Discover the nuances of Kissflow and Cflow, top-tier workflow management systems. Find out about the superior automation and analytics capabilities found in Kissflow and compare that to Cflow's affordability, we unravel the details for your perfect choice.
Kissflow and Cflow both offer workflow management in the cloud. The principal approach is the same: you build workflow templates/blueprints and then run multiple workflows from each. The system then handles assignment of tasks and notification of team members when tasks get assigned to them. The name of the game is sequential, assembly-line processes that ensure smooth handover of workflows from team to team as they progress from stage to stage.
Both systems also let you build your workflow blueprints as UML diagrams, which is another point of similarity between them, but as they say, the devil’s in the details, let’s explore those details.
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Kissflow |
Cflow |
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|---|---|---|
| Pros | Advanced automation capabilities Wide range of pre-built integrations Powerful reporting and analytics Customizable user experience Powerful workflow template builder Option to use Kanban boards |
Powerful workflow template builder Task assignment based on user role Support for dynamic delegation of tasks |
| Cons | Expensive Ignores SMB segment completely May have a steeper learning curve for beginners |
No free plan No guest users The interface can be confusing in places |
Both systems let you build workflow templates/blueprints in an intuitive UML-like GUI interface. Both support parallel stages and conditional branching. In both, workflow templates/blueprints are then used to run multiple workflows of the same kind that are then executed and managed individually. In both, it is easy to see all the workflows currently running in the system and the stage each one is at.
Kissflow has a bit of an advantage here as it offers a more mature interface. Cflow looks ok on its own, but next to Kissflow it comes across as a bit half-baked and clunky.
While the overall approach to how you build workflow templates/blueprints, run and manage workflows is principally the same in both systems, Kissflow offers a more solid experience in this department.
Both systems operate in terms of assembly-line workflows that sequentially assign tasks, passing work from team to team as a workflow progresses. This task assignment occurs automatically once a workflow is launched.
In both, a user can see the tasks/requests currently assigned to them, so they can focus on their work.
Kissflow gives you the option to manage projects using agile Kanban boards that users can add cards to and move them from phase to phase manually.
Cflow simply has no such option. Now, this is not technically a must for a workflow management system, but it’s a nice-to-have feature, nonetheless.
Both systems support public forms that make it possible for new workflows to be launched in response to external user input.
However, neither system allows you to invite guest users to ongoing tasks/requests in your system, meaning that if you want to collaborate with someone on completing a specific task you need to create an account for them and pay for it.
Kissflow’s strong suit is its relatively broad range of native integrations, especially with G-Suite. Cflow, by contrast, relies more on third-party integration platforms like Zapier, plus makes frequent mentions of its API in the documentation, which, technically, allows users to build custom integrations with any system they like.
All in all, Kissflow has an edge here as it offers more integrations out of the box for the most commonly used tools.
Kissflow totally keeps up and then some, adding a wide selection of tracking and analytical tools, customizable reports, as well the option to export data into external analytical tools.
Cflow offers built-in business activity monitors, dashboards, and reports. These features offer robust analytics and tracking of workflows, providing valuable insights into process efficiency and areas of improvement.
Kissflow is clearly and unequivocally targeted at the enterprise sector. The cheapest offering starts at $15 per user per month for a minimum of 50 users, billed annually. In other words, if you want to start using Kissflow you have to shell out $9,000 up front.
Cflow’s starting price is a far more modest $12 per user per month for a minimum of 10 users, billed monthly. There are some other constraints included in this ‘Happy’ plan, though: you’re limited to 20 processes, 10 dashboard reports and 10 table reports, still, you can get going for just $120 per month, or $840 for an annual subscription(it’s $7 per user per month if billed annually), which is literally an order of magnitude less than Kissflow.
Kissflow and Cflow offer roughly the same basic workflow management and analytics functionality. Kissflow comes with more options, bells and whistles, as well as more customizations and offers a more mature user experience overall. The downside is that Kissflow charges top dollar for it.
The two systems target two very different market segments. Cflow is for the SMB sector, primarily, companies that want to get into workflow management on the cheap. Kissflow goes after the big guys who have their own business process management consultants on the payroll.
So the choice between these two systems can’t be any easier: if you’re a big company with plenty of cash to spend, you can’t go wrong with Kissflow as it will give you everything you need in terms of workflow management and then some. If you’re strapped for cash, Cflow offers a fairly solid entry-level option that can still perfectly accommodate your needs as your business expands.
