The Automate Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Automate in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Automate
The Insider’s Guide
Android automation app that builds tasks as flowcharts
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among automation tools, read from Automate’s own pages.
Made by LlamaLab · checked Oct 5, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Automate’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Automate’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 5, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.4
GPA, above 15 of the 40 other automation tools we grade
Automate is an Android app from LlamaLab that automates tasks on a phone or tablet. Tasks are drawn as flowcharts by adding and connecting blocks, and more than 400 blocks cover actions, conditions, event triggers and loops. The free edition includes every feature with a single limit of 30 running blocks, which a one-time Premium purchase removes.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Automate, taken from its own pages and our grades.
The FAQ also lists battery settings you may have to change to stop flows being paused.
- 1
Best for drawing Android automations as flowcharts
Automate lets you draw what your Android phone should do as a flowchart, joining blocks for triggers, conditions and actions.
- 2
What it costs
Paid plans start at $4.99 one-time in-app purchase.
- 3
There is a free plan
The free edition has every feature and one limit: at most 30 running blocks at a time, counting unconnected blocks in running flows. Inactive flows stored on the device are unlimited.
- 4
It runs on Android
Android.
- 5
Flowchart editor
Automations are drawn by adding and connecting blocks. Beginners configure blocks with predefined options, and experienced users can add expressions, variables and functions.
- 6
More than 400 building blocks
Blocks cover actions, conditions, event triggers and loops for files, messages, phone calls, the camera, audio and device settings such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and NFC.
- 7
Context triggers
Flows can react to the time of day, location through geofencing, calendar events, the app currently open, the connected Wi-Fi network, battery level and physical activity.
- 8
A 2.4 GPA, above 15 of 40
That is against the other automation tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace Automate you would be making connections to other products, each kept working as those products change. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Automate at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $4.99 one-time in-app purchase
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Android
- Made by
- LlamaLab
- Category
- Automation
- Our grade
- 2.4 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for drawing Android automations as flowcharts
Automate lets you draw what your Android phone should do as a flowchart, joining blocks for triggers, conditions and actions. Every feature is free, and $4.99 once lifts the only limit, 30 running blocks. It's Android only with no PC or web edition, nothing here wires cloud apps together, and battery settings can pause your flows until you change them.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | $4.99 once, as an in-app purchase, against subscriptions that start around $15 a month in this category. That single payment lifts the only limit in the app and is tied to your Google account, so it covers every device you sign in on. |
| Free plan and trial | B | The free edition leaves no feature out. The one limit is 30 running blocks at a time, so 15 small flows or one big one, and unconnected blocks in a running flow count too. One person could live on that for a while. |
| Features | C | More than 400 blocks for actions, conditions, triggers and loops, geofencing, calendar and Wi-Fi triggers, Tasker plug-in support, HTTP calls and file work on Drive, OneDrive and FTP. It does its job fully, and the job is one Android device. Nothing here wires cloud apps together. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record, and drawing a flowchart is more work than picking a template: blocks to connect, and expressions, variables and functions once you go past the preset options. The FAQ also lists battery settings you may have to change to stop flows being paused. |
| Platforms and integrations | D | Android only. The FAQ says there's no PC or online edition and suggests an Android emulator if you want to edit flows on a computer. It reaches out through HTTP and webhooks, but it runs on one operating system. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Automate is for
- Fits if you think in flowcharts and want to see an automation drawn out
- Works for phone routines like changing settings or sending a text by time or place
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you're on an iPhone or want to build on a computer, as it's Android only
- Tight if you're staying free and run lots of flows, since 30 running blocks go quickly, unconnected ones included
- Not for you if you want cloud apps wired together, because everything runs on the phone
- Watch out: battery savers and task killers can pause flows, and the FAQ lists system settings to change
- Watch out: Premium is tied to the Google account that bought it and is checked through the Play store app
Good to know
Good for
- Android users who prefer drawing an automation as a flowchart
- Changing device settings or sending messages by time, place or event
- Trying every feature before paying, since the free edition leaves none out
Worth knowing
- Android only: the FAQ says there is no PC or online edition and suggests an Android emulator for editing flows on a computer.
- The free edition runs at most 30 blocks at once, and unconnected blocks inside a running flow count toward the limit.
- Premium is tied to the Google account that bought it and is verified through the Google Play store app.
- Battery-saving settings and task-killer apps can pause flows; the FAQ lists the system settings to change.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$4.99 one-time
To start. There is a free plan too
Automate has a free plan. Paid plans start at $4.99 one-time in-app purchase.
That single payment lifts the only limit in the app and is tied to your Google account, so it covers every device you sign in on.
Free
$0
All features, with a maximum of 30 running blocks: for example 15 running flows of two blocks, or one flow of 30.
Premium
$4.99
one-time in-app purchase (US Google Play listing)
Removes the 30 running-block limit. Owned by the Google account that bought it and applied to every device registered with that account.
The free plan
The free edition has every feature and one limit: at most 30 running blocks at a time, counting unconnected blocks in running flows. Inactive flows stored on the device are unlimited.
Read from play.google.com on Oct 5, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Android
Android automation app that builds tasks as flowcharts. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: one-time purchase, workflow automation, no-code.
It does its job fully, and the job is one Android device.
- Flowchart editor
- Automations are drawn by adding and connecting blocks. Beginners configure blocks with predefined options, and experienced users can add expressions, variables and functions.
- More than 400 building blocks
- Blocks cover actions, conditions, event triggers and loops for files, messages, phone calls, the camera, audio and device settings such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and NFC.
- Context triggers
- Flows can react to the time of day, location through geofencing, calendar events, the app currently open, the connected Wi-Fi network, battery level and physical activity.
- App and web integration
- Automate works with apps that support the Locale/Tasker plug-in API, can fall back on screen scraping and simulated input, and calls online services over HTTP, including webhooks.
- Community flows
- Complete flows that other users have made and shared can be downloaded from a community section inside the app, then run or edited.
- Files and remote storage
- Blocks copy, move, rename and delete files on the device, SD card and USB drives, handle zip archives, and upload or download through Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive and FTP.
Where it runs
- Android
What it works with
- Google Drive
- Gmail
- Microsoft OneDrive
- Locale/Tasker plug-ins
Automate is made by LlamaLab.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
15/40
Other automation tools it is graded above
Automate's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 15 of the 40 other automation tools we grade, and level with 8.
It stands best on value for money (A, above 27 of 40) and worst on platforms and integrations (D, above 0).
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 41 automation tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Automate’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 27 of 40
- BFree plan and trialAbove 29 of 40
- CFeaturesAbove 1 of 40
- CEase of useAbove 3 of 40
- DPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 40
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace Automate you would be making connections to other products, each kept working as those products change. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
It costs $4.99, paid once.
What you could not
- Connections to other products, each kept working as those products change.
- A builder that other people can use without writing code.
- A real app for Android. Something home-made would be a web page.
What this rests on. Automate’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Tasker, MacroDroid, Apple Shortcuts and IFTTT
The 4 tools Automate is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.4GPA
Tasker
Free trial · from $4.49 one-time
Android automation app driven by profiles, contexts and tasks.
- Automate has a free plan. Tasker does not, though it has a free trial.
- Automate also covers no-code.
- 2.4GPA
MacroDroid
Free plan · from $1.49
Android automation app built on triggers, actions and constraints.
- MacroDroid also covers templates.
- 2.8GPA
Apple Shortcuts
Free
Free automation app for iPhone, iPad and Mac, built by Apple.
- Only Automate lists an Android app.
- Only Apple Shortcuts lists iOS and macOS apps.
- Automate can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- 3.0GPA
IFTTT
Free plan · from $2.99/mo
Simple trigger-and-action automations for apps and smart devices.
- Only IFTTT lists a web app.
- Only IFTTT lists an iOS app.
- Automate can be bought with a one-time purchase.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
11
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Automate free?
Automate has a free plan. The free edition has every feature and one limit: at most 30 running blocks at a time, counting unconnected blocks in running flows.
How much does Automate cost?
Automate lists 2 plans. Free: $0.
What platforms does Automate work on?
Automate is available on Android.
Does Automate have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. Automate is listed for Android.
Does Automate have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. Automate is listed for Android.
Is Automate open source?
Automate is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 5, 2026.
What does Automate integrate with?
Automate's listing names Google Drive, Gmail, Microsoft OneDrive and Locale/Tasker plug-ins.
Who makes Automate?
Automate is made by LlamaLab.
What are the alternatives to Automate?
The closest alternatives to Automate in our directory are Tasker, MacroDroid, Apple Shortcuts and IFTTT.
How does Automate compare with other automation tools?
Automate's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 15 of the 40 other automation tools we grade, and level with 8.
Could I make my own version of Automate?
To replace Automate you would be making connections to other products, each kept working as those products change.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Automate’s own pages on Oct 5, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from LlamaLab's own pages and its Google Play listing on 5 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-04-05.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by LlamaLab. Prices change, so check llamalab.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Automate, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/automate
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Automate: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 5, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/automate
Know someone choosing between automation tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/automate/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded automation tools after Automate, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Automation Insider's GuideEvery one of the 41 automation tools we grade, compared
- IFTTT Insider's GuideSimple trigger-and-action automations for apps and smart devices3.0 GPA
- Node-RED Insider's GuideOpen-source, flow-based programming tool for event-driven apps3.0 GPA
- Ui.Vision Insider's GuideOpen-source browser and desktop automation with computer vision3.0 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Automate’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Automate is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by LlamaLab. Prices and plans change: check llamalab.com before you buy.