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Automation Integration · head to head

Flowable vs Talend

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
Talend logo

Talend

Automation Integration

Cloud data integration platform

From
On request
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.; Talend no published pricing; all customers receive customized quotes based on usage
  • They diverge on capability: Flowable covers BPMN 2.0 engine, Talend covers ETL pipelines.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Flowable and Talend actually diverge.

Attributes where Flowable and Talend differ
AttributeFlowableTalend
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelquoteusage-based
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsLinux, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes, CloudWeb, On-premise
FoundedUnknown2006

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 Talend

  • ETL pipelines
  • Data quality
  • Master data management
  • Real-time streaming
  • Cloud synchronization
  • Monitoring
  • Scheduling
  • 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 Talend
  • A bank embedding process orchestration inside an existing Spring Boot estate rather than buying a separate platformnot Talend
  • A team leaving Activiti or jBPM that wants the same API family with active commercial maintenancenot Talend
  • A regulated organisation needing complete process history and decision table audit trails for supervisorsnot Talend

Talend

  • Enterprises consolidating data integration and pipeline orchestration now under the Qlik Talend Cloud brandnot 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.

Talend

  • No published pricing; all customers receive customized quotes based on usage
  • Billing measured by combination of data volume moved, job executions, and execution duration
  • Pricing details available only through sales contact; no self-serve pricing model

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

Talend

On request
  • Starter$null/usage
    • Basic SaaS connectivity
  • Standard$null/usage
    • Real-time data movement
    • Change Data Capture (CDC)
  • Premium$null/usage
    • Transformation capabilities
    • Automation features
  • Enterprise$null/usage
    • Comprehensive quality features
    • Governance capabilities

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 Talend if

  • You need etl pipelines.
  • You work on Web, On-premise.
  • You also want data quality.
Talend review

Questions people ask

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

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.

Talend: How is Talend Cloud priced?

Talend Cloud uses a usage-based pricing model where customers subscribe to a chosen edition (Starter, Standard, Premium, or Enterprise) and pay based on capacity used. Billing is calculated as a combination of data volume moved, number of job executions, and execution duration, with no published rates.

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.

Talend: What are Talend Cloud editions?

Talend Cloud offers four editions: Starter (basic SaaS connectivity), Standard (real-time data movement and CDC), Premium (transformation and automation), and Enterprise (comprehensive quality and governance). All pricing is custom based on usage.

Source
Flowable: What does Flowable Enterprise cost?

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

Talend: Does Talend Cloud provide usage monitoring?

Yes. Talend provides a self-serve telemetry dashboard where customers can monitor usage trends and receive alerts as utilization approaches capacity limits, allowing tracking of data volume, job executions, and execution duration.

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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