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IBM MQ vs MuleSoft Anypoint Platform comparison

IBM and Salesforce are both solutions in the Message Queue (MQ) Software category. IBM is ranked #1 with an average rating of 8.5, while Salesforce is ranked #4 with an average rating of 7.9. IBM holds a 25.5% mindshare in MQ, compared to Salesforce’s 8.6% mindshare. Additionally, 94% of IBM users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 92% of Salesforce users who would recommend it.
IBM MQ
Read 171 IBM MQ reviews
  • 6,471 Views
  • 4,724 Comparison Views
94% willing to recommend
MuleSoft Anypoint Platform
Read 59 MuleSoft Anypoint Platform reviews
  • 11,013 Views
  • 1,982 Comparison Views
92% willing to recommend
 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Sep 21, 2025

IBM MQ and MuleSoft Anypoint Platform compete in the enterprise integration and messaging solutions category. While IBM MQ is well-regarded for its stability and integration capabilities across platforms, MuleSoft Anypoint Platform shines with its API management and cloud integration flexibility.

Features: IBM MQ offers message standardization, real-time visibility, and guaranteed delivery, ensuring reliable data handling across diverse systems. In comparison, MuleSoft Anypoint Platform provides robust API management and an extensive range of application connectors, alongside a visual configuration for ease of use.

Room for Improvement: IBM MQ could benefit from enhancements in monitoring features and user interface to improve user-friendliness and alert systems. Its integration with cloud technologies also needs refinement. MuleSoft needs a more straightforward error logging process, better documentation, and improved customer support responsiveness.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: IBM MQ mainly supports on-premises and private cloud deployments, providing strong yet less proactive customer service. In contrast, MuleSoft Anypoint Platform supports public, private, and hybrid deployments, though its customer support is noted as average with room for faster response times.

Pricing and ROI: Despite being viewed as expensive, IBM MQ is known for a solid ROI due to its efficiency and integration capabilities essential for large enterprises. MuleSoft Anypoint Platform's costs are high with a complex licensing model, offering a comprehensive solution suitable for enterprises willing to invest in integrated API management capabilities.

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Buyer's Guide
IBM MQ vs. MuleSoft Anypoint Platform
September 2025
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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
6.7
IBM MQ offers cost-effective, reliable integration, enhancing efficiency, minimizing data loss, and achieving ROI within two years.
Sentiment score
6.2
MuleSoft Anypoint Platform offers ROI by reducing costs, increasing innovation, and leveraging APIs, though pricing may challenge smaller companies.
It's a product which integrates the external systems with internal systems or among the systems themselves, making it an essential technology component required to integrate multiple systems.
For more quotes and insights, download the IBM MQ report
No quotes available
For more quotes and insights, download the MuleSoft Anypoint Platform report
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
6.9
IBM MQ support is efficient yet inconsistent, with quick issue resolution but delays and documentation improvements needed for complex issues.
Sentiment score
6.6
MuleSoft Anypoint Platform offers responsive support, praised by premium users, though some find response times slow and use community resources.
We cannot hold on to the project for a long time just to wait for IBM to fix the issues.
The response time for IBM MQ support could be better because when we are using IBM MQ and something goes wrong, support is required as the resource availability of the IBM product is very limited.
With containerized flavors of these products, we are having a tough time dealing with PMRs because the versions are new to IBM.
For more quotes and insights, download the IBM MQ report
The Salesforce team offers different levels of support.
The support team is responsive and helpful.
For more quotes and insights, download the MuleSoft Anypoint Platform report
AV
Md Al-Amin - PeerSpot reviewer
AC
SV
PD
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.5
IBM MQ scales well across environments but may face challenges with configuration and hardware in certain scenarios.
Sentiment score
7.5
MuleSoft Anypoint Platform provides scalable cloud solutions, offering auto-scalability and varying costs, suitable for medium to large organizations.
IBM MQ handles many thousands of messages in a second, indicating good scalability.
In our environment, we do not have horizontal scaling for IBM MQ, but as demand increases, we would just vertically scale it.
We've got 12 VMs running, and it's very easy to scale.
For more quotes and insights, download the IBM MQ report
MuleSoft Anypoint Platform is quite scalable, and it meets our use cases with no issues preventing implementation.
MuleSoft provides the ability to scale, yet it is costly to do so.
For more quotes and insights, download the MuleSoft Anypoint Platform report
IR
AC
David Pizinger - PeerSpot reviewer
PD
reviewer2591856 - PeerSpot reviewer
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
8.1
IBM MQ is praised for stability, minimal downtime, and reliability, with strong performance and regular updates enhancing user satisfaction.
Sentiment score
7.7
MuleSoft Anypoint Platform is reliable, stable, with minimal issues, better on-prem scalability, handling low volumes well in large organizations.
We have never had any downtime or crashes since it's been running.
The transaction is always guaranteed with IBM MQ, which is the main reason I have been working with it for fifteen years while dealing with financial transactions or messages.
Otherwise, they're completely stable.
For more quotes and insights, download the IBM MQ report
No quotes available
For more quotes and insights, download the MuleSoft Anypoint Platform report
IR
AC
David Pizinger - PeerSpot reviewer
 

Room For Improvement

IBM MQ users seek enhanced security, user interfaces, monitoring, cloud integration, graphical admin, mobile/web support, and cost-effective training.
MuleSoft Anypoint Platform needs improvements in error handling, documentation, support, integration, AI, security, and interface for better performance.
Having a graphical user interface would improve usability.
The pricing model for IBM MQ could be more flexible for clients.
They don't meet our standards due to the timing to get a person with knowledge.
For more quotes and insights, download the IBM MQ report
MuleSoft is considered expensive, so pricing is a major concern.
When dealing with multiple transactions or trading, the system can lose control, and tracking becomes hectic.
Currently, it uses other standards, but adopting OpenAPI, the standard in the market, would be beneficial.
For more quotes and insights, download the MuleSoft Anypoint Platform report
IR
Md Al-Amin - PeerSpot reviewerreviewer2721285 - PeerSpot reviewerreviewer2591856 - PeerSpot reviewer
SV
PD
 

Setup Cost

IBM MQ's high cost is justified by performance and scalability, yet some prefer open-source alternatives for affordability.
MuleSoft Anypoint Platform's pricing, though complex and costly, is justified by features but may deter smaller organizations.
It's not cheap.
It's possible to get some training, but the cost of this learning is expensive.
The price of IBM MQ is definitely on the higher side.
For more quotes and insights, download the IBM MQ report
MuleSoft is considered one of the more expensive products in the market.
I do not know the specific costs, but given that it is part of MuleSoft, I suspect it is not cheap.
The platform reduces manual workload in maintaining infrastructure, but it does come with some cost considerations.
For more quotes and insights, download the MuleSoft Anypoint Platform report
David Pizinger - PeerSpot reviewer
MK
AV
reviewer2591856 - PeerSpot reviewer
PD
SV
 

Valuable Features

IBM MQ is valued for reliable data transfer, seamless integration, scalability, security, and ease of administration across industries.
MuleSoft Anypoint Platform excels in API management, hybrid integrations, and offers versatile deployment with strong monitoring and user-friendly interface.
These are financial transactions, so we do not want to lose the message at any cost.
There is a saying that for the last 30 years IBM MQ has never been hacked.
It's time-tested, very stable, highly resilient, and has all the features to troubleshoot even if something goes wrong.
For more quotes and insights, download the IBM MQ report
The most valuable feature is the full lifecycle management, including Anypoint Designer and Exchange, as well as Discofolio API.
The platform is integrated with Salesforce, making it preferable when using Salesforce products.
MuleSoft Anypoint Platform helps to standardize data integration approaches, making it easier to implement integration projects.
For more quotes and insights, download the MuleSoft Anypoint Platform report
AC
Md Al-Amin - PeerSpot reviewer
AV
reviewer2591856 - PeerSpot reviewer
SV
PD
 

Categories and Ranking

IBM MQ
Ranking in Message Queue (MQ) Software
1st
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
171
Ranking in other categories
Business Activity Monitoring (1st), Message Oriented Middleware (MOM) (1st)
MuleSoft Anypoint Platform
Ranking in Message Queue (MQ) Software
4th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.7
Number of Reviews
59
Ranking in other categories
Business-to-Business Middleware (1st), Workload Automation (4th), Cloud Data Integration (4th), Integration Platform as a Service (iPaaS) (2nd)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2025, in the Message Queue (MQ) Software category, the mindshare of IBM MQ is 25.5%, up from 22.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of MuleSoft Anypoint Platform is 8.6%, down from 11.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Message Queue (MQ) Software Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
IBM MQ25.5%
MuleSoft Anypoint Platform8.6%
Other65.9%
Message Queue (MQ) Software
 

Featured Reviews

Md Al-Amin - PeerSpot reviewer
Reliable and secure performance consistently enhances message transfer
IBM MQ is more reliable and secure than other software. There is a saying that for the last 30 years IBM MQ has never been hacked. It is more secure and reliable. Whenever the configuration is done, I do not have to touch it again. It works fine, it is stable, and its communication is to the point and accurate. All performance-related aspects are better. Performance-wise, it is scalable, and other features such as DR, DC, replication, and active passive mode are complex to configure, but it remains scalable. The pricing model for IBM MQ could be more flexible for clients.
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Mohan BS - PeerSpot reviewer
A useful tool to integrate applications and for data transformations that need to improve in the area of price and support
The main area where improvements are required in the product revolves around budgeting. The cost of the product is an area of concern where improvements are required, especially when compared to other tools, like Dell Boomi or Oracle. Mule Anypoint Platform is made available with many components, and whether users use them or not depends on their choices. For example, though there is a tool called Anypoint MQ, our organization prefers to pay and use Kafka, as we don't want to use MuleSoft Anypoint MQ. In Mule Anypoint Platform, there needs to be proper segregation to help users identify what they need and don't need, making it an area where users need to be careful when opting for MuleSoft. Mule Anypoint Platform is an integration tool and not an ETL solution. When a user has to deal with a huge number of data, then Mule Anypoint Platform should not be a preferred choice since it can only be used for lightweight purposes revolving around APIs. There is a need to have a clear architectural decision made before opting for Mule Anypoint Platform. When there is a requirement for heavy data transformation, then users need to decide whether to go with Mule Anypoint Platform or any other platform available in the market. Though the tool comes with many useful components, it depends on whether the user plans to use all of its features. Recently, the product has come up with a new feature that is similar to an API catalog. MuleSoft had come up with the UAPIM feature almost eight months to a year ago, which had some concerns in the area of budgeting. Whether you build APIs using Javacore or any other tools, they can be cataloged using MuleSoft's UAPIM feature, for which users need to pay an extra amount, making it an area of concern for users. It would be great if MuleSoft's support team could provide help with the area of Kubernetes.
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
35%
Computer Software Company
11%
Manufacturing Company
7%
Government
5%
Financial Services Firm
13%
Computer Software Company
13%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Government
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business19
Midsize Enterprise18
Large Enterprise145
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business21
Midsize Enterprise12
Large Enterprise29
 

Questions from the Community

What is MQ software?
Hi As someone with 45+ years of experience in the Transaction and Message Processing world, I have seen many "MQ" solutions that have come into the market place. From my perspective, while each pro...
See all answers
What are the differences between Apache Kafka and IBM MQ?
Apache Kafka is open source and can be used for free. It has very good log management and has a way to store the data used for analytics. Apache Kafka is very good if you have a high number of user...
See all answers
How does IBM MQ compare with VMware RabbitMQ?
IBM MQ has a great reputation behind it, and this solution is very robust with great stability. It is easy to use, simple to configure and integrates well with our enterprise ecosystem and protocol...
See all answers
What advice do you have for others considering Mule Anypoint Platform?
I architected solutions using Oracle SOA/OSB, Spring Boot, MuleSoft Anypoint Platform on cloud / on-premises and hybrid modes; What I see is though if you are an enterprise and have enough money th...
See all answers
How does TIBCO BusinessWorks compare with Mule Anypoint Platform?
Our organization ran comparison tests to determine whether TIBCO BusinessWorks or Mule Anypoint platform integration and connectivity software was the better fit for us. We decided to go with Mule...
See all answers
What can Mule Anypoint Platform be used for and what do you use it for most often?
This is a very flexible solution that comes with multiple uses. My organization mostly uses Mule Anypoint Platform for API management, as it lets us build new APIs easily and design new interfaces...
See all answers
 

Comparisons

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Compared 7% of the time
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Compared 6% of the time
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Compared 5% of the time
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Compared 19% of the time
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Compared 8% of the time
ActiveMQ vs MuleSoft Anypoint Platform Logo
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Compared 4% of the time
Apache Kafka vs MuleSoft Anypoint Platform Logo
Apache Kafka vs MuleSoft Anypoint Platform
Compared 3% of the time
Boomi iPaaS vs MuleSoft Anypoint Platform Logo
Boomi iPaaS vs MuleSoft Anypoint Platform
Compared 3% of the time
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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide
IBM MQ
September 2025
IBM MQ reportDownload IBM MQ product report
Buyer's Guide
MuleSoft Anypoint Platform
September 2025
MuleSoft Anypoint Platform reportDownload MuleSoft Anypoint Platform product report
 

Also Known As

WebSphere MQ
Data Integrator, Anypoint MQ
 

Overview

    IBM MQ is a middleware product used to send or exchange messages across multiple platforms, including applications, systems, files, and services via MQs (messaging queues). This solution helps simplify the creation of business applications, and also makes them easier to maintain. IBM MQ is security-rich, has high performance, and provides a universal messaging backbone with robust connectivity. In addition, it also integrates easily with existing IT assets by using an SOA (service oriented architecture).

    IBM MQ can be deployed:

    • On-premises
    • In the cloud
    • Hybrid cloud

    IBM MQ supports the following APIs:

    • MQI (Message Queue Interface)
    • REST
    • .NET
    • MQTT
    • JMS
    • IBM MQ Light


    IBM MQ Features

    Some of the most powerful IBM MQ features include:

    • High availability
    • Stability and scalability
    • Flexible deployment options
    • Uniform clusters
    • Automated and intelligent workload balancing
    • Broad language, API, and messaging protocol support
    • Administrative features that simplify messaging management
    • Open standards development tools
    • Simple management tools

    IBM MQ Benefits

    Some of the benefits of using IBM MQ include:

    • Multi-style messaging: IBM MQ supports simple multi-style messaging, making it easy to connect diverse systems with support for message queuing, transactions, and more.

    • Reduced risk: With IBM MQ you will never lose a message, and messages are never delivered more than once.

    • Cloud-native: Because IBM MQ has a minimal infrastructure, it is suitable to be cloud-native, and therefore has the capability to always remain on.

    • Available anywhere: Using IBM MQ, you have access to secure messaging anywhere, at any time.

    • Secure: IBM MQ makes sure to keep your data safe by using TLS secured communications, providing access identity management, message-level security, and more measures to protect your information.

    • Easy for application programmers: To use IBM MQ, application programmers do not need to have any knowledge of communications programming.

    • Technical support: IBM MQ has a large user community and also provides support 24/7 as needed.

    Reviews from Real Users

    Below are some reviews and helpful feedback written by IBM MQ users who are currently using the solution.

    PeerSpot user Sunil S., a manager at a financial services firm, explains that they never lose messages are never lost in transit, mentioning that he can store messages and forward them as required: "Whenever payments are happening, such as incoming payments to the bank, we need to notify the customer. With MQ we can actually do that asynchronously. We don't want to notify the customer for each and every payment but, rather, more like once a day. That kind of thing can be enabled with the help of MQ."

    Another PeerSpot reviewer, Luis L. who is a solutions director at Thesys Technologies, says that IBM MQ is a valuable solution and is "A stable and reliable software that offers good integration between different systems."

    The head of operations at a financial services firm notes that "I have found the solution to be very robust. It has a strong reputation, is easy to use, simple to configure in our enterprise software, and supports all the protocols that we use."

    In addition, a Software Engineer at a financial services firm praises the security benefits of it and states that “it has the most security features I've seen in a communication solution. Security is the most important thing for our purposes."

IBM

MuleSoft Anypoint Platform provides API management and integration capabilities with scalability, ensuring seamless connectivity across systems.

MuleSoft Anypoint Platform offers API management and integration capabilities within a user-friendly interface. With a range of connectors and the ability to handle integration patterns, it enables data integration across environments with support for API-led connectivity. High scalability, observability, batch processing, and tooling are key features, enhancing performance while simplifying deployment.

What are the standout features of MuleSoft Anypoint Platform?
  • API Management: Comprehensive tools for managing APIs effectively.
  • Integration Capabilities: Facilitates diverse integration patterns.
  • Connectors: Extensive library for connecting various systems.
  • Observability: Enhances monitoring and performance tracking.
  • Batch Processing: Manages large volumes of data efficiently.
What benefits and ROI should users expect?
  • Scalability: Adaptable to growing data demands across platforms.
  • Performance: Simplifies complex deployments and improves processing.
  • Flexibility: Supports multiple environments, from cloud to on-premises.
  • User-Friendly: Streamlines integration processes with robust tools.

MuleSoft Anypoint Platform is employed by organizations for API management and seamless integration across systems in industries like retail and e-commerce. It connects enterprise applications in environments such as SAP and Salesforce. Users leverage it for data transformation and synchronization, achieving efficient real-time processing and a middleware layer across systems.

Salesforce
 

Sample Customers

Deutsche Bahn, Bon-Ton, WestJet, ARBURG, Northern Territory Government, Tata Steel Europe, Sharp Corporation
VMware, Gucci, MasterCard, Target, Time Inc, Hershey's, Tesla, Spotify, Office Depot, Intuit, CBS, Amtrak, Salesforce, Gap, Ralph Lauren
Buyer's Guide
IBM MQ vs. MuleSoft Anypoint Platform
September 2025
Free Report: IBM MQ vs. MuleSoft Anypoint Platform
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