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Automation Integration · head to head

Alloy Automation vs Flowable

Alloy Automation logo

Alloy Automation

Automation Integration

Embedded integration platform and unified API, repositioned from ecommerce automation towards AI agent connectivity

From
On request
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

  • Only Flowable has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Alloy Automation the company has repositioned more than once, from ecommerce workflow automation to embedded integrations and now towards AI agent connectivity, so older reviews and comparisons describe a product that no longer matches what is sold today.; 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.
  • They diverge on capability: Alloy Automation covers Embedded iPaaS, Flowable covers BPMN 2.0 engine.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Alloy Automation and Flowable actually diverge.

Attributes where Alloy Automation and Flowable differ
AttributeAlloy AutomationFlowable
Starting priceOn requestFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebLinux, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes, Cloud

Identical on both: pricing model (quote), 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 Alloy Automation

  • Embedded iPaaS
  • Unified API
  • Connectivity API
  • MCP support
  • Data transformation
  • Error handling
  • Workflow automation
  • Prebuilt connectors

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.

Alloy Automation

  • A commerce or operations SaaS whose sales cycles keep stalling on a missing integration that engineering cannot schedulenot Flowable
  • A software company that wants its customers to self-serve connections to their own systems inside its product rather than filing support requestsnot Flowable
  • A vendor exposing connected systems to an AI agent that needs governed, auditable access rather than direct credential handlingnot Flowable
  • A team replacing a growing pile of one-off connectors whose maintenance is consuming a disproportionate share of engineering timenot Flowable

Flowable

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

Where each one falls short

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

Alloy Automation

  • The company has repositioned more than once, from ecommerce workflow automation to embedded integrations and now towards AI agent connectivity, so older reviews and comparisons describe a product that no longer matches what is sold today.
  • It is routinely confused with Alloy, the identity and KYC platform, which causes real procurement and security-review confusion and means published comparisons frequently discuss the wrong company entirely.
  • Connector depth is the vendor decision, so a connector that exists may not cover the objects or write operations your feature needs, and you have limited ability to extend it yourself.
  • Embedding a third party into your customers integration experience means their uptime and their rate limits become your support tickets, with your brand on the failure.
  • Pricing is unpublished and scales with connected users, so a successful product that drives integration adoption sees this cost grow in step with its own success rather than flattening out.

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

Alloy Automation

On request
  • Alloy Embedded and Unified API$undefined/year
    • Quoted by connector count, connected user volume and product mix
    • Separate commercial terms for Embedded, Unified API and MCP offerings
    • Annual agreement typical

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 Alloy Automation if

  • You need embedded ipaas.
  • You also want unified api.
Alloy Automation 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 Alloy Automation or Flowable better?
Neither clearly leads. Alloy Automation starts at On request and Flowable at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Alloy Automation or Flowable?
Flowable has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Alloy Automation and Free for Flowable.
Does Alloy Automation or Flowable run on more platforms?
Alloy Automation runs on Web. Flowable runs on Linux, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes, Cloud.
Can I use Flowable for free?
Yes. Flowable has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Alloy Automation starts at On request.
What is Alloy Automation best used for?
Alloy Automation is most often used for a commerce or operations saas whose sales cycles keep stalling on a missing integration that engineering cannot schedule, a software company that wants its customers to self-serve connections to their own systems inside its product rather than filing support requests, a vendor exposing connected systems to an ai agent that needs governed, auditable access rather than direct credential handling, a team replacing a growing pile of one-off connectors whose maintenance is consuming a disproportionate share of engineering time. Of those, a commerce or operations saas whose sales cycles keep stalling on a missing integration that engineering cannot schedule and a software company that wants its customers to self-serve connections to their own systems inside its product rather than filing support requests are not what Flowable is typically brought in for.
What can Alloy Automation do that Flowable cannot?
Alloy Automation covers Embedded iPaaS, Unified API, Connectivity API, MCP support. Flowable covers BPMN 2.0 engine, CMMN case management, DMN decision tables, Spring Boot integration.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Alloy Automation: Is this the same as Alloy the KYC company?

No. Alloy Automation is embedded integration infrastructure. Alloy is a separate identity decisioning and KYC platform used by banks. The name collision is a common source of confusion.

Flowable: Is Flowable open source?

Yes, the BPMN, CMMN and DMN engines are Apache 2.0. The modelling studio and enterprise applications are commercial.

Alloy Automation: Is it still an ecommerce automation tool?

Not primarily. It started there, launched a unified API in 2023, and now positions as embedded integration infrastructure including MCP for AI agents.

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.

Alloy Automation: What does it cost?

Not published. Quoted by connector count, connected user volume and which of the embedded, unified API and MCP products you take.

Flowable: What does Flowable Enterprise cost?

Nothing is published. It is quoted per deployment by the vendor.

Alloy Automation: Can we self-host it?

No. It is a hosted commercial platform, unlike source-available alternatives such as Nango.

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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