Flowable vs Novu
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?
Flowable
Lightweight business process engine with BPMN and DMN
VS
Novu
Open-source notification infrastructure for developers
| Feature | Flowable | Novu |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Automation & Workflows | Automation & Workflows |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | Java | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 2,048 MB |
| Deployment | docker, kubernetes, bare-metal | docker, kubernetes |
| GitHub stars | ★ 9,447 | ★ 39,466 |
| First released | 2016 | 2021 |
| Replaces | Microsoft Power Automate, Camunda | Courier, Knock |
Why pick each one
Choose Novu if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Kubernetes-ready with Helm charts available
- Mature project with 39.5k GitHub stars
Frequently asked questions
Is Flowable or Novu better?
Novu 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 Flowable and Novu free and open-source?
Yes. Flowable is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Novu under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Flowable and Novu with Docker?
Flowable: yes. Novu: yes.