2026 Review

Microsoft Power Automate

Enterprise workflow automation across Microsoft 365 with cloud flows, desktop RPA, and Copilot authoring.

AutomationFreemiumAPIMainstream80% positive

Facts checked Aug 6, 2026

About Microsoft Power Automate

Power Automate is Microsoft's workflow automation platform: cloud flows across 1,000+ connectors, real desktop RPA for legacy apps, and Copilot that builds flows from plain-English descriptions. The desktop RPA app is included with Windows 10/11 and Microsoft 365 plans include standard-connector cloud flows, so many users start free. Premium is $15/user/month billed yearly; unattended bots cost $150/bot/month ($215 hosted). There's a 30-day free trial.

At a glance

Founded: 1975
Headquarters: Redmond, US
Platforms: Web, Windows, iOS, Android

Integrates with

Microsoft 365TeamsSharePointDynamics 365SalesforceSAP

Main competitors

Zapier Make n8nUiPath

Best for

Microsoft 365 automationApproval workflowsLegacy-app RPADocument processingIT process automation

Pros

$15/user/month for unlimited cloud flows undercuts task-metered rivals like Zapier
Desktop RPA app is free on Windows 10/11 for attended local automation
Enterprise governance built in: Dataverse, DLP policies, managed environments
Copilot meaningfully lowers the flow-authoring learning curve

Cons

Licensing is notoriously confusing — per-user, per-bot, hosted, and add-on SKUs
Steep learning curve beyond simple templates; reviewers cite it constantly
Weakest outside the Microsoft ecosystem — third-party app coverage lags Zapier and Make

Our verdict

Best for: Organizations already on Microsoft 365 that want cheap per-user automation plus real RPA under enterprise governance.

Skip if: You live outside the Microsoft stack or want the fastest no-code experience — Zapier or Make will feel much lighter.

Our review

Power Automate's pitch is unbeatable on paper: $15 per user per month for unlimited cloud flow runs, real desktop RPA that Zapier and Make simply don't have, and free entry points via Windows and Microsoft 365. For a company standardized on Teams, SharePoint, and Dynamics, nothing else automates as much for as little, and Copilot has genuinely softened what used to be a punishing authoring experience.

The catch is that everything about it feels enterprise-grade, including the friction. Licensing spans per-user, per-bot, hosted-bot, and add-on SKUs that take a spreadsheet to compare; expression syntax and connector quirks surface fast once you leave templates; and third-party coverage, while broad, is shallower than Zapier's 9,000-app library. Reviewers on G2 (4.4) and Capterra consistently land on the same verdict: powerful, good value, steep curve.

Verdict: the default choice for Microsoft-centric organizations and anyone who needs RPA alongside cloud automation. Small teams outside the Microsoft stack will ship automations faster on Zapier or Make.

What reviewers elsewhere say

80% positive — Praised for value and depth inside the Microsoft stack and improving Copilot authoring; criticized for licensing complexity and a steep learning curve.

G2 4.4 out of 5 (1,003 reviews)Capterra 4.4 out of 5 (233 reviews)

Sentiment estimated from reviews on G2, Capterra, Reddit, as of Aug 2026. Third-party scores are point-in-time snapshots. We don't host user reviews.

Key features

Copilot builds and edits cloud flows from natural-language descriptions
Attended and unattended desktop RPA for legacy apps without APIs
1,000+ connectors, including premium ones for Salesforce, SAP, and Oracle
Process and task mining to find automation candidates (Premium)
AI Builder credits for document processing and GPT prompts inside flows
Deep Microsoft 365, Teams, SharePoint, and Dynamics 365 integration

How to use Microsoft Power Automate

Start the 30-day trial, or open Power Automate directly from a Microsoft 365 account.
Describe the flow you want to Copilot, or pick from thousands of templates.
Connect the apps involved — standard connectors are included; Salesforce, SAP, and other premium connectors need Premium.
Install Power Automate for desktop (free on Windows 10/11) to record RPA steps in legacy apps.
Test the flow, then monitor runs and errors from the dashboard; license Process bots for unattended automation.

Pricing

Free$0

Power Automate for desktop is included with Windows 10/11; Microsoft 365 plans include standard-connector cloud flows. 30-day Premium trial.

Premium$15/user/mo

Billed yearly. Cloud flows, attended RPA, process and task mining, 250 MB Dataverse per user.

Process$150/bot/mo

Billed yearly. Unattended desktop RPA, priced per concurrent bot.

Hosted Process$215/bot/mo

Billed yearly. Adds a Microsoft-hosted virtual machine to run unattended bots.

Pricing verified August 2026 · prices as listed by the vendor; check the official site for current offers.

Try Microsoft Power Automate

Frequently asked questions

What is Microsoft Power Automate?

Power Automate is Microsoft's workflow automation platform, combining cloud flows across 1,000+ connectors, desktop RPA for legacy applications, and AI features like Copilot flow authoring and AI Builder document processing.

How much does Power Automate cost?

Premium is $15/user/month billed yearly for unlimited cloud flows and attended RPA. Unattended bots cost $150/bot/month, or $215/bot/month with a Microsoft-hosted VM. The desktop app is free on Windows, and a 30-day trial covers Premium features.

Is Power Automate free with Microsoft 365?

Partly. Microsoft 365 plans include cloud flows with standard connectors, and Power Automate for desktop is included with Windows 10/11 for attended RPA. Premium connectors, process mining, and unattended bots require paid plans.

Does Power Automate have an API?

Yes — Microsoft publishes management and Dataverse Web APIs for creating and administering flows programmatically, and flows themselves can expose HTTP endpoints.

Power Automate vs Zapier — which should I choose?

Choose Power Automate if your organization runs on Microsoft 365 or needs desktop RPA — it's far cheaper at scale. Choose Zapier for broader third-party app coverage and a gentler learning curve.