Tired of battling through dull business processes like data entry, repetitive tasks, and more? Dive into the future with Robotic Process Automation (RPA) tools, the software robots that can transform your work life.
With RPA tools, you can effortlessly manage and tackle those tasks that often steal your valuable time and energy. This way, you can redirect your focus toward critical business operations that drive your company`s success.
In this article, we`ll take you through the top 10 RPA tools, helping you find the perfect automation solution to supercharge your business. Let`s revolutionize your work processes together!
What is Robotic Process Automation?
Robotic Process Automation (RPA) is a technological process that helps businesses handle technical tasks, repetitive activities, or tasks that follow patterns effortlessly and with minimal effort. And how can RPA do that? By using software and bots!
So, what do these software or bots do exactly?
Their primary function is to automate “side” tasks that significantly impact project outcomes. They achieve this by interacting with apps and systems and performing tasks like data entry and validation, report generation, form filling, text interpretation, and more.
Since every business and industry deals with many technical tasks that require human effort and labor daily, RPA tools come in to replace human labor, and this brings many advantages.
First and foremost, RPA tools perform tasks that humans spend a lot of time on and allow them to focus on more significant tasks, which also reduces human errors. This, in turn, results in greater precision and efficiency, leading to cost savings.
For these reasons, there has been a notable rise in the adoption of RPA tools across diverse industries.
10 RPA Tools to Automate Your Business Processes
We have prepared a RPA tools list of the 10 most commonly used RPA tools, along with their characteristics, pros and cons, and pricing. This list will facilitate your RPA tools comparison and help you select the one that suits your needs best. Let’s take a look!
#1. UiPath
UiPath is an RPA tool designated to boost efficiency and productivity by automating repetitive tasks that don’t require specific logic or human intervention, as they are template-based and can be performed without human activity.
Features:
- Orchestrator: A centralized platform for managing, monitoring, and scheduling robots.
- AI integration: UiPath allows integration with AI and machine learning tools to enhance automation capabilities.
Pros:
- Minimizes human errors, ensuring accuracy and completeness while reducing costs by automating numerous tasks.
- Gradual updates allow users to introduce innovations step by step.
Cons:
- It can be overly complex.
- It only understands robotic programming language, not human activities.
All industries can effectively utilize UiPath as it is versatile and adaptable. UiPath is user-friendly and suitable for both programmers and non-programmers, and it offers a free version.
#2. Pega Robotic Automation
Pega Robotic Automation focuses on streamlining business processes through automation, catering to simpler and time-consuming tasks.
Features:
- Incorporates project management AI capabilities and data analysis.
- Offers secure features, including encryption, HTTP response headers, and Web Service Security profiles.
Pros:
- AI and analytics are easy to use for development, requiring minimal time for understanding and implementation.
- Improved customer service through integration with other applications.
- Efficient onboarding of customers and employees.
Cons:
- Not suitable for small businesses due to high cost, licensing requirements, and development complexities.
Pega Robotic Automation has wide-ranging applications across industries, particularly excelling in Business Process Management (BPM) for medium and large enterprises. It offers a user-friendly approach, making it an excellent choice for those interested in low-code development, enabling users to create automation solutions with minimal manual coding.
The pricing options are flexible, with costs ranging from $140 to $250, depending on the edition (Standard, Intelligence, or Engagement).
#3. Automation Anywhere
Automation Anywhere is another major player in the RPA market, offering a user-friendly and robust platform for automating repetitive tasks. It emphasizes intelligent automation and provides extensive support for various automation applications and tasks.
Features:
- Bot Store: The bot store serves as a marketplace, offering a wide array of pre-built bots.
- IQ Bot: Powered by AI, the IQ bot is an advanced tool designed for intelligent document processing and data extraction.
Pros:
- The platform offers a user-friendly interface and extensive documentation, making it easy for beginners to adopt and use for automation tasks.
- Users can access a vast library of pre-built bots through the Bot store.
Cons:
- The community edition users can operate only one bot at a time on a single registered device.
Automation Anywhere is a highly accessible platform catering to users of all experience levels, from novices and experienced users. It’s an ideal choice for various medium and large enterprises, particularly those in finance, logistics, and human resources, where repetitive tasks are part of daily operations.
Pricing options are flexible, with a monthly rate of $875, allowing businesses to acquire a license for one developer while providing access to up to 30 users.
#4. Blue Prism
Businesses use Blue Prism to optimize their workflows and automate tasks efficiently. They accomplish this by using robotic process automation empowered by advanced artificial intelligence and cognitive functionalities.
Features:
- Process assessment. Evaluates and analyzes existing business processes to identify strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for improvement.
- Complex decision-making. Utilizes advanced algorithms and data analysis to support intricate decision-making processes.
- Document automation. Automates document-related tasks such as creation, processing, and management.
Pros:
- Fast execution speed
- Compatibility with various platforms
Cons:
- Requires programming skills
- Comes at a higher cost
Blue Prism is a tool tailored for large organizations, corporations, and professionals, such as data analysts and finance and accounting experts. Its extensive usage by well-established companies like Ericsson, Johnson & Johnson, DuPont, EY, and Telefonica underscores its suitability for large-scale systems across various industries.
The pricing structure typically involves an annual cost of approximately $15,000.
#5. Power Automate
Power Automate is a Google RPA tool that enables workflow automation. It suits many professionals, including office workers, IT administrators, developers, and sales and marketing professionals. It finds its use in various industries, like banking, retail, manufacturing, and healthcare sectors.
Features:
- Digital, Robotic, and Business process automation. These automation technologies improve operational efficiency, freeing human resources for more valuable and complex tasks and increasing productivity by streamlining end-to-end business processes.
- AI Builder. It enables the integration of custom artificial intelligence models, leading to more intelligent decision-making and enhancing customer interactions.
Pros:
- Highly responsive and user-friendly interface
- Offers pre-built templates and connectors
- Supports multi-platform automation, including web apps, mobile devices, and desktop apps
Cons:
- Limited to the Microsoft Office environment
- Struggles with automation of large tasks
- Faces limitations with tasks involving multiple recipients
- May require breaking down large tasks into smaller segments
The pricing options are with subscription plans that include a per-user plan at $15 per user per month and a per-user plan with attended RPA at $40 per user per month. Additionally, there’s a per-flow plan at $100 per flow per month.
#6. Nintex
Nintex stands out as an innovative RPA platform, offering leading-edge process automation solutions that empower businesses to drive productivity. It offers both attended and unattended automation, optimizing workflows.
Features:
- The platform is easily adaptable, allowing it to grow and handle increasing demands and workloads.
- Nintex utilizes an AI-powered tool that assists organizations in uncovering automation opportunities.
- It helps businesses make data-driven decisions.
Pros:
- Nintex’s virtual assistant observes and learns human actions, effectively adopting and converting them into automated workflows.
- It supports both attended bots (working collaboratively with humans) and unattended bots (operating independently without human supervision).
Cons:
- Some users may require additional support during the initial stages of adopting the Nintex platform.
- The pricing structure may be less feasible for small businesses.
- There might be limitations in deploying bots on multiple machines simultaneously.
Nintex’s RPA platform finds applications in industries like the software industry and financial services. It is user-friendly, making it accessible to both tech-savvy and non-tech-savvy users while also being well-suited for small businesses, medium-sized enterprises, and large corporations.
However, pricing information for Nintex is not publicly available. For specific details, contact their sales representatives.
#7. NICE Robotic Process Automation
NICE Robotic Process Automation (RPA) streamlines tasks that consume human time and enhances customer satisfaction through software robots hosted on dedicated servers, enabling centralized bot management and control.
Features:
- It tracks workflows and analyzes data to identify bottlenecks and optimize performance.
- Offers pre-built templates for repetitive tasks and incorporates intelligent automation by observing human actions and executing various tasks to recognize additional automation opportunities.
- Integrates with AI solutions for handling complex tasks.
Pros:
- Availability of pre-built automation modules.
- Improves customer service by monitoring and documenting customer requests and resolving administrative tasks.
Cons:
- The user interface design may need to be more intuitive for non-tech-savvy users.
- Limited availability of AI models for intelligent automation.
NICE RPA is well-suited for industries like customer service, call centers, and retail, where rapid employment of automation and the ability to handle a mix of desktop and web-based processes are essential. Both small and large organizations benefit from NICE RPA. Its pre-built modules make it accessible to business users with minimal technical expertise.
While official pricing details are unavailable on the website, specific pricing information can be obtained by contacting their sales representatives.
#8. SAP Contextor
SAP Contextor, a valuable tool in the dynamic modern world, enhances business processes, leading to increased productivity and higher-quality outcomes. It offers the incorporation of intelligent learning for advanced automation solutions.
Features:
- The platform excels in simultaneously communicating with multiple workstation applications, streamlining complex processes.
- SAP Contextor seamlessly integrates with AI technologies, empowering users to combine the power of RPA and artificial intelligence for more intelligent automation solutions.
Pros:
- The RPA bot deployed on SAP Contextor can simultaneously handle tasks in different applications.
- Supporting Citrix and RDP hybrid virtualization environments ensures seamless automation even in complex infrastructures.
Cons:
- Limited to Windows OS. As of now, SAP Contextor supports only the Windows operating system, which may restrict its usage for organizations with diverse OS requirements.
SAP Contextor is an ideal choice for enterprises primarily dealing with accounting processes, such as finance and banking. It is also well-suited for computer software companies that seek to optimize internal workflows and repetitive tasks.
Its user-friendly interface and straightforward initial setup make it accessible to individuals with minimal technical expertise. Specific pricing information is unavailable on their website, so contact SAP directly or consult their sales representatives for detailed pricing information.
#9. Kofax
Kofax specializes in developing intelligent automation software solutions tailored to various business needs. Its solutions are widely recognized for their ability to enhance efficiency, reduce manual workloads, and improve document and data management for businesses across multiple industries.
Features:
- Kofax software can be managed from a central server, ensuring easy control and oversight of automation processes.
- Enables intelligent processing and handling of documents for enhanced efficiency.
- The software supports micro apps powered by robots, providing quick and task-specific automation for improved productivity.
- The platform seamlessly integrates with Kapow Katalyst, facilitating efficient and smooth automation across diverse applications.
Pros:
- Kofax’s automation capabilities are robust and enhanced with AI-driven intelligent automation.
- The software offers increased security and compliance, ensuring businesses meet stringent data protection requirements.
Cons:
- Leveraging Kofax’s advanced features may require specialized training to maximize its benefits and potential.
- The software lacks support for API integration, limiting certain customization options for specific workflows.
Kofax is an excellent fit for enterprises dealing with vast amounts of unstructured data, such as finance, insurance, healthcare, and legal sectors. Its AI capabilities make it proficient in handling complex document processing tasks efficiently.
Kofax is well-suited for organizations seeking to optimize document-intensive processes and enhance decision-making through AI-driven insights. Specific pricing information is available upon request, providing tailored solutions based on specific business needs.
#10. Robocorp
Robocorp is a developer-friendly, open-source RPA tool that emphasizes simplicity and efficiency in automation, making it an excellent choice for both experienced developers and those new to the world of automation.
Features:
- The widely adopted robot framework is used to create RPA bots, ensuring a powerful and flexible automation experience.
- Provides extensive libraries, including Python scripts, Browser, and Selenium, facilitating rapid automation development.
- It offers robust version control and collaboration features, making it an excellent fit for collaboration on automation projects.
Pros:
- Employs a cloud-based infrastructure, allowing seamless scalability and convenient access to automation resources.
- Compatible with various operating systems and applications, such as Windows, Mac (macOS), and Excel.
Cons:
- Deployment can be intricate and challenging, especially with legacy modernization initiatives.
- Troubleshooting may require extra effort, as detailed error information can be challenging to locate.
- The built-in Excel customization options are limited.
Thanks to its open-source nature and flexibility, Robocorp is a popular choice for businesses in the technology sector, including software development, IT services, and startups. Robocorp is well-suited for businesses prioritizing open-source solutions and seeking customization options.
It offers a range of pricing plans to suit different needs, from free access for developers to a starter plan at $100 per month and a consumption-based plan at $400 per month.
Conclusion
Embracing trends and staying updated is a key element of achieving success. While some might have reservations about employing bots, software, or AI, the current landscape strongly advocates their utility and continuous development.
By aligning ourselves with this advancement, we not only do ourselves a favor but also anticipate that the era of investing time, money, and resources into numerous technical tasks will become a relic of the past.
So, don’t hesitate—consider integrating RPA tools into your workflow and witness how they streamline time-consuming tasks and optimize business processes.
RPA Tools FAQ
#1. What are the benefits of using RPA tools?
Some of the most valuable benefits of using RPA tools are:
- Increased efficiency and productivity
- Cost saving
- Enhanced accuracy and reduced errors
- Improved customer service
- Faster processing times
#2. How does RPA technology work?
RPA technology works by using software robots and bots to automate repetitive and rule-based tasks by mimicking human interactions with digital systems and apps.
#3. What is the best RPA tool?
Some of the best RPA software tools include UiPath, Automation Anywhere, and Blue Prism, among others. These platforms are widely recognized for their capabilities in automating business processes and streamlining operations.
#4. Which factors should you consider when selecting RPA tools?
Consider factors such as ease of use, scalability, compatibility with existing systems, support and training availability, cost-effectiveness, and seller reputation.
