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Automation Integration · head to head

Camunda vs Merge

Camunda logo

Camunda

Automation Integration

BPMN process orchestration engine, now source-available rather than open source

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Merge logo

Merge

Automation Integration

One API for all your integrations

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Merge has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Camunda camunda 7 Community Edition stopped receiving security patches after the 7.24 release in October 2025, so free production deployments are now running unpatched software.; Merge cannot access data outside Merge's universal schema; no support for custom objects or deep field mappings
  • They diverge on capability: Camunda covers BPMN 2.0 execution, Merge covers Unified API.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Camunda and Merge actually diverge.

Attributes where Camunda and Merge differ
AttributeCamundaMerge
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquoteusage-based
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Linux, Docker, KubernetesApi
FoundedUnknown2020

Identical on both: 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 Camunda

  • BPMN 2.0 execution
  • DMN decision tables
  • Zeebe engine
  • Operate console
  • Job workers
  • Optimize

Only in Merge

  • Unified API
  • HRIS integrations
  • Accounting integrations
  • CRM integrations
  • ATS integrations
  • Ticketing integrations
  • File storage integrations
  • Workday

What people use each for

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

Camunda

  • Long-running business processes crossing several services where the state must be visible to non-developersnot Merge
  • Insurance claims or loan origination where the process model is itself a compliance artefactnot Merge
  • Replacing orchestration logic scattered across microservices with one engine that owns the state machinenot Merge
  • A regulated organisation that needs an auditable record of how each process instance actually executednot Merge

Merge

  • Workflow Automationnot Camunda
  • Data Integrationnot Camunda
  • Process Automationnot Camunda
  • App Integrationnot Camunda
  • API Connectivitynot Camunda

Where each one falls short

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

Camunda

  • Camunda 7 Community Edition stopped receiving security patches after the 7.24 release in October 2025, so free production deployments are now running unpatched software.
  • Camunda 8 Self-Managed is source-available under the Camunda License 1.0, not open source: production use requires a paid licence, and organisations that adopted Camunda for its Apache licence have to renegotiate that decision.
  • Migrating from Camunda 7 to 8 is a rewrite rather than an upgrade because the engine, the API and the persistence model all changed, and there is no in-place migration for running instances.
  • Camunda 8 Self-Managed has substantial infrastructure requirements including Zeebe brokers, Elasticsearch and Identity, which is a considerable operations burden compared with the single database that Camunda 7 needed.
  • Pricing is not published at all, so evaluating total cost requires a sales process, and there is no way to size a budget before committing engineering time to a proof of concept.

Merge

  • Cannot access data outside Merge's universal schema; no support for custom objects or deep field mappings
  • Merge holds customer OAuth tokens, creating vendor lock-in; switching providers requires re-authentication from all customers
  • No support for legacy systems without APIs; limited to modern SaaS applications
  • Pricing complexity at scale with multiple dimensions (workflows, tasks, connectors) affecting costs

Pricing, plan by plan

Camunda

On request
  • Camunda 8$undefined/year
    • Self-Managed under Camunda License 1.0, production licence required
    • SaaS with a thirty day full trial
    • Free unlimited BPMN and DMN modelling after the trial

Merge

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 1 linked account
    • All integrations
    • Standard support
  • Launch$650/month
    • 50 linked accounts
    • All categories
    • Email support
  • Scale$2500/month
    • Unlimited accounts
    • Priority support
    • SLA
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Dedicated support
    • Custom contracts
    • Advanced security

Which should you pick?

Choose Camunda if

  • You need bpmn 2.0 execution.
  • You work on Web, Linux, Docker, Kubernetes.
  • You also want dmn decision tables.
Camunda review

Choose Merge if

  • You need unified api.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Api.
  • You also want hris integrations.
Merge review

Questions people ask

Is Camunda or Merge better?
Neither clearly leads. Camunda starts at On request and Merge at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Camunda or Merge?
Merge has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Camunda and Free for Merge.
Does Camunda or Merge run on more platforms?
Camunda runs on Web, Linux, Docker, Kubernetes. Merge runs on Api.
Can I use Merge for free?
Yes. Merge has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Camunda starts at On request.
What is Camunda best used for?
Camunda is most often used for long-running business processes crossing several services where the state must be visible to non-developers, insurance claims or loan origination where the process model is itself a compliance artefact, replacing orchestration logic scattered across microservices with one engine that owns the state machine, a regulated organisation that needs an auditable record of how each process instance actually executed. Of those, long-running business processes crossing several services where the state must be visible to non-developers and insurance claims or loan origination where the process model is itself a compliance artefact are not what Merge is typically brought in for.
What can Camunda do that Merge cannot?
Camunda covers BPMN 2.0 execution, DMN decision tables, Zeebe engine, Operate console. Merge covers Unified API, HRIS integrations, Accounting integrations, CRM integrations.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Camunda: Is Camunda still open source?

No. Camunda 8 Self-Managed ships under the Camunda License 1.0, which is source-available and requires a paid production licence.

Merge: What is a Linked Account in Merge?

A Linked Account represents an end customer's authenticated connection to a third-party application (like Salesforce, HubSpot, or Zendesk). Merge pricing is based on the number of production Linked Accounts your end users activate.

Source
Camunda: What happened to Camunda 7?

Its final feature release, 7.24, was in October 2025 and the Community Edition receives no further patches. Enterprise support runs to April 2030.

Merge: Can I access custom data not in Merge's universal schema?

No. Merge works well for standardized integrations but hits limits with enterprise customers. You cannot access data outside Merge's universal schema, cannot customize integration behavior for specific customers, and cannot pull deeply custom data from source systems.

Source
Camunda: Can I upgrade from 7 to 8?

Not in place. The engine, API and persistence changed, so it is a rewrite of the integration layer.

Merge: What happens if I switch away from Merge?

Merge holds your customers' OAuth tokens. Switching providers means asking every customer to re-authenticate, resulting in potential customer churn and unhappy users.

Camunda: What does it cost?

Camunda does not publish prices. Both self-managed production and SaaS require a quote.

Merge: Does Merge work with legacy systems?

No. Merge only works if there's an API. Legacy ERPs, government portals, insurance carriers, and older enterprise systems that customers depend on often don't have APIs, making Merge unable to support these integrations.

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