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APIs · head to head

Hoppscotch vs jBPM

Hoppscotch logo

Hoppscotch

APIs

Open-source API development ecosystem with web-based REST client

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: Hoppscotch open-source project with no published commercial support plans or pricing; 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: Hoppscotch covers REST Client, 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 Hoppscotch and jBPM actually diverge.

Attributes where Hoppscotch and jBPM differ
AttributeHoppscotchjBPM
Pricing modelfreemiumOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsWeb, Desktop, Self-hostedLinux, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes
CategoryAPIsAutomation Integration
Founded2019Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Hoppscotch

  • REST Client
  • WebSocket
  • gRPC Client
  • GitHub
  • Documentation tools
  • CI/CD
  • Web support
  • Desktop support

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.

Hoppscotch

  • API Developmentnot jBPM
  • API Gatewaynot jBPM
  • API Testingnot jBPM
  • API Documentationnot jBPM
  • Microservicesnot jBPM

jBPM

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

Where each one falls short

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

Hoppscotch

  • Open-source project with no published commercial support plans or pricing
  • No official enterprise tier or SLA information disclosed

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

Hoppscotch

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Full REST client
    • WebSocket support
    • Community
  • Teams$8/monthly
    • Team collaboration
    • Cloud sync
    • Priority support

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 Hoppscotch if

  • You need rest client.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Desktop, Self-hosted.
  • You also want websocket.
Hoppscotch 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 Hoppscotch or jBPM better?
Neither clearly leads. Hoppscotch 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, Hoppscotch or jBPM?
Hoppscotch starts at Free and jBPM at Free.
Does Hoppscotch or jBPM run on more platforms?
Hoppscotch runs on Web, Desktop, Self-hosted. jBPM runs on Linux, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes.
Can I use Hoppscotch for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Hoppscotch best used for?
Hoppscotch is most often used for api development, api gateway, api testing, api documentation. Of those, api development and api gateway are not what jBPM is typically brought in for.
What can Hoppscotch do that jBPM cannot?
Hoppscotch covers REST Client, WebSocket, gRPC Client, GitHub. jBPM covers BPMN 2.0 execution, Drools integration, Human task service, Kogito compilation.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Hoppscotch: Is Hoppscotch free to use for API development?

Yes, Hoppscotch is a completely free, open-source API development ecosystem. There are no subscription fees, license costs, or registration requirements to access the core platform.

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.

Hoppscotch: Can I deploy Hoppscotch on my own infrastructure?

As an open-source project, Hoppscotch can be self-hosted and deployed on your own infrastructure. The source code is available for customization and deployment in private environments.

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.

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.

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