Skip to content
AIupick
Automationby Microsoft

Microsoft Power Automate

Microsoft's automation service: cloud flows between 1,400+ connectors, plus desktop RPA on Windows and Copilot that drafts flows from descriptions.

Free plan
Free plan: not yet confirmed
Paid from
Power Automate Premium $15.00 / month, billed yearly
Known for
Power Automate for desktop, Copilot in cloud flows, Generative actions
Your data
Microsoft says it does not use customer data to train Copilot or its AI features unless you consent.
Visit official site (opens in a new tab)

What makes Microsoft Power Automate different

Microsoft cloud and desktop automation for business processes

  1. 01

    Power Automate for desktop

    Windows app for desktop flows that record and replay actions in desktop and web apps (RPA).

    Use it for: Automating software without an API, such as SAP screens or legacy apps.

    How to start

    1. Launch Power Automate and select the New flow button in the console
    2. Enter a name for the flow and then select Create
    3. Drag actions from the actions pane into the workspace
    4. Select Run to test the flow
    No plan limit statedmicrosoft.comchecked 2026-10-11

  2. 02

    Copilot in cloud flows

    Describe a flow in plain language and Copilot proposes the trigger and actions, then edits on request.

    Use it for: Building a first cloud flow without knowing connector names.

    How to start

    1. Sign in to Power Automate
    2. On the Home page, select Create with Copilot
    3. Describe the flow in the What will your flow do? field
    4. Select Keep it and continue, then Create flow
    No plan limit statedlearn.microsoft.comchecked 2026-10-11

  3. 03

    Generative actions

    Preview flow action where you state the intent and AI picks which connector actions to run, and in what order.

    Use it for: Steps with many conditions, like handling varied requests in Outlook or SharePoint.

    How to start

    1. In the designer, select the plus sign (+) and then Add generative action (preview)
    2. Select + New generative action and enter the intent
    3. Select Generate and review the suggested plan
    4. Preview it, then select Add
    No plan limit statedlearn.microsoft.comchecked 2026-10-11

  4. 04

    Run a prompt (AI Builder)

    Flow action that sends text to a GPT-based AI Builder prompt and returns generated text.

    Use it for: Classifying, summarising or drafting text inside a cloud flow.

    How to start

    1. Sign in to Power Automate
    2. Select +Create > Instant cloud flow
    3. In the designer, select + and choose the action Run a prompt
    4. In the Prompt field, choose your prompt
    No plan limit statedlearn.microsoft.comchecked 2026-10-11

Limits

How much you can really use it, in the official pages' own words. Limits change often; check the date on each answer.

Free plan limitsWhat the free plan stops you doing: minutes, credits, meetings or features.
  • With a free Microsoft account there is no AI Builder, no cloud-flow integration, no premium or custom connectors and no unattended RPA.learn.microsoft.comchecked 2026-10-11

Privacy and your data

What happens to what you type, upload or make, from the provider's privacy and terms pages. Business plans often differ; the plan is named under each answer.

Used to train AIWhether what you type, upload or record is used to train or improve the provider's models by default.
  • Microsoft says it does not use customer data to train Copilot or its AI features unless you consent.learn.microsoft.comchecked 2026-10-11

Cost

Free planA free plan that is not time-limited. Trials are listed separately.
  • Limitedlearn.microsoft.comchecked 2026-10-11

    Plans: Power Automate for desktop (Microsoft account). Free use covers desktop flows in Power Automate for desktop on Windows; the pricing page offers cloud flows as a 30-day trial or paid plans.

Plans

  • Power Automate for desktop

    Free plan

    • $0.00 / monthMicrosoft account.

  • Power Automate free trial

    Time-limited trial

    Amount not confirmed. See official pricing

  • Power Automate Premium

    Paid, individual

    • $15.00 / month, billed annuallyPer user.

  • Power Automate Process

    Enterprise

    • $150.00 / month, billed annuallyPer bot.

  • Power Automate Hosted Process

    Enterprise

    • $215.00 / month, billed annuallyPer bot.
All features8 questions, each with its source and the date we checked it

Input and output

Build by describing itYou describe the automation in words and it builds the workflow.
  • Supportedlearn.microsoft.comchecked 2026-10-11

    Plan not specified

Workflow

PlatformsWhere the product is offered: web, desktop app, mobile app, or editor extension.
  • Web, Desktop appmicrosoft.comchecked 2026-10-11
MCPSupports the Model Context Protocol, a standard way to connect tools and data sources.
  • Limitedlearn.microsoft.comchecked 2026-10-11

    Plan not specified

    Microsoft documents a preview MCP server for Process Mining data, which needs an active Process Mining licence.

Apps it connectsHow many apps it connects to, as the official pages state.
  • More than 1,400 prebuilt, certified connectorsmicrosoft.comchecked 2026-10-11
AI stepsA step in a workflow can call an AI model, for example to summarise or sort.
  • Supportedlearn.microsoft.comchecked 2026-10-11

    Plan not specified

AI agentsAgents that decide their next steps themselves, within limits you set.
  • Limitedlearn.microsoft.comchecked 2026-10-11

    Plan not specified

    Preview; limited to nine listed connectors such as SharePoint, Outlook and Teams unless you ask Microsoft for more.

Requirements

Open sourceThe tool's own code is published under an open-source licence.
  • Not yet confirmed
Run on your own serverYou can install it and run it on your own server.
  • Not supportedmicrosoft.comchecked 2026-10-11

    Plan not specified

Esc
↑ ↓ to moveEnter to open