Is Baserow or Flowable better?

Neither clearly leads. Baserow 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, Baserow or Flowable?

Baserow starts at Free and Flowable at Free.

Does Baserow or Flowable run on more platforms?

Baserow runs on Web, Api, Self-hosted. Flowable runs on Linux, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes, Cloud.

Can I use Baserow for free?

Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.

What is Baserow best used for?

Baserow is most often used for self-hosting an open source alternative to a spreadsheet database, structured team data with kanban, calendar and grid views, building internal tools on top of a database with an api, sharing data with external app users without giving them full seats. Of those, self-hosting an open source alternative to a spreadsheet database and structured team data with kanban, calendar and grid views are not what Flowable is typically brought in for.

What can Baserow do that Flowable cannot?

Baserow covers Database tables, Multiple views, Forms, API access. Flowable covers BPMN 2.0 engine, CMMN case management, DMN decision tables, Spring Boot integration.

Spreadsheets · head to head

Baserow vs Flowable

Baserow

Spreadsheets

Open-source no-code database platform

From: Free
Rated: -

Full review Website

Flowable

Automation Integration

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

From: Free
Rated: -

Full review Website

The short version

Each has a real cost: Baserow the free tier is capped at 3,000 rows and 2GB of storage per workspace; 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: Baserow covers Database tables, 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 Baserow and Flowable actually diverge.

Attributes where Baserow and Flowable differ
Attribute	Baserow	Flowable
Pricing model	freemium	quote
Platforms	Web, Api, Self-hosted	Linux, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes, Cloud
Category	Spreadsheets	Automation Integration
Founded	2019	Unknown

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 Baserow

Database tables
Multiple views
Forms
API access
Real-time collaboration
Templates
Plugins
Self-hosting

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.

Baserow

Self-hosting an open source alternative to a spreadsheet databasenot Flowable
Structured team data with Kanban, calendar and grid viewsnot Flowable
Building internal tools on top of a database with an APInot Flowable
Sharing data with external app users without giving them full seatsnot Flowable

Flowable

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

Where each one falls short

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

Baserow

The free tier is capped at 3,000 rows and 2GB of storage per workspace
Kanban, calendar and survey views need Premium at $10 per user per month billed yearly
Role-based permissions, audit logs and SSO require Premium or higher
Row limits are per workspace rather than per table, so splitting data across bases does not raise the ceiling
Automation runs are metered as credits, 2,000 a month on free

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

Baserow

Free

FreeFree
- 3000 rows per workspace
- 2 GB storage per workspace
- 2000 automation credits monthly
Premium$10/month
- 50000 rows per workspace
- 20 GB storage per workspace
- 100000 automation credits monthly
Advanced$18/month
- 250000 rows per workspace
- 100 GB storage per workspace
- 500000 automation credits monthly
Enterprise$null/month
- 1000000 rows per workspace
- 1000 GB storage per workspace
- 2000000 automation credits monthly

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 Baserow if

You need database tables.
You want to start without paying.
You work on Web, Api, Self-hosted.
You also want multiple views.

Baserow 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 Baserow or Flowable better?: Neither clearly leads. Baserow 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, Baserow or Flowable?: Baserow starts at Free and Flowable at Free.
Does Baserow or Flowable run on more platforms?: Baserow runs on Web, Api, Self-hosted. Flowable runs on Linux, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes, Cloud.
Can I use Baserow for free?: Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Baserow best used for?: Baserow is most often used for self-hosting an open source alternative to a spreadsheet database, structured team data with kanban, calendar and grid views, building internal tools on top of a database with an api, sharing data with external app users without giving them full seats. Of those, self-hosting an open source alternative to a spreadsheet database and structured team data with kanban, calendar and grid views are not what Flowable is typically brought in for.
What can Baserow do that Flowable cannot?: Baserow covers Database tables, Multiple views, Forms, API access. Flowable covers BPMN 2.0 engine, CMMN case management, DMN decision tables, Spring Boot integration.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Baserow: Does Baserow have a free plan?

Baserow's Free plan includes 3000 rows per workspace, 2 GB storage, 2000 automation credits monthly, and access to Grid, Form, and Gallery views. It supports up to 500 external app users and includes 65+ templates with no credit card required.

Source

Flowable: Is Flowable open source?

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

Baserow: What row and storage limits does Baserow provide by plan?

Free plan: 3000 rows and 2 GB storage; Premium plan: 50000 rows and 20 GB; Advanced plan: 250000 rows and 100 GB; Enterprise plan: 1000000 rows and 1 TB. All limits are per workspace.

Source

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.

Baserow: How much does Baserow Premium cost?

Baserow Premium costs $10 per user per month when billed annually, or $12 per month when billing monthly. Yearly billing provides better rates than monthly. Advanced plan costs $18/user/month annually or $22/month monthly.

Source

Flowable: What does Flowable Enterprise cost?

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

Baserow: What are automation credit limits in Baserow?

Free plan provides 2000 monthly automation credits, Premium provides 100000 monthly credits, Advanced provides 500000 monthly credits, and Enterprise provides 2000000 monthly credits for workflow automation.

Source

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.

Baserow vs Flowable

Baserow

Flowable

The short version

Where they differ

What each one covers

Only in Baserow

Only in Flowable

What people use each for

Baserow

Flowable

Where each one falls short

Baserow

Flowable

Pricing, plan by plan

Baserow

Flowable

Which should you pick?

Choose Baserow if

Choose Flowable if

Questions people ask

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Related pages

More on Baserow

More on Flowable

Keep looking

Other head to heads