We compared Camunda Platform and IBM BPM based on our users’ reviews in four categories. After reading the collected data, you can find our conclusion below.
Comparison of Results: Based on the parameters we compared, Camunda Platform seems to be the superior solution. Because users are divided over how easy IBM BPM is to deploy and because of its high price, users feel Camunda Platform is a better investment.
"It has been a stable solution so far since it meets our needs, including data modeling, which we need to do before we embark on analyzing and optimizing the business processes."
"The BPMN diagram is valuable. For our use case of transferring money from one account to another, the connections have to be done in the traditional financial ways. There are a lot of unexpected errors and a lot of instability with this kind of system, and we are using Camunda in order to have clear flows. With BPMN, I can show a flow to my business partner, and the business team can easily understand what's going on. The technical team can understand what the implementation is, and we can model different errors and the process for recovering from these errors."
"The modeler is useful for creating the flow. The way to access the data through their REST API is also valuable. This is what we're using right now."
"Being able to use a Java-based solution makes the product flexible."
"Using the BPMN helps us to have a common shared communication language when discussing processes."
"The most valuable features are the management of internal processes, the ability to execute from design and the model for internal processes, the ability to make processes visible, and the ability to have information about the current state of each instance."
"For an internal project, this is a solution that you can install and have up and running quite quickly."
"The most valuable features are the workflow, the task list, and the modeler where we use VPN."
"We made the transformation to agile. Altogether with BPM, it is the total package."
"We use it for automating certain processes which previously took a lot of time for agents to set up different products for customers. They would have to enter a lot of different systems. This has now mostly been automated."
"It is a stale solution."
"We are implementing the tool to triple our monthly transaction volume."
"It helps maintain, and in many instances, lower costs, as well as to maintain those costs, keeping them stable."
"Initially, the process architecture studio was very helpful and it was compliant with BPMN standards."
"IBM BPM is a stable solution."
"The integration and design are valuable features."
"The Camunda Modeler installation poses a challenge, requiring local installation, which doesn't help collaboration like other online tools, for instance."
"When trying to design rule tables the solutions graphical user interface could improve, it could be more user friendly."
"I would like to see the forms engine available in the open-source version of this solution."
"I would like to see better pricing."
"If there were some industry templates it would have helped significantly, because it is similar to a process map for a domain. That is what we are currently creating, a domain-relevant process map."
"It would be helpful to have more readily available use cases on the internet. Camunda's documentation feels less comprehensive."
"The only drawback is the time that it takes to have a complete set of workflows implemented on the Camunda platform."
"Documentation can be improved."
"Except for the Lucene the index - we had a couple of issues in the Process Portal where the Lucene index went out of sync, and we had to work at least 15 - 20 hours to have it back in sync with the database."
"When you have to integrate files for enterprise applications."
"IBM BPM integrated with Spark UI and the UI is now much better, but they still need to improve the UI because competitors have predefined templates and other additional features. In these competitor's solutions, you are able to use the templates, map your data, and the form is ready to use. With this solution, you need to write a lot of code to have the same quality as the competitor's templates. It would be a benefit to make this platform more towards low-code or no-code."
"One of the things that we are looking at is cognitive learning. IBM has another product called IBM RPA, I think, which is doing some of that stuff. We would like to see more of that with respect to cognitive learning and AI put back into the process engine to help."
"Better integration with other products in the automation suite."
"The options for customization could be improved. More customization using your own code would be beneficial."
"Performance in the development environment space. I know that they have been taking it off the desktop version and putting on the web, and it is not 100% yet."
"UI is an area with a shortcoming that needs improvement."
Camunda is ranked 1st in Business Process Management (BPM) with 71 reviews while IBM BPM is ranked 5th in Business Process Management (BPM) with 105 reviews. Camunda is rated 8.2, while IBM BPM is rated 7.8. The top reviewer of Camunda writes "Open-source, easy to define new processes, and easy to transition to new business process definitions". On the other hand, the top reviewer of IBM BPM writes "Offers good case management and its integration with process design but there's a learning curve". Camunda is most compared with Apache Airflow, Bizagi, Pega BPM, Appian and Bonita, whereas IBM BPM is most compared with Appian, Pega BPM, IBM Business Automation Workflow, Apache Airflow and ServiceNow Orchestration. See our Camunda vs. IBM BPM report.
See our list of best Business Process Management (BPM) vendors and best Process Automation vendors.
We monitor all Business Process Management (BPM) reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.
Hi Leandro,
those two BPM's shouldn't be compared on the functional level. They are different type of solutions.
Camunda offers the workflow engine and decission engine, where you can create process models according to BPMN and DMM standards. This gives you the flexibility and agility in the process management. It also gives you the tools to monitor, manage and optimize those processes.
Camunda provides very limited functionalities, if it comes to end user interfaces. Usually they are built as custom applications or existing application are used. With Camunda projects you always focus on automation, that requires system integration and custom development and usually concerns core business processes.
Camunda is an openAPI solution, which makes the integration fast and easy. It is a common situation in financial industry, that you have many systems, that need to be integrated in one process, that is why Camunda is so popular in this sector.
Before you decide on the switch, you have to consider the processes you want to use it for. If this is for standard processes like holiday requests, invoice approvals etc. Camunda is not the best option. But if you want to automate sales or after sales processes, client/partner onboarding, claims management, debt collection you should definitely consider Camunda.
I found once in Camunda documents an interesting comparison between Camunda and BPM suites:
"On a blank canvas, an artist can paint a picture in exactly the way he imagines. Alternatively, there is the principle of “painting by numbers”, where even the artistic layman can create stunning images by coloring in predetermined areas. However, they can only create what was already pre-designed."
And finally, Camunda is available as open source solution and there is no vendor lock.
I hope it helped ;-) There is always an option to have a talk...
Cheers,
Piotr
You could have a look also on jBPM / jBPM based solutions (as an alternative to Camunda).
Camunda has limited capabilities in the community version. In the case of jBPM, the same capability set is provided in both the community and enterprise versions (the only difference is that with the enterprise version you pay for support).
If you are looking for the jBPM engine combined with content services in one unified platform/user experience, you could have a look at SEAL (https://star-storage.ro/product/seal-online/).