The Flowable Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Flowable in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Flowable
The Insider’s Guide
Case and process platform with governed AI agents, on open standards
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among automation tools, read from Flowable’s own pages.
Made by Flowable · checked Nov 13, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Flowable’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Flowable’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 13, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.0
GPA, above 26 of the 134 other automation tools we grade
Flowable is a platform for running business processes and cases, aimed at regulated industries such as banking, insurance and government. It is built on open-source BPMN, CMMN and DMN engines and adds policy controls, an audit trail and AI agents that work alongside people. The engines can be downloaded; the enterprise platform has no published price.
To get you started, here are 7 things to know about Flowable, taken from its own pages and our grades.
The site publishes no prices, its trial page said it was offline for upgrades, and building on it takes a Java team.
- 1
Best for BPMN and case engines for Java teams
Flowable is a set of open-source engines for BPMN, CMMN and DMN, with a paid platform for case work on top.
- 2
It runs on Web
Web.
- 3
Process, case and rules engines
Open-source engines execute BPMN processes, CMMN cases and DMN decisions, and expose Java and REST APIs for application code.
- 4
Governed AI agents
Agents run inside policy-bound workflows, with capability limits enforced at runtime and people involved for sign-off where it matters.
- 5
Audit trail and observability
Every decision and action is logged so it can be traced, and agents are monitored in real time.
- 6
A 2.0 GPA, above 26 of 134
That is against the other automation tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 7
Keep it
To replace Flowable you would be making connections to other products, each kept working as those products change. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Flowable at a glance
- Pricing
- Paid
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- Flowable
- Category
- Automation
- Our grade
- 2.0 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for BPMN and case engines for Java teams
Flowable is a set of open-source engines for BPMN, CMMN and DMN, with a paid platform for case work on top. The site publishes no prices, its trial page said it was offline for upgrades, and building on it takes a Java team.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | No price on record, so we can't place it. The open-source engines are free and the platform is a separate commercial product. |
| Free plan and trial | B | The open-source engines and Flowable Design are free to use. The trial page said it was offline for upgrades. |
| Features | C | BPMN, CMMN and DMN for audited case work. The Agentic Case Platform is a separate paid product. |
| Ease of use | D | No store rating on record. It's built by Java developers, with Spring as the listed integration. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Web only on the listing, with Spring as the one named integration. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Flowable is for
- Fits if you have Java developers who need an embeddable process engine
- Makes sense if you're a bank, insurer or agency running audited case-based work
Who it is not for
- Skip it if nobody on your team writes Java
- Not for you if you need a published price, because the site gives no plan list
- Watch out: the free trial page said it was offline for upgrades
- Tight if you want the case platform for free, as that is a separate commercial product
Good to know
Good for
- Banks, insurers and public agencies automating audited, case-based work
- Java development teams that want an embeddable open-source BPMN engine
- Enterprises that want BPMN, CMMN and DMN standards rather than a proprietary format
Worth knowing
- No prices are published for the platform, and the site gives no plan list.
- A free trial is advertised on the homepage, but the trial page currently says it is offline for upgrades.
- The open-source engines and Flowable Design are free to use; the Agentic Case Platform is a separate commercial product.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
Flowable's current pricing could not be confirmed from its own site.
No price on record, so we can't place it.
We could not confirm Flowable’s current prices from its own site, so this guide lists no plans. flowable.com has them.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
Case and process platform with governed AI agents, on open standards. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, workflow automation, AI agents, diagrams, case management.
BPMN, CMMN and DMN for audited case work.
- Process, case and rules engines
- Open-source engines execute BPMN processes, CMMN cases and DMN decisions, and expose Java and REST APIs for application code.
- Governed AI agents
- Agents run inside policy-bound workflows, with capability limits enforced at runtime and people involved for sign-off where it matters.
- Audit trail and observability
- Every decision and action is logged so it can be traced, and agents are monitored in real time.
- Case management
- Long-running cases support dynamic routing and escalation, aimed at exceptions that fixed process flows handle poorly.
- Low-code application building
- Drag-and-drop design with expression builders, database and REST integrations, content management and fine-grained permissions.
- Embedded or hosted engines
- The engines can run embedded in a Java application, with Spring, or as a service on a server, cluster or cloud.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
- Spring
Flowable is made by Flowable.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
26/134
Other automation tools it is graded above
Flowable's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 26 of the 134 other automation tools we grade, and level with 27.
It stands best on free plan and trial (B, above 100 of 134) and worst on ease of use (D, above 0).
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 135 automation tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Flowable’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 22 of 134
- BFree plan and trialAbove 100 of 134
- CFeaturesAbove 2 of 134
- DEase of useAbove 0 of 134
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 8 of 134
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace Flowable you would be making connections to other products, each kept working as those products change. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 81 of the 134 other automation tools grade higher. Flowable is open source, so there is a third way: take its code and run it yourself.
What you could make
- Case management: an app builder makes this well.
What you could not
- Connections to other products, each kept working as those products change.
- An AI agent, with the models and the safeguards behind it.
- A diagram editor.
- What a company asks for before it lets staff use something: roles and permissions.
What this rests on. Flowable’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Camunda, Bizagi, Appian, Pega and Kissflow
The 5 tools Flowable is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.2GPA
Camunda
Free plan
BPMN process orchestration, self-hosted or as a cloud service.
- Camunda has a free plan. Flowable does not.
- Flowable is open source, according to its own site.
- Camunda is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- 2.2GPA
Bizagi
Paid
Process automation and low-code platform for large enterprises.
- Flowable is open source, according to its own site.
- Bizagi also covers app builder and no-code.
- 2.0GPA
Appian
Free plan
Low-code process automation platform for large enterprises.
- Appian has a free plan. Flowable does not.
- Flowable is open source, according to its own site.
- Flowable also covers diagrams.
- 2.0GPA
Pega
Free trial
Enterprise workflow, decisioning and AI agent platform.
- Flowable is open source, according to its own site.
- Flowable also covers diagrams.
- Pega also covers no-code.
- 1.6GPA
Kissflow
Paid
Enterprise low-code platform for workflows, apps and portals.
- Flowable is open source, according to its own site.
- Flowable also covers AI agents, diagrams and case management.
- Kissflow also covers app builder, no-code and forms.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
10
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Flowable free?
No. Flowable is a paid product.
What platforms does Flowable work on?
Flowable is available on Web.
Does Flowable have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Flowable is listed for Web.
Does Flowable have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Flowable is listed for Web.
Is Flowable open source?
Yes. Flowable is open source, according to its own site.
What does Flowable integrate with?
Flowable's listing names Spring. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Who makes Flowable?
Flowable is made by a company of the same name.
What are the alternatives to Flowable?
The closest alternatives to Flowable in our directory are Camunda, Bizagi, Appian, Pega and Kissflow.
How does Flowable compare with other automation tools?
Flowable's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 26 of the 134 other automation tools we grade, and level with 27.
Could I make my own version of Flowable?
To replace Flowable you would be making connections to other products, each kept working as those products change.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Flowable’s own pages on Nov 13, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Flowable's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Flowable. Prices change, so check flowable.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Flowable, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/flowable
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Flowable: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/flowable
Know someone choosing between automation tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/flowable/guide
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See our other guides
The best-graded automation tools after Flowable, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Automation Insider's GuideEvery one of the 135 automation tools we grade, compared
- Knime Insider's GuideOpen-source visual workflows for data analysis and automation3.2 GPA
- IFTTT Insider's GuideSimple trigger-and-action automations for apps and smart devices3.0 GPA
- Node-RED Insider's GuideOpen-source, flow-based programming tool for event-driven apps3.0 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Flowable’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Flowable is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Flowable. Prices and plans change: check flowable.com before you buy.