Decoding Power Automate Pricing: Plans, Add-Ons, and Comparisons

Is process automation a missing piece in your business strategy? 

For many businesses where every second counts, manual processes and disconnected systems can drain resources and hold your business back. Microsoft Power Automate steps in as a robust automation platform designed to streamline simple workflows, integrate tools, and improve operational efficiency. 

Whether you're an IT leader driving digital transformation or a business manager seeking to optimize daily tasks, understanding Power Automate's pricing and features is crucial.

Microsoft Power Automate Pricing

Microsoft offers four distinct pricing plans tailored to different business needs: 

Power Automate Premium: Per user plan ($15 per user/month)

This is the best option if you're just starting with process automation and need a simple, cost-effective solution.

Includes:

• Cloud flows (DPA)
• Desktop flows (RPA) in attended mode
• Process and task mining with 50 MB data storage
• 5,000 AI Builder service credits
• Microsoft Dataverse entitlements of 250 MB database and 2 GB file storage

Power Automate Process: Per user plan with attended RPA ($150 per bot/month)

It is perfect for automating core enterprise processes with unattended RPA. 

Includes:

• Cloud flows (DPA)
• Desktop flows (RPA) in unattended mode
• 5,000 AI Builder service credits
• Dataverse entitlements of 50 MB database and 200 MB file storage

Power Automate Hosted Process: Per flow plan ($215 per flow/month)

It is the best plan for businesses needing Microsoft-managed infrastructure for automation.

Includes:

• All features of the Process Plan
• A Microsoft-hosted virtual machine on Azure infrastructure

Power Automate Free Trial (free)

There are no upfront commitments; it is a 30-day trial to explore automation.

Includes: 

• Experiment with cloud flows using standard connectors

Add-ons and related products

If your business has more specific needs, it offers add-ons with different Power Automate costs to extend its capabilities:

Compare Power Automate pricing plans and features

Here's how the different Power Automate costs stack up so you can make an informed decision:

¹ Within service limits. Learn more about Power Platform requests and other limits.

² Desktop flow authoring and bot orchestration and management are included.

³ Each per-user license comes with 50 MB of process mining up to a maximum of 100 GB per tenant.

⁴ Dataverse database and file capacity entitlements are pooled at the tenant level. Download the Power Platform licensing guide for more information

These Power Automate costs are flexible, but understanding what works best for your business is key. 

Microsoft Power Automate Licensing

Now that we've explored Power Automate pricing, let's break down the details of how Microsoft Power Automate licensing works. 

How licensing works

• Per User Licensing: 
  • Designed for individual users or small teams
  • Provides unlimited cloud flows
  • Includes attended Robotic Process Automation (RPA)
  • Requires a license for each user
  • Potential drawback: Scaling costs can become significant as team size increases

• Per Flow Licensing: 
  • Targeted at organizations with shared workflow needs
  • Allows automation across teams
  • Eliminates individual user license requirements
  • Complexity increases with multiple workflows
  • Management overhead can be substantial
    

• Add-On Licensing: 
  • Extends core automation capabilities

Options include:

• AI Builder
• Unattended RPA
• Additional storage
• Expanded capacity
  • Additional costs can quickly accumulate
  • Requires technical expertise to implement effectively

Microsoft Power Automate Features

Power Automate offers a range of features designed to address workflow automation challenges. However, each feature comes with its own set of complexities and limitations.

AI features

AI makes things easier, which is a known fact. How to utilize AI in business and simplify time-consuming tasks is what powerful automated AI features do. It turns time-consuming tasks like extracting data from invoices, analyzing customer sentiment, or predicting inventory needs into effortless processes. 

AI Builder provides prebuilt models for common tasks so you can get started right away. Need something specific to your business? No problem; create custom models that fit your unique workflows. The features in AI Builder remove complexity and streamline repetitive data processing.

AI Builder turning raw data into actionable insights

Desktop flows (RPA)

Think of all those repetitive tasks you wish you could delegate: desktop flows make it possible. This feature uses Robotic Process Automation (RPA) to efficiently handle tedious desktop tasks, like data entry or file transfers. You record your actions, and Desktop Flows replicates them automatically, even on legacy systems. 

It works in both attended and unattended modes, so you can run flows when needed or let them work behind the scenes. For businesses juggling older software with modern systems, Desktop Flows is the glue that ties it all together, saving time and reducing errors.

Desktop Flows automating repetitive tasks with RPA

Cloud flows (DPA)

Imagine your apps, services, and data talking to each other effortlessly. That's the promise of Cloud Flows. By connecting tools like SharePoint, Teams, and Dynamics 365, Cloud Flows automates everything from sending notifications to syncing databases. 

You can schedule flows, trigger them based on events, or run them manually, whatever works best for your team. With hundreds of connectors and prebuilt templates, setting up a flow is quick and easy, even for non-tech-savvy users. Cloud Flows ensure your processes move as fast as your business needs.

Cloud Flows seamlessly integrating apps and automating workflows

Task and process mining

Workflows could be made more efficient, and that's the answer to task and process mining. It enhances how your tasks are being performed, highlighting bottlenecks and areas for improvement. It refines your workflow, eliminates inefficiencies, and gets more value from your time and resources. 

Task and Process Mining uncovering bottlenecks in workflows

Orchestration

Complex workflows can feel like juggling too many balls at once. This is where orchestration steps in. It coordinates tasks across systems, manages the supply chain, and onboards a new client, resulting in a simplified process. This feature ensures that every step happens in the right order and nothing gets missed. It ensures harmony in your business play, no matter how complex it is. 

Orchestration managing workflows across connected systems

Microsoft Power Automate Limitations

While Microsoft Power Automate brings a lot to the table, it does have its quirks that might make you stop and think, “Is this really the right fit for my business?” 

Based on real-world feedback, here are some limitations worth noting.

Complex for beginners

Getting started with Power Automate can feel like being dropped into the deep end of a pool. Many users, especially those without a technical background, find the interface overwhelming. 

A G2 reviewer put it bluntly: "Not for beginner or non-tech-savvy people." You might need some trial and error before you truly get the hang of it, which can slow down adoption. 

Source G2 Review

Performance woes with bigger workflows

Power Automate works great for smaller, straightforward tasks. But when it comes to handling complex or high-volume workflows. Users often experience slow processing speeds, bugs, or, worse, outright workflows failure. 

As noted in the Capterra review, “It can be buggy.”

Source: Capterra

Source: Capterra

Limited integration options

Power Automate boasts hundreds of connectors. But what happens when your business relies on a tool that needs to be added to its list? Setting up custom APIs isn't for the faint-hearted; it requires advanced technical skills. 

One Capterra user summed it up: “Integration with third-party tools often requires premium connectors.” This adds to the cost, right?

Source

Other drawbacks at a glance

• High Costs for Enterprise-Grade Features: Add-ons and premium plans can quickly inflate your budget
• Limited Mobile Support: The mobile app lacks the full functionality of the desktop version
• Frequent Maintenance: Keeping workflows updated and operational can be tedious as business needs evolve
• Disruptive Updates: Regular updates often disrupt workflows, requiring reconfiguration
• Limited Customization: Predefined templates may not cater to unique business requirements
• Inconsistent Error Messaging: Vague error messages make debugging a time-consuming process
• Scalability Challenges: Managing highly complex workflows can strain the platform's capabilities
• No Centralized Dashboard: Lacks a unified view for managing multiple workflows across teams
• Basic Reporting: Analytics and reporting tools are not advanced enough for in-depth insights
• Designed for Simple Workflows: Struggles with long-running or complex processes, often requiring IT support 
• Resource Requirement: Automating complex workflows demands significant resources for maintenance and troubleshooting

What is the Best Alternative for Microsoft Power Automate?

Microsoft Power Automate is a great tool, but it comes with challenges. The steep learning curve for non-technical users, rising costs with add-ons, and challenges in handling complex workflows can leave you wondering: Is there an easier, better way to automate?

Enter FlowForma Process Automation, a platform built to eliminate the frustrations that Power Automate can bring. FlowForma makes automation simple, fast, and accessible for everyone. No coding? No problem. Unlike Power Automate, FlowForma puts the power directly into the hands of your business teams. 

FlowForma Process Automation allows your teams to design workflow, streamline operations, and automate processes. You don't have to rely on IT experts for this. 

Whether routine approvals or intricate compliance processes, FlowForma adapts to your needs, making automation effortless. And the best part? Its pricing is transparent: no hidden fees, no surprises. With seamless onboarding, you're up and running in days, not weeks.

If you're tired of the roadblocks with Power Automate, FlowForma offers a refreshing alternative. It's all about making smarter decisions faster, with less hassle. Curious to see the difference? Let's take a closer look.

FlowForma: AI-Led Platform for Powerful Process Automation

FlowForma is more than just a workflow tool; it’s a complete digital process automation solution designed to make business transformation accessible to everyone. With FlowForma, you can:

1. Create Forms: Build customized forms effortlessly to gather, structure, and use critical data.

2. Design Workflows: Map out workflows intuitively with zero coding required, empowering every department to innovate.

3. Analyze Data: Turn raw data into actionable insights to enhance decision-making and performance.

4. Generate Documents: Automate document creation directly from workflows for better reporting and compliance.

5. Agentic AI: Leverage the power of FlowForma Copilot, where intelligent AI builds processes in minutes, accelerating automation and innovation.

See Copilot build a process in minutes in this self-serve demo. 

Most FlowForma users see their first workflows operational within a month, a speed that's unmatched in the industry. Compared to other low-code tools, it's up to five times faster, even for complex processes. Its simplicity doesn't compromise its power, allowing businesses to automate processes of any complexity without technical dependencies.

What truly sets FlowForma apart is its versatility. Whether in financial services, construction, healthcare, or energy, businesses rely on FlowForma for its ease of use, robust compliance support, and ability to replace outdated manual processes with intuitive process automation.

FlowForma isn't just about technology; it's about enabling smarter, faster, and more meaningful work. See the difference for yourself: Book a Demo Today.