If you're looking to develop integrations in an enterprise IT environment you've come to the right place.

In this article we compare Celigo and Workato, two prominent integration platform as a service (iPaaS) vendors. We'll give you a detailed comparison of features, unique capabilities and alternatives.

What is Celigo?

Celigo is an integration platform known for its ease of use and robust integration capabilities. It focuses on automating business processes across multiple applications, offering pre-built connectors, templates, and a low-code development environment. Celigo is often favored by mid-market companies for its simplicity and integration capabilities to cloud solutions such as Netsuite and Salesforce.

Celigo’s integrator.io platform allows users to automate workflows and synchronize data across various systems. It supports a range of integration scenarios, including application, data, and B2B/EDI integration.

What is Workato?

Workato is an enterprise automation platform that combines integration and automation capabilities. It provides a cloud-based interface for creating automated workflows and integrations. Workato is known for its flexibility and extensive library of pre-built recipes that allow users to quickly deploy integrations.

Founded in 2012, Workato is best known for its workflow automation solutions it combines integration, process automation, and API management in a single platform. It is recognized as a leader in the Gartner's 2024 Magic Quadrant for iPaaS solutions.

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Workato's platform is designed to be used by both IT professionals and business users, with a focus on rapid implementation. It offers a large library of pre-built connectors and "recipes" (integration templates) to accelerate the integration process.

Celigo vs. Workato Integration Platform Comparison

Let's examine how Celigo and Workato compare across several common integration scenarios: application integration, data integration, API management, B2B/EDI integration, and automation capabilities.

Application Integration

Celigo has pre-built connectors for SaaS applications like Salesforce, NetSuite, and Shopify through a drag-and-drop interface and automated workflows. In addition, Celigo has an universal connector feature to configure bespoke integrations using HTTP, FTP, JDBC, AS2, GRAPHQL or Webhooks.

Workato's application integration features includes pre-built connectors for popular SaaS applications like Salesforce, NetSuite, and Shopify. The platform includes a drag-and-drop interface and automated workflows between different apps.

Data Integration

Celigo offers data integrations through integrator.io, which synchronizes data across systems in real-time or via scheduled batches. It supports databases, cloud applications, and on-premises systems. Users can map, transform, and cleanse data to maintain consistency and accuracy.

Workato's Data Orchestration solutions support synchronization of data across multiple systems in real-time or through scheduled batches. It supports a wide range of data sources, including databases, cloud services, and on-premises systems. Users can map, transform, and cleanse data to ensure accuracy and consistency.

API Management

Celigo's API management solution enables communication between software systems via APIs. It provides tools to design, deploy, monitor, and manage APIs, ensuring secure connectivity across applications. Integrator.io supports REST and SOAP APIs and offers pre-built connectors and templates for quick integration setup, minimizing coding efforts.

Workato's API Management Platform allows users to create, manage, and monitor APIs for integrated communication between different software systems. The platform supports REST and SOAP APIs and offers tools for building, deploying, and securing APIs. It includes pre-built connectors and templates to facilitate low-code integrations.

B2B/EDI Integration

Celigo facilitates B2B integration through a B2B Manager solution, enabling the exchange of electronic documents between trading partners through standards like X12 and EDIFACT. It provides pre-configured EDI templates for orders, invoices, and shipping notices, streamlining setup and reducing manual entry errors.

Workato supports B2B/EDI integration, allowing businesses to exchange electronic documents with trading partners using standardized formats like X12 and EDIFACT. It offers pre-configured EDI templates for common documents such as orders, invoices, and shipping notices.

System Integration

Celigo is especially well known for it's ability to handle system integrations between cloud-based ERP systems, CRM platforms, HR systems, and other enterprise applications. The toolkit includes data transformation, error handling, and monitoring features.

Workato is also capable of integrating a wide array of enterprise systems, including ERP, CRM, and HR platforms. The platform provides tools for data transformation, error handling, and monitoring, facilitating seamless data exchange and process automation across systems.

Factors to Consider When Comparing Celigo and Workato

While both platforms offer robust integration capabilities, there are some differences to consider:

• Scalability and Performance:
  Workato is often preferred for large, complex deployments due to its enterprise-grade scalability. Celigo is well-suited for mid-market companies with straightforward needs.
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• Ease of Use:
  Celigo’s user-friendly interface and pre-built templates make it accessible for users with limited technical expertise. Workato provides more advanced features for users with technical backgrounds.
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• Security and Compliance:
  Both platforms offer strong security features. Workato provides enhanced compliance options for enterprises, while Celigo offers reliable security for mid-sized businesses.
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• Community and Ecosystem:
  Workato’s ecosystem is extensive, with a large user community and support network. Celigo offers a growing marketplace of connectors and templates.
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Why Choose Celigo?

Celigo is a strong choice for businesses seeking an easy-to-configure integration platform for SaaS solutions and cloud-based ERPs and CRMs. It’s particularly beneficial for mid-market companies looking to automate business processes without extensive technical resources.
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Celigo Highlights:

• Extensive library of pre-built integrations for popular SaaS applications
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• Cloud-native platform with strong support for cloud-to-cloud integrations eg. in Netsuite
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• Specialized strength in e-commerce, finance, and marketing integrations
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• Embedded iPaaS capabilities, allowing integration features to be built directly into SaaS applications
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Why Choose Workato?

Workato is ideal for enterprises requiring a powerful, flexible integration platform. It’s suitable for organizations with complex automation needs and a focus on scalability and security.
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Workato highlights:

• Intuitive, low-code interface accessible to both IT and business users
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• Large library of pre-built connectors and "recipes" (integration templates)
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• AI-powered suggestions for optimal integration patterns
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• Strong workflow automation capabilities
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ONEiO as an Alternative to Celigo and Workato

If you’re not sure if Workato or Celigo is the best option for your integration needs, you may consider a third alternative, ONEiO.

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ONEiO gives you a streamlined, no-code integration service that stands out for several reasons:
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Effortless integrations as a service

While Workato and Celigo have some low- and no-code functionality, ONEiO is the first integration platform that offers end-to-end integrations as a service. This is especially valuable in case you don’t plan to hire a full team of system integrators to maintain your integration ecosystem.

Integration automation beyond pre-built connectors

ONEiO supports a wide range of endpoint types and data formats, including JSON, XML, CSV, and plain text. It provides robust mechanisms for both push (using webhooks and REST/SOAP) and pull (via API, SFTP, SQL) data processing. This flexibility ensures that ONEiO can handle various integration scenarios with ease.

Security and compliance

ONEiO offers strong security features, including encrypted credentials and support for multiple authentication standards (Basic Authentication, Token, API Key, OAuth, etc.). It also allows connections to internal networks and supports reverse proxies or whitelisting. The platform is built on AWS and ensures high availability and GDPR compliance.

Business logic and data orchestration

ONEiO provides a no-code editor for creating business logic, transforming, and translating data. It supports various transformation options like regular expressions, case transformations, and date formatting. The platform’s rule robot automates rule creation based on common use cases, making it easy to adjust or add new rules without disrupting existing integrations.

When to choose ONEiO? 

ONEiO is especially well suited for seamless ITSM integration across internal and externally managed IT services. It offers a turnkey solution for the complex integration needs of both global enterprises and IT service providers.
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ONEiO highlights:

• ONEAi artificial intelligence model trained specifically for IT service integration.
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• Faster time-to-value. Typical integrations take 2 weeks from idea to production.
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• 100% satisfaction guarantee based on proven enterprise-grade integration service.
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Bottom Line on Celigo vs. Workato

Both Celigo and Workato are leading iPaaS solutions, each with unique strengths. Celigo is perfect for mid-market companies seeking simplicity and cost-effectiveness, while Workato offers advanced automation and scalability for larger enterprises.

ONEiO offers a powerful alternative with its no-code platform and flexible integration capabilities, making it a compelling choice for organizations seeking simplified integration processes with high performance and reliability.