SAP Fiori Elements vs Freestyle: How to decide which one to use for your app development?
Posted on October 9, 2025 by Laeeq Siddique
Introduction
Many organizations struggle when deciding between SAP Fiori Elements vs Freestyle for their app development projects. However, Fiori Elements enables faster, structured development, Freestyle UI5 offers more flexibility for complex and highly customized business needs.
This blog compares both approaches in depth covering features, pros and cons, and practical considerations to help you choose confidently. By the end, you’ll have a clear understanding of when to select SAP Fiori Elements vs Freestyle for your next project.
What Are SAP Fiori Elements and Freestyle?
According to Wikipedia, SAP Fiori is a design language that brings a uniform and intuitive experience to enterprise applications. In this environment, developers can opt with Fiori Elements or Freestyle UI5.
Fiori Elements
- Based on metadata-driven development.
- Leverages built-in templates such as List Reports, Object Pages, and Analytical Pages.
- Great for projects that needs to be deployed rapidly and where UX need to be uniform.
Freestyle UI5
- Full flexibility using SAPUI5 framework.
- Enables you to develop custom design, logic and workflows that are more than just templates.
- Well fit for projects with specific or overly complicated demands.
Development Comparison: Speed vs Customization
The main point of controversy in the SAP Fiori Elements vs Freestyle discussion boils down to velocity of development versus customizability.
Elements:
- Pre-defined templates reduce coding needs.
- Speeds up app delivery.
- Consistent look and feel across apps.
Freestyle UI5:
- More time-consuming to build.
- Allows deeper customization.
- Adaptability to any detailing specific business model.
Key Considerations for Your Project
Speed of Development
If time-to-market is key, Fiori Elements takes the cake with its ready-made templates. Developers can get up to speed quickly with for example the Fiori Tools Tutorial.
Customization Needs
For cases where you need very specific design concepts, business logic and workflows Freestyle UI5 is unbeaten in its flexibility.
Integration and Scalability
- Fiori Elements: Integration with SAP S/4HANA and CAP (Cloud Application Programming Model) is a core strength.
- Your own Core UI: you maintain full control (so entering the ugly forest of advanced workflows and integrations), but with time to market closer to freestyle.
Resource Availability
- For teams not familiar with UI5 → Fiori Elements.
- Teams with substantial UI5 know-how → Freestyle UI5.
Pros and Cons of SAP Fiori Elements vs Freestyle
| Criteria | Fiori Elements | Freestyle UI5 |
| Standardization | High | Low |
| Customization | Low | High |
| Development Speed | Fast | Slower |
| Learning Curve | Moderate | Steep |
| Best For | Standardized, reusable apps | Bespoke, unique business applications |
Fiori Elements Usage Guide
- Quick rollouts with limited customization.
- Business applications such as purchase order approval, leave request or dashboards.
- Standardizing the UX across apps is becoming top of mind for companies.
- Projects that want close RAP or CAP integration.
When to Use Freestyle UI5
- Custom Processes that are not available through templates.
- Complex UI wants such as active dashboards.
- Organizations needing brand-specific designs.
- Instances in which being innovative and adaptable are better than just fast.
Migration Considerations
A few companies start with Freestyle and then standardize using Fiori Elements. Others take a hybrid strategy, employing these and other tools in varying measures as they see fit.
Migration Steps:
- Examine current apps for compatible templates.
- Update UI5 libraries for compatibility.
- Identify custom code not in add-ons and refactor as renter-usable.
- Standardize governance across apps.
Practical Business Examples
Example 1: Procurement Approval
- Fiori Elements: A List Report + Object Page can be crafted fast.
- Freestyle: If you need more approval workflows or dynamic fields, go for Freestyle.
Example 2: Employee Self-Service
- Fiori Elements: Standard apps for requesting leave or viewing payslips.
- Freestyle: If the company requires custom HR workflows or customization with third-party HR systems.
Example 3: Analytics and Dashboards
- Fiori Elements: Analytical List Pages provide KPIs and charts with very low coding.
- Freestyle: Personalized dashboards with advanced data visualizations and filters.
Best Practices to Decide SAP Fiori Elements Vs Freestyle
- Leverage Templates: Utilize Fiori Elements for going live faster when you can.
- Hybridize: Overlay one approach on the other, as needed.
- Put UX First: Standardization should be a friend of usability.
- Train Teams: Make sure developers actually know the UI5 if Freestyle is picked.
- Governance: Implement design guidelines in all apps for consistency.
Extended Insights
What to Expect Next: For transaction apps, Fiori Elements will extend its leadership through RAP and CAP integration.
Cost Impact: Freestyle generally costs more in terms of both time and energy, Fiori Elements if an argument for reducing the cost indirectly by optimizing efforts.
Maintenance: Fiori Elements apps are easier to maintain as they are SAP standard based, Freestyle apps instead might need more manual effort.
Conclusion
Make the comparison of speed vs. flexibility debated point! If your objective is to have standardized apps that can be rolled out quickly, Fiori Elements makes sense. If your company needs personalized workflows and complex UI, then you should go for Freestyle UI5.
Once you understand the trade-offs and map them to your business strategy, then you can confidently determine which approach will make your SAP Fiori development projects more successful.
If you’re ready to take the next step in your digital transformation journey, connect with Cremencing today. Together, we’ll explore tailored custom solutions that drive efficiency, innovation, and growth.
FAQs
Q:What sets SAP Fiori Elements apart from Freestyle?
A: Fiori Elements leverages templates to offer rapid app development, and Freestyle enables as much flexibility as needed for traditional development.
Q: Faster to develop Fiori Elements?
A: Yes, they are faster because development is metadata-driven.
Q: Is it possible to combine Freestyle apps with Fiori Elements?
A: Yes, however through APIs and OData Services it is also possible.
Q: Then what would be good for interspersing with CAP and RAP?
A: Fiori Elements with its standardized and integrated nature.
Q: Is Freestyle harder to learn?
A: Yes, you need advanced UI5 skills instead of the average learning curve that takes place with Fiori Elements.
Q: Can both approaches coexist?
A: Yes, and in fact many businesses use a hybrid of these two strategies.