Caddi and Appian both automate processes, but one asks you to build and the other does the building for you. Appian is a low-code BPM platform for business orchestration and automation where you model processes and assemble process apps. Caddi removes the building entirely: record the task once, no app to design or maintain. Caddi suits ops teams in law and finance that want automations live in days.
The basics
What is Appian?
A low-code BPM and process-automation platform where you model business processes and build process applications, each with its own UI and governance.
What is Caddi?
The deterministic AI automation platform for ops and admin teams. Ops teams teach Caddi their workflows over a screen share, and then Caddi runs them reliably hundreds of times a week.
The fundamental difference
With Appian, automation starts with building. You model the process, design screens, wire in logic, and stand up a process application that your team then owns and governs. Caddi takes the building off the table. A non-technical teammate records the workflow once on a screen-share, Caddi writes it as deterministic code that runs over APIs, and Caddi maintains it for you. There is no app to design, no screens to keep up, and nothing for your team to own beyond the result.
What it takes to stand one up
The Appian build cycle and the Caddi setup look nothing alike. Toggle between the two to compare who builds it, how long it takes, and who keeps it alive.
- 1Record the task on a screen-shareA non-technical teammate walks through the workflow once, no app to model.
- 2Caddi writes deterministic code over APIsNo screens to design. Runs go through APIs across 70+ integrations.
- 3Documents are read nativelyVaried PDFs and shared inboxes are handled out of the box, SOC 2 compliant and audit-logged.
- 4Caddi maintains itUpkeep and edge cases are handled for you, often with automations live in days.
Caddi vs. Appian at a glance
| Appian | Caddi | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Low-code BPM / process-app platform | Done-for-you record-to-code automation |
| How it's built | Model the process, build the app | Record the task once on a screen-share |
| What you end up with | A process application to own | A maintained automation, no app |
| Who owns it | Low-code developers / IT | Non-technical ops staff |
| Documents & email | Configured inside the app | Native reading of varied PDFs & inboxes |
| Time to value | Weeks to months to build | Frequently live in days |
| Maintenance | You maintain the app and its UI | Built & maintained by Caddi |
| Best fit | Bespoke, long-lived process apps | Law & finance back office |
How they score where it counts
Appian is a deep low-code platform for building custom process applications with their own UI and governance. Caddi trades app-building flexibility for speed, native document handling, and a done-for-you model your ops team can own.
When Appian is the right call
Appian is a strong fit when you need to build a bespoke, long-lived process application with its own user interface, complex process logic, and formal governance, when many people will work inside that application day to day, and when you have the low-code developers and timeline to build and own it. For a custom process product, that flexibility is the point.
When Caddi is the right call
Caddi is the better fit if the people who own the process are non-technical, if your highest-value work is document- and inbox-heavy (intake, filing, PDF → system of record, triage), if you want an existing workflow automated rather than a new app built, if you need it live in days, and if you want it maintained for you with SOC 2 compliance and audit trails.
Which fits your situation?
Appian
Building a long-lived, governed process application is squarely Appian's strength.
See Caddi next to your Appian workflows
Bring a back-office workflow you would otherwise build in Appian. Caddi will build it from a screen recording and run it across 70+ tools. See real examples or book a demo.
Do more with less
See Caddi in action
Tell us where to reach you and the calendar opens right here. In 30 minutes we'll show you how Caddi automates the back-office work that grows with your clients—built, run, and maintained for you.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Caddi and Appian?
Appian is a low-code BPM and process-automation platform where you model processes and build process applications, with their own UI and governance. Caddi removes the building entirely: a non-technical teammate records the task once on a screen-share, Caddi writes it as deterministic code that runs over APIs, and Caddi maintains it for you. There is no app to design or keep alive.
Is Caddi a good Appian alternative for back-office automation?
Yes, when the goal is to automate an existing workflow rather than build a bespoke process application. Caddi reads varied PDFs and inboxes natively, runs across 70+ integrations, is SOC 2 compliant and audit-logged, and is built and maintained for you, so an ops team can have a workflow live in days without modeling processes or building screens.
Does Caddi require low-code building like Appian?
No. With Appian you model the process and assemble a process app in the low-code designer. With Caddi there is nothing to build: a non-technical staff member records the task and Caddi writes and maintains the automation, so ops teams in law and finance can own it without developers.
When should I use Appian instead of Caddi?
Appian is the right choice when you need to build a bespoke, long-lived process application with its own user interface, complex process logic, and formal governance, and you have the low-code developers and timeline to build and own it. Caddi is the better fit when you simply want an existing back-office workflow automated and maintained for you.