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Automation Integration · head to head

Kogito vs Polytomic

Kogito logo

Kogito

Automation Integration

Cloud-native business automation for Quarkus, now an Apache KIE component

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Polytomic logo

Polytomic

Automation Integration

Sync your business logic with data

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Kogito kogito is a developer framework, not a product, so there is no equivalent of Camunda Operate for business users and any process monitoring interface has to be built or bought separately.; Polytomic pricing begins at $500 a month on the Standard plan
  • They diverge on capability: Kogito covers Build-time code generation, Polytomic covers No-code syncing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Kogito and Polytomic actually diverge.

Attributes where Kogito and Polytomic differ
AttributeKogitoPolytomic
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feeusage-based
PlatformsLinux, Docker, KubernetesWeb
FoundedUnknown2021

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 Kogito

  • Build-time code generation
  • Quarkus and Spring Boot support
  • DMN decision services
  • Drools rules engine
  • Serverless workflow
  • Kubernetes operator

Only in Polytomic

  • No-code syncing
  • Bidirectional sync
  • Data transformation
  • Error handling
  • Scheduling
  • Monitoring
  • Analytics
  • 100+ apps

What people use each for

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

Kogito

  • A Quarkus microservice that must expose a DMN decision model as a REST endpoint with millisecond start-upnot Polytomic
  • Serverless deployment of business rules where a traditional BPM server would be far too heavynot Polytomic
  • A Red Hat shop that wants the upstream of Red Hat process automation with the option of a supported build laternot Polytomic
  • Replacing hand-coded conditional logic with DMN tables that business analysts can review and amendnot Polytomic

Polytomic

  • Syncing data between warehouses, databases, spreadsheets and business appsnot Kogito
  • Reverse ETL from a warehouse into operational toolsnot Kogito

Where each one falls short

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

Kogito

  • Kogito is a developer framework, not a product, so there is no equivalent of Camunda Operate for business users and any process monitoring interface has to be built or bought separately.
  • Long-running stateful processes need external persistence and messaging that you configure and operate yourself, which removes much of the convenience a BPM server normally provides.
  • It sits inside the Apache KIE incubator, and incubating status means graduation is not guaranteed and the project name and artefact coordinates have already changed once.
  • Red Hat is by far the dominant contributor despite ASF stewardship, so the roadmap follows Red Hat product priorities rather than community demand.
  • Documentation is spread across legacy JBoss sites, the old Kogito site and the new Apache KIE site, and search results routinely land on outdated versions, which costs real time during adoption.

Polytomic

  • Pricing begins at $500 a month on the Standard plan
  • Neither plan publishes a full rate, sync limit or row allowance, and both direct buyers to book a call
  • SSO, on premise deployment and phone support are Enterprise only

Pricing, plan by plan

Kogito

Free
  • KogitoFree
    • Apache 2.0 licence
    • Apache KIE incubating project
    • No usage limits

Polytomic

Free
  • StarterFree
    • Limited syncs
    • Basic support
  • Professional$300/month
    • Unlimited syncs
    • Email support
  • Enterprise$1200/month
    • Advanced features
    • Dedicated support

Which should you pick?

Choose Kogito if

  • You need build-time code generation.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes.
  • You also want quarkus and spring boot support.
Kogito review

Choose Polytomic if

  • You need no-code syncing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want bidirectional sync.
Polytomic review

Questions people ask

Is Kogito or Polytomic better?
Neither clearly leads. Kogito starts at Free and Polytomic at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Kogito or Polytomic?
Kogito starts at Free and Polytomic at Free.
Does Kogito or Polytomic run on more platforms?
Kogito runs on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes. Polytomic runs on Web.
Can I use Kogito for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Kogito best used for?
Kogito is most often used for a quarkus microservice that must expose a dmn decision model as a rest endpoint with millisecond start-up, serverless deployment of business rules where a traditional bpm server would be far too heavy, a red hat shop that wants the upstream of red hat process automation with the option of a supported build later, replacing hand-coded conditional logic with dmn tables that business analysts can review and amend. Of those, a quarkus microservice that must expose a dmn decision model as a rest endpoint with millisecond start-up and serverless deployment of business rules where a traditional bpm server would be far too heavy are not what Polytomic is typically brought in for.
What can Kogito do that Polytomic cannot?
Kogito covers Build-time code generation, Quarkus and Spring Boot support, DMN decision services, Drools rules engine. Polytomic covers No-code syncing, Bidirectional sync, Data transformation, Error handling.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Kogito: Is Kogito still maintained?

Yes. It is an Apache KIE incubating project with active commits, with Red Hat as the dominant contributor.

Polytomic: What is Polytomic's minimum monthly cost?

Polytomic Standard tier starts at $500/month for sync capabilities across databases, warehouses, spreadsheets, apps, and APIs with live chat support. Custom pricing available for Enterprise tier. Source: https://www.polytomic.com/pricing

Source
Kogito: How does it differ from jBPM?

Kogito compiles process and rule definitions into application code at build time; jBPM was a runtime engine that loads definitions.

Polytomic: Does Polytomic offer on-premises deployment?

Yes. On-premises deployment is available on the Enterprise plan with custom pricing. Includes SSO, dedicated engineer support, and phone support. Source: https://www.polytomic.com/pricing

Source
Kogito: Does it need Quarkus?

It is designed for Quarkus and supports Spring Boot; both are Java frameworks rather than a standalone server.

Polytomic: What support does Polytomic Standard tier include?

Polytomic Standard tier ($500/month) includes live chat support for data synchronization questions. Enterprise tier upgrades to dedicated engineer support and phone support. Source: https://www.polytomic.com/pricing

Source
Kogito: Is there commercial support?

Not from Apache. Red Hat sells supported builds of this lineage as part of its subscriptions.

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