Create a flow by describing it to Copilot
You write what you want to automate in plain language. Copilot understands the intent, picks the trigger and actions, and prepares the connections. You review and confirm.
AI tools · Automation
Microsoft Power Automate pricing, use cases, and first steps
Power Automate is Microsoft’s automation tool. You build “flows”: when an event happens (an email arrives, a file is added), actions run on their own in Outlook, Teams, SharePoint, Excel, and more than 1,400 services. The AI, called Copilot, creates the flow from a sentence and fixes it on request. A Windows app also automates clicks on your PC.
Microsoft Power Automate has a free plan. The recommended plan to start with: Included with Microsoft 365, included, in your company’s Microsoft 365 subscription. Prices checked on October 3, 2026 on the vendor’s official page.
Microsoft Power AutomateDescribe a repetitive task, and Copilot builds the automation- Vendor
- Microsoft (United States)
- Free plan
- Yes
- Recommended plan
- Included with Microsoft 365, included, in your company’s Microsoft 365 subscription
- Page checked on
- October 3, 2026
What Microsoft Power Automate does
Who it’s for: employees at companies that run Microsoft 365 who repeat the same chores every week: filing, copying, following up, notifying.
Edit and understand a flow by chatting
In an open flow, a Copilot pane answers your questions and applies your requests: add a step, replace one, change a setting. It can also explain what a flow created by a colleague does.
Cloud flows: between your online apps
A flow connects services to each other. It starts with a trigger, then runs actions in order. It runs on Microsoft’s servers, even when your computer is off.
Also
- Ready-made templates
- Desktop flows: it clicks for you on the PC
- Approvals in Teams
- AI Builder: AI in a step of the flow
- Process mining
Microsoft Power Automate pricing
Prices exclude tax. Exactly what your Microsoft 365 subscription includes depends on your company’s plan: Microsoft refers to the Power Platform licensing guide.
| Plan | Price | Who it’s for |
|---|---|---|
| Included with Microsoft 365 Recommended to start | Included, in your company’s Microsoft 365 subscription | Employees who automate their tasks in Outlook, Teams, SharePoint, Excel |
| Free trial | €0 for 30 days | Testing the Premium features |
| Power Automate Premium | €13.00 excl. tax per user per month, paid yearly | People who connect tools outside Microsoft or automate their PC at scale |
| Power Automate Process | €130.00 excl. tax per bot per month, paid yearly | Companies that run a bot with no one at the screen |
| Power Automate Hosted Process | €186.30 excl. tax per bot per month, paid yearly | Same need, with no machine to manage |
What the free plan includes
With a Microsoft 365 work account, you can create cloud flows with the standard connectors at no extra cost. The Windows app automates your own PC for free, but without running from the cloud or sharing.
Nova’s advice
Start without paying anything: if your company has Microsoft 365, you already have what you need to automate Outlook, Teams, SharePoint, and Excel. Only ask for the Premium license the day a flow needs a “premium” connector or has to run the Windows app from the cloud. The per-bot plans are for the IT team, not for a single employee.
A first try, in 10 minutes
Your data. Flows run in Microsoft’s cloud, and what you write to Copilot is not used to train AI models, unless your admin agrees.
What it does less well
- The Power Automate mobile app has not been supported since August 31, 2026, and is being removed from app stores. On a phone, that leaves the website, poorly suited to small screens, and Teams for approvals.
- The desktop app is available only for Windows. No Mac version, and no support for ARM-based PCs.
Create your first flow in one sentenceMicrosoft Power Automate- Open make.powerautomate.com. On the “Home” page, click the button to create with Copilot.
- In the field where you describe your flow, paste the prompt below, then click the send arrow.
- Copilot suggests a trigger (what starts the flow) and actions (what it does next). If that works for you, click “Keep it and continue.”
- Check that the connections to Outlook and Teams are set up, then click “Create flow.”
- In the Copilot pane on the right, ask “What does my flow do?” to check that you understood it correctly. Click “Save,” then test.
The prompt to copy
When an email with the word “quote” in its subject arrives, post the email subject and the sender’s name in my team’s Teams channel.
Jobs that use Microsoft Power Automate
In the starter kit for 2 jobs.
Alternatives to Microsoft Power Automate
Zapier
Easier to pick up, and connected to thousands of apps outside the Microsoft world.
Make
Automations drawn as a diagram, with a free plan and prices in euros.
n8n
For a technical team that wants to host its own automations.
Microsoft Copilot
The Microsoft 365 assistant, for a one-off request rather than a recurring automation.
Lindy
Agents that handle your email and calendar, without building flows.
Frequently asked questions about Microsoft Power Automate
How much does Microsoft Power Automate cost?
Included with Microsoft 365: included, in your company’s Microsoft 365 subscription; Free trial: €0 for 30 days; Power Automate Premium: €13.00 excl. tax per user per month, paid yearly; Power Automate Process: €130.00 excl. tax per bot per month, paid yearly; Power Automate Hosted Process: €186.30 excl. tax per bot per month, paid yearly. Prices checked on October 3, 2026 on the vendor’s official page.
Can you use Microsoft Power Automate for free?
Yes. With a Microsoft 365 work account, you can create cloud flows with the standard connectors at no extra cost. The Windows app automates your own PC for free, but without running from the cloud or sharing.
What happens to my data with Microsoft Power Automate?
Flows run in Microsoft’s cloud, and what you write to Copilot is not used to train AI models, unless your admin agrees.
What are the alternatives to Microsoft Power Automate?
Zapier: Easier to pick up, and connected to thousands of apps outside the Microsoft world. Make: Automations drawn as a diagram, with a free plan and prices in euros. n8n: For a technical team that wants to host its own automations. Microsoft Copilot: The Microsoft 365 assistant, for a one-off request rather than a recurring automation. Lindy: Agents that handle your email and calendar, without building flows.
Official pages consulted
Page checked on October 3, 2026. Brands are named to identify the tools. No affiliation.