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

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

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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 August 2025, in the Robotic Process Automation (RPA) category, the mindshare of Automate is 1.9%, up from 1.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA) is 3.1%, up from 2.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SAP Intelligent RPA is 2.3%, up from 0.9% 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

"I find it very user-friendly. Our IT department and other departments can seamlessly collaborate without requiring extensive training. As a business department, we particularly value this aspect, as our team doesn't consist of many IT users. However, we couldn't solely rely on a drag-and-drop approach to implement and utilize the solution within our departments."

"I would recommend Automate because it has made my work much easier."

"I find the ease of use from a programming perspective very valuable."

"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."

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

"The most valuable features of Fortra's Automate include its FTP functionality and file manipulation capabilities."

"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."

"Compared to other vendors, it's the scheduling tool because a lot of vendors want to charge you extra for their enterprise-level license to have a scheduling tool built in to give you the ability to set up regular schedules to run and do certain data checks."

More Automate pros

"It is easy to use. We have enabled our resources who don't have a background in automation to be certified and trained, then implement this product within a very short period of time, as it is very user-friendly."

"The feature I found most valuable is the TCO."

"The solution is scalability."

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

"IBM Robotic Process Automation has greatly improved the organization by improving the speed of performance, as the speed of the robot is estimated to be 20 times faster than the human being."

"IBM RPA helped us resolve a lot of difficult cases we could not resolve using other solutions."

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

"If you have a business process, and once you have automated that process, you have a readily available workflow in place."

More IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA) pros

"The initial setup of SAP Contextor is easy."

"Scalability is fine. It is pretty nice."

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

"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."

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

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

"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

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

"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."

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

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

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

"It's possible that they could use a stronger community for seeking guidance and help."

"The solution has a very weak knowledge base."

"The interface could be more user-friendly and easier to navigate."

More Automate cons

"My impression of the support experience is lower than middle. I would rank it as that. They need to improve their support by having more experienced level one support."

"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."

"One of the things I would definitely like to see is more of the machine-learning and cognitive capabilities. For example, now that we're starting to automate more and more tasks, there are some things that still require us to go back and modify the robots when we need to. But if we had more of the machine-learning integrated into it, I believe it would be easier to maintain, so that we wouldn't have to go back and adjust every time."

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

"We can use its inbuilt activities, and it's a complete package, but just like ElectroNeek, a limitation is that we have to depend on its inbuilt activities. We can't include our own activities or we can't introduce other activities."

"I would like to have more flexibility in connecting the platform with third-party systems."

"We would like more focus on understanding AI and how it can be used to manage exception handling."

"I would like it to do pretty much everything out-of-the-box without any need for any customization. However, that is not the case right now. We absolutely have to do some amount of customization with the solution in order to use it out-of-the-box as-is."

More IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA) cons

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

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

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

"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."

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

"SAP Contextor could improve by automating some processes."

"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."

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."

"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."

"Once you buy the software, you just pay for the support for backend help."

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

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

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

"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."

"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."

More Automate pricing and cost advice

"IBM RPA is cheaper than other tools."

"IBM licensing is annual and based on Virtual Processor Cores (VPC). This provides flexibility as part of the containerization environment."

"The pricing is reasonable for this solution."

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

"The license is paid annually."

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

"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."

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

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

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

"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."

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

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

12%

Computer Software Company

10%

Manufacturing Company

Performing Arts

Computer Software Company

18%

Financial Services Firm

14%

Insurance Company

Government

Manufacturing Company

12%

Computer Software Company

12%

Financial Services Firm

Retailer

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?

The main purpose is for automation. That has been the purpose why I have been using it so far.

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

Regarding pricing, it is very friendly. I would not say that it is really cheap or very expensive, but it fits within...

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)?

To improve IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA) for the next release, there should be more integration with external ...

What is your primary use case for IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA)?

My customers' main use cases for IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA) are especially in the banking industry, particu...

What do you like most about SAP Contextor?

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

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...

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...

UiPath Platform vs Automate

Comparisons

Compared 30% of the time

Microsoft Power Automate vs Automate

Compared 26% of the time

Redwood Software - Finance Automation Edition vs Automate

Compared 10% of the time

Blue Prism vs Automate

Compared 9% of the time

Automation Anywhere vs Automate

Compared 7% of the time

More Automate Competitors

Microsoft Power Automate vs IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA)

Compared 68% of the time

UiPath Platform vs IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA)

Compared 12% of the time

Nintex RPA vs IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA)

Compared 6% of the time

Automation Anywhere vs IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA)

Compared 6% of the time

Blue Prism vs IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA)

Compared 4% of the time

More IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA) Competitors

UiPath Platform vs SAP Intelligent RPA

Compared 33% of the time

SAP Build Process Automation vs SAP Intelligent RPA

Compared 15% of the time

Automation Anywhere vs SAP Intelligent RPA

Compared 13% of the time

Microsoft Power Automate vs SAP Intelligent RPA

Compared 11% of the time

Blue Prism Cloud vs SAP Intelligent RPA

Compared 6% of the time

More SAP Intelligent RPA Competitors

Product Reports

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Automate

August 2025

IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA)

Download IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA) product report

IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA) report

SAP Intelligent RPA

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

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