Softwr

Automation Integration · head to head

Hevo Data vs jBPM

Hevo Data logo

Hevo Data

Automation Integration

The easiest way to move data reliably

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
jBPM logo

jBPM

Automation Integration

Long-running Java BPMN engine, now developed inside Apache KIE with commercial support from IBM

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Hevo Data billed on events ingested rather than on connectors or seats, so the bill tracks how chatty the sources are; jBPM the project moved to the Apache Software Foundation as Apache KIE and is still in incubation, which is a weaker governance signal than a vendor-owned product and a harder case to make to an architecture board.
  • They diverge on capability: Hevo Data covers No-code pipeline builder, jBPM covers BPMN 2.0 execution.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Hevo Data and jBPM differ
AttributeHevo DatajBPM
Pricing modelusage-basedOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsWeb, CloudLinux, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes
Founded2016Unknown

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 Hevo Data

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

Only in jBPM

  • BPMN 2.0 execution
  • Drools integration
  • Human task service
  • Kogito compilation
  • Process designer
  • Timers and signals
  • REST and Java APIs
  • Case management

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Hevo Data

  • Data pipeline and ETL managementnot jBPM
  • Cloud data integrationnot jBPM

jBPM

  • A Java organisation already running jBPM 7 that needs to decide between the Apache KIE line, Kogito or migration awaynot Hevo Data
  • A team that wants BPMN processes and Drools business rules executing in one runtime without integrating two productsnot Hevo Data
  • A government or banking system with long-running processes needing durable timers and full audit history at no licence costnot Hevo Data
  • A Quarkus estate adopting Kogito to run compiled processes with container-appropriate startup timesnot Hevo Data

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

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

jBPM

  • The project moved to the Apache Software Foundation as Apache KIE and is still in incubation, which is a weaker governance signal than a vendor-owned product and a harder case to make to an architecture board.
  • The classic jBPM 7.x line has not had a Red Hat-sponsored release since 2023, so staying on it means running effectively frozen software while the development happens under a different name.
  • Kogito is architecturally different from the classic runtime, using ahead-of-time compilation, so moving forward is a migration project rather than a version upgrade.
  • Commercial support has shifted to IBM Business Automation Manager Open Editions, which means renegotiating with a different vendor under different terms than Red Hat customers signed.
  • The tooling and workbench have long been the weakest part, and organisations routinely build their own process administration interfaces because the shipped ones are dated.

Pricing, plan by plan

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

jBPM

Free
  • jBPMFree
    • Apache 2.0 licence with no usage restrictions
    • Full BPMN engine, human tasks and Drools integration
    • Community support via Apache KIE mailing lists

Which should you pick?

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

Choose jBPM if

  • You need bpmn 2.0 execution.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes.
  • You also want drools integration.
jBPM review

Questions people ask

Is Hevo Data or jBPM better?
Neither clearly leads. Hevo Data starts at Free and jBPM at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Hevo Data or jBPM?
Hevo Data starts at Free and jBPM at Free.
Does Hevo Data or jBPM run on more platforms?
Hevo Data runs on Web, Cloud. jBPM runs on Linux, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes.
Can I use Hevo Data for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Hevo Data best used for?
Hevo Data is most often used for data pipeline and etl management, cloud data integration. Of those, data pipeline and etl management and cloud data integration are not what jBPM is typically brought in for.
What can Hevo Data do that jBPM cannot?
Hevo Data covers No-code pipeline builder, Real-time sync, Data validation, Error handling. jBPM covers BPMN 2.0 execution, Drools integration, Human task service, Kogito compilation.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
jBPM: Is jBPM dead?

No. Development continues as part of Apache KIE, with releases through 2025, but the Red Hat-sponsored 7.x line has been static since 2023.

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
jBPM: Who provides commercial support?

IBM, through Business Automation Manager Open Editions, following the transition away from Red Hat Process Automation Manager as a growth product.

Hevo Data: Does Hevo Data offer annual discounts?

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

Source
jBPM: What is Kogito?

The cloud-native successor that compiles processes ahead of time for Quarkus and Spring Boot, architecturally different from the classic jBPM runtime.

jBPM: Does it cost anything?

No. It is Apache 2.0 licensed with no fee. Costs are support contracts and the engineering effort to run it.

Share

Related pages

More on Hevo Data

More on jBPM

Keep looking

Other head to heads