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Automation Integration · head to head

Activiti vs ToolJet

Activiti logo

Activiti

Automation Integration

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
ToolJet logo

ToolJet

No-Code

Open-source low-code platform for building internal tools and business apps

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.; ToolJet free and Pro tiers cap end users at 50, which may be too low for apps needing broad internal distribution.
  • They diverge on capability: Activiti covers BPMN 2.0 engine, ToolJet covers Drag-and-drop app builder.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Activiti and ToolJet actually diverge.

Attributes where Activiti and ToolJet differ
AttributeActivitiToolJet
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feefreemium
PlatformsLinux, Windows, Docker, Kubernetesweb, api, linux, windows, mac
CategoryAutomation IntegrationNo-Code

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 ToolJet

  • Drag-and-drop app builder
  • AI-assisted generation
  • Database and API connectors
  • Self-hosted and air-gapped deployment
  • Multi-instance deployments
  • Dedicated support manager

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

ToolJet

  • Building internal admin dashboards and appsnot Activiti
  • Self-hosted or air-gapped internal tool deploymentnot Activiti
  • AI-assisted rapid app prototypingnot Activiti
  • Connecting multiple data sources into one appnot 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.

ToolJet

  • Free and Pro tiers cap end users at 50, which may be too low for apps needing broad internal distribution.
  • Enterprise pricing starts at a steep $3,000/month, a large jump from the $199/month Team plan.
  • AI credits reset monthly and do not roll over, penalizing uneven month-to-month usage.
  • Smaller integration and community ecosystem than more established players like Retool.

Pricing, plan by plan

Activiti

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

ToolJet

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 2 builders
    • 50 end users
    • 2 apps
  • Pro$79/month
    • Unlimited builders (per-builder pricing)
    • 50 end users
    • 5 apps
  • Team$199/month
    • Unlimited builders (per-builder pricing)
    • 100 end users
    • Unlimited apps
  • Enterprise$3000/month
    • Unlimited end users
    • Custom AI credits
    • Dedicated support manager

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 ToolJet if

  • You need drag-and-drop app builder.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on web, api, linux, windows, mac.
  • You also want ai-assisted generation.
ToolJet review

Questions people ask

Is Activiti or ToolJet better?
Neither clearly leads. Activiti starts at Free and ToolJet at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Activiti or ToolJet?
Activiti starts at Free and ToolJet at Free.
Does Activiti or ToolJet run on more platforms?
Activiti runs on Linux, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes. ToolJet runs on web, api, linux, windows, mac.
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 ToolJet is typically brought in for.
What can Activiti do that ToolJet cannot?
Activiti covers BPMN 2.0 engine, Activiti Cloud, Modeler, Java and REST APIs. ToolJet covers Drag-and-drop app builder, AI-assisted generation, Database and API connectors, Self-hosted and air-gapped deployment.

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.

ToolJet: What happens if I run out of AI credits?

Users can continue using all other ToolJet features as normal and can contact support to purchase additional AI credits when the monthly allotment runs out.

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.

ToolJet: Do unused AI credits roll over?

No, AI credits reset every month and unused credits do not carry over, which ToolJet says helps maintain consistent service quality.

Source
Activiti: What licence is it?

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

ToolJet: Can ToolJet be deployed on-premise?

Yes, both the community and enterprise editions support on-premise and air-gapped deployments, typically completed in under 30 minutes.

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.

ToolJet: Is there a free trial for paid plans?

ToolJet offers a 14-day free trial for both its business and enterprise editions.

Source
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