Key takeaway
- RPA uses software robots (“bots”) to automate repetitive, rules-based tasks such as data entry, invoice processing, and report generation.
- Low-code lets both developers and business users build custom applications and automated workflows with minimal hand-coding.
- Choose RPA for stable, high-volume tasks inside one department. Choose low-code for cross-department processes, frequent changes, and workflows that need human input.
- The two are not mutually exclusive. Many companies combine RPA bots for individual tasks with a low-code platform to orchestrate the end-to-end process.
What is RPA (Robotic process automation)?
RPA is a business process automation technology that uses software robots, or “digital workers,” to mimic human interactions with software systems. Bots can log into applications, move files and folders, copy and paste data, extract structured and semi-structured data from documents, and navigate browsers exactly the way a human user would, only faster and with fewer errors.
RPA is most often used in back-office operations to automate mechanical, routine tasks that consume a lot of time but add little strategic value. Because bots follow rules with high predictability and speed, they excel at high-volume work such as invoice processing, claims handling, and data migration.
Adoption is now mainstream: in Deloitte’s global automation surveys, 78% of companies reported they had implemented or planned to implement RPA, and Precedence Research estimates the global RPA market at roughly $35 billion in 2026, growing at over 20% per year.
How does RPA work?
RPA runs on predefined rule sets: “if this happens, then do that.” When a bot encounters a situation its rules don’t cover, it escalates the case and asks for human assistance.
RPA becomes far more powerful when combined with complementary technologies. Optical character recognition (OCR) and natural language processing (NLP) allow bots to “read” documents and forms, convert unstructured data into structured data, and enter it into systems such as your CRM with no human involvement.
You can also pair RPA with artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) so bots learn from training data and human feedback, improving their accuracy over time. This trend, often called intelligent automation, is accelerating: Deloitte found that 58% of organizations plan to augment their RPA with AI/ML by 2026.
What is low-code?
Low-code platforms let businesses build and run applications with little to no hand-coding. Using visual, drag-and-drop interfaces, teams can assemble prototypes in days instead of months, and because manual coding is reduced, there is less room for human error.
The market data shows how quickly low-code is becoming the default way to build software. Gartner projects the low-code development technologies market to reach $44.5 billion in 2026, and estimates that around 75% of new enterprise applications will be built with low-code or no-code technologies in 2026, up from less than 25% in 2020. Gartner also expects 80% of low-code users to come from outside formal IT departments, reflecting the rise of “citizen developers.”
One of low-code’s biggest advantages is that applications can be updated as requirements change. While RPA automates a fixed task, low-code shines by letting technical and non-technical users collaborate on automation initiatives through intuitive interfaces, and by letting developers drop into custom code when complex logic or integrations are needed.
Learn more about low-code: Its types, use cases and top platforms to use, or weigh up the full list of low-code benefits and disadvantages before committing to a platform.
Low-code vs RPA: A side-by-side comparison
The table below summarizes the key differences in use cases, benefits, limitations, and cost.
| Low-code | RPA | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Building custom applications and orchestrating end-to-end, cross-department processes that change often. | Automating stable, rules-based, repetitive tasks within a single department (data entry, invoice processing, report generation). |
| Key benefits | Faster delivery with less hand-coding; lower dependence on scarce developers; lets business and IT teams build together; can integrate with legacy and third-party systems. | Cuts staffing costs and human error on tedious tasks; quick wins and fast ROI; frees employees for higher-value work; relatively simple to deploy for well-defined tasks. |
| Collaboration | Drag-and-drop interfaces let non-technical and technical staff co-create applications. | Bots are typically pre-built by vendors; business users can run and manage them without a development team. |
| Limitations | Teams need training on the platform; many platforms are cloud-based, which can be a constraint for organizations with strict data policies. | Bots need ongoing maintenance, governance, and security; brittle when interfaces change (even a minor UI update can break a bot); hard to scale across complex processes. |
| Adaptability | Highly adaptable: you can extend with custom code to fit changing requirements. | Mostly one-size-fits-all; small changes in the underlying systems can cause a flawed process. |
| Typical cost | Subscription-based, usually priced per user or per app; total cost scales with usage. | Industry estimates put a single enterprise bot at roughly $20,000-$50,000 to deploy, plus annual maintenance; costs grow with the number of bots. |
When should you use low-code instead of RPA?
1. Cross-functional processes
RPA is excellent for helping non-IT employees automate tasks inside their own department. But when you need to stitch separate departmental automations into one coordinated, cross-functional process spanning multiple systems of record, RPA quickly hits its limits. Low-code is the faster, easier way to build a custom application that orchestrates the entire business process.
2. Processes that require human input
When an automated process needs people to review, approve, or enter information, low-code is the better fit. RPA tools generally lack intuitive user interfaces for capturing human input, while most low-code platforms are designed precisely for human-computer interaction: forms, approvals, dashboards, and notifications.
3. Processes that change frequently
Low-code platforms, especially those with strong change-management capabilities, are better suited to processes that evolve often. If your goal is to improve a process, not just automate it as-is, choose low-code. If your goal is pure cost reduction on a stable process that rarely changes, RPA bots are usually the more economical choice.
When is RPA the better choice?
- The task is repetitive, rules-based, and high-volume (data entry, reconciliation, invoice processing).
- The process is stable and the underlying systems rarely change.
- You need a quick win with minimal disruption. RPA works on top of existing systems without modifying them, which makes it a practical “temporary fix” for legacy or poorly integrated software.
- Cost reduction is the primary goal: sophisticated RPA programs have been shown to cut transactional activity costs significantly, and high-performing adopters report ROI of 300-400% (Deloitte).
Better together: Combining low-code and RPA
Low-code and RPA are not mutually exclusive. In many cases they complement each other, and companies that combine them often achieve the biggest efficiency gains in low-code automation initiatives. The key is understanding each technology’s strengths and using the right tool for each layer of the process.
Example: recruitment automation. An HR department can use RPA to screen resumes, a simple, well-defined task where bots scan documents against preset criteria. But screening is only one small step in hiring. A low-code platform can build the end-to-end recruiting workflow around that bot: automatically emailing candidates after each stage, scheduling interviews, routing approvals, and even suggesting compensation based on pay-rate data. The bot handles the task; the low-code application orchestrates the process.
A real-world case: Bamboo Airways. We applied this same layered approach when building a task management system for Bamboo Airways, a Vietnamese airline managing 2,000 remote and onsite employees. Automated flows handled the repetitive work, moving every new document and data point from Office 365 into a centralized SharePoint hub, while a low-code application built on Power Apps orchestrated the overall workflow: task assignment, prioritization, Kanban tracking, and real-time Power BI dashboards for managers. A project that would normally take a year was delivered in 10 weeks by a team of 4. Within 3 months, task completion rates rose 25%, on-time delivery improved 15%, and 30% of manual tasks were eliminated.
With this approach, integrations that might take years to build with RPA alone can be delivered in months, because the low-code platform connects existing systems into a single process automation application.
Frequently asked questions
It depends on scope. For a single, stable task, an RPA bot is usually cheaper and faster to deploy. For multi-step processes involving several departments, low-code typically delivers a lower total cost of ownership, because one application can replace many bots, each of which would need its own licensing and maintenance. See our detailed breakdown of low-code development cost and how to measure low-code ROI.
Yes, and this is increasingly the standard approach. RPA bots execute individual repetitive tasks, while a low-code platform orchestrates the overall workflow, handles human approvals, and integrates the systems involved.
AI is transforming rather than replacing RPA. Vendors are embedding AI agents, NLP, and machine learning into their platforms so bots can handle unstructured data and make simple decisions. Rules-based RPA remains the backbone for predictable, auditable tasks, with AI extending what bots can do. The same shift is happening on the other side: see how AI is reshaping low-code development.
Not for most use cases. Business users, often called citizen developers, can build standard applications through visual interfaces, while developers step in for complex logic, custom integrations, or security requirements. Gartner expects the large majority of low-code users to come from outside IT.
Wrapping up
Both technologies earn their place, and the right choice depends on the job: use RPA for stable, repetitive, single-department tasks where cost reduction is the goal; use low-code for cross-department processes, frequent change, and workflows that need human interaction. Combine the two when you want task-level automation inside an orchestrated end-to-end process.
At Synodus, we help businesses design and implement automation strategies built on low-code platforms and RPA. Since 2019 we have delivered projects across finance, healthcare, and aviation, from the Bamboo Airways system above to a real estate firm that halved its resource planning time with a 2-person team in 2 months. Book a free consultation on our low-code development service to find out which approach fits your processes.
