Suggestions appear as you type. Use the up and down arrows to choose one and Enter to open it.

This page's audience our own tag's counts — open to see them
–Visits
–Page views
–Clicks to vendors
–Time on page
–Reading now
Clicks to vendors, by tool
  • –
Top countries
  • –
Devices
  • –

– · visits, page views and clicks counted by our own tag, which counts more than our checked analytics; every figure rounded down · how we count

Head-to-head · Process Orchestration Software

AWS Step Functions vs Flowable

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 1 check side by side
Higher score AWS Step Functions #1 in Process Orchestration Software 9.2/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 4 features Visit site
Flowable #4 in Process Orchestration Software 8.8/10 Free plan · 30-day trial Free planFree trial✓ 0 of 4 features Visit Flowable

AWS Step Functions leads on 0 checks, Flowable on 0, and 1 is even. Who comes out ahead on the 1 yes/no, price and count check where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreAWS Step Functions · 9.2/10
  • Free planboth
  • Free trialonly Flowable

AWS Step Functions scores higher on our rubric for process orchestration software: 9.2 against 8.8 out of 10; our editors rank them #1 and #4.

AWS Step Functions is the better fit for AWS-native serverless workflow orchestration. Flowable is the better fit for open-source BPMN, case, and decision orchestration.

  • AWS Step Functions fits best

    AWS-native serverless workflow orchestration

  • Flowable fits best

    Open-source BPMN, case, and decision orchestration

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature AWS Step Functions 9.2/10 Visit ↗ Flowable 8.8/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.2 8.8
Ranking #1 in Process Orchestration Software #4 in Process Orchestration Software
Best for AWS-native serverless workflow orchestration Open-source BPMN, case, and decision orchestration
Pricing model Free plan + paid Free plan + paid
Starting price $1/unit usage-based —
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial — 30 days
Deployment Cloud Cloud, Self-hosted
Platforms Web Web
Support Docs Tickets, Community, Docs
Integrations 220+ integrations 30+ integrations
Built for Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Mid-market, Enterprise
Features AWS Step Functions 0/4 · Flowable 0/4
Human tasks & approvals Not checked yet Not checked yet
Long-running workflows Not checked yet Not checked yet
Workflow versioning Not checked yet Not checked yet
Audit logs Not checked yet Not checked yet
Specs
Deployment model Cloud Not checked yet
Concurrent runs Not checked yet Not checked yet
Our review
Pros
  • Visual state-machine design with branching, parallelism, and Map states
  • Retries, exponential backoff, execution history, and CloudWatch Logs
  • Broad AWS integrations plus event triggers and human approval patterns
  • Combines BPMN, CMMN, and DMN orchestration in one platform
  • Supports web, API, and self-hosted deployments
  • Includes forms, routing, testing, audit trails, and observability
Cons
  • Cloud deployment model limits use outside AWS environments
  • AWS-focused integrations may not suit multi-cloud orchestration
  • Express pricing also includes duration and memory consumption
  • Commercial pricing requires contacting sales
  • The 30-day access period applies to the cloud Case Platform
  • Community Edition support is community-based
Our verdict

AWS Step Functions is a managed workflow orchestration service for coordinating distributed applications, microservices, data-processing jobs, machine-learning pipelines, and IT automation. It is aimed at teams building on AWS that need…

Read the review →

Flowable is a business process automation and case management platform for enterprises, with particular relevance to regulated operations. It brings together BPMN process orchestration, CMMN case management, DMN decision modeling,…

Read the review →
  1. AWS Step FunctionsProcess Orchestration Software 9.2Free plan
  2. FlowableProcess Orchestration Software 8.8Free plan · 30-day trial

Strengths and trade-offs

  • AWS Step Functions — where it wins

    • Visual state-machine design with branching, parallelism, and Map states
    • Retries, exponential backoff, execution history, and CloudWatch Logs
    • Broad AWS integrations plus event triggers and human approval patterns

    Where it doesn't

    • Cloud deployment model limits use outside AWS environments
    • AWS-focused integrations may not suit multi-cloud orchestration
    • Express pricing also includes duration and memory consumption

  • Flowable — where it wins

    • Combines BPMN, CMMN, and DMN orchestration in one platform
    • Supports web, API, and self-hosted deployments
    • Includes forms, routing, testing, audit trails, and observability

    Where it doesn't

    • Commercial pricing requires contacting sales
    • The 30-day access period applies to the cloud Case Platform
    • Community Edition support is community-based
  • AWS Step Functions9.2/10 · Free plan

    A strong AWS-native choice for visual, event-driven workflow orchestration.

    Visit siteFull verdict →
  • Flowable8.8/10 · Free plan · 30-day trial

    A broad BPMN, case, decision, and AI orchestration platform with open-source coverage.

    Visit FlowableFull verdict →

More comparisons

All process orchestration software comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update