Try our new research platform with insights from 80,000+ expert users

IBM Blueworks Live vs Visual Paradigm comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 3, 2024

Review summaries and opinions

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

ROI

Sentiment score
8.5
IBM Blueworks Live enhances productivity, reduces costs, and is preferred for its simplicity in business process management over competitors.
Sentiment score
6.5
Visual Paradigm improves efficiency and documentation, offering good ROI despite challenging free assessment, with benefits varying by usage duration.
IBM Blueworks Live seems very easy to use compared to similar products on the market.
Unit Head System Implementor at Allied Bank Limited
The product did what it was supposed to do for the documentation development I was engaged in.
Software Engineer at a aerospace/defense firm with 10,001+ employees
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
8.3
IBM Blueworks Live support is responsive and competent, with quick resolutions and high user satisfaction, despite occasional delays.
Sentiment score
7.8
Visual Paradigm excels with responsive technical support, helpful community resources, and ease of use, despite limited regional support.
Support deserves a rating of nine out of ten.
Consultant 2 at Protiviti
The tool was easy enough to use.
Software Engineer at a aerospace/defense firm with 10,001+ employees
We didn't use customer service extensively, but our questions were answered when needed.
Operational Analyst and Architect at Hobu Online
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.7
IBM Blueworks Live is scalable and adaptable, though performance and cost challenges arise with increased user numbers.
Sentiment score
7.7
Visual Paradigm is seen as scalable for enterprise use, though opinions vary, with some noting challenges and a steep learning curve.
IBM Blueworks Live is easily scalable, but it can be expensive to scale and there may be some limitations.
Consultant 2 at Protiviti
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
8.7
IBM Blueworks Live is praised for its reliable cloud version but may experience latency and glitches with connectivity issues.
Sentiment score
8.3
Visual Paradigm is stable with minor hardware needs, achieving high satisfaction and occasional specific bug issues reported by users.
For the on-premise version, there aren't speed challenges, but sometimes the server goes down, preventing work.
Consultant 2 at Protiviti
 

Room For Improvement

IBM Blueworks Live struggles with orchestration, lacks simulation and reporting features, and has limited compliance and deployment options.
Visual Paradigm needs enhancements in integration, export features, UI design, performance, and pricing to meet user demands effectively.
Normal business users or consultants cannot perform the installation as it requires extensive technical knowledge.
Consultant 2 at Protiviti
I would prefer an on-premises solution for IBM Blueworks Live, and this could be a recommendation.
Unit Head System Implementor at Allied Bank Limited
The product can always get better as the industry changes.
Software Engineer at a aerospace/defense firm with 10,001+ employees
 

Setup Cost

IBM Blueworks Live offers flexible, affordable pricing with scalable enterprise options, including minimal licensing costs and free subscriptions.
Visual Paradigm provides flexible pricing from $6 to $197, offering affordable options for both community and enterprise users.
The free version of Visual Paradigm does not incur any setup costs and offers a set of usable features.
Operational Analyst and Architect at Hobu Online
I purchased Visual Paradigm on my own, and it was competitively priced.
Software Engineer at a aerospace/defense firm with 10,001+ employees
 

Valuable Features

IBM Blueworks Live enhances efficiency with real-time modeling, BPMN compliance, intuitive collaboration, and excellent customer service for cloud-based access.
Visual Paradigm integrates diverse diagrams, supports enterprise architecture, and is favored for its intuitive interface and adaptability.
IBM Blueworks Live provides clear ROI as it saves both time and money.
Consultant 2 at Protiviti
IBM Blueworks Live helps improve operational efficiency, especially where requirements are uncertain and clarity is needed.
Unit Head System Implementor at Allied Bank Limited
It is user-friendly, and as you become more familiar with its deep features, you might consider upgrading to the paid version for more complex projects.
Operational Analyst and Architect at Hobu Online
In other drawing programs, if I moved a box, I had to move the arrow, but Visual Paradigm handled those tasks automatically.
Software Engineer at a aerospace/defense firm with 10,001+ employees
 

Categories and Ranking

IBM Blueworks Live
Ranking in Business Process Design
11th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
7.7
Number of Reviews
22
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Visual Paradigm
Ranking in Business Process Design
8th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.6
Number of Reviews
27
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of December 2025, in the Business Process Design category, the mindshare of IBM Blueworks Live is 3.1%, down from 3.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Visual Paradigm is 4.9%, down from 6.7% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Business Process Design Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Visual Paradigm4.9%
IBM Blueworks Live3.1%
Other92.0%
Business Process Design
 

Featured Reviews

Nupur Wadhwa - PeerSpot reviewer
Consultant 2 at Protiviti
Enables efficient process mapping but requires improvement in maintaining server stability
The pricing of the solution can be quite expensive when compared to competitors, though IBM Blueworks Live stands out from a technical standpoint. IBM Blueworks Live provides clear ROI as it saves both time and money. I have successfully imported Visio flowcharts into both IBM Blueworks Live and ARIS. Both tools handled the imports successfully, though some manual intervention was required because Visio is quite a basic tool. Importing flowcharts into advanced tools such as ARIS and IBM Blueworks Live requires some manual effort. The primary advantage is the ease of use. I have not encountered any features in other tools that I couldn't find in ARIS. This is a major factor because I don't have to switch between tools to find specific features. Using ARIS for the past three years has built confidence and trust in the tool.
reviewer2097357 - PeerSpot reviewer
Software Engineer at a aerospace/defense firm with 10,001+ employees
Innovation in diagramming has streamlined complex UML tasks
Visual Paradigm allowed me to create UML diagrams efficiently. The tool was smarter than other tools in terms of remembering the connections between components on the screen. For example, in other drawing programs, if I moved a box, I had to move the arrow, but Visual Paradigm handled those tasks automatically. This made it much quicker than using other tools like Visio or MagicDoor.
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Business Process Design solutions are best for your needs.
879,259 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
18%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Computer Software Company
10%
Government
6%
Financial Services Firm
10%
Educational Organization
10%
Comms Service Provider
9%
Manufacturing Company
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business5
Midsize Enterprise1
Large Enterprise18
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business15
Midsize Enterprise5
Large Enterprise7
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about IBM Blueworks Live?
The solution is easy to operate. Also, there is an automatic mode to make the business flow. You don't have to put any lines or arrows in a decision point in IBM Blueworks Live; it's very automatic.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for IBM Blueworks Live?
I do not have exposure to IBM Blueworks Live pricing since this is managed by other personnel who handle the financial aspects of licenses.
What needs improvement with IBM Blueworks Live?
I do not use Security Identity Governance and Intelligence, as it is not implemented here. I would prefer an on-premises solution for IBM Blueworks Live, and this could be a recommendation. Regardi...
What do you like most about Visual Paradigm?
The solution is the best application for data modeling. It helps to architect business processes. Its best features are pricing and functionality.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Visual Paradigm?
I purchased Visual Paradigm on my own, and it was competitively priced, so I was fine with the pricing.
What needs improvement with Visual Paradigm?
The product can always get better as the industry changes, however, I didn't necessarily feel it was lacking for what I did with it.
 

Also Known As

IBM Lombardi Blueprint
No data available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Cloudsoft Corp. Ltd., Bayer, S¾SS, Essex County Council
Adobe, Apple, at&t, Caterpillar, Intel, NASA, Nokia, Toyota
Find out what your peers are saying about IBM Blueworks Live vs. Visual Paradigm and other solutions. Updated: December 2025.
879,259 professionals have used our research since 2012.