FireStart vs. Camunda vs. Power Automate: Which Tool for Which Processes?
Short answer: Power Automate fits workflows around Microsoft applications that individual people build themselves. Camunda fits teams that develop and run processes as part of their own software. FireStart fits when a business department models processes such as approvals, onboarding or contracts on its own, and a process touches several departments and systems. Which tool is right depends on the process in question [1][2][4][8].
Power Automate, Camunda and FireStart easily end up on the same shortlist, yet they solve different problems. This article shows what each tool is built for, which licenses you need in 2026 and which processes belong where. FireStart is our product, so we write with a stake in the outcome. That is why you will also find a section on when FireStart is the wrong choice.
1. The three tools at a glance
| Power Automate | Camunda 8 | FireStart |
|---|
| Core idea | Flows built from triggers, actions and connectors [2] | Process orchestration with BPMN and DMN [4] | Low-code platform for business processes based on BPMN 2.0 |
| Modeling | Flow of triggers and actions | BPMN 2.0 and DMN [4] | BPMN 2.0, standardized as ISO/IEC 19510 [8] |
| Hosting | Cloud flows at Microsoft, desktop flows on your own or hosted machines [2] | Self-managed or Camunda SaaS [4] | Cloud hosted in Germany, or on-premises |
| Typical use | Workflows around Microsoft services | Processes inside custom software | Business processes in mid-sized companies |
The "Typical use" row is our assessment. The other entries come from the vendors and from Microsoft's documentation.
2. Power Automate: strengths and licensing
Power Automate builds workflows from triggers, actions and connectors. A connector links a flow to a service such as OneDrive, SharePoint or Salesforce and comes with ready-made actions and triggers. If an application has no connector, you can create your own [2]. Desktop flows add the ability to operate legacy applications by imitating keyboard and mouse input (RPA) [2].
Microsoft distinguishes between user licenses and capacity licenses [2]. According to its pricing page, Premium costs $15 per user per month, billed yearly. It includes cloud flows, attended desktop flows, and process and task mining [1]. The Process license costs $150 per bot per month and covers cloud flows and unattended desktop flows. Hosted Process costs $215 and comes with a virtual machine hosted by Microsoft [1]. The actual price can differ by country and currency [1].
Cloud flows with standard connectors are free. Premium connectors are included in Premium, Process and Hosted Process [1][2].
Every license has a daily action limit: 40,000 per user for Premium and 250,000 for a Process license [2]. Retries and pagination requests count as separate actions [3]. Microsoft suggests estimating daily demand as actions per run times runs per day [2].
A Process license does not replace user licenses. Microsoft says some capabilities, such as creating and running desktop flows, are only available to licensed users. A flow must also sit in a solution before you can assign a Process license to it [2].
Our assessment: Power Automate pays off where Microsoft services are at the center and one person builds the workflow, for example when an attachment from Outlook lands in SharePoint and Teams gets a notification. For processes that span several departments, check whether you can still see and audit the whole process in one place.
3. Camunda: strengths, licensing and the end of Camunda 7
Camunda is a platform for orchestrating processes. Processes are BPMN models and decisions are DMN tables. The platform adds modelers, process inspection, task management and an integration framework with an SDK [4].
Since Camunda 8.6 on 8 October 2024, self-managed installations need a license in production, while development and testing stay free [5]. For production use and for Camunda SaaS, the pricing page refers you to sales. You can try SaaS for 30 days, after which a free account remains for BPMN and DMN modeling [4]. The Console and Modeler of Camunda 8 SaaS are hosted in the EU, and Camunda says clusters can also be created in other regions [4].
If you still run Camunda 7, a deadline has already passed. The Community Edition ended with the final release 7.24 on 14 October 2025 and no longer gets security patches. Camunda supports the Enterprise Edition until April 2030 [6]. Camunda 8 is not a one-to-one replacement for Camunda 7, so your solution has to be adapted [7]. For BPMN models, Camunda offers a converter [7]. A standardized notation, in other words, does not mean every model runs unchanged in a different environment.
Our assessment: Camunda fits teams with development capacity who build processes into their own applications and services. If you budget for licensing, operations and development, you get a lot of room to design. Without a development team, getting started is hard.
4. FireStart: what it is for
FireStart is a process automation and BPM platform from Linz, Austria, focused on mid-sized companies in the DACH region. Processes are BPMN 2.0 models built in a low-code editor that business departments can use too. BPMN 2.0 is standardized as ISO/IEC 19510:2013, and ISO describes the standard as a bridge between process design and implementation [8].
Typical processes are invoice approval, employee onboarding and contract approvals. FireStart logs every step with person, timestamp and decision, and critical approvals stay with a human. Existing systems such as SAP, DATEV, Personio and Microsoft 365 stay in place, and FireStart extends them. You decide whether it runs in the cloud, hosted in Germany, or on-premises.
When FireStart is not the right fit: if a development team wants to build processes into its own software with a lot of custom code, Camunda is closer. If a single workflow runs between Outlook, SharePoint and Teams and your Microsoft licenses are already in place, Power Automate is often enough.
5. Which process belongs to which tool?
| Process | Obvious choice | Why |
|---|
| File an Outlook attachment in SharePoint and notify Teams | Power Automate | All parties are Microsoft services, one flow is enough [2] |
| Operate a legacy application without an interface | Power Automate | Desktop flows control the user interface [2] |
| Invoice approval with approver levels, escalation and audit evidence | FireStart | Several departments, every step logged |
| Employee onboarding across HR, IT and purchasing | FireStart | Many participants and systems, the business department maintains the flow |
| Contract approval with review chain and signature | FireStart | Approvals stay with people, every version is traceable |
| Orchestrating the services of a custom application | Camunda | Engine, SDK and decision tables for development teams [4] |
This mapping is our recommendation, not a verdict on the tools. Each of them can do more than the table shows.
6. Five questions for your decision
1. Who builds and maintains the process, the business department or a development team?
2. How many departments and systems does the process touch?
3. What evidence do you need for auditors or customers?
4. Where should the process run, in the cloud, on your own servers or in a specific region?
5. What does the license bill look like at your volume, meaning actions per run times runs per day for Power Automate [2] and a production license for Camunda [4]?
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between FireStart, Camunda and Power Automate?
Power Automate automates workflows made of triggers, actions and connectors, mainly around Microsoft services. Camunda orchestrates processes with BPMN and DMN and is built into custom software by development teams. FireStart is a low-code platform based on BPMN 2.0 that lets business departments model their own processes [2][4][8].
Does Camunda 8 need a license?
For self-managed production use, yes, since version 8.6 on 8 October 2024. Development and testing are free. Camunda SaaS starts with a 30-day trial, and for production use Camunda refers you to sales [4][5].
How much does Power Automate cost in 2026?
According to Microsoft's pricing page, Premium costs $15 per user per month, Process $150 per bot per month and Hosted Process $215 per bot per month, all billed yearly. The actual price can differ by country [1].
How long is Camunda 7 supported?
The Community Edition ended with the final release 7.24 on 14 October 2025. According to Camunda, the Enterprise Edition gets security updates until April 2030 [6].
When is FireStart a better fit than Power Automate?
When a process touches several departments, approval levels and systems such as SAP or DATEV, auditors need evidence, and the business department should maintain the flow as a BPMN model. For a single workflow around Microsoft 365, Power Automate is often enough.
Can I combine the tools?
Yes. Small workflows around Microsoft 365 can stay in Power Automate while business processes with several participants run in FireStart. FireStart connects to Microsoft Teams, Outlook and SharePoint.
Sources
1. Microsoft: Power Automate pricing, https://www.microsoft.com/power-platform/products/power-automate/pricing
2. Microsoft Learn: Types of Power Automate licenses (22 September 2026), https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-platform/admin/power-automate-licensing/types
3. Microsoft Learn: Requests limits and allocations, https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-platform/admin/api-request-limits-allocations
4. Camunda: Pricing, https://camunda.com/pricing/
5. Camunda: Camunda Licensing, What You Need to Know (October 2024), https://camunda.com/blog/2024/10/camunda-licensing-what-you-need-to-know/
6. Camunda: Camunda 7 End of Life and Next Steps, https://camunda.com/de/platform-7/
7. Camunda: Migrating Solutions from Camunda 7 to Camunda 8 (February 2025), https://camunda.com/blog/2025/02/migrating-solutions-camunda-7-camunda-8-strategy-update/
8. ISO: ISO/IEC 19510:2013, Object Management Group Business Process Model and Notation, https://www.iso.org/standard/62652.html
FireStart wird in der EU gehostet (DSGVO-konform, EU-Datenspeicherung). Website: www.firestart.com. Kontakt: sales@firestart.com.
