FME Reviews

Name: FME
Brand: Safe Software
Rating: 4.3 (7 reviews)

4.3 out of 5

7 reviews
100% willing to recommend

What is FME?

FME is the data integration platform with the best support for spatial data. Run workflows on the desktop or deploy them in a server or cloud environment.

Get the FME Buyer's Guide and find out what your peers are saying about FME, Informatica Intelligent Data Management Cloud (IDMC), Azure Data Factory and more!

FME is the #23 ranked solution in top Data Integration Tools. PeerSpot users give FME an average rating of 8.6 out of 10. FME is most commonly compared to Informatica Intelligent Data Management Cloud (IDMC): FME vs Informatica Intelligent Data Management Cloud (IDMC). FME is popular among the large enterprise segment, accounting for 58% of users researching this solution on PeerSpot. The top industry researching this solution are professionals from a government, accounting for 31% of all views.

Helped 865,384 peers since 2012

Featured FME reviews

Alan Bloor

Geographic Information System Developer at Public Sector

When I do coding, I think about every single function. Some of these functions can be very elementary, like doing a substring or some capitalization. But FME removes all that coding because it's a transformer, so the time to develop an application to get to a point where you're producing results is decreased massively. It used to take weeks and months to develop software, and now I can use something like FME, and within one day, we get results. We can look at and validate data. We make minor subtle changes to the workbenches to improve it. We can share the workbenches. We don't have to use GitHub or anything else.

Read full review

Gert Booysen

Software Solutions Leader at GE Vernova

I haven't had any input or requirements from any customers that are not currently covered, so I don't have any additional needs that were identified or raised to me. Regarding pricing, with the model changes that they've implemented a while back, it actually made it more expensive to use, especially on the server side. They changed the licensing model, and that made customers think it is overpriced. Some customers were actually looking at alternatives. Pricing with the model changes was perceived negatively. I work primarily with enterprise customers, Vodacom, Eskom, so it's tier-one customers. For small customers, this solution is a bit too expensive. They don't really use it and just do direct integration on smaller implementations. This is basically used by tier-one customers. FME is still able to save time and money for clients. It's still a good investment. Regarding similar products to FME, GE developed a product called Data Fabric. That is a real-time operational integration platform, Data Fabric Network Connect, which is a GE Grid OS product. It is actually more expensive than FME, but the purpose is different as it's operational. The vendor in this case is GE, and it's a company that we bought that used to be called Greenbird. In current use scenarios, FME is still leading compared to Data Fabric. The GE product has a different application.

Read full review

reviewer2626457

Consultant FME - Beschikbaar at Ordina

Improvements could be made to mapping presentations. Though there are functions available for this, it is a complex and broad area that is not covered to the fullest extent. There is a presentation module, however, it is in no way a real GIS. For now, there is the FME Forms product to enter detailed data mapping setups, which is a great tool. However, having an online medium for this would be great. In a future version, it would be great to have a website where you can log in and create your workspace to do the detailed data processing and publish it to the FME Flow environment where it can be used to participate in the general data processing setups.

Read full review

FME mindshare

As of August 2025, the mindshare of FME in the Data Integration category stands at 1.8%, up from 1.6% compared to the previous year, according to calculations based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Data Integration

PeerResearch reports based on FME reviews

Type	Title	Date
Category	Data Integration	Aug 20, 2025	Download
Product	Reviews, tips, and advice from real users	Aug 20, 2025	Download
Comparison	FME vs Azure Data Factory	Aug 20, 2025	Download
Comparison	FME vs SSIS	Aug 20, 2025	Download
Comparison	FME vs Informatica PowerCenter	Aug 20, 2025	Download

Title	Rating	Mindshare	Recommending
Informatica Intelligent Data Management Cloud (IDMC)	4.0	4.3%	93%	185 interviews Add to research
Azure Data Factory	4.0	7.4%	92%	91 interviews Add to research

Valuable Features

FME is praised for its user-friendly graphical interface, reducing reliance on code, and effective debugging. It excels in data integration, offering numerous plug-ins and spatial features. Users appreciate the ease of scheduling executions via various triggers and the powerful integration with Python. It transforms data processing efficiency, reducing development time significantly. FME handles over 400 file formats efficiently, supports extensive geospatial data, and automates GIS workflows.

"From my reseller perspective, the best features in FME are the ease of operation and the fact that it works."
"FME is spatially aware and understands how to deal with the conversion of spatial objects and their attributes."
"We make minor subtle changes to the workbenches to improve it. We can share the workbenches. We don't have to use GitHub or anything else."

Room for Improvement

FME's pricing is seen as high, especially in the African market. Users face challenges with geographical transformations and complex mapping presentations. A more intuitive online platform for data mapping is suggested. There is a demand for easier data loop functions, which are currently cumbersome. Pricing model changes have increased costs for servers, making it less appealing for smaller clients, while enterprise clients find it still time and cost-effective.

"We are looking at the possibility of using Glue instead of FME, using the native AWS product."
"The one thing that always appears in the community is the ability to make really easy loops to loop through data efficiently. That needs to be added at some point."
"Improvements could be made to mapping presentations."

Pricing

Enterprise users report that FME has both fixed and floating license options, with varied satisfaction regarding pricing. Some emphasize the cost-effectiveness of floating licenses, while others highlight a significant price increase due to a rebranding, affecting affordability. Resellers benefit from discounts, adapting costs per customer needs. Pricing is tied to company attributes such as size and turnover. Despite price concerns, FME offers valuable features comparable to larger platforms with annual maintenance and support services.

"FME Server used to cost £10,000; now it can cost over £100,000."
"The product's price is reasonable."
"We used the standard licensing for our use of FME. The cost was approximately €15,000 annually. We always welcome less expensive solutions, if the solution could be less expensive it would be helpful."

Popular Use Cases

FME is used for ad hoc facial analysis, geographical data analysis, and network infrastructure management for Smallworld Database. It enables automatic data flow processes, self-service data needs, real-time event handling, and geographical data transfer between on-premise and cloud. It is utilized for transforming and integrating data into ArcGIS Enterprise, capitalizing text, logging processes, and automating data exchange. Users appreciate its scalability, fault tolerance, and Python integration capabilities.

Service and Support

Technical support for FME receives high marks from users, with personalized and effective assistance frequently highlighted. Belgian service providers are mentioned as offering good service. Many rate FME support as excellent, giving it a perfect score. Though some have not interacted directly, no issues are reported. Safe Software's support team is praised for their services, contributing to user satisfaction.

Deployment

Some users found FME's initial setup straightforward and quick, while others found it challenging, especially for beginners. The installation is similar to ArcGIS Pro's license servers, but involvement from IT departments may be required. Licensing is straightforward, with easy steps for completing the process. The platform allows quick deployment of FME workbench and server, with automated options available for FME Cloud. Overall satisfaction varies among different users.

Scalability

FME scales well for enterprises, supporting multiple users and handling large datasets effectively. Some organizations found the platform reaching capacity with current engines but plan to explore additional resources. Users see it as highly scalable, beneficial for batch processes, and suitable for heavy data tasks. While not frequently adjusting to demand, scalability isn't an issue for in-house deployments. Others appreciate its ability to integrate seamlessly without needing to segment large data sets for processing.

Stability

Users find FME stable, with good performance noted across versions. While many encounter no issues, some mention the 2023 version having lower stability compared to 2022. The newer update focuses on aesthetics rather than functionality, affecting interface stability for some users. Preference varies, with better long-term stability observed in the 2022 version. Users appreciate the application for its consistent operation, choosing different versions based on stability needs.

These insights are based on the in-depth reviews provided by peers to help you make a better buying decision.

Download our FME Buyer's Guide for additional reliable information.