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Flowable alternatives: 5 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Nov 8, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rankAll business process management software

Top picks

  • Bonita logo

    Best overall

    Bonita

    Open source

  • Pipefy logo

    Best free option

    Pipefy

    Free plan + paid

Common reasons people leave Flowable: the open-source engines are developer tools with no business-user UI, and enterprise platform pricing is not published. We ranked 5 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Flowable, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Bonita currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingVerified priceOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Bonita logoBonitaOpen source—NoWindows, macOS, Linux +15 of 568.8
2Pipefy logoPipefyFree plan + paid—NoWeb, iOS, Android5 of 561.8
3Nintex logoNintexPaid—NoWeb, Self-hosted4 of 457.5
4Appian logoAppianPaid—NoWeb, iOS, Android3 of 354.4
5Kissflow logoKissflowPaid—NoWeb5 of 551.2
  1. Bonita logo

    1. BonitaTop pick

    Best for: IT teams in regulated or public-sector organisations that want self-hosted BPM they control

    Open sourceWindows, macOS, Linux, Self-hosted

    68.8

    score / 100

    Why switch from Flowable

    Open-source BPM with a desktop studio and UI builder for teams that want screens, not just an engine.

    Pros

    • Open-source edition is free with no time limit
    • Strong on-premise and self-hosted story for regulated industries
    • Desktop studio runs on Windows, macOS and Linux
    • LGPL engine with REST and Java APIs

    Cons

    • Free edition is capped at 150 process instances a month
    • Enterprise pricing is quote-only
    • Building apps in the studio needs developer skills, not just business users
    • Company rebrand to Ofelia makes the product line harder to follow
    Visit Bonita Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Bonita a good Flowable alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    Free edition limit
    150 process instances/month
    Checked Nov 8, 2026bonitasoft.com(opens source in a new tab)
    License
    LGPL-2.1
    Checked Nov 8, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Studio platforms
    Windows, macOS, Linux
    Checked Nov 8, 2026bonitasoft.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Self-hosting
    Yes
    Checked Nov 8, 2026bonitasoft.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Owner
    Ofelia (formerly Bonitasoft)
    Checked Nov 8, 2026bonitasoft.com(opens source in a new tab)
  2. Pipefy logo

    2. Pipefy

    Best for: Ops, finance and HR teams that want structured request and approval flows without IT help

    Free plan + paidWeb, iOS, Android

    61.8

    score / 100

    Why switch from Flowable

    No-code process boards that business teams can set up in an afternoon.

    Pros

    • Free Starter plan for up to 10 admins
    • Guests can submit and follow requests without counting as paid users
    • Kanban-style pipes are easy for business teams to set up
    • API, webhooks and AI agents for automating card work

    Cons

    • SSO, multi-factor enforcement and custom email domains are Enterprise-only
    • Automation and API usage is capped by plan, with add-ons needed beyond that
    • Not a full BPMN engine, so complex branching processes get awkward
    Visit Pipefy Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.377
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Pipefy a good Flowable alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    Free plan
    Starter, up to 10 admins
    Checked Nov 8, 2026help.pipefy.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Plans
    Starter, Business, Enterprise, Unlimited
    Checked Nov 8, 2026help.pipefy.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Guest users
    Not charged
    Checked Nov 8, 2026help.pipefy.com(opens source in a new tab)
    SSO
    Enterprise plan only
    Checked Nov 8, 2026help.pipefy.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Mobile apps
    Android and iOS
    Checked Nov 8, 2026help.pipefy.com(opens source in a new tab)
  3. Nintex logo

    3. Nintex

    Best for: Organisations on Microsoft 365 or Salesforce with document- and approval-heavy processes

    PaidSelf-hostableWeb, Self-hosted

    57.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from Flowable

    Low-code workflow and document automation for business teams, easier to adopt than modelling BPMN processes in Flowable.

    Pros

    • Workflows, forms, documents, e-signature and RPA in one suite
    • Self-hosted K2 option for on-premises needs
    • Deep Microsoft 365 and Salesforce integration

    Cons

    • Pricing only through sales
    • Several overlapping product lines can be confusing
    • Complex processes still need technical skills
    Visit Nintex Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.363
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Nintex a good Flowable alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Self-hosting
    Nintex Automation K2
    Checked Nov 8, 2026nintex.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Headquarters
    Bellevue, Washington
    Checked Nov 8, 2026nintex.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Salesforce
    Nintex for Salesforce
    Checked Nov 8, 2026nintex.com(opens source in a new tab)
    On-premises option
    Yes
    Checked Nov 8, 2026nintex.com(opens source in a new tab)
  4. Appian logo

    4. Appian

    Best for: Large regulated organisations automating complex, multi-step business processes

    PaidWeb, iOS, Android

    54.4

    score / 100

    Why switch from Flowable

    Managed enterprise low-code platform with process mining for companies that don't want to build on an engine.

    Pros

    • Strong process modelling and case management
    • Data fabric works across existing systems
    • Free Community Edition for learning

    Cons

    • Expensive, quote-based pricing
    • Needs trained developers
    • Overkill for simple internal tools
    Visit Appian Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.352
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Appian a good Flowable alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    Pricing model
    Per user, per month, per app
    Checked Nov 8, 2026appian.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Community Edition
    Free personal instance
    Checked Nov 8, 2026appian.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Analyst recognition
    Leader in Business Orchestration and Automation Technologies
    Checked Oct 29, 2026appian.com(opens source in a new tab)
  5. Kissflow logo

    5. Kissflow

    Best for: Enterprises digitising approval-heavy processes with business users building apps under IT governance

    PaidWeb

    51.2

    score / 100

    Why switch from Flowable

    Hosted no-code workflows and approvals when you don't need an embeddable engine at all.

    Pros

    • Business users can build form and approval apps without code
    • Central governance view of apps, owners and access for IT
    • No extra charges for AI or API usage under its contracts
    • Implementation and training help are bundled into deals

    Cons

    • No public prices or self-serve plan; every deal goes through sales
    • Fixed annual agreements make it a poor fit for small teams
    • Less flexible than code-first builders like Retool for custom UIs
    Visit Kissflow Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.341
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Kissflow a good Flowable alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    Billing
    Fixed annual agreements
    Checked Nov 8, 2026kissflow.com(opens source in a new tab)
    AI and API surcharges
    None
    Checked Nov 8, 2026kissflow.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Hosting
    Public or private cloud
    Checked Nov 8, 2026kissflow.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Apps and integrations
    Unlimited
    Checked Nov 8, 2026kissflow.com(opens source in a new tab)
    AI app building
    Prompt to working app
    Checked Nov 1, 2026kissflow.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best Flowable alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

Bonita logo

Best Flowable alternative for most people

Bonita

Open-source BPM with a desktop studio and UI builder for teams that want screens, not just an engine.

Bonita logo

Best Flowable alternative for a free option

Bonita

Open-source BPM with a desktop studio and UI builder for teams that want screens, not just an engine.

Pipefy logo

Best Flowable alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Pipefy

No-code process boards that business teams can set up in an afternoon.

Nintex logo

Best Flowable alternative for self-hosting

Nintex

Low-code workflow and document automation for business teams, easier to adopt than modelling BPMN processes in Flowable.

Bonita logo

Best Flowable alternative for Mac

Bonita

Open-source BPM with a desktop studio and UI builder for teams that want screens, not just an engine.

Bonita logo

Best Flowable alternative for Windows

Bonita

Open-source BPM with a desktop studio and UI builder for teams that want screens, not just an engine.

Bonita logo

Best Flowable alternative for Linux

Bonita

Open-source BPM with a desktop studio and UI builder for teams that want screens, not just an engine.

Appian logo

Best Flowable alternative for iPhone and Android

Appian

Managed enterprise low-code platform with process mining for companies that don't want to build on an engine.

Kissflow logo

Best Flowable alternative for working in the browser

Kissflow

Hosted no-code workflows and approvals when you don't need an embeddable engine at all.

Flowable alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Flowable?

Bonita ranks first right now. Open-source BPM with a desktop studio and UI builder for teams that want screens, not just an engine. Pipefy and Nintex follow it in our ranking.

Flowable vs Bonita: what's the difference?

Both Flowable and Bonita are free and open source. Only Flowable runs on Web. Only Bonita runs on Windows, macOS and Linux.

Is Flowable free?

Flowable is free and open source.

Is there a free alternative to Flowable?

Yes. Bonita (open source) and Pipefy (free plan + paid) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to Flowable?

None of the 5 alternatives in this list is open source.

Which Flowable alternatives work on Linux?

Bonita runs on Linux.

Why do people switch from Flowable?

The complaints we hear most: the open-source engines are developer tools with no business-user UI; enterprise platform pricing is not published; java-centric; teams on other stacks must work through the REST API.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces Flowable, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.