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Automation Integration · head to head

Flowable vs Parabola

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
Parabola logo

Parabola

Automation Integration

Visual flow automation for modern teams

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.; Parabola the Basic plan allows 1 user and 1,000 credits with limited AI
  • They diverge on capability: Flowable covers BPMN 2.0 engine, Parabola covers Visual workflow builder.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Flowable and Parabola actually diverge.

Attributes where Flowable and Parabola differ
AttributeFlowableParabola
Pricing modelquotefreemium
PlatformsLinux, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes, CloudWeb
FoundedUnknown2015

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 Parabola

  • Visual workflow builder
  • Data transformation
  • Conditional logic
  • Looping
  • Error handling
  • Monitoring
  • Scheduling
  • 300+ apps

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

Parabola

  • Workflow automation for operations and finance teamsnot Flowable
  • Data integration across 1,000+ sourcesnot Flowable
  • Automation and reporting workflowsnot 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.

Parabola

  • The Basic plan allows 1 user and 1,000 credits with limited AI
  • No price is published for either the self serve or the business tier
  • Credits are consumed when agents run, and further credits are bought pay as you go
  • Role based access control, SSO, version history and SLAs all sit on the unpriced business plan

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

Parabola

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Parabola review.

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 Parabola if

  • You need visual workflow builder.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want data transformation.
Parabola review

Questions people ask

Is Flowable or Parabola better?
Neither clearly leads. Flowable starts at Free and Parabola at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Flowable or Parabola?
Flowable starts at Free and Parabola at Free.
Does Flowable or Parabola run on more platforms?
Flowable runs on Linux, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes, Cloud. Parabola 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 Parabola is typically brought in for.
What can Flowable do that Parabola cannot?
Flowable covers BPMN 2.0 engine, CMMN case management, DMN decision tables, Spring Boot integration. Parabola covers Visual workflow builder, Data transformation, Conditional logic, Looping.

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.

Parabola: How much does Parabola cost?

Parabola does not publish specific pricing rates. The service uses a credit-based system where credits are consumed when agents run. Self-serve plans include a monthly credit allotment, and Business plans require a custom quote.

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.

Parabola: Does Parabola offer a free plan?

Yes, Parabola offers a free tier indefinitely for self-serve users with limited credits and basic features including the Prowork agent builder and pre-built integrations.

Source
Flowable: What does Flowable Enterprise cost?

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

Parabola: What features are included in Parabola's Business plan?

Business plans include all self-serve features plus automation engineer enablement, deployment support, proof of concept on production data, enterprise security with SSO, service level agreements, and a dedicated account manager.

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.

Parabola: Can I upgrade from free to Business later?

Yes, customers can start on free or self-serve plans and upgrade to Business plans at any time.

Source
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