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Automation Integration · head to head

Activiti vs Celigo

Activiti logo

Activiti

Automation Integration

Apache 2.0 BPMN engine under Hyland, from which Flowable and Camunda were forked

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Celigo logo

Celigo

Automation Integration

The iPaaS platform for mid-market and enterprise

From
$400/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Activiti has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Activiti the last stable release was 8.2.0 in January 2024, and while release candidate builds continue, a two-year gap between stable versions is a real risk signal for a production dependency.; Celigo prices are not published on any of the three editions
  • They diverge on capability: Activiti covers BPMN 2.0 engine, Celigo covers App integration.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Activiti and Celigo actually diverge.

Attributes where Activiti and Celigo differ
AttributeActivitiCeligo
Starting priceFree$400/month
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feesubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsLinux, Windows, Docker, KubernetesWeb, Mobile
FoundedUnknown2008

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Automation Integration).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Activiti

  • BPMN 2.0 engine
  • Activiti Cloud
  • Modeler
  • Java and REST APIs
  • Pluggable persistence
  • Identity integration

Only in Celigo

  • App integration
  • Process automation
  • Master data management
  • API management
  • Workflow builder
  • Error handling
  • Analytics
  • 800+ apps

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Activiti

  • An Alfresco or Hyland content services deployment where Activiti is already the embedded workflow enginenot Celigo
  • A Java application that needs to embed a BPMN engine as a library under a permissive licencenot Celigo
  • An organisation that has ruled out Camunda 8 on licence grounds and needs an Apache 2.0 alternativenot Celigo
  • Document-centric approval workflows where the process engine sits inside the content management stack rather than beside itnot Celigo

Celigo

  • Integrating NetSuite with ecommerce and CRM systemsnot Activiti
  • Prebuilt integration templates between common business applicationsnot Activiti
  • Building custom flows between internal systemsnot Activiti
  • Governance and auditability over integrations on the higher editionsnot Activiti

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Activiti

  • The last stable release was 8.2.0 in January 2024, and while release candidate builds continue, a two-year gap between stable versions is a real risk signal for a production dependency.
  • Both Camunda and Flowable forked away and took large parts of the contributor base with them, so the community, tutorials and third-party tooling around Activiti are much thinner than around either fork.
  • Commercial support is only realistically available by buying Hyland Alfresco subscriptions, so there is no way to pay for Activiti support on its own.
  • Activiti Cloud imposes a distributed architecture of several Spring Boot services plus Keycloak, which is heavy for teams who simply wanted an embeddable engine.
  • Documentation is dated and partly split between old Alfresco sites and Hyland Connect, and the transition between Activiti 6, 7 and 8 architectures makes much of the older material actively misleading.

Celigo

  • Prices are not published on any of the three editions
  • Billed on endpoints and flows, so the cost is driven by how many systems you connect rather than by volume through them
  • API Builder, lookup caching and a sandbox all require the Professional edition
  • Single sign-on is optional on Standard and included from Professional up
  • Unlimited endpoints and the full governance features are Enterprise only

Pricing, plan by plan

Activiti

Free
  • ActivitiFree
    • Apache 2.0 licence
    • Embeddable Java library or Activiti Cloud services
    • No usage limits

Celigo

$400/month
  • Growth$400/month
    • 50 integrations
    • Basic support
  • Scale$1200/month
    • Unlimited integrations
    • Priority support
  • Enterprise$3000/month
    • Custom solutions
    • Dedicated support

Which should you pick?

Choose Activiti if

  • You need bpmn 2.0 engine.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes.
  • You also want activiti cloud.
Activiti review

Choose Celigo if

  • You need app integration.
  • You work on Web, Mobile.
  • You also want process automation.
Celigo review

Questions people ask

Is Activiti or Celigo better?
Neither clearly leads. Activiti starts at Free and Celigo at $400/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Activiti or Celigo?
Activiti has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Activiti and $400/month for Celigo.
Does Activiti or Celigo run on more platforms?
Activiti runs on Linux, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes. Celigo runs on Web, Mobile.
Can I use Activiti for free?
Yes. Activiti has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Celigo starts at $400/month.
What is Activiti best used for?
Activiti is most often used for an alfresco or hyland content services deployment where activiti is already the embedded workflow engine, a java application that needs to embed a bpmn engine as a library under a permissive licence, an organisation that has ruled out camunda 8 on licence grounds and needs an apache 2.0 alternative, document-centric approval workflows where the process engine sits inside the content management stack rather than beside it. Of those, an alfresco or hyland content services deployment where activiti is already the embedded workflow engine and a java application that needs to embed a bpmn engine as a library under a permissive licence are not what Celigo is typically brought in for.
What can Activiti do that Celigo cannot?
Activiti covers BPMN 2.0 engine, Activiti Cloud, Modeler, Java and REST APIs. Celigo covers App integration, Process automation, Master data management, API management.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Activiti: Is Activiti still maintained?

Yes, Hyland continues to publish builds, but the last stable release was 8.2.0 in January 2024.

Celigo: How much does Celigo cost?

Celigo pricing is not publicly disclosed; the vendor requires direct contact with sales to obtain pricing quotes based on your endpoint and workflow requirements.

Source
Activiti: What is its relationship to Camunda and Flowable?

Both are forks of Activiti: Camunda in 2013 and Flowable in 2016, when core developers left Alfresco.

Celigo: What is Celigo's pricing model?

Celigo uses a flat-rate subscription model based on endpoints and flows, not per-transaction costs; customers must contact sales for actual pricing for each tier.

Source
Activiti: What licence is it?

Apache 2.0, which distinguishes it from Camunda 8’s source-available licence.

Celigo: Is there a free trial for Celigo?

Yes, Celigo offers a 30-day free trial with unlimited access to the platform; no credit card is required to start the trial.

Source
Activiti: Should I choose Activiti for a new project?

Only if the Apache licence or an existing Alfresco deployment is decisive. Flowable and Camunda have far larger ecosystems.

Celigo: What are the Celigo pricing tiers?

Celigo offers Standard, Professional, and Enterprise editions; specific pricing for each is not published and requires sales contact, with Enterprise including unlimited endpoints and premium support.

Source
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