Robotic process automation-as-a-service (RPAaaS) is a form of outsourcing where a service provider deploys a cloud-based software robot that uses automation, machine learning (ML), and computer vision to help clients accomplish repetitive and high-volume tasks. Often, these tasks are trigger-driven and rule-based. The RPAaaS software is responsible for all automation tasks without much involvement on the clients’ part.
Most businesses use RPA-as-a-service to scale their operations. With it, they can increase their revenue without the proportional increase in cost.
RPAaaS is a new model that helps to take advantage of RPA without capital investment. It's similar to a Managed Service Provider model if it's outsourced to a vendor completely.
This model is very useful for mid-large size companies expanding globally and having various departments. If your organization has a need to manage multiple RPA technologies deployed, on-premise and as a hybrid architecture it can be a good candidate to go for RPAaaS with an SI that will save huge Capex + Opex.
As Shibu said below, it is an effective way of getting into RPA without doing the capital investment - so you could use RPAaaS for one process or one department and gain a corporate understanding of the potential for RPA.
What Is Robotic Process Automation as a Service (RPAaaS)?
Is a form of outsourcing where a service provider deploys a cloud-based software robot that uses automation, machine learning (ML), and computer vision. to help clients accomplish repetitive and high-volume tasks.
Most businesses use RPA-as-a-Service to scale their operations. With it, they can increase their revenue without the proportional increase in cost.
The use of software technology to execute a business process that requires the processing of data and information using specific rules.
In addition to the information @Shibu Babuchandran and @Daniel Robus already provided, I would like to add the following aspects:
Many companies relate RPAaaS to the technical infrastructure consisting of a cloud-based RPA software installation that can be used within various license models, e.g.:
- monthly/yearly payments per bot for the usage of the cloud-based bot set-up - monthly/yearly payments of the bot processing-time based on the processes execution times
Some of our partners use EMMA RPA in a setup, where they use their internal on-premise IT infrastructure to set up EMMA RPA and created new products from the already automated processes as RPAaaS which they sell to their customers.
Example: A social media agency set up EMMA RPA to automatically generate and regularly update MS PowerPoint slides that contain reports with data from various websites. In the past, they sold this service which was performed manually by their employees, and just delivered the resulting presentation slides.
Now, they sell these processes as an RPA service in order to participate in the growing demand for RPA solutions, while in fact having it automated with EMMA RPA instead of performing manual work.
Using the term "RPAaaS" to envelope all online-process-automation services a company can provide was new for us as well and ever since further industries make use of the concept to sell "automated processes" instead of the infrastructures, bots, or the service of automating a process which is performed by RPA consultancies.
Regional Manager/ Service Delivery Manager at a tech services company with 201-500 employees
Real User
ModeratorTop 5
Oct 19, 2021
@Michael Wilczynska Thanks Michael, yes there are many use cases that organizations are using across verticals helping them with minimal investment and start using the services with deploying services faster.
RPA Developer at a tech consulting company with 11-50 employees
Real User
Oct 19, 2021
Traditionally, when you adopt an RPA system through an SI (System Integration) company, you have them develop and install the system within your company and ownership. But since RPA is a very fragile system and if you want seamless business continuity for the tasks automated by RPA, you need someone to look at and monitor it. That is why after the project, you have to decide whether to manage with your internal human resources or let the SI company manage on behalf of you. If you decide to manage with your own company resources, you need to plan before the project started, how to nurture and train your employee that will be in charge of it, regarding how to manage the RPA system, so you can have the option of training your people during the project period.
Concerning, RPA as a Service, the SI company will build the system by themselves within their ownership, manage it, and just yield the result and deliver it to you. You do not care about any of the RPA system management. You can picture outsourcing some tasks; they are responsible for the end result, not just the programming process. But if you have the RPA system, they are not responsible for the end result unless you make a management contract with them.
The difference between having a management contract and using a RaaS is who owns the system I guess.
All you want is to get things done at a lower cost, and do not want to care about the system, some companies will do the job for you using RPA. Though you have to pay the ongoing payment, you can free yourself from all the hassle of managing an IT system and pick just cherries :)
I think RPA as a Service is a SaaS (Software as a SaaS such as email, Youtube, etc) using mainly RPA instead of traditional programming. Then a question comes up; what's the difference between traditional SaaS and RaaS. RaaS can do some jobs that can not be done easily with traditional programming.
Find out what your peers are saying about UiPath, Automation Anywhere, Microsoft and others in Robotic Process Automation (RPA). Updated: December 2025.
Co-founder and CEO at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
User
Oct 19, 2021
Using the concept "as a Service" most of these services you pay by the months or per year and per user. As it states, being a service, you do not own any of the components that comprise providing the service. Just the data and any logic the organization has produced.
The supervisory part would be schedulers and orchestrators services which will generate the reports and will pass audits very easily.
With RPA as a Service, the human user basically is transformed into a virtual agent that will execute any process it is programmed to do, where the cost and time of a human agent are optimized by this virtual agent.
Typically, an RPA service is priced per month for a 24x7 service but paid a year upfront. Organizations that initiate with RPA (and probably in different departments), do not require the first few years so much time of a virtual agent. Having it wait to execute tasks is a waste of money. So being able to hire such a virtual agent by the minute or per high-level operations, and able to pay on a monthly basis, the TCO and ROI are very much optimized. It is like having a part-time employee.
Chief Technology Officer at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
Real User
Oct 19, 2021
RPA like any other software requires maintenance and some amount of technical expertise to operate.
In an enterprise setting, one could see several hundreds of bots running. RPA as a Service provides that business infrastructure support and ensures that the user experience is unbroken, by operating and maintaining the bots on behalf of the end user organization.
RPA automates repetitive and rule-based processes, allowing businesses to streamline operations and reduce human error. It integrates with existing systems to perform tasks like data entry and report generation without human intervention.With the ability to mimic human actions, RPA software enables organizations to optimize their workflows and boost efficiency. It is easily scalable and can handle complex workflows by operating continuously, unlike traditional manual processes. Users...
Hi @Evgeny Belenky ,
Robotic process automation-as-a-service (RPAaaS) is a form of outsourcing where a service provider deploys a cloud-based software robot that uses automation, machine learning (ML), and computer vision to help clients accomplish repetitive and high-volume tasks. Often, these tasks are trigger-driven and rule-based. The RPAaaS software is responsible for all automation tasks without much involvement on the clients’ part.
Most businesses use RPA-as-a-service to scale their operations. With it, they can increase their revenue without the proportional increase in cost.
@Shibu Babuchandran thank you!
RPAaaS is a new model that helps to take advantage of RPA without capital investment. It's similar to a Managed Service Provider model if it's outsourced to a vendor completely.
This model is very useful for mid-large size companies expanding globally and having various departments. If your organization has a need to manage multiple RPA technologies deployed, on-premise and as a hybrid architecture it can be a good candidate to go for RPAaaS with an SI that will save huge Capex + Opex.
As Shibu said below, it is an effective way of getting into RPA without doing the capital investment - so you could use RPAaaS for one process or one department and gain a corporate understanding of the potential for RPA.
@Daniel Robus Thanks Daniel, and its true enterprises are gaining though RPAaaS in terms of commercial advantage and ease of operations.
What Is Robotic Process Automation as a Service (RPAaaS)?
Is a form of outsourcing where a service provider deploys a cloud-based software robot that uses automation, machine learning (ML), and computer vision. to help clients accomplish repetitive and high-volume tasks.
Most businesses use RPA-as-a-Service to scale their operations. With it, they can increase their revenue without the proportional increase in cost.
The use of software technology to execute a business process that requires the processing of data and information using specific rules.
Hi @Evgeny Belenky,
In addition to the information @Shibu Babuchandran and @Daniel Robus already provided, I would like to add the following aspects:
Many companies relate RPAaaS to the technical infrastructure consisting of a cloud-based RPA software installation that can be used within various license models, e.g.:
- monthly/yearly payments per bot for the usage of the cloud-based bot set-up
- monthly/yearly payments of the bot processing-time based on the processes execution times
Some of our partners use EMMA RPA in a setup, where they use their internal on-premise IT infrastructure to set up EMMA RPA and created new products from the already automated processes as RPAaaS which they sell to their customers.
Example:
A social media agency set up EMMA RPA to automatically generate and regularly update MS PowerPoint slides that contain reports with data from various websites. In the past, they sold this service which was performed manually by their employees, and just delivered the resulting presentation slides.
Now, they sell these processes as an RPA service in order to participate in the growing demand for RPA solutions, while in fact having it automated with EMMA RPA instead of performing manual work.
Using the term "RPAaaS" to envelope all online-process-automation services a company can provide was new for us as well and ever since further industries make use of the concept to sell "automated processes" instead of the infrastructures, bots, or the service of automating a process which is performed by RPA consultancies.
Hope this helps and kind regards
Michael
@Michael Wilczynska Thanks Michael, yes there are many use cases that organizations are using across verticals helping them with minimal investment and start using the services with deploying services faster.
Traditionally, when you adopt an RPA system through an SI (System Integration) company, you have them develop and install the system within your company and ownership. But since RPA is a very fragile system and if you want seamless business continuity for the tasks automated by RPA, you need someone to look at and monitor it. That is why after the project, you have to decide whether to manage with your internal human resources or let the SI company manage on behalf of you. If you decide to manage with your own company resources, you need to plan before the project started, how to nurture and train your employee that will be in charge of it, regarding how to manage the RPA system, so you can have the option of training your people during the project period.
Concerning, RPA as a Service, the SI company will build the system by themselves within their ownership, manage it, and just yield the result and deliver it to you. You do not care about any of the RPA system management. You can picture outsourcing some tasks; they are responsible for the end result, not just the programming process. But if you have the RPA system, they are not responsible for the end result unless you make a management contract with them.
The difference between having a management contract and using a RaaS is who owns the system I guess.
All you want is to get things done at a lower cost, and do not want to care about the system, some companies will do the job for you using RPA. Though you have to pay the ongoing payment, you can free yourself from all the hassle of managing an IT system and pick just cherries :)
I think RPA as a Service is a SaaS (Software as a SaaS such as email, Youtube, etc) using mainly RPA instead of traditional programming. Then a question comes up; what's the difference between traditional SaaS and RaaS. RaaS can do some jobs that can not be done easily with traditional programming.
Using the concept "as a Service" most of these services you pay by the months or per year and per user. As it states, being a service, you do not own any of the components that comprise providing the service. Just the data and any logic the organization has produced.
The supervisory part would be schedulers and orchestrators services which will generate the reports and will pass audits very easily.
With RPA as a Service, the human user basically is transformed into a virtual agent that will execute any process it is programmed to do, where the cost and time of a human agent are optimized by this virtual agent.
Typically, an RPA service is priced per month for a 24x7 service but paid a year upfront. Organizations that initiate with RPA (and probably in different departments), do not require the first few years so much time of a virtual agent. Having it wait to execute tasks is a waste of money. So being able to hire such a virtual agent by the minute or per high-level operations, and able to pay on a monthly basis, the TCO and ROI are very much optimized. It is like having a part-time employee.
RPA like any other software requires maintenance and some amount of technical expertise to operate.
In an enterprise setting, one could see several hundreds of bots running. RPA as a Service provides that business infrastructure support and ensures that the user experience is unbroken, by operating and maintaining the bots on behalf of the end user organization.