TrustRadius: an HG Insights company

Appian vs. IBM Robotic Process Automation vs. Third Wave Automation

Save this comparison

Save this comparison

Add Product

Recommended Comparisons

    Overview
    ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price

    Appian

    Score7.9 out of 10
    N/AAppian is a low-code development and business process management platform. It features drag-and-drop design for app building, automated work processes, unified data management, and cloud-based deployment.

    $0

    IBM Robotic Process Automation

    Score8.4 out of 10
    N/AIBM Robotic Process Automation with Automation Anywhere is a robotic process automation solution combining business process management tools from IBM with Automation Anywhere's bots and automation capabilities.

    $840

    per month

    Third Wave Automation

    N/AN/AThird Wave Automation provides cloud robotics and machine learning technology to material handling automation.N/A
    Pricing
    AppianIBM Robotic Process AutomationThird Wave Automation
    Editions & Modules
    Appian Community Edition
    $0
    Application - Input-Only
    $2
    per month per user
    Application - Infrequent
    $9
    per month per user
    Application - Standard
    $75
    per month per user
    Platform
    Custom Quote Priced per user with unlimited apps.
    minimum 100 users, no maximum
    Unlimited
    Custom Quote Priced per development with unlimited apps.
    unlimited
    IBM RPA On premises
    Platform starter pack, starting at USD 840.00 per month
    per month
    IBM RPA Software as a service (SaaS)
    Platform starter pack, starting at USD 840.00 per month
    per month
    No answers on this topic
    Offerings
    Pricing Offerings
    AppianIBM Robotic Process AutomationThird Wave Automation
    Free Trial
    YesYesNo
    Free/Freemium Version
    YesNoNo
    Premium Consulting/Integration Services
    YesYesNo
    Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeOptionalNo setup fee
    Additional Details——Contact vendor for pricing information.
    More Pricing Information
    Community Pulse
    AppianIBM Robotic Process AutomationThird Wave Automation
    Considered Multiple Products
    Appian
    No answer on this topic
    IBM
    No answer on this topic
    Third Wave Automation
    No answer on this topic
    Key User Insights
    Would buy again
    95%
    Would buy again
    38 Answers
    97%
    Would buy again
    88 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    Delivers good value for the price
    100%
    Delivers good value for the price
    32 Answers
    98%
    Delivers good value for the price
    79 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    Happy with the feature set
    93%
    Happy with the feature set
    37 Answers
    100%
    Happy with the feature set
    91 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    96%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    25 Answers
    100%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    61 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    Implementation went as expected
    91%
    Implementation went as expected
    30 Answers
    93%
    Implementation went as expected
    68 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    Features
    AppianIBM Robotic Process AutomationThird Wave Automation
    Reporting & Analytics
    Comparison of Reporting & Analytics features of Appian and IBM Robotic Process Automation and Third Wave Automation
    Feature
    Appian
    8.1
    9 Ratings
    4% above category average
    IBM Robotic Process Automation
    -
    Ratings
    Third Wave Automation
    -
    Ratings
    Dashboards8.29 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Standard reports8.59 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Custom reports7.69 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Process Engine
    Comparison of Process Engine features of Appian and IBM Robotic Process Automation and Third Wave Automation
    Feature
    Appian
    7.4
    9 Ratings
    2% above category average
    IBM Robotic Process Automation
    -
    Ratings
    Third Wave Automation
    -
    Ratings
    Process designer7.99 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Process simulation6.49 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Business rules engine6.49 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    SOA support8.29 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Process player7.39 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Form builder7.69 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Model execution8.59 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Best Alternatives
    AppianIBM Robotic Process AutomationThird Wave Automation
    Small Businesses
    Bizagi
    Score8.3 out of 10
    No answers on this topic
    No answers on this topic
    Medium-sized Companies
    IBM Cloud Pak for Business Automation
    Score9 out of 10
    UiPath Automation Platform
    Score8.5 out of 10
    IBM Robotic Process Automation
    Score8.4 out of 10
    Enterprises
    IBM Cloud Pak for Business Automation
    Score9 out of 10
    UiPath Automation Platform
    Score8.5 out of 10
    UiPath Automation Platform
    Score8.5 out of 10
    All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
    User Ratings
    AppianIBM Robotic Process AutomationThird Wave Automation
    Likelihood to Recommend
    9.4
    (139 ratings)
    8.1
    (94 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Likelihood to Renew
    8.5
    (19 ratings)
    8.8
    (7 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Usability
    8.7
    (95 ratings)
    9.1
    (17 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Support Rating
    8.4
    (118 ratings)
    9.1
    (18 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    In-Person Training
    9.0
    (1 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Online Training
    6.0
    (2 ratings)
    4.5
    (1 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Implementation Rating
    1.0
    (5 ratings)
    8.9
    (2 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Configurability
    -
    (0 ratings)
    9.1
    (1 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    User Testimonials
    AppianIBM Robotic Process AutomationThird Wave Automation
    Likelihood to Recommend
    Appian
    Appian works great for automating manual processes and integrating multiple systems through its toolset. It gives great flexibility for establishing rules for approvals, routings, escalations, and the like. Because of the low code toolset, it's very easy to deploy and make changes as needed as processes evolve and as the organization learns to utilize the system better. Minimal maintenance is required to support the applications build on the platform. Some of the automated testing integration with tools like Jenkins is limited so that may be an issue for some.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    IBM
    While it can be applied to various scenarios, its suitability can depend on the specific requirements of a given task or process. Here are some scenarios where IBM RPA is well-suited and scenarios where it may be less appropriate: Well suited: 1.Data Entry and Data Migration: RPA can efficiently automate data entry tasks, such as copying information from one system to another or migrating data between databases, reducing the risk of human error 2. Report Generation: RPA can generate routine reports by extracting data from various sources, formatting it, and delivering the reports to the relevant stakeholders, saving time and effort. 3. Email and Message Handling: RPA can help manage and categorize emails and messages, such as routing customer inquiries to the right department or processing routine email requests.Less suited for: 1. Cases where there is High Variability: RPA may struggle with tasks that have a high degree of variability, where each case is unique and difficult to standardize. 2. For Complex Decision-Making: RPA is rule-based and not designed for complex decision-making processes. It cannot replace the judgment and decision-making capabilities of humans. 3.Tasks Requiring Creativity: RPA is not suitable for tasks that require creativity, innovation, or problem-solving skills, as it operates based on predefined rules and logic.
    Read full review
    Third Wave Automation
    No answers on this topic
    Pros
    Appian
    • Allows at a glance workflow documentation which assists in the need we have for information readiation.
    • Drag and drop interface for workflow development greatly speeds our apps time to market.
    • Using the advanced features of Appian, we are able to create working sites in a fraction of the time it would take to do so using "traditional" development.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    IBM
    • accessing local system
    • It was programmed to navigate to the web page requiring reCAPTCHA verification, locate the reCAPTCHA challenge, and generate a screenshot or other data to present to a user for manual input.
    • It was programmed to extract employee data from emails or forms, update the employee record in Workday, and send automated notifications.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Third Wave Automation
    No answers on this topic
    Cons
    Appian
    • Search issues when type ahead and database search are used in the same field.
    • Buttons implementation where user is require[d] to click on the button description - if clicks on the button outside that text - button will not work.
    • Problems with using certain off-the-shelf performance tools like WebLoad or Neoload. That is because of different dynamic variables being used internally in Appian - which these tools are unable to correlate. We are still investigating using other tools like Jmeter to overcome dynamic correlation problem for performance testing.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    IBM
    • Security and data privacy: IBM RPA may not have the strongest security features, which can leave sensitive data vulnerable to breaches or hacking.
    • Scalability: IBM RPA may not scale well to accommodate larger businesses and more complex processes, which can lead to performance issues and increased costs.
    • Customization: IBM RPA may not provide as much customization options as some users would like, making it difficult to tailor the software to specific business needs.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Third Wave Automation
    No answers on this topic
    Likelihood to Renew
    Appian
    We recently renewed our license with Appian. We are convinced that its flexibility, relative ease of use, the support they provide, there mobile advancements and their general willingness and desire to see us succeed all contributed to our reason to renew our agreement with Appian
    Read full review
    IBM
    By implementing IBM Robotic Process Automation, we realized that they are digital robots with a great impact on our manual tasks, generating good automation capabilities that are beneficial to the entire company.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Third Wave Automation
    No answers on this topic
    Usability
    Appian
    Appian is a low code environment, because of this, a very good visual interface is required. Appian is providing a feature-rich dashboard [that] we can use for building the dashboards and other interfaces. Appian also provides patches and releases to enhance these features. A developer can start off development just by going through a basic course from the Appian learning community.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    IBM
    IBM RPA is a very powerful tool, it has almost all the features that are necessary to build, implement and manage highly functional robots. The learning curve is very fast, so excellent skills are acquired. It is not necessary to have strong programming knowledge because its use is very easy. It is just drag and drop commands. By adding rules and logic, wonderful robots can be achieved.
    Read full review
    Third Wave Automation
    No answers on this topic
    Support Rating
    Appian
    Appian is one of the leading low code business automation platforms that support RPA, decision rules, case management, workflow automation, and machine learning all in a single bundle. But it is also harder to implement and replace the traditional business process.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    IBM
    IBM has done a great job with enablement for the product. There is documentation for use-cases, development videos for beginners, and a community forum that has proven useful for getting started with the application. Although the resources cannot solve every problem a developer comes across, they have been very beneficial to our technical team.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Third Wave Automation
    No answers on this topic
    In-Person Training
    Appian
    As analyst I participated in a developer boot camp. At times it was hard to keep up but most of the time it made sense. Trainer took the time to explain and slowed pace down to answer questions etc.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    IBM
    No answers on this topic
    Third Wave Automation
    No answers on this topic
    Online Training
    Appian
    Very boring; hard to get through quickly, but rather effective in demonstrating the use of the platform.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    IBM
    No answers on this topic
    Third Wave Automation
    No answers on this topic
    Implementation Rating
    Appian
    It was really seamless. SaaS in the true definition of the word. We logged on and started using the product. Very easy.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    IBM
    I am main developer of the this implementation. I have faced many chanllenges in implementation as IBM RPA not provided direct commands to automate Excel. I enjoyed in finding solution and best approach for the implementation
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Third Wave Automation
    No answers on this topic
    Alternatives Considered
    Appian
    Appian has enormously transformed and keeps on updating the product every quarter to meet the latest needs of the world with new innovations & technologies being integrated within the platform. What gives more pleasure than a product that keeps on continuous[ly] improv[ing]?
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    IBM
    I've always had excellent service and had no trouble communicating. It has aided in my understanding of how I can continue to use the bots. Reading peer assessments reveals that while IBM RPA demands a substantial initial financial commitment, it justifies its cost, unlike Blue Prism RPA, which does not.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Third Wave Automation
    No answers on this topic
    Return on Investment
    Appian
    • I believe it has negatively impacted our release dates. There may have been a misunderstanding as to the learning curve, even though it is "low code."
    • The look and feel of the applications created using Appian have uniformity and it's easier to have "reuse" between applications.
    • There is less developer control when it comes to features. I think this mainly has to do with the amount of plugins available. I would think there should be many more available plugins. But again, our use case is probably different than most others.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    IBM
    • IBM Robotic Process Automation has helped save on cost and time as it is able to automate tasks that are repetitive and routine tasks.
    • IBM Robotic Process Automation has helped us increase productivity. This is because it is able to perform tasks with a high degree of accuracy and speed.
    • It has enhanced compliance as it is able to automate compliance-related tasks. This has helped us improve our reputation.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Third Wave Automation
    No answers on this topic
    ScreenShots

    Appian Screenshots

    Screenshot of Low-Code DevelopmentScreenshot of Business Process Management SuiteScreenshot of Dynamic Case ManagementScreenshot of Mobile App DevelopmentScreenshot of Appian RPA with Blue Prism

    IBM Robotic Process Automation Screenshots

    Screenshot of IBM Robotic Process Automation Demo: IBM RPA StudioScreenshot of IBM Robotic Process Automation Demo: Watson Engine in IBM RPA StudioScreenshot of IBM Robotic Process Automation Demo: IVR Debug in IBM RPA StudioScreenshot of IBM Robotic Process Automation Demo: HTTP Request in IBM RPA StudioScreenshot of IBM Robotic Process Automation Demo: Knowledge Base Training in IBM RPA Studio