| Primary Use Case | Pre-built connectors for SaaS app integration | Custom B2B partner ecosystem integration |
| Integration Model | No-code/low-code workflows | Developer-first SDK + API |
| Partner Onboarding | Partners use pre-built connectors | Self-service developer portal (15 min) |
| Customization | Limited to available connectors | Fully customizable event schemas |
| Real-Time Capability | Polling-based (minutes delay) or webhooks | True real-time (milliseconds) |
| Message Delivery | Best-effort (retries vary by platform) | Guaranteed delivery + replay |
| Message Ordering | Not guaranteed | Ordered delivery per event type |
| Access Control | App-level permissions | Two-layer: permissions + subscriptions |
| Partner Visibility | Workflow logs (limited) | Full observability dashboard per partner |
| Message Retention | 7-30 days (varies by platform) | Up to 30 days (plan-based) |
| Replay Capability | Manual re-run of workflows | Built-in replay |
| Schema Management | Connector-defined schemas (inflexible) | Structured events with versioning |
| Bidirectional Communication | Requires separate workflows | Native bidirectional with targeted delivery |
| Event Naming | Connector-specific naming | Path-like hierarchy (payment/authorized) |
| Developer Experience | No-code UI (limited for complex logic) | Lightweight SDK, full programmatic control |
| Scalability | Task-based pricing (expensive at scale) | Horizontal scaling (predictable pricing) |
| Data Ownership | Data passes through IPaaS servers | Direct partner-to-platform communication |
| Offline Resilience | Workflow failures require manual intervention | Automatic retry + queue when partner offline |
| Cost Model | Per-task or per-workflow pricing | Platform fee (scales with usage) |
| Time to First Integration | Hours (if connector exists), weeks (if custom) | Minutes |
| Best For | Non-technical users, standard SaaS integrations | Developers building custom partner ecosystems |
| Vendor Lock-In | High (proprietary workflows) | Low (standard SDK, open protocols) |
| Compliance/Audit | Workflow logs (limited retention) | Full audit trails + searchable logs |
| Partner Self-Service | Partners need IPaaS account | Embedded developer portal (no third-party account) |
