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Databases · head to head

Apache Solr vs Flowable

Apache Solr logo

Apache Solr

Databases

Enterprise search platform built on Apache Lucene

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Flowable logo

Flowable

Automation Integration

Apache 2.0 BPMN, CMMN and DMN engine from the team that originally built Activiti

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Apache Solr xML-heavy configuration and a developer experience that feels dated beside newer engines; Flowable the open source engine is genuinely usable but ships without the modelling studio, work application and admin console, so an open source deployment means building your own user interfaces before anyone can use it.
  • They diverge on capability: Apache Solr covers Lucene-based indexing, Flowable covers BPMN 2.0 engine.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Apache Solr and Flowable actually diverge.

Attributes where Apache Solr and Flowable differ
AttributeApache SolrFlowable
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feequote
PlatformsLinux, Docker, Kubernetes, Self-hostedLinux, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes, Cloud
CategoryDatabasesAutomation Integration

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 Apache Solr

  • Lucene-based indexing
  • Faceted search
  • SolrCloud
  • Schema control

Only in Flowable

  • BPMN 2.0 engine
  • CMMN case management
  • DMN decision tables
  • Spring Boot integration
  • Modelling studio
  • Task and case application
  • REST APIs
  • History and audit

What people use each for

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

Apache Solr

  • Library, archive and catalogue search where faceting is centralnot Flowable
  • Long-lived enterprise deployments valuing stability over noveltynot Flowable
  • Search requiring precise, explicitly configured relevance tuningnot Flowable

Flowable

  • An insurer automating claims handling where each case follows a different path and BPMN alone cannot express itnot Apache Solr
  • A bank embedding process orchestration inside an existing Spring Boot estate rather than buying a separate platformnot Apache Solr
  • A team leaving Activiti or jBPM that wants the same API family with active commercial maintenancenot Apache Solr
  • A regulated organisation needing complete process history and decision table audit trails for supervisorsnot Apache Solr

Where each one falls short

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

Apache Solr

  • XML-heavy configuration and a developer experience that feels dated beside newer engines
  • SolrCloud depends on ZooKeeper, adding a component Elasticsearch removed years ago
  • Smaller mindshare now, so newer tutorials, hiring and integrations favour Elasticsearch
  • Considerably heavier than a purpose-built application search engine

Flowable

  • The open source engine is genuinely usable but ships without the modelling studio, work application and admin console, so an open source deployment means building your own user interfaces before anyone can use it.
  • It expects Java engineering capacity; teams looking for a business-user low-code automation tool will find the modelling and deployment cycle far too technical.
  • Enterprise pricing is not published and is quoted per deployment, leaving buyers without a benchmark against Camunda or IBM alternatives.
  • The Activiti fork left three engines with related APIs and overlapping documentation in circulation, and search results routinely return advice for the wrong one.
  • Flowable AG is a small Swiss company relative to its competitors, so the partner network, training market and pool of engineers with production experience are all limited outside Europe.

Pricing, plan by plan

Apache Solr

Free
  • Apache SolrFree
    • Full functionality
    • No usage limits
    • Community support

Flowable

Free
  • Flowable Open SourceFree
    • Apache 2.0 licensed BPMN, CMMN and DMN engines
    • Embeddable Java library or standalone apps
    • No modelling studio or enterprise applications
  • Flowable Enterprise$undefined/year
    • Modelling studio, work application and admin console
    • Connectors, forms and advanced identity management
    • Support with SLA and version maintenance

Which should you pick?

Choose Apache Solr if

  • You need lucene-based indexing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Self-hosted.
  • You also want faceted search.
Apache Solr review

Choose Flowable if

  • You need bpmn 2.0 engine.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes, Cloud.
  • You also want cmmn case management.
Flowable review

Questions people ask

Is Apache Solr or Flowable better?
Neither clearly leads. Apache Solr starts at Free and Flowable at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Apache Solr or Flowable?
Apache Solr starts at Free and Flowable at Free.
Does Apache Solr or Flowable run on more platforms?
Apache Solr runs on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Self-hosted. Flowable runs on Linux, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes, Cloud.
Can I use Apache Solr for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Apache Solr best used for?
Apache Solr is most often used for library, archive and catalogue search where faceting is central, long-lived enterprise deployments valuing stability over novelty, search requiring precise, explicitly configured relevance tuning. Of those, library, archive and catalogue search where faceting is central and long-lived enterprise deployments valuing stability over novelty are not what Flowable is typically brought in for.
What can Apache Solr do that Flowable cannot?
Apache Solr covers Lucene-based indexing, Faceted search, SolrCloud, Schema control. Flowable covers BPMN 2.0 engine, CMMN case management, DMN decision tables, Spring Boot integration.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Apache Solr: Is Apache Solr free?

Yes, open source under the Apache Software Foundation.

Flowable: Is Flowable open source?

Yes, the BPMN, CMMN and DMN engines are Apache 2.0. The modelling studio and enterprise applications are commercial.

Apache Solr: Solr or Elasticsearch?

Both are built on Lucene. Elasticsearch has the larger ecosystem and a friendlier API; Solr is very mature and strong on faceted search, and remains common in library and catalogue systems.

Flowable: How does it relate to Activiti and jBPM?

The same core developers built jBPM, then Activiti, then forked Activiti in 2016 to create Flowable.

Apache Solr: Is Solr still maintained?

Yes, actively, as a top-level Apache project.

Flowable: What does Flowable Enterprise cost?

Nothing is published. It is quoted per deployment by the vendor.

Flowable: Why choose it over Camunda?

CMMN case management is a first-class engine, which matters when work is exception-driven rather than a fixed sequence.

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