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Automation Integration · head to head

Flowable vs Hevo Data

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
Hevo Data logo

Hevo Data

Automation Integration

The easiest way to move data reliably

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.; Hevo Data billed on events ingested rather than on connectors or seats, so the bill tracks how chatty the sources are
  • They diverge on capability: Flowable covers BPMN 2.0 engine, Hevo Data covers No-code pipeline builder.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Flowable and Hevo Data actually diverge.

Attributes where Flowable and Hevo Data differ
AttributeFlowableHevo Data
Pricing modelquoteusage-based
PlatformsLinux, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes, CloudWeb, Cloud
FoundedUnknown2016

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 Hevo Data

  • No-code pipeline builder
  • Real-time sync
  • Data validation
  • Error handling
  • Monitoring
  • Data transformation
  • Scheduling
  • 150+ sources

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 Hevo Data
  • A bank embedding process orchestration inside an existing Spring Boot estate rather than buying a separate platformnot Hevo Data
  • A team leaving Activiti or jBPM that wants the same API family with active commercial maintenancenot Hevo Data
  • A regulated organisation needing complete process history and decision table audit trails for supervisorsnot Hevo Data

Hevo Data

  • Data pipeline and ETL managementnot Flowable
  • Cloud data integrationnot 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.

Hevo Data

  • Billed on events ingested rather than on connectors or seats, so the bill tracks how chatty the sources are
  • The free plan allows 1M events a month and the Starter plan starts at $265 a month billed annually
  • Event volume is a priced tier inside each plan, at 5M, 20M or 50M on Starter
  • Usage above the plan quota is charged as on demand on top of the subscription, and the overage rate is not published anywhere on the pricing page
  • Paying monthly rather than annually raises Starter from $265 to $299

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

Hevo Data

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 1M events/month
    • 1-hour scheduling
    • Up to 5 users
  • Starter$265/month
    • 5M-20M events/month options
    • Up to 10 users
    • 150+ connectors
  • Professional$750/month
    • 20M-100M events/month options
    • Unlimited users
    • Hevo APIs
  • Business Critical$null/month
    • Custom quote required
    • Streaming pipelines
    • Role-based access control

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 Hevo Data if

  • You need no-code pipeline builder.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Cloud.
  • You also want real-time sync.
Hevo Data review

Questions people ask

Is Flowable or Hevo Data better?
Neither clearly leads. Flowable starts at Free and Hevo Data at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Flowable or Hevo Data?
Flowable starts at Free and Hevo Data at Free.
Does Flowable or Hevo Data run on more platforms?
Flowable runs on Linux, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes, Cloud. Hevo Data runs on Web, Cloud.
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 Hevo Data is typically brought in for.
What can Flowable do that Hevo Data cannot?
Flowable covers BPMN 2.0 engine, CMMN case management, DMN decision tables, Spring Boot integration. Hevo Data covers No-code pipeline builder, Real-time sync, Data validation, Error handling.

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.

Hevo Data: How much does Hevo Data cost?

Hevo Data offers a free plan (up to 1M events/month) and paid plans starting at $265/month (Starter for 5M-20M events/month) up to $750/month (Professional for 20M-100M events/month).

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.

Hevo Data: How are Hevo Data events counted?

Each record inserted, updated, or deleted in the destination counts as one event toward the monthly quota.

Source
Flowable: What does Flowable Enterprise cost?

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

Hevo Data: Does Hevo Data offer annual discounts?

Yes, Hevo Data offers 12% discount for annual billing on all paid plans.

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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