In-depth review: Tines

335 words · Editorial

Tines is a no-code AI orchestration platform designed explicitly for security and IT teams that need to automate complex, multi-step workflows without writing a single line of code. Its core value proposition is vendor-agnostic integration: it can connect to any tool with an API, making it a flexible hub for incident response, alert enrichment, IT operations, and more. The platform's standout feature is the Storyboard, a drag-and-drop interface that lets users build automated flows visually, abstracting away the complexity of traditional scripting or SOAR platforms. This lowers the barrier for security analysts and IT ops managers who want to automate tasks like password resets, employee onboarding, or SOC alert triage without waiting on engineering cycles. Tines also offers an AI Workbench for real-time data interaction and action, and a case management system with SLA tracking and metrics. However, the platform's AI capabilities are metered through run-time credits, which could limit heavy usage of AI features unless teams budget carefully. The Community Edition is free but restricts to 3 flows and 1 builder, making it suitable for experimentation but not production scale. Pricing for Business and Enterprise tiers requires contacting sales, which may frustrate buyers seeking transparent cost structures. Tines positions itself as a modern alternative to legacy SOAR tools, emphasizing ease of use, security, and enterprise governance with role-based access and audit logs. It's best suited for security analysts who want to automate incident response without coding, IT operations managers streamlining repetitive tasks, and MSSPs needing multi-tenant orchestration. Infrastructure engineers can connect niche internal tools via any API, avoiding vendor lock-in. Federal agencies may find its enterprise-grade governance appealing for regulated environments. The main caution is that while the no-code approach accelerates initial builds, complex logic may still require careful planning, and the AI Workbench's responsiveness depends on the underlying models and credit usage. Overall, Tines is a strong choice for teams that value speed of automation, integration flexibility, and governance, but they should evaluate the credit model and pricing tiers against their expected scale.

Who it's built for

Security Analysts
Why it fits
Tines enables analysts to automate alert enrichment and incident response without writing code, reducing manual triage time and allowing focus on complex threats.
Best value
Rapidly build workflows for common security tasks like phishing analysis, malware detonation, and SIEM enrichment using the no-code Storyboard.
Caution
Heavy reliance on AI features may consume AI run-time credits quickly; monitor usage to avoid unexpected limits.
IT Operations Managers
Why it fits
Streamlines common IT workflows like password resets, access provisioning, and employee onboarding with SLA tracking and case management, reducing ticket resolution time.
Best value
Automate repetitive requests and track performance with built-in metrics, freeing the team for higher-value projects.
Caution
Initial setup of complex workflows may require time to map out processes; leverage templates to accelerate.
Infrastructure Engineers
Why it fits
Connects to any API, including niche or internal tools, enabling custom automation pipelines without vendor lock-in or coding.
Best value
Integrate disparate systems and automate infrastructure tasks like monitoring alerts, log aggregation, and remediation actions.
Caution
API integration depth depends on the tool's API capabilities; some authentication methods may require additional configuration.
MSSPs
Why it fits
Multi-tenant capabilities and enterprise governance allow managing multiple clients' security operations at scale with role-based access and audit logs.
Best value
Centralize orchestration for diverse client environments while maintaining isolation and compliance.
Caution
Pricing for Business and Enterprise tiers requires contacting sales; evaluate total cost for multi-tenant deployment.

Key features

No-code Storyboard
Drag-and-drop workflow builder that abstracts complexity, allowing users to create automation flows without writing code.
Benefit
Enables rapid prototyping and deployment of workflows, reducing dependency on developers and accelerating time-to-value.
Limitation
Complex logic or highly customized integrations may still require scripting or advanced configuration; not all use cases fit the no-code paradigm.
Vendor-agnostic API Integration
Connects to any API, including internal and niche tools, using standard authentication methods like API keys, OAuth, and basic auth.
Benefit
Eliminates vendor lock-in and allows integration with existing tool stacks, even for less common or custom-built solutions.
Limitation
Integration depth is limited by the third-party API's capabilities and documentation; some endpoints may not support all operations.
AI Workbench
Real-time data interaction and action via AI, enabling users to query, analyze, and act on data using natural language.
Benefit
Speeds up investigation and response by allowing analysts to interact with data conversationally, reducing time to insight.
Limitation
AI features consume run-time credits and may not be suitable for all workflows; accuracy depends on the underlying AI model and data quality.
Advanced Case Management
Incident tracking with metrics and SLA monitoring, providing a centralized view of cases and their resolution status.
Benefit
Improves accountability and visibility into incident resolution, helping teams meet SLAs and identify bottlenecks.
Limitation
May not replace dedicated case management systems for organizations with complex compliance or reporting requirements.
Enterprise-grade Governance
Role-based access control, audit logs, and monitoring capabilities to ensure compliance and security in regulated environments.
Benefit
Provides the controls needed for regulated industries and multi-tenant deployments, supporting audit and compliance needs.
Limitation
Implementation of governance features may require administrative overhead to configure roles and policies appropriately.

Real-world use cases

Automating Security Incident Response
Security Analysts
1. Scenario
  A security analyst receives hundreds of alerts daily from SIEM, email security, and endpoint detection tools. Manually triaging each alert is time-consuming and error-prone.
2. Solution
  Using Tines, the analyst builds a no-code workflow that ingests alerts, enriches them with threat intelligence, and automatically remediates low-confidence alerts while escalating high-priority ones to a human.
3. Outcome
  Reduces mean time to respond (MTTR) and allows analysts to focus on genuine threats rather than repetitive triage.
Streamlining IT Operations
IT Operations Managers
1. Scenario
  IT operations managers handle frequent requests for password resets, access grants, and employee onboarding, consuming significant staff time.
2. Solution
  Tines automates these requests by integrating with identity management systems, ticketing tools, and HR databases. Requests are auto-processed based on predefined rules, with SLA tracking and notifications.
3. Outcome
  Reduces ticket resolution time, improves employee satisfaction, and frees IT staff for strategic initiatives.
Managing 24/7 SOC Operations
MSSPs
1. Scenario
  A SOC team operates around the clock but struggles to ensure no alert is missed during shift handovers or off-hours.
2. Solution
  Tines automates alert triage and escalation, ensuring that critical alerts are immediately routed to on-call personnel via multiple channels (email, SMS, Slack) and that all actions are logged for review.
3. Outcome
  Zero missed notifications and consistent incident handling across shifts, improving SOC efficiency and reliability.
Reducing Ticket Resolution Time
Infrastructure Engineers
1. Scenario
  Security and infrastructure teams face a growing backlog of tickets for common issues like malware infections, disk space alerts, and failed backups.
2. Solution
  Tines integrates with ticketing systems and runbooks to automatically diagnose and resolve common issues, creating tickets only for exceptions that require human intervention.
3. Outcome
  Significantly reduces ticket backlog and resolution time, allowing teams to focus on complex problems.

Pros & cons

Pros

Extremely user-friendly and intuitive 'game-like' interface
Highly flexible and customizable (often compared to Notion)
Universal connectivity with any tool that has an API
Saves significant work hours (e.g., 750 days saved for some customers)
Excellent customer support and community resources

Cons

Starter plan has limited builders and flow counts
AI features are limited by run-time credits on lower tiers
Enterprise and Business pricing requires contacting sales

Pricing

Parsed from stored tiers (HTML or plain text). If a line is missing, check the notes below — confirm on the vendor site before purchasing.

Starter

$500/ month

$500 /month Billed annually; includes 2 builders, 5 flows, 2,500 AI run-time credits, and 1M monthly events.

Business

—

TalktoTines For accelerating value; includes multiple teams, flexible hosting, and extended product capabilities.

Community Edition

$0 For experimenting; includes 1 builder, 3 flows, unlimited viewers, and unlimited integrations.

Enterprise

—

TalktoTines Organization-wide strategy; includes unlimited builders and dedicated Tines resources.

Frequently asked questions

What is a 'flow' in Tines?General

A flow is a connected set of one or more elements on the Storyboard that can run automatically. It represents a complete automation workflow, from trigger to action, and can include logic, integrations, and human-in-the-loop steps.

Can Tines connect to niche or internal tools?Integration

Yes, if the tool offers an API, Tines can connect to it regardless of whether it is a mainstream or internal solution. Tines supports standard authentication methods like API keys, OAuth, and basic auth, enabling integration with custom or legacy systems.

What are AI run-time credits and how do they work?Pricing

AI run-time credits are used to run AI-powered features in Tines, such as the AI Agent action and the Workbench. Each AI operation consumes a certain number of credits. Credits are allocated based on your subscription plan (e.g., Starter includes 2,500 credits per month). Once exhausted, AI features are unavailable until the next billing cycle or you purchase additional credits.

Is Tines suitable for small teams or only enterprises?Fit

Tines offers a free Community Edition that supports 1 builder, 3 flows, and unlimited viewers, making it accessible for small teams to experiment. However, scaling beyond 3 flows or needing advanced features requires a paid plan. The Starter plan at $500/month (billed annually) supports 2 builders and 5 flows, which may suit small teams. Larger teams or enterprises can opt for Business or Enterprise plans with flexible hosting and dedicated resources.

How does Tines compare to traditional SOAR platforms?Comparison

Tines differentiates itself by being no-code and vendor-agnostic, allowing users to build workflows without writing scripts and integrate with any API. Traditional SOAR platforms often require coding or have limited integrations. Tines also offers an AI Workbench for real-time data interaction. However, traditional SOAR platforms may have more mature case management or compliance features out-of-the-box. Tines' pricing is transparent for lower tiers, while enterprise pricing requires contact.

What kind of support and training does Tines offer?Workflow

Tines provides documentation, a community forum, and video tutorials. Paid plans include access to support via email and chat. Business and Enterprise plans offer dedicated resources and training. Tines also has a YouTube channel with tutorials and webinars. For detailed support, users can contact Tines through their website.

Browse all