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Automation Integration · head to head

Flowable vs MuleSoft

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
MuleSoft logo

MuleSoft

Automation Integration

Integration platform as a service (iPaaS) with robust API management

From
$1500/monthly
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.; MuleSoft pricing for MuleSoft solutions not published on vendor website; enterprise integration platform requires custom quote
  • They diverge on capability: Flowable covers BPMN 2.0 engine, MuleSoft covers API Gateway.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Flowable and MuleSoft actually diverge.

Attributes where Flowable and MuleSoft differ
AttributeFlowableMuleSoft
Starting priceFree$1500/monthly
Pricing modelquotesubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsLinux, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes, CloudCloud, On-premises, Hybrid
FoundedUnknown1999

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 MuleSoft

  • API Gateway
  • API Design
  • Integration Platform
  • Salesforce
  • SAP
  • Oracle
  • AWS
  • ServiceNow

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

MuleSoft

  • AI agent orchestration and governance across multiple LLM platformsnot Flowable
  • API management and gateway control from development through productionnot Flowable
  • Integration middleware for legacy systems and cloud applicationsnot Flowable
  • Multi-agent ecosystem discovery and centralized agent registrynot Flowable
  • Compliance and security monitoring across API, agent, and data interactionsnot 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.

MuleSoft

  • Pricing for MuleSoft solutions not published on vendor website; enterprise integration platform requires custom quote

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

MuleSoft

$1500/monthly
  • Starter$1500/monthly
    • API gateway
    • Design center
    • Basic integration
  • Professional$3500/monthly
    • Advanced integration
    • Analytics
    • Team collaboration
  • Enterprise$undefined/monthly
    • Full Anypoint platform
    • Custom SLA
    • Advanced security

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 MuleSoft if

  • You need api gateway.
  • You work on Cloud, On-premises, Hybrid.
  • You also want api design.
MuleSoft review

Questions people ask

Is Flowable or MuleSoft better?
Neither clearly leads. Flowable starts at Free and MuleSoft at $1500/monthly, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Flowable or MuleSoft?
Flowable has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Flowable and $1500/monthly for MuleSoft.
Does Flowable or MuleSoft run on more platforms?
Flowable runs on Linux, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes, Cloud. MuleSoft runs on Cloud, On-premises, Hybrid.
Can I use Flowable for free?
Yes. Flowable has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. MuleSoft starts at $1500/monthly.
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 MuleSoft is typically brought in for.
What can Flowable do that MuleSoft cannot?
Flowable covers BPMN 2.0 engine, CMMN case management, DMN decision tables, Spring Boot integration. MuleSoft covers API Gateway, API Design, Integration Platform, Salesforce.

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.

MuleSoft: What does MuleSoft cost?

MuleSoft does not publish pricing on its website. The vendor markets its Anypoint Platform to enterprises with custom licensing 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.

MuleSoft: How much does the MuleSoft Anypoint Platform cost per user?

MuleSoft does not disclose per-user, per-month, or per-API pricing on its website. Licensing models vary by customer requirements and deployment size.

Source
Flowable: What does Flowable Enterprise cost?

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

MuleSoft: Does MuleSoft offer a free trial?

MuleSoft encourages users to watch demos or contact sales to explore the platform. No free trial offer is mentioned on the website.

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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