Business process management (BPM) is the discipline of designing, running, measuring and improving the repeatable processes a company depends on: procurement, onboarding, claims, order handling. BPM software is where those processes are modeled and executed, so a purchase request follows the same steps every time and someone can see where it is stuck.
The market splits into two groups. Enterprise process suites model complex, regulated processes with formal notation and long implementations. Lighter workflow platforms get a team's process running in days. Below are eleven tools across both groups, with the point where each one stops.
What BPM software does
- Models the process: steps, decisions, owners and service levels, often in BPMN.
- Runs it: forms, task queues, routing rules, approvals and automated steps.
- Connects to systems: reads and updates records in ERPs, CRMs and databases.
- Measures it: cycle times, bottlenecks and throughput, so the process can be improved.
- Controls it: permissions, audit trails and versioning for regulated processes.
The eleven tools at a glance
| Tool | Best for | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Jet Admin | Process apps on data you already have | AI app builder |
| Kissflow | Form-based processes for business teams | Low-code BPM |
| Pipefy | Service and operations processes | Low-code BPM |
| Process Street | Checklist-driven recurring processes | Workflow checklists |
| Nintex | Process automation in Microsoft environments | Process automation |
| Microsoft Power Automate | Microsoft 365 workflows and approvals | Automation platform |
| Appian | Complex, regulated enterprise processes | Enterprise BPM suite |
| Pega | Case management at large scale | Enterprise BPM suite |
| Camunda | Developer-led process orchestration with BPMN | Process orchestration |
| Bizagi | Process modeling and documentation | BPM suite |
| ProcessMaker | Mid-market process automation | Low-code BPM |
Workflow platforms for business teams
1. Jet Admin
Jet Admin builds process apps on the data a company already runs: Postgres, MySQL, SQL Server, Salesforce, HubSpot, REST APIs and 200+ other integrations. You describe the process, such as "vendor onboarding: procurement reviews the form, finance checks bank details, legal signs off above $50,000", and Jet generates the intake form, the queues for each role, the approval steps and a dashboard of what is waiting where. Records are updated in place, so the process changes the real vendor record rather than a copy.
Users and workflows are unlimited on every plan. Granular permissions, SSO and audit logs are on the Business plan and above; on-premise deployment is on the Enterprise plan.
Where it stops: it does not do formal BPMN modeling or process mining. If your process team works in BPMN diagrams, a BPM suite fits that part better.
2. Kissflow
Kissflow gives business users a visual process designer for form-based workflows such as purchase requests and leave approvals.
Where it stops: deep integration with your own databases takes extra work, and interfaces follow its templates.
3. Pipefy
Pipefy organizes processes as pipes with phases, forms and automations, popular with finance, HR and procurement teams.
Where it stops: the data lives in Pipefy, and complex cross-system logic needs integration work.
4. Process Street
Process Street turns recurring procedures into checklists with conditional logic and approvals.
Where it stops: it is checklist-first, not built around records in other systems.
5. Nintex
Nintex automates document-heavy processes, forms and workflows, with strong ties to SharePoint and Microsoft 365.
Where it stops: it is most at home in Microsoft environments and priced for larger organizations.
6. Microsoft Power Automate
Power Automate runs approvals and flows across Microsoft 365 and hundreds of connectors, with desktop RPA included.
Where it stops: there is no real application layer, so process screens come from Power Apps, and premium connectors add cost.
Enterprise BPM suites
7. Appian
Appian combines process modeling, case management, low-code apps and process mining for complex regulated processes.
Where it stops: implementations are large projects, usually with specialist partners.
8. Pega
Pega is built for case management and decisioning at very large scale, common in banking, insurance and government.
Where it stops: cost and complexity put it out of reach for most teams outside large enterprises.
9. Camunda
Camunda orchestrates processes modeled in BPMN, with an engine developers integrate into their own services.
Where it stops: it is developer-led; business users need an interface built separately.
10. Bizagi
Bizagi is known for its free process modeler and a platform to automate the modeled processes.
Where it stops: moving from modeling to fully automated processes takes significant setup.
11. ProcessMaker
ProcessMaker offers low-code process automation with BPMN modeling, aimed at mid-market companies and education.
Where it stops: interfaces and integrations beyond its standard set take development work.
Which to use
- The process runs on records in a database, CRM or API you already have: Jet Admin.
- Business teams want to design form-based processes themselves: Kissflow, Pipefy or ProcessMaker.
- Recurring procedures that are really checklists: Process Street.
- You are standardized on Microsoft 365: Power Automate or Nintex.
- Large, regulated processes with formal modeling and case management: Appian, Pega or Bizagi.
- Engineering owns orchestration across services: Camunda.
For the automation side specifically, see business process automation tools.
Frequently asked questions
What is business process management?
BPM is the practice of designing, running, measuring and continuously improving business processes so they run consistently and efficiently.
What is the difference between BPM and workflow automation?
Workflow automation runs a specific sequence of steps. BPM is the wider discipline that also covers modeling, measuring and improving processes over time.
What are examples of business processes?
Purchase-to-pay, employee onboarding, customer onboarding, insurance claims, loan applications, returns and vendor onboarding.
Do small companies need BPM software?
Usually not a full suite. A workflow platform that runs the few processes that matter, on the data you already have, covers most needs.
Run the process on the data you already have
Start with Jet Admin for free and build your first process app in an afternoon.