Alfresco vs IBM FileNet vs OpenText Content Management comparison

Hyland and IBM are both solutions in the Enterprise Content Management category. Hyland is ranked #9 with an average rating of 6.3, while IBM is ranked #4 with an average rating of 8.0. Hyland holds a 7.7% mindshare in ECM, compared to IBM’s 10.0% mindshare. Additionally, 78% of Hyland users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 91% of IBM users who would recommend it.

Alfresco

Read 14 Alfresco reviews

2,040 Views
1,288 Comparison Views

78% willing to recommend

IBM FileNet

Read 102 IBM FileNet reviews

3,352 Views
1,921 Comparison Views

91% willing to recommend

OpenText Content Management

Read 21 OpenText Content Management reviews

2,982 Views
2,093 Comparison Views

96% willing to recommend

Alfresco

IBM FileNet

OpenText Content Management

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Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between Alfresco, IBM FileNet, and OpenText Content Management based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft, OpenText, IBM and others in Enterprise Content Management.

To learn more, read our detailed Enterprise Content Management Report (Updated: June 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Enterprise Content Management

June 2025

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Helped 859,579 peers since 2012

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2025, in the Enterprise Content Management category, the mindshare of Alfresco is 7.7%, down from 7.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of IBM FileNet is 10.0%, up from 10.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of OpenText Content Management is 11.5%, up from 10.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Enterprise Content Management

Featured Reviews

Karthi Keyan

Head Of Information Technology at a consultancy with 11-50 employees

Streamlining document management with enhanced digitalization features needed

We used Alfresco as a document management system for automating and digitizing manual forms. Those were the main use cases The digitalization of workflow, forms, operations, and business processes has improved our organization. The most valuable features of Alfresco include its integration with…

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Emad Rizki

System integrator at Indépendant

Facilitates seamless integration for large enterprises with strong deployment capabilities

FileNet was scalable and could be implemented into big multinational organizations. However, it has become very expensive recently. Compared to low-code solutions such as Appian and outsystems, FileNet has gaps, mainly because it requires coding, which is not preferred by clients due to pricing concerns in Pakistan. We transitioned clients to cloud solutions, although FileNet has been strongly integrated with on-prem deployments.

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Jaideep MS

Practice Director at a outsourcing company with 51-200 employees

Enables effective document control yet requires better affordability and clarity

I use extended ECM for procurement, sales, engineering documents, and sometimes invoices and accounts payable or receivable The version controls and the business workspace part integrate well with SAP and OpenText, providing granular level control over who accesses the workspace. The seamless…

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"Alfresco's technical support is very fast and professional."

"The most valuable feature is the flexibility of the searching elements of the metadata."

"Alfresco allows broad searches with many index fields that you can search on, although the created fields and their values may not be intuitive."

"You can meet your users' expected features without having Alfresco's involvement."

"The digitalization of workflow, forms, operations, and business processes is also significant."

"Document repository."

"I like the ease of use, sections, and calendar."

"The product allows engineering teams and developers to introduce new things in a seamless and easy way."

More Alfresco pros

"The most valuable features of FileNet are its comprehensive ability to store content, to get insights from the content, and to use that content for making decisions routed through workflow."

"The best part of FileNet includes its advantages and most valuable features, which are its scalability and stability."

"The key feature for us is that it keeps our content store small. That helps our DBAs when they have to do the backups of our audit system, or of the content store."

"In terms of stability, we haven't experienced any big technical issues or downtime with IBM FileNet, which is a difference compared to smaller products."

"The important features to me are that it is stable, scalable, and the integration between this platform and the other platforms is very good."

"If we run into problems, which is inevitable (and we run into problems all the time), we get quick responses and good solutions back from the technical support."

"Instead storing our documents offsite, we are storing all of our documents electronically."

"Streamlined our business processes."

More IBM FileNet pros

"We can configure the solution with any industry's products per customer requirements."

"The ability to add metadata and use that to categorize information is a valuable feature of OpenText Extended ECM."

"The tool's most valuable features are document storage, security, and compliance."

"OpenText Extended ECM's most valuable features include permissions and security models. I also like the tool's ability to add metadata and use it to categorize information."

"We also have a module on top of the Content Server called WebReports that has been one of the things that helped us facilitate the workflow and give managers good reporting and visibility into where everything is. Being able to use that on top of the Content Server was a big help."

"The integration of a document management platform with many other applications, e.g. SAP, SuccessFactors, Salesforce, SharePoint, etc."

"The version controls and the business workspace part integrate well with SAP and OpenText, providing granular level control over who accesses the workspace."

"We use Core Share to share documents with external auditors or with vendors, and that prevents them from being able to get into the whole system. It is useful."

Cons

"I would like them to consider document capture functionality."

"Metadata, auto class, disposition log, and legal hold."

"The setup process for Alfresco was complex."

"I think the presentation layer could be improved - currently, it's too complex, and there are too many features cluttered all over the screen."

"Currently, documents in Alfresco are stored on a file server, which, while good for performance, is a security risk."

"If you don't have proper governance, things can go wrong. You have to make rules, such as one folder should not have more than 5,000 subfolders or children."

"Alfresco could improve workflow digitalization and enhance artificial intelligence capabilities."

"The configuration of Alfresco is a big challenge."

More Alfresco cons

"FileNet and similar enterprise-level tools require substantial costs, starting in the millions, which limits their use to large enterprises."

"I think it's to the point where there are probably too many features. Every software, as it matures and graduates, grows the list of features. What many of our customers express is that it's just too complicated. They're using maybe five or ten percent of the features but they're having to pay for 100 percent. There is room for improvement in terms of simplifying it."

"The solution’s pricing could be improved."

"FileNet needs improvement in pricing as it has become very expensive."

"I would like to see Azure AD added."

"I think the support could be better, and it could improve."

"During the initial setup, all the details and different technical things that we were trying to figure out became complex."

"It would be nice to have additional integration features, which could be integration with IoOT-based products and solutions that also have automation requirements on the IOT side. Anything can be integrated from a Gateway or API perspective would be a plus."

More IBM FileNet cons

"The annotation tool needs improvement. In other tools, such as Hyland OnBase, you can easily do annotation. You can easily merge documents. You can easily compare documents, whereas with OpenText, it seems to be a challenge."

"The cost of the product could be improved."

"The solution should work better with partners and be more developer-friendly."

"User interface needs improvement (at least in the version we are using, desktop client)."

"OpenText Extended ECM's user interface could be improved."

"We are looking for new, advanced UI features. Currently, the UI does not look great."

"Pricing could be improved and the stability or the performance needs improvement, which is very important."

"The initial setup can get really complicated, and it takes time."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"It is cheaper compared to head-to-head competitors."

"There are costs for any upgrade or additional functions."

"The license for Alfresco is expensive - not the maximum, but close. There are also extra costs once you start building integrations, as implementation seems to be very costly."

"If you buy Alfresco through a partner, there is usually a OEM licensing option."

"My customers have seen ROI. There have been productivity gains, time savings gains, and things that they have been doing much more efficiently in a more modern way than they were before."

"It is still a leading ECM solution provider, however the cost to implement and maintain are higher than other solutions."

"The cost is about $40,000, plus yearly maintenance."

"The biggest issue is the cost of the FileNet, because the license cost is very high. If a customer doesn't have good technical guides that are aware of the license calculation, they will pay too much. FileNet's license calculation depends on the processor and number of users. So my advice to a new customer is to be very careful with your calculations before purchasing FileNet."

"1. It will be more expensive than estimated to setup. 2. You will need to double the staff while you are running the old system and installing the new system. 3. Depending on the number of documents to be migrated, make sure you understand the potentially massive amount of time and effort required to migrate the existing content to the new platform."

"The physical space that we have gained back pays for the service. Therefore, it has reduced our operating costs overall. We have definitely seen ROI. I would estimate $30,000 a year."

"The solution saves time and money. It helps us to be able to accomplish the goals of our business, as opposed to being tangled in the weeds of what we could do."

"We use extraction. Therefore, we can see 80 to 85 percent accuracy on data extraction. This reduces the manual indexing part, which is definitely a gain on performance efficiency."

More IBM FileNet pricing and cost advice

"The licensing is not that complex for the core products, but it becomes more complicated for some additional modules."

"Both Open Text ECM and IBM File share are expensive."

"OpenText Extended ECM's pricing and licensing are aggressive and confusing for the end customer."

"OpenText Extended ECM is an expensive solution."

"The tool's pricing is confusing to the end customer."

"The total cost of the product will vary on the capabilities required"

"The solution is expensive."

"The pricing is costly. It's costly to integrate with Office 365 and to go back and forth with the sales team."

More OpenText Content Management pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

16%

Government

14%

Computer Software Company

12%

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

23%

Computer Software Company

11%

Government

10%

Insurance Company

Government

14%

Computer Software Company

10%

Financial Services Firm

10%

Manufacturing Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Alfresco?

The pricing of Alfresco starts at $100,000, which can be expensive for small projects. There is often a transition fr...

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What needs improvement with Alfresco?

Currently, the challenge is the general availability to users. Initially, they had poor documentation, but over the y...

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What is your primary use case for Alfresco?

This is mainly for unstructured document management systems with workflow and data classification.

See all answers

What do you like most about IBM FileNet?

The product is robust and can process a lot of documents for enterprise content management.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for IBM FileNet?

From the company's perspective, the licensing cost for IBM FileNet is still affordable. Though the license cost is so...

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What needs improvement with IBM FileNet?

The API provided by IBM FileNet is a very out-of-date implementation. From the beginning, we cannot use a REST API; w...

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What do you like most about OpenText Content Suite Platform?

We also have a module on top of the Content Server called WebReports that has been one of the things that helped us f...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for OpenText Content Suite Platform?

The cost is a significant factor that may deter medium-sized businesses from using OpenText extended ECM.

See all answers

What needs improvement with OpenText Content Suite Platform?

The cost of the product could be improved. Currently, there are certain snags in document viewing, and communication ...

See all answers

Comparisons

OpenText Documentum Content Management vs Alfresco

Compared 20% of the time

Hyland OnBase vs Alfresco

Compared 17% of the time

SharePoint vs Alfresco

Compared 11% of the time

Nuxeo vs Alfresco

Compared 7% of the time

DocuWare vs Alfresco

Compared 6% of the time

More Alfresco Competitors

SharePoint vs IBM FileNet

Compared 16% of the time

OpenText Documentum Content Management vs IBM FileNet

Compared 15% of the time

Hyland OnBase vs IBM FileNet

Compared 8% of the time

OpenText Content Manager vs IBM FileNet

Compared 6% of the time

IBM ECM vs IBM FileNet

Compared 6% of the time

More IBM FileNet Competitors

OpenText Documentum Content Management vs OpenText Content Management

Compared 19% of the time

SharePoint vs OpenText Content Management

Compared 18% of the time

OpenText Content Manager vs OpenText Content Management

Compared 7% of the time

Hyland OnBase vs OpenText Content Management

Compared 6% of the time

Adobe Experience Manager vs OpenText Content Management

Compared 5% of the time

More OpenText Content Management Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Alfresco

June 2025

Download Alfresco product report

Buyer's Guide

IBM FileNet

June 2025

Download IBM FileNet product report

Buyer's Guide

OpenText Content Management

May 2025

Download OpenText Content Management product report

Also Known As

No data available

OpenText Content Suite Platform, OpenText Core Share

Overview

The Alfresco Digital Business Platform offers open, secure content services to let you unlock the value from your most important business information. Give users access to their content wherever and however they work with Alfresco’s open, flexible, and highly scalable cloud-native content services platform. Easily integrate and connect with everyday business applications. Find, view, collaborate on, govern, and securely share digital content—and get information to the right person at the right time.

Hyland

IBM FileNet is a leading IBM enterprise content management product family. IBM FileNet is one of the ECM solutions that can change the way a company does business by enabling users to capture, activate, socialize, analyze, and govern content throughout its lifecycle.

There are many IBM FileNet products available, all of which are integrated and based on the FileNet P8 Platform.

IBM

OpenText Content Management offers seamless document storage and advanced search features. Ideal for organizations needing integration with SAP and other applications, it enhances workflows while ensuring security and compliance across multiple platforms.

OpenText Content Management stands out with its advanced integration capabilities, allowing seamless connectivity with SAP and other applications. Its enhanced security and permission systems safeguard information, vital for industries like banking, utilities, and oil & gas. Metadata categorization and customizable workflows aid in managing complex document lifecycles. Although improvements in visibility and integration with external tools are needed, the platform provides powerful collaboration tools, enhancing productivity. Users leverage document retention and WebReports features to ensure compliance. Challenges with support, performance during peak times, and architecture complexity are noted. Automation features and analytics require enhancement, alongside more user-friendly SmartUI and record management functionalities.

What key features define OpenText Content Management?

Powerful Search Functionality: Delivers rapid, accurate search results across content repositories.
Extensive Integration: Seamlessly integrates with SAP and other applications for enhanced workflow management.
Enhanced Security Systems: Advanced security measures and permission systems protect sensitive data.
Metadata for Document Categorization: Organizes documents efficiently with metadata tagging.
Customizable Workflows: Adaptable workflow options cater to diverse organizational needs.
Collaboration Tools: Boosts team productivity through efficient document management and tagging capabilities.
WebReports and Retention: Offers robust reporting and records retention to maintain compliance.

What benefits and ROI can users expect?

Improved Productivity: Streamlined collaboration tools enhance team efficiency.
Regulatory Compliance: Comprehensive retention management ensures adherence to policies.
Enhanced Security: Advanced protective measures secure critical information.
Seamless Integration: Consolidates data flow and operational processes.
Efficient Document Management: Lifecycle management improves organization and retrieval time.

OpenText Content Management is widely utilized in sectors such as banking, utilities, and oil & gas. It is implemented to manage software development projects, engineering documents, and workflow automation. Organizations leverage OpenText Extended ECM for document lifecycle management, post-project archiving, and records retention. Integration with platforms like ServiceNow allows efficient handling of document management across global operations, supporting information governance, tax return compilation, and capital projects.

OpenText

Sample Customers

Over 1,300 companies from 180 different countries. Including EuroStar, Saks Fifth Avenue, NASA Langley Research Center, and KLM.

Suncorp Group Limited, St. Vincent Health, Citigroup, SRCSD, and UK Dept for Work and Pensions.

ATCO Australia, MSIG Asia, Orica, Salt River Project

Buyer's Guide

Enterprise Content Management

June 2025

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