Our Verdict
Microsoft's enterprise automation platform with deep Office 365 integration, desktop RPA, and AI Builder capabilities for businesses invested in the Microsoft ecosystem.
Rating Breakdown
Why Trust This Review
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Pros & Cons
Pros
- Deeply integrated with Microsoft 365, SharePoint, Teams, and Dynamics 365 out of the box
- Basic cloud flows included free with most Microsoft 365 business licenses
- Desktop RPA capabilities for automating legacy Windows applications
- AI Builder provides no-code AI models for document and form processing
- Enterprise governance with Azure AD, DLP policies, and centralized admin controls
Cons
- Limited value for organizations not using the Microsoft ecosystem
- Pricing becomes complex with add-ons — RPA bots at $150-215/month can add up fast
- Less intuitive visual builder compared to Make or Zapier for complex workflows
- Premium connectors for third-party apps require paid plans beyond base M365 license
Full Review
Overview
Microsoft Power Automate is a cloud-based workflow automation platform that is part of the Microsoft Power Platform. It enables businesses to automate tasks across Microsoft 365 apps and hundreds of third-party services using cloud flows, desktop flows (RPA), and process mining. For organizations already using Microsoft 365, Teams, SharePoint, and Dynamics 365, Power Automate offers the most natural and deeply integrated automation experience available.
Key Strengths
- Deep Microsoft integration: Native connectors for Office 365, SharePoint, Teams, Dynamics 365, Azure, and the entire Microsoft ecosystem
- Desktop RPA: Record and automate desktop application workflows with attended and unattended bots
- AI Builder: Built-in AI models for document processing, form processing, object detection, and text classification
- Process mining: Discover and visualize business processes to identify automation opportunities
- Included with Microsoft 365: Basic cloud flows available with most Microsoft 365 business licenses
- Enterprise governance: Azure Active Directory integration, DLP policies, and admin center controls
Pricing Analysis
Power Automate Premium costs $15/user/month for cloud flows, attended desktop flows, and process mining. The Process plan at $150/bot/month enables unattended RPA bots. Hosted Process at $215/bot/month provides Microsoft-hosted VMs. A free trial is available. Note that basic cloud flows with standard connectors are included in many Microsoft 365 plans at no extra cost, making it effectively free for simple automations within the Microsoft ecosystem.
Who Is It Best For?
Power Automate is ideal for organizations deeply invested in the Microsoft ecosystem — those using Office 365, SharePoint, Teams, and Dynamics 365. It excels for enterprise IT departments that need centralized governance and compliance controls. The RPA capabilities make it particularly strong for automating legacy desktop applications.
The Bottom Line
If your organization runs on Microsoft, Power Automate is a no-brainer. The deep integration with Microsoft 365 services, combined with RPA and AI Builder capabilities, creates an automation platform that competitors simply cannot match within the Microsoft ecosystem. However, for teams using diverse non-Microsoft tools, Zapier or Make may offer a broader and easier integration experience.
Alternatives to Microsoft Power Automate
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, basic cloud flows with standard connectors are included with most Microsoft 365 business and enterprise licenses (Business Basic, Business Standard, E1, E3, E5). This covers automations within Microsoft apps like Outlook, Teams, SharePoint, and OneDrive. Premium connectors and desktop RPA require the separate Power Automate Premium license at $15/user/month.
Power Automate is the better choice if your organization is heavily invested in Microsoft 365, as it offers native deep integration with SharePoint, Teams, Dynamics 365, and Azure. Zapier is better for connecting diverse non-Microsoft apps with its 7,000+ integrations and simpler interface. Power Automate uniquely offers desktop RPA and AI Builder, while Zapier is easier to learn for non-technical users.
RPA (Robotic Process Automation) in Power Automate uses desktop flows to automate legacy Windows applications by recording mouse clicks, keyboard inputs, and screen interactions. Attended RPA ($15/user/month with Premium) runs on your desktop with user interaction. Unattended RPA ($150/bot/month) runs in the background without user presence, ideal for scheduled tasks on legacy systems.
Written by
Marcus has spent over a decade in SaaS integration and business automation. He specializes in evaluating API architectures, workflow automation tools, and sales funnel platforms. His reviews focus on implementation details, technical depth, and real-world integration scenarios.
Co-written by
Emily brings 7 years of data-driven marketing expertise, specializing in market analysis, email optimization, and AI-powered marketing tools. She combines quantitative research with practical recommendations, focusing on ROI benchmarks and emerging trends across the SaaS landscape.
Final Verdict
Microsoft Power Automate scores 8.0/10
With a score of 8.0 out of 10, Microsoft Power Automate is a strong performer that delivers great value. It's particularly well-suited for those looking for organizations running microsoft 365 needing integrated automation and desktop rpa.