Microsoft Power Automate vs Zapier
Microsoft Power Automate is part of the Microsoft 365 ecosystem and excels at automating workflows across Office 365, SharePoint, Teams, and Dynamics. Zapier is app-agnostic with 6000+ integrations. Power Automate is the obvious choice for Microsoft-centric organisations; Zapier is better for multi-platform teams.
Build a custom alternative freeSide-by-side
Microsoft's automation platform for Office 365 vs Automation for everyone.
| Feature | Microsoft Power Automate | Zapier |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing from | From $15/user/mo | Free, paid from $19.99/mo |
| Primary use case | Microsoft 365 workflow automation and RPA | App-agnostic automation across 6000+ cloud services |
| Pricing | Per-user at $15/mo; per-flow plans also available | Free plan; Starter at $19.99/mo |
| Ease of use | Familiar for Office 365 users; more complex UI than Zapier | Very easy; best-in-class onboarding for non-technical users |
| Key strength | Deep Microsoft integration; RPA capabilities; included in Microsoft 365 | 6000+ integrations; easiest to use; broadest app coverage |
| Key weakness | Complex UI; limited non-Microsoft integrations | Less suitable for Microsoft-internal workflows; no RPA |
| Team features | Microsoft 365 access control, environments, and admin centre | Team plans with shared automations and monitoring |
The third option most teams miss
Picking between Microsoft Power Automate and Zapier isn't the only choice.
Power Automate is ideal for Microsoft-centric organisations; Zapier is better for multi-platform teams - Appaca builds a custom app with automation built in for your specific workflow.
- No code, no deployment, no devops
- Built-in database, dashboards, team access
- Refine with chat as your needs change
- Free to start, no per-seat pricing surprises
Common questions
Power Automate has a basic version included in Microsoft 365 subscriptions. More advanced features like RPA and premium connectors require additional licenses.
For organisations deeply embedded in the Microsoft ecosystem, Power Automate can replace Zapier. For teams using many non-Microsoft apps, Zapier is often more suitable.
Robotic Process Automation (RPA) in Power Automate lets you automate tasks in desktop applications by recording and replaying mouse clicks and keyboard actions, even in legacy systems without APIs.
Appaca is a third option for teams that don't want to choose between two existing tools. Instead of forcing your workflow into someone else's product, Appaca builds a custom app from a description - with built-in database, hosting, and team access. Try it free at appaca.ai.