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Automation Integration · head to head

Activiti vs Tasmota

Activiti logo

Activiti

Automation Integration

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Tasmota logo

Tasmota

Smart Home

Open-source firmware for ESP8266/ESP32 based devices

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • 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.; Tasmota tasmota only runs on Espressif ESP8266, ESP8285, ESP32, ESP32-S and ESP32-C3 chipsets, so devices built on other silicon cannot use it
  • They diverge on capability: Activiti covers BPMN 2.0 engine, Tasmota covers Local Control.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Activiti and Tasmota actually diverge.

Attributes where Activiti and Tasmota differ
AttributeActivitiTasmota
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feeopen-source
PlatformsLinux, Windows, Docker, KubernetesESP8266, ESP32, Compatible devices
CategoryAutomation IntegrationSmart Home
FoundedUnknown2017

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Tasmota

  • Local Control
  • MQTT Support
  • Web Interface
  • OTA Updates
  • Home Assistant
  • Domoticz
  • OpenHAB
  • Node-RED

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 Tasmota
  • A Java application that needs to embed a BPMN engine as a library under a permissive licencenot Tasmota
  • An organisation that has ruled out Camunda 8 on licence grounds and needs an Apache 2.0 alternativenot Tasmota
  • Document-centric approval workflows where the process engine sits inside the content management stack rather than beside itnot Tasmota

Tasmota

  • Replacing vendor cloud firmware on ESP based smart plugs and switchesnot Activiti
  • Controlling smart home devices locally over MQTT or HTTPnot Activiti
  • Integrating off the shelf Wi-Fi devices with Home Assistant without a cloud accountnot 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.

Tasmota

  • Tasmota only runs on Espressif ESP8266, ESP8285, ESP32, ESP32-S and ESP32-C3 chipsets, so devices built on other silicon cannot use it
  • Initial installation requires opening the device, bridging GPIO0 to ground during boot and using a 3.3V serial programmer; a 5V programmer damages the chip
  • The ESP chip needs at least 150mA at 3.3V, so an underpowered supply causes flashing and stability failures
  • The Wi-Fi setup access point stays active for only 3 minutes, after which the device must be power cycled to try again
  • The Power Cycle Recovery feature can reset a device to firmware defaults where mains power fluctuates, and the docs advise disabling it in that case

Pricing, plan by plan

Activiti

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

Tasmota

Free
  • CommunityFree
    • Full firmware
    • MQTT
    • Web UI

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 Tasmota if

  • You need local control.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on ESP8266, ESP32, Compatible devices.
  • You also want mqtt support.
Tasmota review

Questions people ask

Is Activiti or Tasmota better?
Neither clearly leads. Activiti starts at Free and Tasmota at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Activiti or Tasmota?
Activiti starts at Free and Tasmota at Free.
Does Activiti or Tasmota run on more platforms?
Activiti runs on Linux, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes. Tasmota runs on ESP8266, ESP32, Compatible devices.
Can I use Activiti for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 Tasmota is typically brought in for.
What can Activiti do that Tasmota cannot?
Activiti covers BPMN 2.0 engine, Activiti Cloud, Modeler, Java and REST APIs. Tasmota covers Local Control, MQTT Support, Web Interface, OTA Updates.

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.

Tasmota: What is the cost of Tasmota?

Tasmota is completely free as open-source firmware for ESP devices. Source code is available on GitHub, and the project accepts donations for continued development.

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.

Tasmota: Can Tasmota be modified and redistributed?

Yes, Tasmota is open-source software allowing users to access, compile, modify, and redistribute builds according to the project LICENSE.

Source
Activiti: What licence is it?

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

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.

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