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.
| Areas | Microsoft Power Automate | FlowForma Process Automation |
| Starting price (2026) | From $15 per user/month (Premium plan) | Process-based pricing—pay per active user with unlimited workflows (starts from 2760.22 per month |
| Licensing model | User, bot, or flow-based tiers | Single licence covers unlimited workflows |
| Hidden costs | Add-ons for AI Builder, RPA, and connectors increase total cost | Transparent, all-inclusive pricing—no hidden add-ons |
| Implementation time | Weeks to months (requires IT setup) | Live workflows within days, average go-live in 4 weeks |
| Ease of use | Low-code interface requiring IT or developer input | True no-code tool for business users; IT retains governance |
| AI and workflow Creation | Separate AI Builder and Copilot Studio add-ons | Built-in AI Copilot lets you create workflows via text prompts or uploaded diagrams |
| Scalability | Complex pricing as automation expands | Easily scalable under one transparent licence |
| Integration capabilities | Microsoft ecosystem; limited 3rd-party connectors without premium licence | Integrates natively with Microsoft 365 + thousands of third-party tools |
| Compliance and governance | Basic audit trails; limited cross-process oversight | Built-in audit trails, access control, and governance dashboard for IT |
| Support and training | Community and tiered enterprise support | Dedicated onboarding, training, and process experts |
| ROI timeline | Slower ROI due to add-on costs and complexity | Average ROI within 6 weeks of deployment |
| Best for | IT-led automation within Microsoft stack | Business-led, IT-supported automation for enterprises and mid-market teams |
Here’s why FlowForma is the best alternative to Microsoft Power Automate in 2026:
And many more.
|
Plan |
Price |
Key highlights |
|
Power Automate Premium |
$15 per user/month |
Ideal for individual users; includes DPA + attended RPA |
|
Power Automate Process |
$150 per bot/month |
Includes unattended RPA, AI Builder credits |
|
Power Automate Hosted Process |
$215 per flow/month |
Microsoft-hosted VM on Azure |
|
Free Trial |
30 days |
Standard connectors, limited features |
Microsoft Power Automate pricing in 2025 remains tiered by user, bot, or flow. Costs can quickly increase as businesses add premium connectors, RPA, or AI Builder capacity. While the base pricing appears affordable, most enterprises find real costs higher once automation expands across departments and workflows.
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:
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:
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:
Power Automate Free Trial (free)
There are no upfront commitments; it is a 30-day trial to explore automation.
Includes:
If your business has more specific needs, it offers add-ons with different Power Automate costs to extend its capabilities:
|
Add-On/Product |
What It Does |
Price |
|
Power Automate Process Mining Add-on |
|
$5,000/tenant/month |
|
AI Builder Capacity Add-on T1 |
|
$500/unit/month |
|
Microsoft Copilot Studio |
|
$200/month |
Here's how the different Power Automate costs stack up so you can make an informed decision:
|
Features |
Power Automate Free Trial |
Power Automate Premium ($15/user/month |
Power Automate Process ($150/bot/month) |
Power Automate Hosted Process ($215/bot/month) |
|
Cloud Flows (DPA) 1 |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Attended Desktop 2 Flows (RPA) |
- |
Yes |
- |
- |
|
Unattended Desktop Flows (RPA) |
- |
- |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Microsoft Hosted Virtual Machine |
- |
- |
- |
Yes |
|
Standard, Premium, and Custom Connectors |
Standard Connectors Only |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Process and Task Mining |
Yes |
Yes |
- |
- |
|
Process Mining Data Storage Entitlements 3 |
- |
50 MB |
- |
- |
|
AI Builder Service Credits |
- |
5,000 |
5,000 |
5,000 |
|
Dataverse Database Capacity 4 |
- |
250 MB |
50 MB |
50 MB |
|
Dataverse File Capacity4 |
- |
2 GB |
200 MB |
200 MB |
|
Managed Environments |
- |
Yes |
- |
- |
These Power Automate costs are flexible, but understanding what works best for your business is key.
Now that we've explored Power Automate pricing, let's break down the details of how Microsoft Power Automate licensing works.
Options include:
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
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.
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
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
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 enterprise and mid-level organizations. 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’s process-based pricing scales with workflows, not users, keeping costs predictable. Power Automate, in contrast, charges per user or flow run, which can grow complex and costly as automation expands.
Using the FlowForma playground, users can create workflows instantly using plain prompts or by uploading existing diagrams or forms. The system automatically structures the process, defines steps, and generates rules—all within minutes.
For example, a site inspection sheet uploaded into FlowForma Copilot becomes a ready-to-run digital process that can be reviewed, adjusted, and deployed the same day.
FlowForma’s AI suite is designed to make automation faster, smarter, and accessible to everyone:
These AI tools remove complexity, allowing business teams to automate confidently while IT retains full visibility and governance.
FlowForma is built for Microsoft users, offering seamless integration with SharePoint, Teams, and thousands of third-party apps — enabling automation without leaving your existing environment.
Unlike Power Automate, FlowForma customers typically deploy their first workflows within four weeks, achieving ROI in as little as six weeks.
FlowForma’s digital forms simplify data capture while maintaining accuracy and consistency across processes.
With one-click automated document generation, users can instantly create compliant reports, contracts, and approval records from live workflow data—eliminating manual input and version errors.
Every FlowForma workflow produces structured, real-time data that feeds into visual dashboards and analytics.
The platform’s AI-powered data analysis uncovers trends, performance gaps, and compliance risks, empowering organisations to make informed decisions and continuously improve their processes.
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.