API integration is preferred when systems have open APIs — it's faster, more reliable, and cheaper to maintain. RPA is chosen when there's no API (legacy systems, desktop apps) or API development costs more than a robot. Optimal approach: combine API for main systems + RPA for legacy. AppStar implements both.
| Criterion | API | RPA | |-----------|-----|-----| | Speed | Milliseconds | Seconds | | Reliability | 99.9%+ | 95-99% | | Dev cost | Medium | Low | | Maintenance cost | Low | Medium | | Requires API | Yes | No | | Legacy systems | No | Yes |