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    Overview
    ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price

    Control-M

    Score9.4 out of 10
    N/AControl-M from BMC is a platform for integrating, automating, and orchestrating application and data workflows in production across complex hybrid technology ecosystems. It provides deep operational capabilities, delivering speed, scale, security, and governance.

    $29,000

    per year

    Microsoft Power Automate

    Score8.5 out of 10
    N/AMicrosoft Power Automate is an advanced automation platform offering a range of features, including AI-powered automation, robotic process automation (RPA), business process automation (BPA), digital process automation (DPA), and process/task mining. The platform aims to empower organizations to securely automate their operations at scale by leveraging low-code and AI technologies.

    $15

    per month per user

    Zapier

    Score8.9 out of 10
    N/AThe Zapier Automation Platform designed to integrate data between web apps. It is scaled for small to mid-sized businesses, with a functional but limited free version of the program.

    $29.99

    per month 750 tasks per month

    Pricing
    Control-MMicrosoft Power AutomateZapier
    Editions & Modules
    On-Premise
    Contact Sales
    SaaS
    Starting at $29,000
    per year
    Power Automate Premium
    $15
    per month per user
    Power Automate Process
    $150
    per month per bot
    Hosted RPA add-on
    $215
    per month per bot
    Process Mining add-on
    $5,000
    per month per tenant
    Starter
    $29.99
    per month 750 tasks per month
    Professional
    $73.50
    per month 2k tasks per month
    Team
    $103.50
    per month 2k tasks per month
    Company
    Contact Sales
    Offerings
    Pricing Offerings
    Control-MMicrosoft Power AutomateZapier
    Free Trial
    YesYesNo
    Free/Freemium Version
    NoYesYes
    Premium Consulting/Integration Services
    YesNoNo
    Entry-level Setup FeeOptionalNo setup feeNo setup fee
    Additional Details——33% discount for annual pricing.
    More Pricing Information
    Community Pulse
    Control-MMicrosoft Power AutomateZapier
    Considered Multiple Products
    BMC Software Inc.
    Chose Control-M
    We still use Power Automate but for different scenarios where job dependency is not required.
    Incentivized
    Microsoft
    Chose Microsoft Power Automate
    Microsoft Power Automate is worlds ahead of Zapier in so many ways. The looping, DOM access, and flow controls are much better. I feel that accessing different data within previous connectors used in a flow is much easier in Microsoft Power Automate as well.

    The custom …
    Incentivized
    Chose Microsoft Power Automate
    Power Automate is much more powerful than IFTTT or Zapier, and the cost is included in our current license. IFTTT is sometimes too simple in their API capabilities, and Zapier charges per process which means the high frequency tasks that we most want to automate quickly get …
    Incentivized
    Chose Microsoft Power Automate
    We thought of Zapier on the other hand, but what made us to chose Flow is mainly its seamless connectivity with Microsoft products and all the existing relationship what we had with Microsoft.
    Incentivized
    Chose Microsoft Power Automate
    We preferred PowerAutomate due to its integration and security within the M365 suite which our business was already using.
    Incentivized
    Chose Microsoft Power Automate
    The tools competing with Microsoft flow have interesting features, but they fail when you need to use resources located internally in the company, such as databases and network file repositories, in your flow, in addition, the security, permissions, and authentication part is …
    Incentivized
    Chose Microsoft Power Automate
    Microsoft Flow is pretty powerful, and it integrates with other applications into its automation. However, Microsoft Flow does have limitations with integrating into a web browser. Microsoft Flow is targeted towards business users, not so much the social media side of things. …
    Incentivized
    Chose Microsoft Power Automate
    Microsoft Flow is more powerful, and it integrates some of these programs into its automation. However, Microsoft Flow does have limitations with integrating into a web browser or website format. Microsoft Flow is targeted towards business users, not so much the social media …
    Incentivized
    Zapier
    Chose Zapier
    Power Automate is great if you live exclusively in the Microsoft Dataverse. However, we have lots of apps that aren't fully represented - that's where Zapier shines. It has such great reach to so many other apps. Zapier is my go-to automation solution.
    Incentivized
    Chose Zapier
    I’ve used the free version of Hootsuite. I think this program is a more robust program once you pay for its features. Zapier is still better as a free version. So if you are looking to round out your digital presence with little investment go with Zapier. If you’re trying to …
    Incentivized
    Chose Zapier
    Microsoft Flow and Automate IO were both alternatives we looked into but fell short of our requirements. From a pricing and ease of use standpoint Automate IO definitely fit the bill but didn't integrate with Salesmate so that was a bust. As for Microsoft Flow it's also an …
    Incentivized
    Key User Insights
    Would buy again
    99%
    Would buy again
    138 Answers
    93%
    Would buy again
    78 Answers
    94%
    Would buy again
    47 Answers
    Delivers good value for the price
    97%
    Delivers good value for the price
    108 Answers
    96%
    Delivers good value for the price
    75 Answers
    92%
    Delivers good value for the price
    44 Answers
    Happy with the feature set
    99%
    Happy with the feature set
    138 Answers
    93%
    Happy with the feature set
    78 Answers
    96%
    Happy with the feature set
    48 Answers
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    97%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    90 Answers
    94%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    51 Answers
    93%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    43 Answers
    Implementation went as expected
    95%
    Implementation went as expected
    112 Answers
    94%
    Implementation went as expected
    58 Answers
    98%
    Implementation went as expected
    46 Answers
    Features
    Control-MMicrosoft Power AutomateZapier
    Workload Automation
    Comparison of Workload Automation features of Control-M and Microsoft Power Automate and Zapier
    Feature
    Control-M
    9.1
    181 Ratings
    9% above category average
    Microsoft Power Automate
    -
    Ratings
    Zapier
    -
    Ratings
    Multi-platform scheduling9.6178 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Central monitoring9.4166 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Logging8.7169 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Alerts and notifications9.2170 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Analysis and visualization8.8163 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Application integration8.9164 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Cloud Data Integration
    Comparison of Cloud Data Integration features of Control-M and Microsoft Power Automate and Zapier
    Feature
    Control-M
    -
    Ratings
    Microsoft Power Automate
    -
    Ratings
    Zapier
    9.3
    107 Ratings
    14% above category average
    Pre-built connectors00 Ratings00 Ratings9.6103 Ratings
    Connector modification00 Ratings00 Ratings9.091 Ratings
    Support for real-time and batch integration00 Ratings00 Ratings8.389 Ratings
    Data quality services00 Ratings00 Ratings9.672 Ratings
    Data security features00 Ratings00 Ratings9.871 Ratings
    Monitoring console00 Ratings00 Ratings9.580 Ratings
    Best Alternatives
    Control-MMicrosoft Power AutomateZapier
    Small Businesses
    No answers on this topic
    airSlate WorkFlow
    Score10 out of 10
    Make
    Score9.3 out of 10
    Medium-sized Companies
    Apache Airflow
    Score8.7 out of 10
    excentia Admin Tools
    Score7.3 out of 10
    IBM App Connect
    Score9 out of 10
    Enterprises
    Redwood RunMyJobs
    Score9.7 out of 10
    ServiceNow AI Platform
    Score8.4 out of 10
    Workato
    Score9.3 out of 10
    All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
    User Ratings
    Control-MMicrosoft Power AutomateZapier
    Likelihood to Recommend
    9.4
    (184 ratings)
    8.6
    (89 ratings)
    9.4
    (112 ratings)
    Likelihood to Renew
    9.6
    (32 ratings)
    9.3
    (9 ratings)
    10.0
    (1 ratings)
    Usability
    9.2
    (141 ratings)
    9.0
    (7 ratings)
    9.7
    (11 ratings)
    Availability
    9.1
    (10 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Performance
    8.7
    (10 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Support Rating
    9.1
    (25 ratings)
    7.9
    (12 ratings)
    1.0
    (10 ratings)
    In-Person Training
    9.1
    (4 ratings)
    9.0
    (1 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Online Training
    8.7
    (6 ratings)
    8.9
    (2 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Implementation Rating
    8.8
    (16 ratings)
    8.3
    (39 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Configurability
    9.1
    (10 ratings)
    9.0
    (1 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Contract Terms and Pricing Model
    7.7
    (5 ratings)
    10.0
    (1 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Ease of integration
    9.1
    (8 ratings)
    8.5
    (2 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Product Scalability
    9.1
    (10 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Professional Services
    8.8
    (7 ratings)
    8.0
    (1 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Vendor post-sale
    8.8
    (10 ratings)
    9.0
    (1 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Vendor pre-sale
    8.8
    (9 ratings)
    10.0
    (1 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    User Testimonials
    Control-MMicrosoft Power AutomateZapier
    Likelihood to Recommend
    BMC Software Inc.
    Anytime you have a process that has to do multiple things, transfer data, interact with other systems, Control-M is critical. Not only does it provide the insight to what is going on, but it also lets you keep tight audit controls over access, reduces the need to spend large amounts of time tracking down issues, reduces the need to write custom "code" to do integrations with other systems and helps you better manage and track critical SLAs for workflows across the business.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Microsoft
    Very useful RPA tools for automating processes with minimal coding and drag-and-drop functionality, with a wide variety of triggers, including scheduled time-based triggers and activity-based triggers, such as modifying a file/list in SharePoint to run a Power Automate flow. Very easy-to-use UI with native integration with every Microsoft product, and a very low automation failure rate for deployed workflows.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Zapier
    If you have processes that are now managed and controlled using a spreadsheet, Zapier will give you a lot more control over what is happening and will help you increase productivity by eliminating simple steps such as sending emails and sharing information with your colleagues. It frees time for very transactional activities.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Pros
    BMC Software Inc.
    • The good thing is that there are so many connectors available. Control-M provides lots of features, and we are using almost 60 to 70% of them. Control-M is providing us with so much capability to use during our daily problem-solving.
    • Most of the job creation is very simple and quick and worked as per expectations.
    • Testing and debugging are also very easy, and you can test multiple scenarios using temporary changes during job runs.
    • Log and output presentations are also very good, short and detailed.
    • To monitor specific job net, we can create viewpoint, which can be use on daily basis.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Microsoft
    • Sending confirmation email to clients and user once the flow is triggered.
    • Fetching or Dumping files from one location to another if the flow is triggered.
    • Schedule flow helps to send alerts and triggers the flow at a specific interval of time to carry out the required task.
    • Power Automate also be used to convert any file format to a specific file format and save it to the required location
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Zapier
    • Ease of use - multiple people in the organization can set up and run Zaps per their specific use cases without much training.
    • Connectivity - Zapier is able to connect to multiple applications we use on a regular basis.
    • Functionality - Zapier provides embedded functionality within the app itself (email, data conversion), but also appropriate triggers and actions for apps it connects to.
    • Versatile - Zapier can execute complicated and simple tasks and thus has many use cases.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Cons
    BMC Software Inc.
    • I haven't come across too many spots where I'm not happy with the product. Most of the shortfalls were in my knowledge of the product as opposed to the actual product. Currently we're having a little bit of an issue with the deployment of the software to the servers, but it's more of an "us" problem than a product problem. I can't really give any good examples of shortfalls of the product that I've found so far.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Microsoft
    • Steep learning curve.
    • It can be slow to develop simple solutions compared to other automation platforms such as Smarsheet.
    • Troubleshooting and developing can be frustrating without proper access to edit the code directly.
    • Only able to edit through the GUI and with expressions.
    • Many ways to do the same thing can be frustrating when you need to rework your flow.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Zapier
    • Being able to turn off one leg of a Zap without having to delete it or turn the whole Zap off
    • Not all fields populate when using certain aspects of Salesforce, but that could be an SF issue
    • Communication when support is actually needed basically doesn't happen
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Likelihood to Renew
    BMC Software Inc.
    It is one of the best solutions on the market, in terms of innovation, reliability and stability. Control-M provides security when used by the largest companies in Mexico such as banks, department stores and logistics. It has proven to be able to integrate with new technologies on the market and provide almost 100% availability, thanks to its automatic FailOver scheme.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Microsoft
    The tool is very useful when used with its various native connectors, taking great advantage of the integration between the components and systems of the Office365 universe. However, its cost is still high, and automation using more advanced components containing AI resources becomes unfeasible for some companies. Due to the financial crisis that many companies are currently experiencing, investment in automation systems or tools is taking a back seat.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Zapier
    Zapier is now very much an integral part of our business and we could not operate without it!
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Usability
    BMC Software Inc.
    User experience is meeting my expectations. We had a manual checklist, which Control-M Reports has now replaced, that helped us check the jobs without any issues. So, being fair with the work, the ratings should also be fair. More to come as the AI progresses; this will not only help motivate the Control-M Developers but also lead to the development of advanced technology.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Microsoft
    Power Automate features a clean and intuitive user interface that allows users to create, manage, and monitor workflows easily. The UI is designed to be accessible to both technical and non-technical users, with drag-and-drop functionality for building workflows. Power Automate supports integration with a wide range of Microsoft and third-party applications. This flexibility in integration allows users to automate workflows across various systems, enhancing overall productivity and efficiency.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Zapier
    The interface is very user-friendly, and there are also many tools to help a brand-new user get started. For example, you can put your Zap idea into the AI bot, and it will basically build a shell of your Zap to get started on. The format for each step within a Zap is also very helpful (set up the connection/app, set up the fields/details, then test).
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Reliability and Availability
    BMC Software Inc.
    Secondary Instances: Control-M supports the installation of a secondary instance of the entire Control-M environment, Control-M/EM, or Control-M/Server.Automatic & Manual Failover: In case of a failure on the primary host, Control-M can automatically failover to the secondary host if using Oracle or MSSQL databases. Manual failover is also an option, enabling a controlled switch during planned maintenance.Fallback: After resolving the issue on the primary host, you can easily fall back to it, or even designate the secondary host as the new primary. Database Replication: For high availability, Control-M leverages database replication from the primary site to a disaster recovery site. While replication is essential, its implementation and maintenance are the user's responsibility.
    Read full review
    Microsoft
    No answers on this topic
    Zapier
    No answers on this topic
    Performance
    BMC Software Inc.
    good page load times, efficient report completion, and minimal impact on integrated systems. Specifically, the well-designed GUI contributes to a positive user experience, and the platform's ability to automate various stages of the workflow, including Big Data processes, is highlighted as a key strength. Fast Page Loads: Control-M is reported to have a responsive user interface with fast page load times, allowing users to quickly navigate and manage their workflows
    Read full review
    Microsoft
    No answers on this topic
    Zapier
    No answers on this topic
    Support Rating
    BMC Software Inc.
    Support is generally excellent. Getting lower priority ones resolved can take a while, but it's rare for something to have to be dumped in the "unfixable" bin. If you end up speaking to Houston or Tel Aviv, then you know you've got a "live one".
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Microsoft
    both Community support and Microsoft official support typically respond to (and resolve) reported issues in a VERY expedient manner, usually going above and beyond for education and bugfixing. I have been thoroughly impressed with the level of support I had been provided in the past.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Zapier
    Before we purchased Zapier, I contacted support and asked them if Zapier could support my intended workflow (this is actually a selection on their support form - awesome). Within 2 hours, I was contacted by a support team member who seemed sure it would work, but granted me premium access for 2 weeks to try it out for myself. Sure enough, it did! Ever since then, support has replied rapidly to any problems I have experienced and answered my questions within a few sentences.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    In-Person Training
    BMC Software Inc.
    Very knowledgeable instructors provide a hands-on, collaborative learning experience and can interact directly with instructors to develop our Control-M skills. This format allows for immediate feedback, in-depth discussions, and tailored guidance, leading to a deeper understanding of Control-M concepts and practical application. Face-to-face interaction fosters higher engagement and a more dynamic learning environment.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Microsoft
    after reviewing the main features of Power Automate, the Microsoft trainer focused on some of our real life use cases implementation, from simple to more advanced.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Zapier
    No answers on this topic
    Online Training
    BMC Software Inc.
    Simple and easy to use web based, well paced. Available any time. All online courses are simple and easy to access and use. Very practical everyday use scenarios and solutions. Incorporates software simulations, learning games, and built-in assessments to enhance comprehension and engagement. Online subscriptions are regularly updated with the latest product information, ensuring users have access to the most current knowledge.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Microsoft
    although it was productive, it is more difficult to stay focused and in a 7 hours a day online training (including screen share issues and the fact that the trainer just can't precisely show the exact location of your mistake)
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Zapier
    No answers on this topic
    Implementation Rating
    BMC Software Inc.
    As HA we have depend on the external DB, why don't we have HA feasibility with embedded DB. As with external DB, there are performance issues and fine tuning the DB. As if its embedded DB, Control-M it self take care of the functionality.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Microsoft
    Overall, our experience implementing Microsoft Power Automate has been positive, with a relatively low barrier to entry and a fast time-to-value—especially because it integrates natively with Microsoft 365, which we were already using extensively. With Respect to migration, I had a very good experience where existing workflows were reviewed and simplified. Unnecessary steps were removed. Business rules were reimplemented using Power Automate logic. We migrated Approval workflows, email-based notifications, SharePoint-centric processes, and simple integrations.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Zapier
    No answers on this topic
    Alternatives Considered
    BMC Software Inc.
    Control-M: Known for its comprehensive workload automation capabilities, handling complex job scheduling, dependency management, and IT process automation. TWS: Traditionally strong in Batch processing and job scheduling, focusing on high-performance computing environments. TIDEL: Offers a combination of workload automation and IT process management, often used in mainframe environments.AutoSys: Provides job scheduling and workflow management with a reputation for scalability and performance.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Microsoft
    Microsoft Power Automate is worlds ahead of Zapier in so many ways. The looping, DOM access, and flow controls are much better. I feel that accessing different data within previous connectors used in a flow is much easier in Microsoft Power Automate as well. The custom connector creation process is a lot more pleasant in Microsoft Power Automate. The DateTime data type is handles MUCH better in Microsoft Power Automate, which is reason enough to use it.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Zapier
    We actually utilize both Integromat and Zapier at our company, for all the reasons detailed in this review. Though Zapier is excellent for simple client integrations, we often run into internal use cases that require complexity that Zapier cannot provide. Specifically working with API calls (not just webhooks), complex multi-step integrations with Routing/parsing/etc, and large volume integrations. Integromat is perfect for these use cases, but doesn’t provide the simplicity and account scalability that Zapier offers.
    Incentivized
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    Contract Terms and Pricing Model
    BMC Software Inc.
    While Control-M offers flexibility with usage-based and subscription-based pricing, some users might prefer more predictable, upfront costs, especially for large-scale deployments. A potential area for improvement could be offering more options for fixed-term contracts with predictable pricing based on factors like the number of agents or jobs, providing a clearer budget for long-term planning
    Read full review
    Microsoft
    I have not done any participations
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Zapier
    No answers on this topic
    Scalability
    BMC Software Inc.
    awesome product.Control-M delivers advanced operational capabilities easily consumed by Dev, Ops, data teams, and lines of business.Control-M Workflow InsightsApplication and data workflow observability: Increased confidence that SLAs are being met for Control-M users and IT leadersComprehensive control and management capabilities: Enhanced dashboards and reporting with constant telemetry and intelligent analysis on executing workflowsSelf-service visibility: In-depth reporting to help teams work autonomously
    Read full review
    Microsoft
    No answers on this topic
    Zapier
    No answers on this topic
    Professional Services
    BMC Software Inc.
    Strengths: The vendor provided strong post-sales support, timely issue resolution, and effective onboarding. Their technical team was knowledgeable and responsive, ensuring smooth integration and minimal disruption. Training resources and documentation were comprehensive. Areas for Improvement: While overall service was excellent, occasional delays in advanced customization or escalations slightly impacted timelines. More proactive optimization suggestions could further enhance value.
    Incentivized
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    Microsoft
    Microsoft's professional services provide hands-on support throughout the implementation lifecycle of Power Automate.This includes initial setup, configuration, integration with existing systems, testing, and deployment. They ensure that workflows are correctly designed, optimized for performance, and aligned with security best practices.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Zapier
    No answers on this topic
    Return on Investment
    BMC Software Inc.
    • Since centralizing all our workflows in Control-M, we've cut end to end processing time by nearly 30%
    • Before Control-M we were babysitting scripts, manually rerunning failed jobs, and chasing ghost errors. With automated recovery, smart notifications, and fewer failures slipping through the cracks, we have saved 3 hours a day across teams
    • Our workflows success rate sits at 99.95% and when things do fail, they are pinpointed immediately
    Incentivized
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    Microsoft
    • You can automate a lot of process very easy like automatic mails for status updates and such. This will save a lot of time and is more accurate, faster and up-to-date than a user can be.
    • Task approval is centralized and automatic reminders save us a lot of time.
    • The ROI is good if you have a lot of use cases and things to automate
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Zapier
    • It has saved me the money in hiring an administrative assistant
    • It also saved me the time it took to do these tasks
    • It also allowed me to automate things that increased my lead generation
    • It also allowed me to automate several processes
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    ScreenShots

    Microsoft Power Automate Screenshots

    Screenshot of Microsoft Power Automate (Interface Screenshot) - Work Queues, Initial pageScreenshot of Microsoft Power Automate (Interface Screenshot) - Signed-in web portal home pageScreenshot of Microsoft Power Automate (Interface Screenshot) - Signed-in web portal create pageScreenshot of Microsoft Power Automate (Interface Screenshot) - Desktop designerScreenshot of Microsoft Power Automate (Interface Screenshot) - Hosted RPAScreenshot of Microsoft Power Automate (Interface Screenshot) - Display of DLP violations (on Run)