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Automation Integration · head to head

Kogito vs Windmill

Kogito logo

Kogito

Automation Integration

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Windmill logo

Windmill

Automation Integration

Open-source developer platform for building scripts, workflows, and internal apps

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.; Windmill free self-hosted tier caps SSO users at 10 and workspaces at 3, requiring Enterprise for larger teams.
  • They diverge on capability: Kogito covers Build-time code generation, Windmill covers Script-to-workflow engine.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Kogito and Windmill actually diverge.

Attributes where Kogito and Windmill differ
AttributeKogitoWindmill
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feeopen-source
PlatformsLinux, Docker, Kubernetesweb, api, linux, windows, mac

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 Windmill

  • Script-to-workflow engine
  • Auto-generated UIs
  • Self-hosted deployment
  • Git sync
  • SSO support
  • Audit logs

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 Windmill
  • Serverless deployment of business rules where a traditional BPM server would be far too heavynot Windmill
  • A Red Hat shop that wants the upstream of Red Hat process automation with the option of a supported build laternot Windmill
  • Replacing hand-coded conditional logic with DMN tables that business analysts can review and amendnot Windmill

Windmill

  • Turning ad-hoc scripts into scheduled jobs and APIsnot Kogito
  • Building internal tools from existing Python/TypeScript codenot Kogito
  • Self-hosted automation for engineering teamsnot Kogito
  • Orchestrating multi-language workflowsnot 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.

Windmill

  • Free self-hosted tier caps SSO users at 10 and workspaces at 3, requiring Enterprise for larger teams.
  • Compute unit and seat-based pricing (developer vs. operator seats, worker compute units) adds pricing complexity beyond a flat monthly fee.
  • Email triggers are capped at 100/day on the free tier, limiting event-driven use cases without upgrading.
  • Smaller ecosystem of pre-built integrations compared to more established automation tools like n8n.

Pricing, plan by plan

Kogito

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

Windmill

Free
  • Free / Open-sourceFree
    • Unlimited executions
    • Self-hosted deployment
    • Max 10 users with SSO
  • Enterprise$120/month
    • Unlimited executions and workspaces
    • Uncapped SSO seats
    • 24/7 priority support (3-hour response)

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 Windmill if

  • You need script-to-workflow engine.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on web, api, linux, windows, mac.
  • You also want auto-generated uis.
Windmill review

Questions people ask

Is Kogito or Windmill better?
Neither clearly leads. Kogito starts at Free and Windmill at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Kogito or Windmill?
Kogito starts at Free and Windmill at Free.
Does Kogito or Windmill run on more platforms?
Kogito runs on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes. Windmill runs on web, api, linux, windows, mac.
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 Windmill is typically brought in for.
What can Kogito do that Windmill cannot?
Kogito covers Build-time code generation, Quarkus and Spring Boot support, DMN decision services, Drools rules engine. Windmill covers Script-to-workflow engine, Auto-generated UIs, Self-hosted deployment, Git sync.

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.

Windmill: What does Windmill cost?

Windmill's Free and Open-source edition is $0/month for self-hosted use with unlimited executions, while Enterprise starts at $120/month with unlimited workspaces and uncapped SSO seats, priced further by developer/operator seats and compute units.

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.

Windmill: Is there a free plan and what are its limits?

The free self-hosted plan supports unlimited executions but caps SSO at 10 users, workspaces at 3, groups/permissions at 4, and email triggers at 100 per day.

Source
Kogito: Does it need Quarkus?

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

Windmill: How is usage metered on Windmill Enterprise?

Enterprise usage is metered through seats (developer seats at $20/month, operator seats at $10/month) and compute units, e.g. $100/month for 2 standard-worker compute units.

Source
Kogito: Is there commercial support?

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

Windmill: What happens to a self-hosted Windmill deployment if the company shuts down?

The pricing page addresses this directly as an FAQ topic, noting that self-hosted applications built on the open-source edition can continue running independently of Windmill the company.

Source
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