Operations · Automation and integration
Microsoft Power Automate
Microsoft's automation and RPA platform for Microsoft 365 users
At a glance
Microsoft Power Automate, formerly Microsoft Flow, is part of the Microsoft Power Platform and automates tasks across Microsoft 365 and other apps. It covers cloud flows triggered by events, desktop flows that use robotic process automation to drive legacy software, and process mining to find bottlenecks. Flows connect to Dataverse, SharePoint, Outlook, Teams and hundreds of other connectors.
- Category
- Automation and integration
- Best fit
- Mid-market · Enterprise
- Pricing
- See pricing below
- In Adam’s stack
- No
Who Microsoft Power Automate is best for
Organisations already standardised on Microsoft 365, especially where IT wants governance and security controls. A strong choice when you need RPA to automate desktop or legacy applications.
Key features
- Cloud flows with standard, premium and custom connectors
- Attended and unattended desktop RPA
- Process and task mining
- Dataverse storage and managed environments
- Copilot-assisted flow building
- Hosted RPA on Microsoft-managed Azure VMs
Why it’s worth it
It plugs directly into Outlook, Teams, SharePoint and Excel with Microsoft's identity and compliance controls, so Microsoft-based businesses can automate without adding another vendor.
Things to consider
- Licensing is complex: some capability comes with Microsoft 365, while premium connectors, RPA and process mining need separate licences.
- Less intuitive than Zapier for connecting non-Microsoft apps.
- Unattended bots are priced per bot, which adds up for larger RPA programs.
For Australian businesses
Microsoft publishes Australian pricing in AUD excluding GST.
Microsoft Power Automate pricing
Pricing as published by Microsoft Power Automate
Premium A$22.40/user/month (paid yearly). Process A$224.50/bot/month. Hosted Process A$321.80/bot/month. Process Mining add-on A$7,482.80/tenant/month. Prices exclude GST. 30-day free trial.
Source: microsoft.com/en-au/power-platform/products/power-automate/pricing. Checked 8 October 2026. Prices change often, so confirm on the vendor’s site before you buy.
Alternatives to Microsoft Power Automate
Other tools listed under Automation and integration. Tools from Adam’s stack are marked.
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FAQ
Microsoft Power Automate: common questions
Is Power Automate included in Microsoft 365?
Some Microsoft 365 licences include limited Power Automate use with standard connectors. Premium connectors, desktop RPA and process mining need a separate Power Automate licence.
How much does Power Automate cost in Australia?
The Premium plan is A$22.40 per user per month paid yearly, excluding GST. Unattended RPA bots start at A$224.50 per bot per month.
Power Automate vs Zapier?
Power Automate is the better fit for Microsoft-centric businesses and RPA needs. Zapier is easier to use and connects more third-party SaaS apps out of the box.
Can’t find a tool that fits?
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