[ comparison ]
Kikimora vs Tines:
chat vs workflow canvas.
Tines positions itself as a no-code, story-based workflow automation platform that security and IT teams use to build and own their automations. Kikimora replaces the canvas with a conversation, and keeps a human in the loop for every write. Here is an honest side-by-side.
Side by side
| Dimension | Kikimora | Tines |
|---|---|---|
| Approach / interface | Conversational. You operate the stack by chatting in plain language. | Tines positions itself as a no-code, story-based workflow builder with a drag-and-drop canvas. |
| Setup effort | Connect read-only APIs and start asking. No workflows to design first. | You design workflows ("stories") to automate tasks; low-code but you build the logic. |
| Automation model | AI proposes actions in chat; nothing writes without approval. | Deterministic workflow logic, with optional AI agents and human-in-the-loop copilots, per their 2025 launch. |
| Human oversight | Human-in-the-loop by design: every write action waits for explicit approval. | Tines lets teams choose the AI level per workflow, from deterministic to full autonomy. |
| Built-in scanning | Four built-in tools need no third-party account: Qualys WAS, Shodan, Wazuh, a local Network Scanner. | An orchestration platform; it connects to scanners rather than shipping its own. |
| Integrations | 18 total: 14 user-activated (AWS, Azure, GitHub and more) plus 4 built-in. | Broad direct-integration model across SIEM, EDR, identity and ticketing tools, per their docs. |
| Data residency / EU hosting | EU company (Bulgaria), GDPR compliant. AI runs on Vertex AI EU-region endpoints only. | Tines keeps automation and data in its own infrastructure; self-hosting available on higher tiers, per their docs. |
| AI model transparency | AI models from Google and Anthropic via Vertex AI EU endpoints. No training on customer data. | Added AI agents in 2025; model details per their documentation. |
| Pricing entry point | Free tier: 30 assets, unlimited integrations, 5 million AI credits, no credit card. | Free Community edition for proof-of-concepts; paid tiers scale to enterprise, per their pricing page. |
| Target team size | SMB and mid-market security teams that want answers without building automation. | Security and IT teams that want to build and own custom automation workflows at any scale. |
Competitor details reflect Tines public positioning and pricing pages as of 2026. Verify current specifics with Tines directly.
When Tines is the better fit
Tines is excellent when you want to build durable, reusable automation that your team owns and maintains. Its story-based canvas, direct integrations and the option to choose an AI level per workflow make it flexible for complex, branching processes across security and IT. Built by security practitioners and keeping data in its own infrastructure, Tines is a mature, well-funded choice for teams that have the appetite to design and govern their own workflows, and that value deterministic, repeatable logic over ad hoc questions.
When Kikimora is the better fit
Kikimora fits teams that would rather ask than build. There is no canvas: you connect tools through read-only APIs and start a conversation about your environment, and Kikimora proposes any write action for explicit approval before it runs. Four built-in tools (Qualys WAS, Shodan, Wazuh and a local Network Scanner) work with no third-party account, so you get scanning and attack-surface intel out of the box. For an SMB or mid-market team without the time to design and maintain workflows, conversational operation gets to value faster.
Migration and coexistence
Tines and Kikimora address different layers, so they coexist cleanly. You might keep Tines for the engineered, repeatable automations that power your operations, and add Kikimora for the investigative, conversational work where a person wants to ask questions and approve fixes on the spot. Because Kikimora uses read-only APIs by default and installs no agents, you can run it next to an existing Tines deployment without touching your workflows. Start on the free tier, point it at part of your estate, and see which tasks are better as a chat than as a story.
FAQ
Is Kikimora a no-code alternative to Tines? +
Both are no-code or low-code, but they solve different problems. Tines is a workflow builder: you design stories that automate tasks across your tools. Kikimora is conversational: you ask questions and approve actions, with no workflow canvas to build. If you want reusable, deterministic automations you maintain, Tines is purpose-built. If you want to operate your stack by chatting, Kikimora is the simpler entry point.
Does Kikimora let me build custom workflows like Tines stories? +
No. Kikimora has no workflow canvas. It is driven entirely by conversation, and write actions are proposed for your approval. Teams that need durable, branching automation pipelines will find Tines more flexible for that job.
Both have a free tier. How do they differ? +
Tines offers a free Community edition aimed at proof-of-concepts and learning. Kikimora offers a free tier covering 30 monitored assets, unlimited integrations and 5 million AI credits, with no credit card. Tines free is about building workflows; Kikimora free is about asking and acting on your live environment.
Where does Kikimora run AI and store data? +
Kikimora uses AI models from Google and Anthropic served exclusively from Vertex AI EU-region endpoints, and customer data is never used for training. It is an EU company based in Bulgaria, GDPR compliant, with read-only API access by default, AES-256 at rest and TLS 1.3 in transit.
Also compare
Skip the canvas. Just ask.
30 assets, unlimited integrations, 5 million AI credits. No credit card, no workflows to build.