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Automation Integration · head to head

jBPM vs Tines

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
Tines logo

Tines

Automation Integration

No-code automation for security teams

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: 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.; Tines no-code, UI-driven approach is restrictive for complex logic and version control integration with SDLC
  • They diverge on capability: jBPM covers BPMN 2.0 execution, Tines covers Story builder.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which jBPM and Tines actually diverge.

Attributes where jBPM and Tines differ
AttributejBPMTines
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feeUnknown
PlatformsLinux, Windows, Docker, KubernetesWeb
FoundedUnknown2018

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 jBPM

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

Only in Tines

  • Story builder
  • Drag-and-drop workflows
  • Event triggers
  • Incident response automation
  • Threat intelligence
  • Alert triage
  • Slack
  • Jira

Both cover

  • Case management

What people use each for

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

jBPM

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

Tines

  • Workflow Automationnot jBPM
  • Data Integrationnot jBPM
  • Process Automationnot jBPM
  • App Integrationnot jBPM
  • API Connectivitynot jBPM

Where each one falls short

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

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.

Tines

  • No-code, UI-driven approach is restrictive for complex logic and version control integration with SDLC
  • No native log intelligence layer to validate data completeness
  • Limited scope to security workloads, cannot handle general business automation
  • Governance features lag behind EU AI Act compliance requirements

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Tines

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Tines review.

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Tines if

  • You need story builder.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want drag-and-drop workflows.
Tines review

Questions people ask

Is jBPM or Tines better?
Neither clearly leads. jBPM starts at Free and Tines at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, jBPM or Tines?
jBPM starts at Free and Tines at Free.
Does jBPM or Tines run on more platforms?
jBPM runs on Linux, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes. Tines runs on Web.
Can I use jBPM for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is jBPM best used for?
jBPM is most often used for a java organisation already running jbpm 7 that needs to decide between the apache kie line, kogito or migration away, a team that wants bpmn processes and drools business rules executing in one runtime without integrating two products, a government or banking system with long-running processes needing durable timers and full audit history at no licence cost, a quarkus estate adopting kogito to run compiled processes with container-appropriate startup times. Of those, a java organisation already running jbpm 7 that needs to decide between the apache kie line, kogito or migration away and a team that wants bpmn processes and drools business rules executing in one runtime without integrating two products are not what Tines is typically brought in for.
What can jBPM do that Tines cannot?
jBPM covers BPMN 2.0 execution, Drools integration, Human task service, Kogito compilation. Tines covers Story builder, Drag-and-drop workflows, Event triggers, Incident response automation. Both handle Case management.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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.

Tines: What are Tines' pricing tiers?

Tines offers a free Community Edition for evaluation, Starter Edition at $500/month with annual billing, and Business/Enterprise tiers starting around $50,000/year for small security teams and scaling to $200,000+ for large SOCs.

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.

Tines: What is the Community Edition limited to?

As of July 2026, the free Community Edition is scoped to 1 builder and 3 flows as an evaluation tool to test Tines' capabilities.

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.

Tines: Is Tines limited to security automation?

Yes, Tines is purpose-built for security automation. Teams needing non-security automation on the same orchestration layer would need to evaluate alternatives.

Source
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.

Tines: Does Tines have native log intelligence capabilities?

No, Tines lacks a native log intelligence layer, meaning it cannot determine whether the data feeding your detection tools is complete. Teams must build automation against whatever alerts their existing infrastructure provides.

Source
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