Apache Web Server vs IIS comparison

Why PeerSpot?

Apache and Microsoft are both solutions in the Application Infrastructure category. Apache is ranked #5 with an average rating of 8.5, while Microsoft is ranked #1 with an average rating of 8.3. Apache holds a 6.4% mindshare in AIS, compared to Microsoft’s 6.1% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of Apache users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 90% of Microsoft users who would recommend it.

Apache Web Server

Read 24 Apache Web Server reviews

4,015 Views
3,975 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

IIS

Read 61 IIS reviews

7,223 Views
4,695 Comparison Views

90% willing to recommend

Apache Web Server

IIS

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Download the report

Executive SummaryUpdated on Mar 5, 2025

IIS and Apache Web Server compete in the web server category. Apache seems to have the upper hand due to its open-source nature and cross-platform compatibility.

Features: IIS integrates seamlessly with Windows and offers robust security with application pools and process isolation. It is easy to use for Microsoft ecosystem users and provides performance benefits when hosting applications. Apache, known for stability and flexibility, is the most widely used web server worldwide. It is open-source, supports multiple operating systems, and efficiently handles extensive client requests.

Room for Improvement: IIS faces compatibility issues outside Microsoft environments and can be challenging to scale. Troubleshooting is not intuitive for unfamiliar users. Apache requires detailed command-line configuration, which can be daunting for less experienced users. It lacks support for the .NET framework and structured customer support outside certain areas.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: IIS is often deployed on-premises or in hybrid cloud setups, benefitting from Microsoft's support ecosystem, although initial support levels may vary. Apache's deployment is versatile but often relies on community support due to its open-source nature, making official support less straightforward.

Pricing and ROI: IIS incurs costs from Windows Server licenses, making it economically viable for organizations already using Microsoft products, with users reporting strong ROI from integration benefits. Apache, being free, offers significant cost savings, though ROI varies greatly depending on implementation and hardware expenses.

To learn more, read our detailed Apache Web Server vs. IIS Report (Updated: November 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Apache Web Server vs. IIS

November 2026

Download the complete report

Helped 921,028 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:

Categories and Ranking

Apache Web Server

Ranking in Application Infrastructure

5th

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

7.0

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

IIS

Ranking in Application Infrastructure

1st

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

6.7

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Application Server (4th)

Mindshare comparison

As of November 2026, in the Application Infrastructure category, the mindshare of Apache Web Server is 6.4%, down from 11.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of IIS is 6.1%, down from 10.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Application Infrastructure Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
IIS	6.1%
Apache Web Server	6.4%
Other	87.5%

Application Infrastructure

Featured Reviews

Dimitrios Zigkos

Enterprise Architect at Smals vzw

Faced limitations with integration and long-term adaptability but benefited from a lightweight architecture for standalone applications

I find valuable and beneficial the independence that comes with Apache Web Server. You can build a small project using a simple application server without bothering too much about how to manage it. The compatibility with multiple operating systems has helped my operations since most of the time we use Linux. Some systems rely on Windows, but they are few; in the past, Windows was the dominant operating system for mainstream PCs and infrastructure, but not for business. All the companies I worked for had 90% Linux and maybe up to 10% Windows. The initial setup of Apache Web Server was straightforward and okay.

Read full review

Frederic Hautecoeur

Senior System Integrations Architect at bs-team

Integrated web hosting has simplified secure services and has supported long-term growth

To be honest, I do not see any major areas for improvement. Perhaps something simple and minor. It should not go more complex than it is at the moment. The only disadvantage I see is that the documentation is a bit difficult to find. There is a lot of configuration that is very hard to get information about.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The open-source nature is one of its most significant advantages."

"The best thing about Apache is that it is open-source, so implementing my platform on-premises is less expansive than other solutions."

"In my experience, Apache Web Server has been a good and stable solution."

"It is more secure to use Apache and you will have fewer problems than other web services."

"It's very stable, and it hosts one of the biggest of many biggest web applications in the world."

"The solution is extremely stable; we haven't had any issues with bugs or glitches and it doesn't crash or freeze, so it has been reliable."

"The solution offers good security."

"Apache is a powerful tool with which you can make it do just about anything you need."

More Apache Web Server pros

"It is a scalable solution."

"Stability-wise, I rate the solution a nine out of ten...Scalability-wise, I rate the solution a nine out of ten."

"IIS works natively with Windows Server without any issues in publishing certificates."

"We use Windows Server only for Eggplant Manager."

"The product is flexible."

"My experience with the technical support by Microsoft at large is satisfactory."

"IIS is a stable solution for .NET applications."

"IIS has a very simple and user-friendly interface, which helps a lot in effective and efficient management."

More IIS pros

Cons

"I want the user interface to be more user-friendly."

"Apache Server and the Nginx also do not require any licenses, and I think because of this that the support is not so good for us."

"The product's initial setup process could be easier for users."

"There isn't a dedicated customer support available"

"The interface has room for improvement."

"A monitoring interface would be great for this product. The monitoring dashboards for Apache's models are not included in the basic installation. You can install the basic monitoring model, then connect this model to another monitoring system."

"Its stability could be better."

"In future releases, I would like to see better server optimization."

More Apache Web Server cons

"In the next release, the tool should be more easily integrated and configured with other provisions. The pricing should also be made cheaper since it's very expensive now."

"The documentation is not very detailed."

"They need to improve their response time and first level support quality because the escalation process takes too long."

"Scalability issues and security concerns need attention from Microsoft."

"This solution needs to be easier for cases where you want to have an IIS cluster."

"If Microsoft IIS could work well with AppOptics or things like PHP, Python, and other custom languages that run on the webserver, it would be ideal. I think there are cases where people need to use Apache instead of IIS when IIS doesn't work well with other web languages."

"Sometimes, we encounter difficult issues, and getting support from Microsoft to resolve those issues is not easy."

"The graphical user interface has room for improvement and can be more user-friendly."

More IIS cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"It is a free-of-cost solution."

"The apache software is free, open-source."

"It is an open-source solution."

"There is no licensing cost for the product."

"There is no license needed to use the solution."

"The licensing cost is dependent on the usage."

"IIS's pricing is reasonable."

"I give the price of the solution a five out of ten."

"They offer a one-time payment model for the product license, and we pay annually for support."

"We pay a yearly licensing fee for the solution."

"The product's price is not high."

"There is an annual license to use this solution and the price could be better."

More IIS pricing and cost advice

See which vendors are best for you

Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Application Infrastructure solutions are best for your needs.

See recommendations

921,028 professionals have used our research since 2012.

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Construction Company

14%

Manufacturing Company

11%

Comms Service Provider

11%

Outsourcing Company

10%

Financial Services Firm

14%

Manufacturing Company

11%

Construction Company

Comms Service Provider

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	7
Midsize Enterprise	8
Large Enterprise	11

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	30
Midsize Enterprise	12
Large Enterprise	22

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Apache Web Server?

There are no fees associated with the usage of Apache Web Server in my projects. If you want to have support, then there is some cost, but today I do not know how many companies pay for that servic...

See all answers

What needs improvement with Apache Web Server?

I would like to see improvements in the functionality and core of Apache Web Server, focusing on building an infrastructure that can be resilient and robust enough to handle resource shortages, and...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Apache Web Server?

I am currently working with Apache Web Server in my projects because I'm an architect. Some years ago, it was the application server and the web server; it was Apache Daemon and Apache, the web ser...

See all answers

Which is better - IIS or NGINX Plus?

IIS is a flexible, secure, and manageable web server to host anything on the web. IIS’s scalable and open architecture can handle the most demanding tasks. From media streaming to web applications,...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for IIS?

For the pricing, setup cost, and licensing for IIS, as a Microsoft product, I didn't think much about separately purchasing an IIS product as it is part of Microsoft Windows. We bought a developmen...

See all answers

What needs improvement with IIS?

I see that IIS has maintained the same interface for a long time, so they could potentially use more automation or integrate Copilot into it to make it easier to use. I have not accessed or checked...

See all answers

Comparisons

NGINX Plus vs Apache Web Server

Compared 11% of the time

JBoss Enterprise Application Platform vs Apache Web Server

Compared 6% of the time

Zend PHP Engine vs Apache Web Server

Compared 6% of the time

Magic xpa Application Platform vs Apache Web Server

Compared 6% of the time

Microsoft .NET Framework vs Apache Web Server

Compared 6% of the time

More Apache Web Server Competitors

NGINX Plus vs IIS

Compared 10% of the time

Tomcat vs IIS

Compared 8% of the time

Oracle WebLogic Server vs IIS

Compared 6% of the time

Windows Server AppFabric vs IIS

Compared 5% of the time

WebOTX vs IIS

Compared 5% of the time

More IIS Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Apache Web Server

November 2026

Download Apache Web Server product report

Buyer's Guide

IIS

October 2026

Download IIS product report

Also Known As

Apache HTTP Server

Windows Server IIS

Overview

Apache Web Server is a stable, open-source platform known for its cost-effectiveness, multi-platform compatibility, ease of setup, and high security. It supports various web scripting languages and enables HTTPS services, making it a popular choice for many organizations.

Apache Web Server offers extensive features including HTTP server capabilities and modularity. It efficiently handles client requests and is highly flexible, which is why many companies utilize it for hosting applications, developing websites, and more. Community support further enhances its reliability, though improvements like integration with cloud systems such as Kubernetes, a simplified port management, and support for Microsoft's .Net framework are desired. Initial setup challenges exist, and enhanced security features and GUI updates would benefit less experienced users. Apache needs optimization for resource efficiency and compatibility with modern application architectures.

What are the most important features of Apache Web Server?

Open-Source: Apache is free and community-driven.
Cross-Platform Compatibility: Works on multiple operating systems.
Modular Architecture: Allows scalability and customization.
Secure: Supports HTTPS services and has WAF capabilities.
Performance: Efficiently handles client requests.

What benefits can users expect from using Apache Web Server?

Cost-Effective: No licensing fees associated.
High Reliability: Community support ensures stability.
Flexibility: Easily integrates with numerous frameworks.
Scalability: Modular design aids in scaling operations.
Community Support: Continuous updates and enhancements.

Apache Web Server is widely used across different industries such as financial sectors for hosting applications and core banking systems. Integrated with tools like JMeter and Tomcat, it is pivotal in deploying web servers and acting as a proxy for application servers. In cloud migrations, its open-source WAF features using ModSecurity are invaluable, and companies rely on its capabilities for managing threats and attacks through HTTP/HTTPS connections.

Apache

IIS is a web server platform recognized for strong security, high performance, and seamless Windows integration. It offers an intuitive setup, emphasizing resource efficiency, scalability, and robust performance.

Internet Information Services provides a comprehensive solution for hosting and managing web applications. Known for its security and integration capabilities, it features a user-friendly interface that simplifies server management. Its application pool isolation and performance make it highly reliable. However, configuration challenges, lack of detailed documentation, and difficulties in integrating with non-Windows environments are noted. Large-scale deployments sometimes encounter clustering and scalability issues, and improvements are needed in memory management and monitoring tools. Despite these areas for improvement, compatibility with Microsoft products and zero need for separate licensing are convincing benefits for many users.

What features make IIS stand out?

Security Features: Enhances security with single sign-on and SSL support.
Performance: Designed for high efficiency and reliability.
Integration: Seamless compatibility with Windows and Microsoft products.
User Interface: Straightforward setup aids in easy management.
Scalability: Able to efficiently scale with resource demands.

What benefits should be reviewed?

Resource Efficiency: Provides cost-effective resource management.
Scalability: Easily adapts to growing application demands.
No Licensing Cost: Eliminates additional licensing expenses.
Microsoft Integration: Offers seamless use with Microsoft ecosystems.

Organizations employ IIS for a range of applications. These include hosting web applications accessible externally, managing internal projects, and supporting infrastructure such as DNS and DHCP. Companies leverage its database management capabilities, integration with Active Directory, and secure communication via SSL. In fields like healthcare, IIS supports internal information systems and on-premise deployments.

Microsoft

Sample Customers

Cisco, Intuit, General Electric, Adobe, VMware, PayPal, HP, EMC, eBay, Apple, SAP, Qualcomm, SanDisk, Allstate, FedEx

Erste Bank Group, NJVC, Samsung Electronics, Sheraton Hotels and Resorts, Tata Steel Europe, Urban Software Institute

Buyer's Guide

Apache Web Server vs. IIS

November 2026

Free Report: Apache Web Server vs. IIS

Find out what your peers are saying about Apache Web Server vs. IIS and other solutions. Updated: November 2026.

DOWNLOAD NOW

921,028 professionals have used our research since 2012.

See our Apache Web Server vs. IIS report.

See our list of best Application Infrastructure vendors.

We monitor all Application Infrastructure 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.