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Automation Integration · head to head

Browserbase vs jBPM

Browserbase logo

Browserbase

Automation Integration

Browserbase makes the web as reliable and programmable as APIs

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
jBPM logo

jBPM

Automation Integration

Long-running Java BPMN engine, now developed inside Apache KIE with commercial support from IBM

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; jBPM the project moved to the Apache Software Foundation as Apache KIE and is still in incubation, which is a weaker governance signal than a vendor-owned product and a harder case to make to an architecture board.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Browserbase and jBPM actually diverge.

Attributes where Browserbase and jBPM differ
AttributeBrowserbasejBPM
Pricing modelusage-basedOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsWebLinux, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes

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 jBPM does not also cover.

Only in jBPM

  • BPMN 2.0 execution
  • Drools integration
  • Human task service
  • Kogito compilation
  • Process designer
  • Timers and signals
  • REST and Java APIs
  • Case management

What people use each for

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

Browserbase

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

jBPM

  • A Java organisation already running jBPM 7 that needs to decide between the Apache KIE line, Kogito or migration awaynot Browserbase
  • A team that wants BPMN processes and Drools business rules executing in one runtime without integrating two productsnot Browserbase
  • A government or banking system with long-running processes needing durable timers and full audit history at no licence costnot Browserbase
  • A Quarkus estate adopting Kogito to run compiled processes with container-appropriate startup timesnot 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

jBPM

  • The project moved to the Apache Software Foundation as Apache KIE and is still in incubation, which is a weaker governance signal than a vendor-owned product and a harder case to make to an architecture board.
  • The classic jBPM 7.x line has not had a Red Hat-sponsored release since 2023, so staying on it means running effectively frozen software while the development happens under a different name.
  • Kogito is architecturally different from the classic runtime, using ahead-of-time compilation, so moving forward is a migration project rather than a version upgrade.
  • Commercial support has shifted to IBM Business Automation Manager Open Editions, which means renegotiating with a different vendor under different terms than Red Hat customers signed.
  • The tooling and workbench have long been the weakest part, and organisations routinely build their own process administration interfaces because the shipped ones are dated.

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

jBPM

Free
  • jBPMFree
    • Apache 2.0 licence with no usage restrictions
    • Full BPMN engine, human tasks and Drools integration
    • Community support via Apache KIE mailing lists

Which should you pick?

Choose Browserbase if

  • You want to start without paying.
Browserbase review

Choose jBPM if

  • You need bpmn 2.0 execution.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes.
  • You also want drools integration.
jBPM review

Questions people ask

Is Browserbase or jBPM better?
Neither clearly leads. Browserbase starts at Free and jBPM at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Browserbase or jBPM?
Browserbase starts at Free and jBPM at Free.
Does Browserbase or jBPM run on more platforms?
Browserbase runs on Web. jBPM runs on Linux, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes.
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 jBPM is typically brought in for.
What can Browserbase do that jBPM cannot?
jBPM covers BPMN 2.0 execution, Drools integration, Human task service, Kogito compilation.

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
jBPM: Is jBPM dead?

No. Development continues as part of Apache KIE, with releases through 2025, but the Red Hat-sponsored 7.x line has been static since 2023.

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
jBPM: Who provides commercial support?

IBM, through Business Automation Manager Open Editions, following the transition away from Red Hat Process Automation Manager as a growth product.

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
jBPM: What is Kogito?

The cloud-native successor that compiles processes ahead of time for Quarkus and Spring Boot, architecturally different from the classic jBPM runtime.

jBPM: Does it cost anything?

No. It is Apache 2.0 licensed with no fee. Costs are support contracts and the engineering effort to run it.

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