution."

"The pricing is reasonable."

"The product has a yearly licensing fee."

"There is a free trial for one month, so you can use it to run your payloads or proof of concept. After that, you can pay for the license on a monthly or annual basis."

"The product is reasonably priced compared to other tools."

"I rate the pricing ten out of ten. So, the pricing is very good for me."

"IBM RPA is cheaper than other tools."

"The license is paid annually."

More IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA) pricing and cost advice

"This is not a tool or software with a license as others are. The SaaS model is based on the usage of the tool."

"It all comes with a bundle right now. Having advanced features, it is competitively priced."

"The pricing is not that expensive. It is manageable."

"The initial cost might seem higher, but over time, with continued use over five or ten years, the cost tends to decrease, making it a more economical choice."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

15%

Computer Software Company

13%

Manufacturing Company

Healthcare Company

Computer Software Company

18%

Financial Services Firm

17%

Insurance Company

Government

Computer Software Company

15%

Manufacturing Company

11%

Financial Services Firm

11%

Energy/Utilities Company

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.

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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...

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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...

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What do you like most about IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA)?

Integrating the tool with SAP, EBS, or other ERPs is easy.

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What needs improvement with IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA)?

The pricing of IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA) could be improved.

See all answers

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...

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What do you like most about SAP Contextor?

The standout features of SAP Intelligent RPA are its flexibility and integration capabilities.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for SAP Contextor?

The pricing for SAP Intelligent RPA operates on a model that considers power usage and transactions per job. It is ad...

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What needs improvement with SAP Contextor?

The tool's licensing has been kind of a challenge. If the tool can bring up a usage-based licensing model, it would b...

See all answers

Comparisons

Microsoft Power Automate vs Automate

Compared 38% of the time

UiPath Platform vs Automate

Compared 35% of the time

Automation Anywhere vs Automate

Compared 8% of the time

Blue Prism vs Automate

Compared 8% of the time

VisualCron vs Automate

Compared 7% of the time

More Automate Competitors

Microsoft Power Automate vs IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA)

Compared 70% of the time

Automation Anywhere vs IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA)

Compared 11% of the time

UiPath Platform vs IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA)

Compared 9% of the time

Blue Prism vs IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA)

Compared 7% of the time

Nintex RPA vs IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA)

Compared 3% of the time

More IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA) Competitors

UiPath Platform vs SAP Intelligent RPA

Compared 37% of the time

Automation Anywhere vs SAP Intelligent RPA

Compared 21% of the time

Microsoft Power Automate vs SAP Intelligent RPA

Compared 13% of the time

Blue Prism Cloud vs SAP Intelligent RPA

Compared 10% of the time

SAP Build Process Automation vs SAP Intelligent RPA

Compared 10% of the time

More SAP Intelligent RPA Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Automate

May 2025

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Buyer's Guide

IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA)

May 2025

IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA) report

Download IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA) product report

Buyer's Guide

SAP Intelligent RPA

April 2025

Download SAP Intelligent RPA product report

Also Known As

HelpSystems Automate, Automate

IBM RPA

SAP Contextor, Contextor

Overview

Automate offers a user-friendly solution with a drag-and-drop interface for efficient task automation and integration with major platforms like SAP and Azure, making it ideal for quick deployment with minimal coding and training.

Automate provides powerful features for businesses seeking efficient automation, offering compatibility with databases, email integration, and cloud platforms. Its simple interface supports both beginners and experienced users, simplifying tasks like invoice processing, HR automation, and data transformation. Cost-effective pricing and flexible licensing enhance its appeal while integration capabilities and scheduling tools ensure smooth workflow automation.

What are Automate's Key Features?

Drag-and-Drop Interface: Simplifies automation with intuitive design.
Integration Capabilities: Connects with platforms like SAP and Azure for seamless data flow.
Database and FTP Triggers: Enhances automation potential through direct data interaction.
Efficient Scheduling: Automates tasks with precise timing and control.
Web Scraping: Automates data extraction for quick analysis and reporting.

What Benefits and ROI Should Users Expect?

Rapid Deployment: Minimizes coding efforts for quick implementation.
Cost-Effectiveness: Offers flexible pricing models to suit budget constraints.
Operational Efficiency: Reduces manual workloads and enhances productivity.
Comprehensive Integration: Facilitates improved data management across systems.
Scalability: Adapts to growing business needs with ease.

In industries such as healthcare, banking, and logistics, Automate is used for tasks like invoice payment automation, data transformation, and task automation. This leads to streamlined processes and reduced manual workload, illustrating its value in enhancing operational efficiency through diversified workflows.

Fortra

IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA) is a technology that encompasses the use of smart robots in any process requiring efficiency, consistency and speed, with no risk of mistakes. In a nutshell, RPA simulates a human user working.

Today, it is possible to automate processes through the use of digital robots, or bots, which execute pre-programed, repetitive tasks in a safe and mistake free manner. There are literally thousands of opportunities for Robotic Process Automation to make an impact on your organization today, including: automatic invoice emission, system integration, information reconciliation, report generation, intelligent email management to lead generation, and many others.

IBM

SAP Intelligent Robotic Process Automation lets you automate enterprise business processes. Design process automations within the Cloud Studio by creating end-to-end workflows. Generate packages from these automations into the Cloud Factory powered by SAP BTP to configure and execute these packages with Agents. Agents running on workstations can work as a digital assistant (attended automation) or as a digital worker (unattended automation).

SAP Intelligent RPA enables business users and technologists to become citizen developers. With powerful yet intuitive low-code and no-code capabilities, the solution supports you in driving automation by tapping into the expertise of citizen developers.

SAP

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

BNP Paribas, Societe Generale, Kabel Deutschland, Orange, Carrefour

Buyer's Guide

IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA) vs. SAP Intelligent RPA

April 2025

Free Report: IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA) vs. SAP Intelligent RPA

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