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Automation Integration · head to head

Flowable vs Informatica

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
Informatica logo

Informatica

Automation Integration

The enterprise data management leader

From
$3000/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Flowable has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • 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.; Informatica no dollar figure is published for any service, and every route ends at a quote request
  • They diverge on capability: Flowable covers BPMN 2.0 engine, Informatica covers Data integration.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Flowable and Informatica actually diverge.

Attributes where Flowable and Informatica differ
AttributeFlowableInformatica
Starting priceFree$3000/month
Pricing modelquotesubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsLinux, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes, CloudWeb, On-premise
FoundedUnknown1993

Identical on both: 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 Informatica

  • Data integration
  • Master data management
  • Data quality
  • Data governance
  • Real-time sync
  • Monitoring
  • Analytics
  • 1000+ connectors

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

Informatica

  • Enterprise data integration and ETL across cloud and on premise systemsnot Flowable
  • Master data management and data quality at organisation scalenot 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.

Informatica

  • No dollar figure is published for any service, and every route ends at a quote request
  • Consumption is measured in Informatica Processing Units, calculated per scaler across agent usage, ingestion volume and other inputs, so the unit itself is composite and hard to forecast
  • Master data management is billed separately on a per domain records basis
  • The pricing page presents ROI statistics rather than 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

Informatica

$3000/month
  • Starter$3000/month
    • Basic data integration
  • Professional$8000/month
    • Advanced features
    • Priority support
  • Enterprise$20000/month
    • Custom solutions
    • Dedicated support

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 Informatica if

  • You need data integration.
  • You work on Web, On-premise.
  • You also want master data management.
Informatica review

Questions people ask

Is Flowable or Informatica better?
Neither clearly leads. Flowable starts at Free and Informatica at $3000/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Flowable or Informatica?
Flowable has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Flowable and $3000/month for Informatica.
Does Flowable or Informatica run on more platforms?
Flowable runs on Linux, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes, Cloud. Informatica runs on Web, On-premise.
Can I use Flowable for free?
Yes. Flowable has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Informatica starts at $3000/month.
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 Informatica is typically brought in for.
What can Flowable do that Informatica cannot?
Flowable covers BPMN 2.0 engine, CMMN case management, DMN decision tables, Spring Boot integration. Informatica covers Data integration, Master data management, Data quality, Data governance.

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.

Informatica: How much does Informatica cost?

Informatica uses consumption-based, volume-based pricing through Informatica Processing Units (IPUs). Customers pay for what they use with automatic scaling capability. Specific pricing is not published; customers must request a personalized demo or contact sales for quotes.

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.

Informatica: How is Informatica pricing calculated?

IPU consumption is calculated per scaler based on usage including Secure Agent, CDI-e, and Data Mass Ingestion volume. The platform includes a built-in dashboard that automatically tracks usage and provides real-time visibility with consumption threshold alerts.

Source
Flowable: What does Flowable Enterprise cost?

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

Informatica: Can I scale Informatica services without long-term commitment?

Yes, Informatica allows customers to swap services as needed and access new eligible services automatically upon release, paying only for required services at any given time. Specific pricing for different configurations requires contacting sales.

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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