Appsmith vs Flowable
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted automation & workflows options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Appsmith
Open-source low-code platform for building internal apps
VS
Flowable
Lightweight business process engine with BPMN and DMN
| Feature | Appsmith | Flowable |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Automation & Workflows | Automation & Workflows |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | Java |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 2,048 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | docker, kubernetes, helm | docker, kubernetes, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 40,605 | ★ 9,447 |
| First released | 2020 | 2016 |
| Replaces | Retool, Microsoft Power Apps | Microsoft Power Automate, Camunda |
Why pick each one
Frequently asked questions
Is Appsmith or Flowable better?
Appsmith is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider Flowable if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Appsmith and Flowable free and open-source?
Yes. Appsmith is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Flowable under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Appsmith and Flowable with Docker?
Appsmith: yes. Flowable: yes.