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Automation Integration · head to head

Browserbase vs Flowable

Browserbase logo

Browserbase

Automation Integration

Browserbase makes the web as reliable and programmable as APIs

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: Browserbase free plan limited to 3 concurrent browsers and 1 browser hour/month; 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.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Browserbase and Flowable actually diverge.

Attributes where Browserbase and Flowable differ
AttributeBrowserbaseFlowable
Pricing modelusage-basedquote
PlatformsWebLinux, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes, Cloud

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Browserbase

Nothing recorded that Flowable does not also cover.

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.

Browserbase

  • Web scraping and automationnot Flowable
  • Browser-based data extractionnot Flowable
  • AI agent infrastructurenot Flowable

Flowable

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

Where each one falls short

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

Browserbase

  • Free plan limited to 3 concurrent browsers and 1 browser hour/month
  • Usage-based overages apply to browser hours and API calls beyond included amounts

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

Browserbase

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 3 concurrent browsers, 1 browser hour/month
    • 1,000 search and fetch calls each
    • 15-minute session limit, 7-day data retention
  • Developer$20/month
    • 25 concurrent browsers, 100 browser hours
    • $0.12/hour overage on browser time
    • 1,000 fetch calls with usage-based overages
  • Startup$99/month
    • 100 concurrent browsers, 500 browser hours
    • $0.10/hour overage on browser time
    • 10,000 fetch calls with usage-based overages
  • Scale$null/mo
    • 250+ concurrent browsers, 500+ browser hours
    • 10,000+ search/fetch calls with usage-based pricing
    • Custom retention, HIPAA (BAA), DPA, SSO

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 Browserbase if

  • You want to start without paying.
Browserbase 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 Browserbase or Flowable better?
Neither clearly leads. Browserbase 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, Browserbase or Flowable?
Browserbase starts at Free and Flowable at Free.
Does Browserbase or Flowable run on more platforms?
Browserbase runs on Web. Flowable runs on Linux, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes, Cloud.
Can I use Browserbase for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Browserbase best used for?
Browserbase is most often used for web scraping and automation, browser-based data extraction, ai agent infrastructure. Of those, web scraping and automation and browser-based data extraction are not what Flowable is typically brought in for.
What can Browserbase do that Flowable cannot?
Flowable covers BPMN 2.0 engine, CMMN case management, DMN decision tables, Spring Boot integration.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Browserbase: How much does Browserbase cost?

Free plan available; Developer plan is $20/month; Startup (most popular) is $99/month; Scale tier has custom pricing.

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.

Browserbase: What browser concurrency limits does Browserbase have?

Free plan allows 3 concurrent browsers. Developer plan allows 25 concurrent browsers. Startup allows 100 concurrent browsers. Scale tier offers 250+ concurrent browsers.

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.

Browserbase: What are Browserbase's browser hour limits and overage costs?

Free plan includes 1 browser hour/month. Developer includes 100 hours at $0.12/hour overage. Startup includes 500 hours at $0.10/hour overage. Scale tier includes 500+ hours with custom usage-based pricing.

Source
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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