Apache JMeter vs IBM Rational Performance Tester comparison

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Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between Apache JMeter and IBM Rational Performance Tester based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out what your peers are saying about Apache, OpenText, Tricentis and others in Performance Testing Tools.
To learn more, read our detailed Performance Testing Tools Report (Updated: March 2024).
763,955 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Featured Review
Quotes From Members
We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use.
Here are some excerpts of what they said:
Pros
"The ease of use is the solution's most valuable feature. Also, the ability to easily create test cases is also very good. It's easy to just ramp up on the solution.""JMeter's most valuable feature is the RegEx Extractor.""It's stable and reliable.""We are using this for performance testing and some automation.""This solution is easier to use than any other tool in the market; there is not even a requirement to learn a lot of scripting in order to use it.""The solution has good transition controllers and distributed testing.""Very user-friendly and easy to use.""It is an open-source tool that is easy to use. It can be easily integrated with multiple tools, including Selenium."

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"It can support both web applications and mobile applications, and in certain cases, it can also support testing of desktop applications or software-based applications. You can write web applications, mobile applications, and software-based applications.""Technical support is very good. I'm very satisfied with the assistance we've received so far."

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Cons
"If the solution was GUI based, I believe that it would be more versatile.""Given that Apache JMeter is a free and open-source tool, documentation improvement may not be a major concern, as it is mostly contributed on a voluntary basis. The essential information is already available. However, in terms of the interface, there are occasional bugs, and the tool may not address them as quickly as some users would like. Fixing defects and bugs might take a considerable amount of time, with users sometimes having to wait for several months or even a year for the next release to address specific issues.""The solution is not user-friendly, there is no framework for autocorrelation or parameterization.""In terms of setup, it could be nicer, to be honest. Sometimes, I get a little bit lost.""There are certain things like we can't merge custom metrics into the JMeter reports. We're limited to JMeter metrics, and other server metrics can't be integrated with JMeter dashboard. This forces us to rely on another tool.""If JMeter could provide a web version of editing, that would be good.""In terms of platform support, they need to extend the support for backend platforms and more of the legacy types of platforms.""The reporting section of the solution can be better."

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"The solution is not easily scalable. If you want to extend the solution, you need to purchase a different kind of license. You also have to work with the IBM team to assist in scaling.""There are some features that Micro Focus LoadRunner provides, but they are not available in IBM Rational Performance Tester. They should include such features. It can also have more reports similar to what HP provides. It might also need some improvement in terms of the tools and support for other technology areas. Certain technologies are not supported by every tool. They need to support all sorts of technologies and platforms on which web applications and mobile applications are built. They need complete support for all sorts of technologies."

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Pricing and Cost Advice
  • "Free"
  • "I switched to Apache because it is free. Other tools are much too expensive and can cost up to $50,000 a year if you are looking at commercial options."
  • "This is an open-source solution, and there are no fees."
  • "This is an open-source product."
  • "I was using the free version of the software."
  • "In terms of open-source adoption, it is completely free."
  • "We are using the free version, and if required, we can easily switch to the other version."
  • "When comparing the price with Load Runner, and if the cost is an issue then JMeter is a better choice"
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  • "It is much cheaper than Micro Focus LoadRunner. We need perpetual licenses. Support is included in the first sale. After that, you need to renew support every year."
  • More IBM Rational Performance Tester Pricing and Cost Advice →

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    Questions from the Community
    Top Answer:Postman lets you easily define variables, which then get updated automatically. This is a huge time-saver and makes processes very efficient. We can also export the test cases we create and share them… more »
    Top Answer:Blazemeter is a continuous testing platform that provides scriptless test automation. It unifies functional and performance testing, enabling users to monitor and test public and private APIs We… more »
    Top Answer:JMeter is basically the art of the entire performance testing process.
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    Also Known As
    JMeter
    Rational Performance Tester
    Learn More
    Overview

    Apache JMeter is an open-source Java application that tests load and functional behavior and performance in applications. Created initially to test web applications, it has expanded its functionality to test other functions. For instance, you can test a server to see how efficiently it works and how many user requests can be handled simultaneously.

    You can use JMeter to test functional performance and regression tests on different technologies. This Java desktop application has an easy-to-use graphical interface which uses the Swing graphical API. You can run JMeter on any environment that accepts a Java virtual machine, such as Windows, Linux, and Mac.

    What protocols does JMeter support?

    • Web - HTTP, HTTPS
    • Web services - SOAP/XML-RPC
    • Email service - POP3, IMAP, SMTP
    • FTP service
    • Database via JDBC drivers
    • LDAP
    • Native commands or shell scripts
    • TCP
    • Java objects

    How does JMeter work?

    JMeter sends requests to a target server by simulating a group of user requests. Then it collects and calculates statistics on the performance of the target. This target can be a server or an application.

    You can test the performance of static resources, such as JavaScript or HTML, and dynamic resources, such as JSP, Servlets, and AJAX. It is also helpful to determine how many concurrent users your website can handle.

    There are two main tests you can carry out with JMeter: load test and stress test. The load test models expected usage of a server by simulating multiple users accessing the web server simultaneously. The stress testing aims to find the maximum load capacity of the server or application.

    Apache JMeter Key Features

    • JMeter enables fast test plan recording, building, and debugging via a featured test IDE (integrated development environment).
    • Command-line mode allows carrying out load tests from any OS compatible with Java.
    • JMeter can extract data from most popular response formats, such as HTML, JSON, XML.
    • JMeter is entirely portable.
    • A multithreading framework allows you to simultaneously test multiple samplings and separate thread groups.
    • Thanks to the caching feature, you can conduct offline analysis or replay test results.

    Apache JMeter Benefits

    • As open-source software, it is freely available and continuously improved.
    • The setup is user-friendly, and no installation is needed.
    • The GUI (graphic user interface) is intuitive and easy to use.
    • You can write your own tests and use the visualization plugins to extend the testing.
    • It is a platform-agnostic tool. For example, JMeter can work with Linux by clicking on the JMeter shell script. On Windows, you can call up JMeter by starting the jmeter.bat file.
    • Since the test plans are stored in XML format, you can generate a test plan using any text editor.
    • You can simulate a heavy load on a server, a group of servers, a network, or an object. Use JMeter to test an application or server's strength and performance under different load types.

    The JMeter extensible core has numerous benefits:

    • Unlimited testing capabilities via pluggable samplers.
    • You can choose multiple load statistics with pluggable timers.
    • Visualization plugins and data analysis enable customization.
    • Continuous integration via third-party open-source libraries (Maven, Gradle, and Jenkins).

    Reviews from Real Users

    Stephen B., I.T. Architect, Analyst, and Developer at an educational organization, says, "The scripting ability is most valuable. It is easy to use. There is a UI, and you can go in there and figure those things out. After you've got a good set of tests, you basically have a scripted document that you can grab and execute in a pipeline. It is pretty quick to set up, and you can scale it and version control it."

    "I like the fact that JMeter integrates well with other tools," adds the Founder and Principal Consultant at a tech services company.

    A Quality Engineering Delivery Leader at a financial services firm says, “The performance of the solution is excellent. They have designed the product so that it is very easy to configure. You can basically do anything you like with the product. It's not very restrictive. We like the fact that the technology is open-source.”

    IBM Rational Performance Tester is a performance testing solution that validates the scalability of web and server applications. Rational Performance Tester identifies the presence and cause of system performance bottlenecks and reduces load testing complexity.
    Sample Customers
    AOL, Orbitz, Innopath Software, PrepMe, Sapient, Corporate Express Australia, CSIRO, Ephibian, Talis, DATACOM, ALALOOP, eFusion, Panter, Sourcepole, University of Western Cape
    andagon, Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon
    Top Industries
    REVIEWERS
    Computer Software Company38%
    Financial Services Firm30%
    Energy/Utilities Company4%
    Renewables & Environment Company4%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Financial Services Firm18%
    Computer Software Company17%
    Manufacturing Company7%
    Government6%
    REVIEWERS
    Government29%
    Computer Software Company14%
    Construction Company14%
    Financial Services Firm14%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company17%
    Financial Services Firm17%
    Government13%
    Manufacturing Company11%
    Company Size
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business25%
    Midsize Enterprise24%
    Large Enterprise51%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business16%
    Midsize Enterprise13%
    Large Enterprise70%
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business22%
    Midsize Enterprise33%
    Large Enterprise44%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business13%
    Midsize Enterprise11%
    Large Enterprise76%
    Buyer's Guide
    Performance Testing Tools
    March 2024
    Find out what your peers are saying about Apache, OpenText, Tricentis and others in Performance Testing Tools. Updated: March 2024.
    763,955 professionals have used our research since 2012.

    Apache JMeter is ranked 1st in Performance Testing Tools with 46 reviews while IBM Rational Performance Tester is ranked 24th in Test Management Tools. Apache JMeter is rated 7.8, while IBM Rational Performance Tester is rated 7.6. The top reviewer of Apache JMeter writes "It's a free, scalable tool that's good for checking backend services". On the other hand, Apache JMeter is most compared with Postman, BlazeMeter, Tricentis NeoLoad, OpenText LoadRunner Professional and Visual Studio Test Professional, whereas IBM Rational Performance Tester is most compared with OpenText LoadRunner Professional, Tricentis NeoLoad and OpenText LoadRunner Cloud.

    We monitor all Performance Testing Tools reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.