Softwr

No-Code · head to head

Corteza vs jBPM

Corteza logo

Corteza

No-Code

Apache-licensed open source low-code platform, formerly Crust, positioned against Salesforce

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: Corteza planet Crust is a small company of roughly a dozen or so people, so the entire commercial support capability behind Corteza is thin and a large deployment can outgrow the vendors ability to respond.; 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.
  • They diverge on capability: Corteza covers Corteza Low Code, jBPM covers BPMN 2.0 execution.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Corteza and jBPM actually diverge.

Attributes where Corteza and jBPM differ
AttributeCortezajBPM
PlatformsWeb, Linux, Self-hosted, DockerLinux, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes
CategoryNo-CodeAutomation Integration

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (Open source, no licence fee), 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 Corteza

  • Corteza Low Code
  • Automation and workflow
  • Bundled CRM
  • Federation
  • Role-based access control
  • Corteza Messaging and integrations
  • Self-hosted deployment
  • Apache 2.0 licence

Only in jBPM

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

Both cover

  • Case management

What people use each for

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

Corteza

  • A European public body that needs a case management system on servers inside its own jurisdiction with an auditable licence and no per-seat vendor feenot jBPM
  • An NGO replacing a Salesforce donation that has run out, needing to keep the data model but remove the recurring costnot jBPM
  • An integrator building a regulated vertical application it intends to resell, requiring a permissive licence it can ship commerciallynot jBPM
  • A mid-size European company that wants one platform for internal applications and a sales pipeline without paying per seat as headcount growsnot jBPM

jBPM

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

Where each one falls short

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

Corteza

  • Planet Crust is a small company of roughly a dozen or so people, so the entire commercial support capability behind Corteza is thin and a large deployment can outgrow the vendors ability to respond.
  • No pricing is published for Planet Crusts support, hosting or implementation services, so the true running cost of a supported deployment cannot be estimated without a sales conversation.
  • The connector ecosystem is small compared with commercial low-code platforms, so integrations with common SaaS tools usually mean writing against the REST API rather than installing something.
  • Hiring is hard: almost nobody has Corteza on a CV, so you are training internal developers on a niche platform and you cannot easily replace them.
  • The bundled CRM is a starting point rather than a mature product, and teams that expect Salesforce-equivalent sales functionality out of the box will spend months building the gap themselves.

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

Corteza

Free
  • Corteza communityFree
    • Apache 2.0 licensed with no feature gating
    • Low-code builder, workflow engine, CRM and case management included
    • Self-hosted on your own infrastructure
  • Planet Crust support and services$undefined/year
    • Commercial support, hosting and implementation from Planet Crust
    • Custom application development
    • Training

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 Corteza if

  • You need corteza low code.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Linux, Self-hosted, Docker.
  • You also want automation and workflow.
Corteza 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 Corteza or jBPM better?
Neither clearly leads. Corteza 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, Corteza or jBPM?
Corteza starts at Free and jBPM at Free.
Does Corteza or jBPM run on more platforms?
Corteza runs on Web, Linux, Self-hosted, Docker. jBPM runs on Linux, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes.
Can I use Corteza for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Corteza best used for?
Corteza is most often used for a european public body that needs a case management system on servers inside its own jurisdiction with an auditable licence and no per-seat vendor fee, an ngo replacing a salesforce donation that has run out, needing to keep the data model but remove the recurring cost, an integrator building a regulated vertical application it intends to resell, requiring a permissive licence it can ship commercially, a mid-size european company that wants one platform for internal applications and a sales pipeline without paying per seat as headcount grows. Of those, a european public body that needs a case management system on servers inside its own jurisdiction with an auditable licence and no per-seat vendor fee and an ngo replacing a salesforce donation that has run out, needing to keep the data model but remove the recurring cost are not what jBPM is typically brought in for.
What can Corteza do that jBPM cannot?
Corteza covers Corteza Low Code, Automation and workflow, Bundled CRM, Federation. jBPM covers BPMN 2.0 execution, Drools integration, Human task service, Kogito compilation. Both handle Case management.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Corteza: Is Corteza the same thing as Crust?

Yes. The project was branded Crust and renamed Corteza in 2019 when Crust Technology donated it to the Commons Conservancy.

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.

Corteza: Who owns the code?

The Commons Conservancy, a Dutch foundation. Planet Crust in Cork is the primary developer and sells commercial services around it.

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.

Corteza: Is there a paid enterprise edition?

No. Corteza is Apache 2.0 with no feature gating. Planet Crust sells support, hosting and development instead of a restricted edition.

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.

Corteza: Can it genuinely replace Salesforce?

For case management and a straightforward sales pipeline on a self-hosted footprint, yes. For a large sales organisation relying on AppExchange products and a mature ecosystem, no.

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.

Share

Related pages

More on Corteza

More on jBPM

Keep looking

Other head to heads