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Make vs Power Automate (2026): Which Automation Platform Is Better?

By AdAI Research Team | | 9 min read
Quick Verdict

Make is the better visual automation builder with more flexible pricing. Power Automate wins if your business runs on Microsoft 365 and needs deep SharePoint, Teams, and Dynamics integration.

Choose Make if:

You want the best visual workflow builder, work with diverse tools beyond Microsoft, or need advanced data transformation and HTTP capabilities.

Choose Power Automate if:

Your business runs on Microsoft 365 (Teams, SharePoint, Outlook, Dynamics) and you want automation deeply embedded in your existing Microsoft ecosystem.

Key Takeaways

  • Make visual builder is widely considered the most intuitive automation interface available.
  • Power Automate integrates natively with all Microsoft 365 apps at no extra cost for basic flows.
  • Make starts at $9/month for 10,000 operations. Power Automate starts at $15/user/month.
  • Make has 1,800+ integrations. Power Automate has 1,000+ connectors plus all Microsoft services.
  • For non-Microsoft workflows, Make is significantly more flexible and easier to use.
Feature Make Power Automate
Pricing model Per operations Per user/per flow
Starting price $9/mo (10,000 ops) $15/user/mo
Free tier 1,000 ops/month Included with Microsoft 365 (limited)
Visual builder Excellent (best in class) Good (improving)
Microsoft integration Via connectors Native (deep)
Non-Microsoft integrations 1,800+ 1,000+ connectors
Data transformation Advanced (built-in) Moderate
AI capabilities AI nodes available Copilot integration, AI Builder
Best for Diverse tool stacks, visual builders Microsoft-heavy organizations

Where Make Wins

Visual workflow builder

Make scenario builder is the most intuitive visual automation interface available. Complex multi-branch workflows are easy to understand at a glance. Power Automate flow designer is functional but less visually clear, especially for complex automations.

Pricing flexibility

Make charges by operations, not users. A team of 50 people using the same automation costs no more than one person. Power Automate at $15/user/month becomes expensive for large teams.

Non-Microsoft integrations

Make connects to 1,800+ services with deep, well-maintained integrations. For businesses using diverse tool stacks (Google, Slack, HubSpot, Stripe, Shopify), Make has better coverage and more reliable connectors.

Where Power Automate Wins

Microsoft 365 integration

Power Automate is embedded in Microsoft 365. It triggers from Outlook emails, Teams messages, SharePoint uploads, and Excel changes natively. No API keys, no connector setup. For Microsoft-first organizations, this zero-configuration integration is a major advantage.

AI Builder and Copilot

Power Automate AI Builder lets you create custom AI models (form processing, object detection, text classification) without code. Microsoft Copilot integration generates flows from natural language descriptions. Make has AI nodes but nothing comparable to AI Builder.

Pricing Comparison

Tier Make Power Automate
Free1,000 ops/month, 2 scenariosLimited (with Microsoft 365)
Starter$9/mo (10,000 ops)$15/user/mo
Pro$16/mo (40,000 ops)$15/user/mo + premium connectors
Teams$29/mo (80,000 ops)$40/user/mo (Process plan)

AdAI Recommendation

Choose Make if...

Your business uses a diverse set of tools beyond Microsoft. You want the most visual, intuitive automation builder. You prefer paying per usage rather than per user.

Choose Power Automate if...

Your business is built on Microsoft 365 and you want automation embedded in Outlook, Teams, SharePoint, and Dynamics. You need AI Builder for custom AI models without code.

The bottom line

Make for diverse, visual automation needs. Power Automate for Microsoft-heavy organizations. If you use both Microsoft and non-Microsoft tools, Make is the more flexible choice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Power Automate free with Microsoft 365?
A limited version is included with Microsoft 365 subscriptions: standard connectors and basic flows. Premium connectors, AI Builder, and advanced features require the $15/user/month license. The free version is useful but restricted.
Can Make connect to Microsoft tools?
Yes. Make has connectors for Outlook, Excel, SharePoint, Teams, and OneDrive. They work well but require API setup. Power Automate connects to these natively without configuration.
Which is better for complex automations?
Make visual builder handles complex branching, loops, and error handling more intuitively. Power Automate can achieve similar results but the flow designer becomes harder to manage as complexity grows.

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