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Automation Integration · head to head

jBPM vs Together AI

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
Together AI logo

Together AI

AI

Open-source AI at scale

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.; Together AI free tier limits not clearly specified in pricing documentation
  • They diverge on capability: jBPM covers BPMN 2.0 execution, Together AI covers Open-source models.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which jBPM and Together AI actually diverge.

Attributes where jBPM and Together AI differ
AttributejBPMTogether AI
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feeusage-based
PlatformsLinux, Windows, Docker, KubernetesApi, Cloud
CategoryAutomation IntegrationAI
FoundedUnknown2022

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 jBPM

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

Only in Together AI

  • Open-source models
  • Fine-tuning
  • Fast inference
  • Embeddings
  • REST API
  • Python SDK
  • OpenAI compatible
  • Api support

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 Together AI
  • A team that wants BPMN processes and Drools business rules executing in one runtime without integrating two productsnot Together AI
  • A government or banking system with long-running processes needing durable timers and full audit history at no licence costnot Together AI
  • A Quarkus estate adopting Kogito to run compiled processes with container-appropriate startup timesnot Together AI

Together AI

  • LLM inference for production AI applicationsnot jBPM
  • Content generation at scalenot jBPM
  • Code execution and embeddingsnot jBPM
  • Model fine-tuning and trainingnot jBPM
  • Startup and enterprise AI deploymentnot 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.

Together AI

  • Free tier limits not clearly specified in pricing documentation
  • Pricing varies significantly by model and use case
  • Requires account setup for production access
  • Batch API discounts apply only to non-urgent workloads

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

Together AI

Free
  • Serverless Inference$0.03/1M input tokens
    • Chat and Vision models
    • Image generation
    • Video generation
  • Provisioned Throughput$21600/month
    • Up to 83% savings vs commercial alternatives
    • Reserved capacity
    • Guaranteed throughput
  • Dedicated Inference$5.49/hour
    • H100 GPU instance
    • Single-tenant deployment
    • No resource sharing
  • GPU Clusters$3.99/GPU-hour
    • On-demand capacity
    • Volume discounts available
    • Reserved options with up to 35% savings

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 Together AI if

  • You need open-source models.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Api, Cloud.
  • You also want fine-tuning.
Together AI review

Questions people ask

Is jBPM or Together AI better?
Neither clearly leads. jBPM starts at Free and Together AI at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, jBPM or Together AI?
jBPM starts at Free and Together AI at Free.
Does jBPM or Together AI run on more platforms?
jBPM runs on Linux, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes. Together AI runs on Api, Cloud.
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 Together AI is typically brought in for.
What can jBPM do that Together AI cannot?
jBPM covers BPMN 2.0 execution, Drools integration, Human task service, Kogito compilation. Together AI covers Open-source models, Fine-tuning, Fast inference, Embeddings.

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.

Together AI: Does Together AI offer a free tier?

Yes, Together AI advertises 'Start for free, scale on demand,' but specific free tier usage limits are not detailed on the pricing page.

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.

Together AI: What are Together AI's highest model prices?

Serverless inference pricing ranges from free for base models up to $4.40 per 1M input tokens for premium models. Video generation costs $0.14 to $3.20 per video depending on resolution.

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.

Together AI: How much can I save with Provisioned Throughput?

Together AI offers up to 83% savings compared to commercial alternatives when using their Provisioned Throughput option with reserved capacity.

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.

Together AI: What is Together AI's fine-tuning pricing?

Standard fine-tuning costs $0.48 to $2.90 per 1M tokens depending on model size, with a minimum charge of $4.00 per job.

Source
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