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Automation Integration · head to head

Flowable vs Flowise

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
Flowise logo

Flowise

Automation Integration

Build AI Agents, Visually

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: 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.; Flowise enterprise tier requires custom pricing with no published rates
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Flowable and Flowise actually diverge.

Attributes where Flowable and Flowise differ
AttributeFlowableFlowise
Pricing modelquotefreemium
PlatformsLinux, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes, CloudWeb

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 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

Only in Flowise

Nothing recorded that Flowable does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

Flowable

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

Flowise

  • Building multi-agent systems with orchestrated workflowsnot Flowable
  • Creating chatbots that retrieve knowledge from uploaded documentsnot Flowable
  • Implementing human-in-the-loop approval for AI agent decisionsnot Flowable
  • Deploying conversational AI without writing backend codenot Flowable

Where each one falls short

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

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.

Flowise

  • Enterprise tier requires custom pricing with no published rates

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Flowise

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 2 Flows & Assistants
    • 100 predictions per month
    • 5 MB storage
  • Starter$35/month
    • Unlimited flows & assistants
    • 10,000 predictions per month
    • 1 GB storage
  • Pro$65/month
    • 50,000 predictions per month
    • 10 GB storage
    • Unlimited workspaces

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Flowise if

  • You want to start without paying.
Flowise review

Questions people ask

Is Flowable or Flowise better?
Neither clearly leads. Flowable starts at Free and Flowise at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Flowable or Flowise?
Flowable starts at Free and Flowise at Free.
Does Flowable or Flowise run on more platforms?
Flowable runs on Linux, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes, Cloud. Flowise runs on Web.
Can I use Flowable for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Flowable best used for?
Flowable is most often used for an insurer automating claims handling where each case follows a different path and bpmn alone cannot express it, a bank embedding process orchestration inside an existing spring boot estate rather than buying a separate platform, a team leaving activiti or jbpm that wants the same api family with active commercial maintenance, a regulated organisation needing complete process history and decision table audit trails for supervisors. Of those, an insurer automating claims handling where each case follows a different path and bpmn alone cannot express it and a bank embedding process orchestration inside an existing spring boot estate rather than buying a separate platform are not what Flowise is typically brought in for.
What can Flowable do that Flowise cannot?
Flowable covers BPMN 2.0 engine, CMMN case management, DMN decision tables, Spring Boot integration.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Flowable: Is Flowable open source?

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

Flowise: Does Flowise have a free tier?

Yes, Flowise offers a free plan with 2 flows and assistants, 100 predictions per month, 5 MB storage, and community support.

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.

Flowise: What is Flowise's Starter plan pricing?

The Starter plan costs $35 per month (first month free) and includes unlimited flows and assistants, 10,000 predictions per month, and 1 GB storage.

Source
Flowable: What does Flowable Enterprise cost?

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

Flowise: How does Flowise charge for additional users?

Additional users on the Pro plan cost $15 per user per month. The Pro plan supports 5+ users with this per-user add-on pricing.

Source
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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