vsTinesTines automates security workflows — when the API exists.
Stepwork automates through the UI. No API required.
Tines is built for security teams to orchestrate workflows via APIs and webhooks. But many security and IT tasks — user provisioning, access reviews, app admin — live in UIs that no API exposes. Stepwork automates through the interface with zero code. Record once, run forever.
Two tools. Two very different outcomes.
Compare automating a user provisioning workflow in an app without SCIM.
AutomationWhy teams choose Stepwork over Tines.
The capabilities that make Stepwork fundamentally different.
Tines connects security tools through APIs and webhooks. Stepwork automates through the application UI — provisioning users, changing access, running admin workflows in apps that have no API or limited API coverage.
Tines requires building stories with actions, resources, and credentials. Stepwork requires recording a workflow once — no YAML, no API docs, no developer involvement.
Stepwork authenticates through Okta, Entra ID, or 1Password and handles MFA natively. Tines uses API keys and OAuth — it can't complete MFA or sign in like a human.
Tines excels at SIEM alerts, ticketing, and API-to-API flows. Most SaaS apps don't expose provisioning, role assignment, or group management through their API. Stepwork accesses the full admin UI.
When APIs change or deprecate, Tines stories break. Stepwork uses AI vision to adapt to UI changes automatically — no maintenance required.
Stepwork runs in a Docker container on your device. Tines processes workflow data through its cloud infrastructure — credentials and PII flow through external servers.
Security by design.
How Stepwork and Tines handle your data, credentials, and access.
Stepwork runs inside a hardened Docker container on your device. Data never leaves your machine.
StepworkTines runs workflows in its cloud. Event data, credentials, and API responses pass through Tines infrastructure.
Tines riskStepwork authenticates through your existing identity provider with native MFA. No API keys stored in third-party platforms.
StepworkTines stores API keys and OAuth tokens for every connected resource. Centralized credential surface for security-sensitive workflows.
Tines risk| Feature | Stepwork | Tines |
|---|---|---|
| Approach | UI automation with AI vision | API-based stories and actions |
| Admin workflow access | Full admin UI access | API-exposed actions only |
| Setup complexity | Record once, done | Story design, resource config |
| MFA / SSO | OTP, passkeys, push — native | API keys / OAuth only |
| User provisioning | Any app, SCIM or not | Only if API supports it |
| Self-healing | AI vision adapts to UI changes | Breaks on API changes |
| Data handling | Processed locally | Cloud-processed |
| Technical skill required | None — any IT admin | Security engineer / developer |
Tines breaks when UIs change.
Stepwork self-heals and keeps running.
When a UI changes, most automation tools fail silently or require manual fixes. With Stepwork, flows self-heal. AI detects layout shifts, finds the right elements, and keeps the automation running — no human intervention required.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Stepwork replace Tines for security automation?
For API-based security orchestration — SIEM alerts, ticketing, webhook flows — Tines remains strong. For user provisioning, access reviews, and admin workflows in apps without APIs, Stepwork goes where Tines can't. Many teams use both: Tines for API orchestration, Stepwork for UI automation.
Why can't Tines automate UI-based tasks?
Tines is built for API and webhook orchestration. It connects tools that expose APIs. Most SaaS admin workflows — provisioning, role assignment, group management — either have no API or don't expose those actions. Stepwork automates through the UI, so it works regardless of API availability.
Is Stepwork more secure than Tines for provisioning?
Stepwork processes all data locally on your device in a hardened Docker container. Tines routes workflow data through its cloud. For provisioning workflows involving PII and credentials, Stepwork's local-first model keeps sensitive data on your infrastructure.
Does Tines require coding?
Tines uses a no-code story builder, but it requires technical configuration — API credentials, resource setup, understanding of webhooks and API responses. Stepwork requires no configuration: record the workflow once and it runs.
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