Power Automate is a powerful tool from Microsoft that enables businesses to automate workflows, connect different apps, and improve productivity. With its wide range of features, businesses can automate manual processes, create notifications, or integrate services between Microsoft 365 and hundreds of other third-party apps. However, to fully unlock the capabilities of Power Automate, understanding its licensing and pricing model is crucial. This guide will explain the different licensing options, features, and pricing details associated with Power Automate.
1. Overview of Power Automate Licensing
Power Automate offers different licensing options to cater to various organizational needs, from individual users to large enterprises. These licenses are typically categorized into two types: per user licenses and per flow licenses. Here’s an overview of what each option provides.
a. Per User Plan
The Per User Plan is ideal for individuals or small teams who need to automate workflows at a personal or department level. Users are charged a monthly subscription fee for access to Power Automate.
Key Features:
- Unlimited flows: The user can create an unlimited number of flows.
- Access to premium connectors: Includes integrations with premium services such as Salesforce, Adobe Sign, and SQL Server.
- Robotic Process Automation (RPA): Supports both attended (human intervention required) and unattended (automated) RPA flows.
- AI Builder: Access to AI capabilities such as form processing, object detection, and text classification.
Pricing:
- Per User Plan: $15 per user per month (includes standard connectors).
- Per User Plan with Attended RPA: $40 per user per month (includes the ability to use attended RPA).
b. Per Flow Plan
The Per Flow Plan is designed for organizations that want to license flows rather than individual users. This option is better for teams that require the automation of specific workflows across multiple users.
Key Features:
- Unlimited users for each flow: Multiple users can trigger the flow, but the flow is licensed to the organization.
- Premium connectors: The organization has access to premium services.
- Automation across multiple users: Ideal for automating processes that are shared by several users, such as approvals or notifications.
Pricing:
- Per Flow Plan: $500 per month for 5 flows (additional flows can be added for $100 per flow per month).
c. Per User Plan with RPA (Robotic Process Automation)
For businesses that require advanced RPA capabilities, Power Automate offers a plan that includes unattended RPA, allowing businesses to run workflows without human interaction.
Key Features:
- Unattended RPA: Runs automated workflows without human intervention.
- Bot management: Allows the management and monitoring of multiple bots.
- Premium features: Access to premium connectors and AI Builder for advanced automation.
Pricing:
- Per User Plan with Unattended RPA: $150 per user per month.
d. Add-ons and Advanced Features
If a user or organization requires additional features such as AI Builder or additional RPA bots, these can be purchased as add-ons. This option helps tailor Power Automate’s capabilities to specific business needs.
- AI Builder: Can be added to any plan for $500 per month per tenant.
- Additional RPA bots: Additional unattended RPA bots can be added for $150 per bot per month.
2. Types of Connectors
Power Automate offers two types of connectors that you can use to integrate your flows with various services and applications: Standard and Premium connectors.
- Standard Connectors: These connectors are included with the base license, and you get access to commonly used services like SharePoint, OneDrive, and Outlook.
- Premium Connectors: These connectors are only available with certain Power Automate plans and allow you to connect to services such as SQL Server, Dynamics 365, Salesforce, and more. Premium connectors typically require a higher-tier subscription.
Important Note: If your workflows require premium connectors, you will need to upgrade to the Per User or Per Flow plan with premium access.
3. Comparison of Power Automate Plans
| Plan | Key Features | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Per User Plan | – Unlimited flows – Access to premium connectors – AI Builder access – RPA (attended) | $15 per user/month |
| Per User Plan with RPA | – All features of the Per User Plan – Unattended RPA capability | $40 per user/month |
| Per Flow Plan | – Unlimited users for each flow – Access to premium connectors – Automation for shared workflows | $500 per month for 5 flows |
| Per User Plan with Unattended RPA | – All features of the Per User Plan – Unattended RPA capability | $150 per user/month |
| AI Builder Add-On | – Advanced AI capabilities (form processing, object detection) | $500 per tenant/month |
| Additional RPA Bots | – Allows businesses to scale with more bots | $150 per bot/month |
4. Power Automate Pricing for Enterprises
Large enterprises or organizations that need to automate extensive business processes across multiple departments often require custom licensing plans. These plans are typically designed to handle high volumes of data, multiple users, and complex workflows.
For enterprise users, Power Automate can be bundled with other Microsoft services like Power Apps, Dynamics 365, and Microsoft 365. Microsoft typically provides volume licensing options, which can significantly reduce the cost per user, making it a cost-effective solution for large organizations.
Enterprises may also benefit from Power Automate Desktop, which is a free desktop version available for automating processes on local machines. This is particularly useful for users who need to automate legacy systems or on-premises applications that are not part of the cloud ecosystem.
5. Trial Versions and Discounts
Microsoft offers a free trial of Power Automate that allows users to test out the service before committing to a paid plan. The trial version is typically valid for 30 days and includes access to most of the features of the paid plans.
Trial Benefits:
- Full access to premium features.
- Ability to create and test flows using connectors and AI Builder.
- Ability to explore both cloud and desktop flows.
Discounts:
Microsoft also offers volume discounts for businesses purchasing multiple licenses, especially for large enterprises or organizations with numerous employees using Power Automate across departments.
6. Choosing the Right Power Automate Plan
Selecting the right plan depends on several factors:
- Workflow Complexity: If your workflows require simple automation, the Per User Plan might be enough. For complex automation involving AI or RPA, the Per User with RPA plan or Per Flow Plan with advanced features would be a better choice.
- Integrations: If your workflows require premium connectors, you’ll need a plan that supports them.
- Team Size: For individual users, the Per User Plan is ideal, while larger teams or organizations that want to automate shared workflows should consider the Per Flow Plan.
- Budget: Small businesses with a limited budget might start with the Per User Plan and scale up as needed.