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Automation Integration · head to head

Dify vs Flowable

Dify logo

Dify

Automation Integration

The Platform for Production-Ready Agentic Workflows

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: Dify free tier limited to 200 monthly message credits; 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 Dify and Flowable actually diverge.

Attributes where Dify and Flowable differ
AttributeDifyFlowable
Pricing modelfreemiumquote
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 Dify

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.

Dify

  • AI workflow automationnot Flowable
  • Custom application deploymentnot Flowable

Flowable

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

Where each one falls short

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

Dify

  • Free tier limited to 200 monthly message credits
  • Professional tier supports only 3 team members

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

Dify

Free
  • SandboxFree
    • 200 monthly message credits
    • 1 workspace
    • 5 apps
  • Professional$590/year
    • 5,000 monthly message credits
    • 3 team members
    • 50 apps
  • Team$1590/year
    • 10,000 monthly message credits
    • 50 team members
    • 200 apps

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 Dify if

  • You want to start without paying.
Dify 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 Dify or Flowable better?
Neither clearly leads. Dify 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, Dify or Flowable?
Dify starts at Free and Flowable at Free.
Does Dify or Flowable run on more platforms?
Dify runs on Web. Flowable runs on Linux, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes, Cloud.
Can I use Dify for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Dify best used for?
Dify is most often used for ai workflow automation, custom application deployment. Of those, ai workflow automation and custom application deployment are not what Flowable is typically brought in for.
What can Dify 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

Dify: How much does Dify cost?

Dify Cloud offers a free Sandbox tier, Professional at $590/year with 5,000 monthly credits, and Team at $1,590/year with 10,000 monthly credits.

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.

Dify: Is Dify free to use?

Yes, Dify offers a free Sandbox tier with 200 monthly message credits, 1 workspace, 5 apps, and 50MB storage. Community edition is free and open-source.

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.

Dify: What are Dify's team collaboration limits?

Professional tier supports 3 team members. Team tier supports 50 team members. Enterprise plans with custom team sizes require contacting sales.

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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