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IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA) vs UiPath comparison

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Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 4, 2024

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

ROI

Sentiment score
8.0
Automate saves time and resources, achieving ROI quickly by reducing manual tasks and IT staff needs through automation.
Sentiment score
8.0
IBM RPA typically offers a 20-30% ROI, with returns realized in 6-12 months for medium-sized initiatives.
Sentiment score
7.4
UiPath automation offers swift ROI, significantly reducing costs and errors, while enhancing efficiency, employee satisfaction, and process accuracy.
Fortra's Automate has effectively replaced the workload of an entire employee, saving us significant time and money.
It has saved about 20% to 30% of costs.
We have seen a 100% return on investment.
UiPath has reduced human error and saved employee time.
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
7.4
Automate customer service is praised for responsive, effective support despite occasional communication issues, with knowledgeable and helpful staff.
Sentiment score
6.8
IBM RPA's customer support receives mixed reviews, praised for responsiveness but criticized for technical issues and training needs.
Sentiment score
7.2
UiPath's support receives mixed reviews, praised for responsiveness but criticized for slow responses and accessibility issues.
They don't always understand the processes I'm trying to implement.
I would rate the technical support as a nine out of ten because it is quite fast and courteous.
They are very responsive and have been able to resolve any issues I have encountered.
They were very helpful, addressing the issue in three hours.
The customer support from UiPath is amazing.
Initially, it was very difficult to get support, but nowadays, we do not have to go for support because most things get solved in the community itself.
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.0
Automate offers scalable, cost-effective deployment with support for load balancing and high availability, although scaling complexity exists.
Sentiment score
7.6
IBM RPA excels in cloud scalability, supports Kubernetes, integrates AI, but on-premises scaling may face challenges.
Sentiment score
7.7
UiPath is praised for scalability and integration, though challenges in structure and licensing exist for optimal configuration.
It is easy to increase one bot or one studio without needing to buy another orchestrator, which can be quite expensive.
It is being used at multiple locations by many customers.
You just need to change the number of robots for the process, and then it works very fast.
UiPath helped us revamp and upgrade our systems, making them more scalable.
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
7.0
Automate is praised for stability and performance, despite occasional errors, connectivity issues, and recommendations for server improvements.
Sentiment score
6.7
IBM Robotic Process Automation receives satisfactory stability ratings, with improvements noted in version 11, though challenges remain in memory use and integration.
Sentiment score
7.4
UiPath is generally stable, valued for reliability, but can be affected by third-party applications and user expertise.
It has very robust features, and it is not prone to instability.
The stability of Fortra's Automate is excellent.
In the beginning, we depended on our infrastructure. However, now that we have services on the cloud, it is very stable.
The solution is not very stable.
 

Room For Improvement

Users seek improvements in web automation, UI, security, OCR, integration, documentation, stability, AI, cloud functionality, and community access.
IBM Robotic Process Automation requires better AI integration, enhanced features, expanded APIs, accessible support, and improved user-friendliness.
UiPath requires better code handling, affordability, seamless integrations, improved support, and enhanced AI, OCR, and legacy system automation.
I would prefer not having to log in to update a ticket; being able to respond via email would be beneficial.
Integration with Amazon S3 is somewhat lacking.
I find that most important features are strong, however, there is a lack of good development for artificial intelligence, such as machine learning.
Adding more AI could help in small tasks that require intelligence or machine learning, leading to the next stage of automation.
If the UI changes or a label is changed, sometimes the whole flow breaks.
It would be beneficial to integrate voice commands with the UI to create an Excel spreadsheet and populate a data table.
 

Setup Cost

Automate offers a cost-effective, scalable pricing model with lower costs per bot, unlike UiPath and Blue Prism.
IBM RPA offers flexible licensing and a free trial, with mixed pricing opinions but competitive compared to similar tools.
Enterprise buyers find UiPath expensive but justified by its capabilities, scalability, and flexible licensing with strategic discounts.
Competitors are often more expensive than Automate.
It offered what we wanted at a good, competitive price.
It does a lot but also costs a lot.
Most of the UiPath products are priced higher than competitors.
It is more expensive than other automation services, but I don't deal with the financial details much.
 

Valuable Features

Automate offers easy task development and integration with AI resources, efficiently handling tasks with strong support for secure transfers.
IBM Robotic Process Automation simplifies use for all users, enhancing efficiency with drag-and-drop, Watson integration, and seamless SAP/ERP integration.
Automate's non-reliance on additional orchestrators makes it quite cost-effective.
I find the ease of use from a programming perspective very valuable.
The most valuable features of Fortra's Automate include its FTP functionality and file manipulation capabilities.
The tool has a noticeable ROI, and the investment is worth every penny as it reduces tedious tasks and improves scalability.
Our use of automation sped up the process of getting paid from insurance companies, saving us substantial amounts of money.
Whenever they release a product, they also release a course in UiPath Academy. So, you can get familiarized with the product and understand the new capabilities.
 

Categories and Ranking

Automate
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Ranking in Robotic Process Automation (RPA)
5th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.2
Number of Reviews
26
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
IBM Robotic Process Automat...
Ranking in Robotic Process Automation (RPA)
8th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.2
Number of Reviews
23
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
UiPath
Ranking in Robotic Process Automation (RPA)
1st
Average Rating
8.8
Reviews Sentiment
7.0
Number of Reviews
820
Ranking in other categories
Agentic Automation (1st)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of March 2025, in the Robotic Process Automation (RPA) category, the mindshare of Automate is 1.3%, up from 1.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA) is 2.2%, down from 2.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of UiPath is 23.8%, down from 26.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Robotic Process Automation (RPA)
 

Q&A Highlights

WS
May 25, 2022
 

Featured Reviews

Anabel Marco - PeerSpot reviewer
Automates processes efficiently with cost-effective scaling and robust customer support
Web scraping is quite good since it offers a lot of possibilities. Another important feature for me is its compatibility with MBI, the Power that is ISEQUADO Centers. I appreciate the ability to scale and increase the number of bots or studios without additional expense. Automate's non-reliance on additional orchestrators makes it quite cost-effective.
Karinne Carnevalli De Almeida - PeerSpot reviewer
User-friendly interface and good stability
I would recommend using IBM RPA. I would advise you to learn about your main processes to automate inside your company. So you can apply it in big and small processes depending on the investment for your company. That is an advantage or not. Overall, I would rate the solution an eight out of ten. It has some difficulty in the tool, but it's a very stable and useful tool for automating processes.
Amjed Al-Tayyan - PeerSpot reviewer
Automation streamlines onboarding and reduces the load on customer service agents
As the head of the division, I do not use UiPath myself. However, I am the decision-maker, so I review the features. The combination of both full-attended and half-attended automation, where you can automate tasks and still interact when required, is very useful. It provides efficiency by freeing staff from unnecessary tasks, resulting in a balanced workload and more productive use of an employee's time. The tool has a noticeable ROI, and the investment is worth every penny as it reduces tedious tasks and improves scalability. It is very easy to use. During the COVID lockdown, my son who was 11 at the time attended a UiPath and Automation Anywhere training with me. He has already automated his school tasks requiring saving data and uploading some documents to the portal. If a kid can do this, it shows how easy it is.
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Answers from the Community

WS
May 25, 2022
May 25, 2022
My question to you would be - Why are you mixing the two vendors? Do you have licenses for both and are trying to maximize investment? If you have IBM automation you probably have other IBM technology - let the IBM automation run on that as its integration is a little more complicated than UiPath and may cost you time in execution. If you have both IBM and UiPath then I would use UiPath for a...
2 out of 6 answers
DR
Nov 3, 2020
My question to you would be - Why are you mixing the two vendors? Do you have licenses for both and are trying to maximize investment?  If you have IBM automation you probably have other IBM technology - let the IBM automation run on that as its integration is a little more complicated than UiPath and may cost you time in execution.  If you have both IBM and UiPath then I would use UiPath for any areas that are not integral to the IBM technology or systems.  I would need to know a little more about your strategy before giving a definitive answer to your question but all 3 are good technical foundations depending on the scenario.
JF
Jul 6, 2021
Although I've worked with UiPath (not Automation Anywhere), my experience is now solely with AutoMate from Help Systems.  I would recommend aligning IBM's digital business automation with Robotic Process Automation and how it works. It seems to be a very different tool from RPA. If programming is required in the use of IBM's digital business automation go with RPA.  
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
15%
Computer Software Company
14%
Healthcare Company
8%
Manufacturing Company
7%
Financial Services Firm
16%
Computer Software Company
16%
Educational Organization
8%
Government
7%
Computer Software Company
16%
Financial Services Firm
14%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Government
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about HelpSystems AutoMate?
We use it for specific cases, mainly secure file transfers, which are vital for us. And it works for us.
What is your primary use case for HelpSystems AutoMate?
I am a consultant and I am making a lot of processes in human resources, payroll, certifications, trainings, web scra...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Fortra Automate?
The pricing is quite good compared to its competitors. Competitors are often more expensive than Automate. I would ra...
What do you like most about IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA)?
Integrating the tool with SAP, EBS, or other ERPs is easy.
What needs improvement with IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA)?
The product must be promoted more. There are no promotions.
What is your primary use case for IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA)?
We're working with different clients from the manufacturing environment. We have implemented end-to-end solutions. We...
Best RPA tools for IBM iSeries
I can only speak to UiPath since that is the only RPA solution that I have used. I know that there are specific packa...
RPA that Bots can run without centralized control?
Yes, Attended Bots which can run without centralized control Module. RPA Tools like Automation Anywhere, uiPath ,Pow...
How do I choose between UiPath and Microsoft Power Automate?
Microsoft‌ ‌Power‌ ‌Automate‌ ‌is‌ ‌intuitive‌ ‌and‌ ‌easy‌ ‌to‌ ‌integrate‌ ‌and‌ ‌use.‌ ‌I‌ ‌like‌ ‌that‌ ‌there‌ ‌...
 

Also Known As

HelpSystems Automate, Automate
IBM RPA
No data available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Aldergrove Financial Group, Preferred Health Professionals, Mindbeam Technologies, First Credit Union in British Columbia, Vestcom International, Prime Liberty Benefits, University of Tampa, CNLBancshares, World Precision Instruments, BJ's Restaurants, Globe Pequot Press, Accudata Technologies, Norton Healthcare, Pacific Toxicology Laboratories
The Hanover Insurance Group
1. Accenture 2. Deloitte 3. PwC 4. IBM 5. Capgemini 6. KPMG 7. Ernst & Young 8. Infosys 9. Cognizant 10. Wipro 11. Tata Consultancy Services 12. HCL Technologies 13. Genpact 14. Tech Mahindra 15. DXC Technology 16. Atos 17. NTT Data 18. CGI 19. L&T Infotech 20. Hexaware Technologies 21. Mindtree 22. Mphasis 23. Virtusa 24. Syntel 25. Zensar Technologies 26. WNS Global Services 27. Hexaware Technologies 28. Larsen & Toubro Infotech 29. Persistent Systems 30. QuEST Global 31. Sonata Software 32. Zensar Technologies
Find out what your peers are saying about IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA) vs. UiPath and other solutions. Updated: March 2025.
842,296 professionals have used our research since 2012.