IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA) vs SAP Intelligent RPA comparison

IBM and SAP are both solutions in the Robotic Process Automation (RPA) category. IBM is ranked #12 with an average rating of 8.5, while SAP is ranked #8 with an average rating of 8.0. IBM holds a 3.1% mindshare in RPA, compared to SAP’s 2.3% mindshare. Additionally, 88% of IBM users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 87% of SAP users who would recommend it.

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 4, 2024

IBM Robotic Process Automation and SAP Intelligent RPA compete in the automation software category. IBM RPA seems to have the upper hand due to its strong analytics and integration with IBM Watson, whereas SAP excels in adaptability and flexibility.

Features: IBM RPA is known for its ease of use, integrating seamlessly with IBM Watson, and providing robust analytics and hybrid cloud integration. SAP Intelligent RPA is flexible, handling both attended and unattended tasks, offering smooth integration with CRMs, databases, and APIs.

Room for Improvement: IBM RPA can improve by enhancing its machine learning capabilities, browser compatibility, and Microsoft systems integration. SAP Intelligent RPA needs better SAP GUI stability, improved data extraction processes, and more flexible error messaging and Outlook integration.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: IBM RPA supports versatile deployment in hybrid cloud environments, with generally positive customer support though it can vary in quality. SAP Intelligent RPA is flexible in both cloud and on-premises deployments but needs better technical support and resource accessibility.

Pricing and ROI: IBM RPA has higher pricing with annual licensing but offers significant ROI, with returns often in less than a year. SAP Intelligent RPA's SaaS model is adaptable to various business needs, providing cost-effective solutions over time with a similar ROI period.

To learn more, read our detailed IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA) vs. SAP Intelligent RPA Report (Updated: July 2025).

Buyer's Guide

IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA) vs. SAP Intelligent RPA

July 2025

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Review summaries and opinions

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

Categories and Ranking

Automate

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2025, in the Robotic Process Automation (RPA) category, the mindshare of Automate is 1.9%, up from 1.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA) is 3.1%, up from 2.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SAP Intelligent RPA is 2.3%, up from 0.9% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Robotic Process Automation (RPA) Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Automate	1.9%
SAP Intelligent RPA	2.3%
IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA)	3.1%
Other	92.7%

Robotic Process Automation (RPA)

Featured Reviews

Anabel Marco

Account Director at a tech services company with 11-50 employees

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.

Read full review

Saman Guruge

Senior Engineer at MIT ESP

We can connect to different databases and use inbuilt activities, but we can't include our own activities

We can use its inbuilt activities, and it's a complete package, but just like ElectroNeek, a limitation is that we have to depend on its inbuilt activities. We can't include our own activities or we can't introduce other activities. When it comes to deployment and scheduling bots, there are some conflicts. They are using Microsoft MQ to communicate with their bots, but it's not reliable. When we are scheduling time, if I need to schedule an interval of one minute, sometimes, the queue gets loaded with a lot of processes or bots, and they don't wait until the first one gets complete. So, that sort of disadvantage is there. I have found one bug in version 22 when sending or configuring mail. While using their orchestration environment, on IBM Server, you can configure an SMTP connection to send out the details you want. For example, when you create a user, they send out an email. That part didn't work, and I created a few tickets. The issue is that there's a typo in the endpoint API. They have probably corrected it in version 23.

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Keerthana Jayathran

SAP BTP Developer at Wipro Limited

Offers integration of the document extraction service into SAP ALC, enabling the direct upload and extraction of details

I found that SAP Intelligent RPA can be somewhat unstable when using SAP GUI. When we upgraded from SAP GUI version 7.50 to version 7.70, we had to update our SAP Intelligent RPA screens even though the screens were the same. This was difficult and time-consuming. The one I would like to see is in context with the screens, if they are using the same SAP UI, and if it updates, it should not be changed. At least it should be able to identify the screen. There should be more of an error, like a proper error feature, in future releases. Sometimes, we don't understand why that automation is not learning what, like, where it is stuck, what the reason is, or what the criteria we are missing to add. A proper error message would be helpful.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The ability to connect to websites and pull data is the solution's most valuable feature."

"Fortra's Automate performs the job effectively and has the capability to alert us of any issues."

"The product effectively handles all the tasks we require."

"The most valuable features for my client are timing and scheduling."

"I find the ease of use from a programming perspective very valuable."

"We are still in the process of rolling it to production and tweaking it (our AD groups are a mess), but the improvements are priceless. Having users ID's created the same way every time without human error is the best part. We don't need to worry about why groups were not added, user rights not set to folders or missing a private folder being created, typos or just even knowing when things are done and logged."

"It's very easy to use. That's a big selling point for it. It has got a drag-and-drop interface, so you can quickly deploy bots."

"The most valuable feature is the drag-and-drop interface, which is very Windows-like."

More Automate pros

"If you have a business process, and once you have automated that process, you have a readily available workflow in place."

"It's not inclusive, in terms of automation, you can just do it standalone, in its own silo. It's not going to force your existing system or teams, your admin teams, to create new IDs for you or even force them to create new services or APIs for you or expose something from there. They can just keep the way they are doing it right now, but you still automate it."

"I think simplicity is key. One of the things that we've noticed is how our developers have been able to quickly adopt the platform; but not only the developers or the techy people, also the business."

"Integrating the tool with SAP, EBS, or other ERPs is easy."

"It's integrated with all the other products within the Salesforce ecosystem."

"The most valuable feature is the ability to automate mundane tasks. This improves efficiency, reliability, etc. You can form critical operations which can be highly automated."

"The analytics and reporting tools in IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA) are the best compared to all other RPAs because all other RPAs only use dashboards while IBM is the only one to have a reporting tool that includes dashboards."

"The solution is scalability."

More IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA) pros

"It is remarkably easy to configure and code, and it doesn't require an extensive technical background or coding expertise."

"Contextor is a good solution for a Citrix environment. It's the first with this tool. Other tools provide the same functionality, but not with the Citrix environment."

"The most valuable feature of SAP Contextor is that everyone is in one place in the program that I need."

"Scalability is fine. It is pretty nice."

"It is a stable solution...It is a scalable solution."

"The initial setup of SAP Contextor is easy."

"Most of the details are already in the help portal and SAP notes are available. It is well documented as part of the product support."

"The standout features of SAP Intelligent RPA are its flexibility and integration capabilities."

Cons

"The vendor is currently working on a solution that allows us to automatically create a process that is based on a document that we receive via email."

"I currently have three bugs open with them that I don't know if they are addressed in the new release."

"Error messages should be better. For error status, there should be better documentation because a lot of times, error messages that you get are quite vague. For example, you get a message saying that the workflow has run into an unknown status, which is vague. It just tells you that it failed, but you don't know how or why it failed. It makes debugging difficult."

"I would prefer not having to log in to update a ticket; being able to respond via email would be beneficial."

"I would like the updates to be easier to deploy. Integration with Amazon S3 is somewhat lacking."

"The solution has a very weak knowledge base."

"Some challenges include the system being too loaded or delayed in taking instructions and responding quickly as needed."

"I would like to see some better web automation, a wizard like the one in the product WinAutomation would be very nice."

More Automate cons

"I would like to have more flexibility in connecting the platform with third-party systems."

"Needs better integration with artificial intelligence or with machine-learning."

"We can use its inbuilt activities, and it's a complete package, but just like ElectroNeek, a limitation is that we have to depend on its inbuilt activities. We can't include our own activities or we can't introduce other activities."

"IBM should provide specific solutions for specific problems, like templates for invoicing processes, or general templates for creating efficient processes."

"One of the things I would definitely like to see is more of the machine-learning and cognitive capabilities. For example, now that we're starting to automate more and more tasks, there are some things that still require us to go back and modify the robots when we need to. But if we had more of the machine-learning integrated into it, I believe it would be easier to maintain, so that we wouldn't have to go back and adjust every time."

"I would like it to do pretty much everything out-of-the-box without any need for any customization. However, that is not the case right now. We absolutely have to do some amount of customization with the solution in order to use it out-of-the-box as-is."

"We are looking to see how it can connect with various interfaces seamlessly, through APIs."

"Stability could be better."

More IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA) cons

"I would like to see a better capacity for unstructured data, for example, PDF, or text within images."

"There should be more of an error, like a proper error feature, in future releases. Sometimes, we don't understand why that automation is not learning what, like, where it is stuck, or what is the reason like, or what is the criteria we are missing to add. So a proper error message would be helpful."

"I found that the SAP scripting of a program is easier than SAP Contextor."

"The initial setup is of medium complexity. It is neither too hard nor too simple. You need some background in SAP and an understanding of it."

"SAP Contextor could improve by automating some processes."

"The tool's licensing has been kind of a challenge...At the moment, the tool does not offer different licensing models to users."

"One way SAP Intelligent RPA could improve is by integrating built-in DI services for document processing."

"For potential features or improvements, one aspect I would suggest enhancing is the flexibility of the extraction process."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"I like the way this solution is priced because you can buy a license, or you can buy the software outright."

"Compared to other products, the pricing model for this solution is much more convenient, flexible, and adaptable to the Portuguese reality."

"I'm only involved in running the product and maintaining the systems, so I can't speak to the cost."

"While solutions like UiPath and Blue Prism cost around $11,000-$12,000 for each license, this product costs around $7,000 and you can keep it forever."

"It has gone up in price. The price of Fortra's Automate has increased since we first started using it. It does a lot but also costs a lot. It was a lot more affordable before Fortra owned the software."

"From a distributor's side, one of the biggest selling points is its price point. Without going into any numbers, compared to UiPath, Automation Anywhere, and Blue Prism, we're significantly cheaper. The main difference is that other competitors usually charge you per process. However, in Automate's case, it's priced per bot. So, a bot can run multiple processes at the same time, but you are only priced for a single bot."

"The pricing is quite reasonable. We can run the process with one bot. The limitation is at the server level because they have some resources, and sometimes that is enough. It isn't too expensive, so you can get a good return off of one, and you can also have a pack of five bots that is quite competitive."

"It comes with a package that costs approximately $20,000 USD per year."

More Automate pricing and cost advice

"The license is paid annually."

"The pricing is reasonable for this solution."

"I rate the pricing ten out of ten. So, the pricing is very good for me."

"The product is reasonably priced compared to other tools."

"IBM licensing is annual and based on Virtual Processor Cores (VPC). This provides flexibility as part of the containerization environment."

"There is a free trial for one month, so you can use it to run your payloads or proof of concept. After that, you can pay for the license on a monthly or annual basis."

"The pricing is reasonable."

"IBM RPA is cheaper than other tools."

More IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA) pricing and cost advice

"The initial cost might seem higher, but over time, with continued use over five or ten years, the cost tends to decrease, making it a more economical choice."

"This is not a tool or software with a license as others are. The SaaS model is based on the usage of the tool."

"It all comes with a bundle right now. Having advanced features, it is competitively priced."

"The pricing is not that expensive. It is manageable."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

11%

Computer Software Company

10%

Manufacturing Company

Performing Arts

Computer Software Company

18%

Financial Services Firm

13%

Insurance Company

Government

Manufacturing Company

12%

Computer Software Company

12%

Financial Services Firm

Retailer

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	16
Midsize Enterprise	7
Large Enterprise	4

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	14
Midsize Enterprise	3
Large Enterprise	10

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	3
Midsize Enterprise	1
Large Enterprise	4

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.

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What is your primary use case for HelpSystems AutoMate?

The main purpose is for automation. That has been the purpose why I have been using it so far.

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Fortra Automate?

Regarding pricing, it is very friendly. I would not say that it is really cheap or very expensive, but it fits within...

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What do you like most about IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA)?

Integrating the tool with SAP, EBS, or other ERPs is easy.

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What needs improvement with IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA)?

To improve IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA) for the next release, there should be more integration with external ...

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What is your primary use case for IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA)?

My customers' main use cases for IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA) are especially in the banking industry, particu...

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What do you like most about SAP Contextor?

The standout features of SAP Intelligent RPA are its flexibility and integration capabilities.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for SAP Contextor?

The pricing for SAP Intelligent RPA operates on a model that considers power usage and transactions per job. It is ad...

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What needs improvement with SAP Contextor?

The tool's licensing has been kind of a challenge. If the tool can bring up a usage-based licensing model, it would b...

See all answers

Comparisons

UiPath Platform vs Automate

Compared 27% of the time

Microsoft Power Automate vs Automate

Compared 24% of the time

Redwood Software - Finance Automation Edition vs Automate

Compared 9% of the time

Blue Prism vs Automate

Compared 8% of the time

Automation Anywhere vs Automate

Compared 6% of the time

More Automate Competitors

Microsoft Power Automate vs IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA)

Compared 67% of the time

UiPath Platform vs IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA)

Compared 12% of the time

Nintex RPA vs IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA)

Compared 6% of the time

Automation Anywhere vs IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA)

Compared 6% of the time

Blue Prism vs IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA)

Compared 4% of the time

More IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA) Competitors

UiPath Platform vs SAP Intelligent RPA

Compared 32% of the time

SAP Build Process Automation vs SAP Intelligent RPA

Compared 16% of the time

Automation Anywhere vs SAP Intelligent RPA

Compared 13% of the time

Microsoft Power Automate vs SAP Intelligent RPA

Compared 11% of the time

Blue Prism Cloud vs SAP Intelligent RPA

Compared 6% of the time

More SAP Intelligent RPA Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Automate

August 2025

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Buyer's Guide

IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA)

August 2025

IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA) report

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Buyer's Guide

SAP Intelligent RPA

August 2025

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Also Known As

HelpSystems Automate, Automate

IBM RPA

SAP Contextor, Contextor

Overview

Automate offers a user-friendly solution with a drag-and-drop interface for efficient task automation and integration with major platforms like SAP and Azure, making it ideal for quick deployment with minimal coding and training.

Automate provides powerful features for businesses seeking efficient automation, offering compatibility with databases, email integration, and cloud platforms. Its simple interface supports both beginners and experienced users, simplifying tasks like invoice processing, HR automation, and data transformation. Cost-effective pricing and flexible licensing enhance its appeal while integration capabilities and scheduling tools ensure smooth workflow automation.

What are Automate's Key Features?

Drag-and-Drop Interface: Simplifies automation with intuitive design.
Integration Capabilities: Connects with platforms like SAP and Azure for seamless data flow.
Database and FTP Triggers: Enhances automation potential through direct data interaction.
Efficient Scheduling: Automates tasks with precise timing and control.
Web Scraping: Automates data extraction for quick analysis and reporting.

What Benefits and ROI Should Users Expect?

Rapid Deployment: Minimizes coding efforts for quick implementation.
Cost-Effectiveness: Offers flexible pricing models to suit budget constraints.
Operational Efficiency: Reduces manual workloads and enhances productivity.
Comprehensive Integration: Facilitates improved data management across systems.
Scalability: Adapts to growing business needs with ease.

In industries such as healthcare, banking, and logistics, Automate is used for tasks like invoice payment automation, data transformation, and task automation. This leads to streamlined processes and reduced manual workload, illustrating its value in enhancing operational efficiency through diversified workflows.

Fortra

IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA) is a technology that encompasses the use of smart robots in any process requiring efficiency, consistency and speed, with no risk of mistakes. In a nutshell, RPA simulates a human user working.

Today, it is possible to automate processes through the use of digital robots, or bots, which execute pre-programed, repetitive tasks in a safe and mistake free manner. There are literally thousands of opportunities for Robotic Process Automation to make an impact on your organization today, including: automatic invoice emission, system integration, information reconciliation, report generation, intelligent email management to lead generation, and many others.

IBM

SAP Intelligent Robotic Process Automation lets you automate enterprise business processes. Design process automations within the Cloud Studio by creating end-to-end workflows. Generate packages from these automations into the Cloud Factory powered by SAP BTP to configure and execute these packages with Agents. Agents running on workstations can work as a digital assistant (attended automation) or as a digital worker (unattended automation).

SAP Intelligent RPA enables business users and technologists to become citizen developers. With powerful yet intuitive low-code and no-code capabilities, the solution supports you in driving automation by tapping into the expertise of citizen developers.

SAP

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

BNP Paribas, Societe Generale, Kabel Deutschland, Orange, Carrefour

Buyer's Guide

IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA) vs. SAP Intelligent RPA

July 2025

Free Report: IBM Robotic Process Automation (RPA) vs. SAP Intelligent RPA

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