IBM WebSphere Application Server vs IIS comparison

IBM and Microsoft are both solutions in the Application Server category. IBM is ranked #5 with an average rating of 7.7, while Microsoft is ranked #4 with an average rating of 8.6. IBM holds a 11.0% mindshare in AppS, compared to Microsoft’s 5.6% mindshare. Additionally, 88% of IBM users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 90% of Microsoft users who would recommend it.

IBM WebSphere Application S...

Read 32 IBM WebSphere Application Server reviews

3,477 Views
1,878 Comparison Views

88% willing to recommend

IIS

Read 59 IIS reviews

2,965 Views
1,127 Comparison Views

90% willing to recommend

IBM WebSphere Application S...

IIS

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Download the report

Executive SummaryUpdated on Feb 2, 2025

IBM WebSphere Application Server and IIS are both in the enterprise application server sector. IIS seems to have the upper hand due to its cost-effectiveness and tight integration with Microsoft environments, while IBM WebSphere offers a comprehensive feature set appealing to complex enterprise needs.

Features: IBM WebSphere stands out for its robust scalability, Java application support, and extensive middleware integration. It offers solid data consistency, exceptional scalability with Network Deployment, and robust security features. On the other hand, IIS excels with seamless integration into Microsoft's ecosystem, efficient handling of web applications in .NET, and easy configuration with development tools.

Room for Improvement: IBM WebSphere could enhance user accessibility for deployment processes, reduce complexity in initial setup, and improve efficiency for non-Java applications. IIS can improve by offering enhanced support for non-Microsoft environments, better handling of high-volume transactions, and more advanced analytics features.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: IIS is recognized for its straightforward deployment within Windows environments, benefiting from consistent updates and comprehensive documentation. IBM WebSphere, despite offering powerful features, faces challenges in deployment due to its complex configuration, necessitating specialized knowledge, but it provides dedicated support to address these complexities.

Pricing and ROI: IIS is more cost-attractive with lower licensing fees, yielding favorable ROI especially for businesses entrenched within Microsoft infrastructure. Conversely, IBM WebSphere presents strong long-term ROI for organizations requiring robust, high-volume transaction processing, albeit with higher initial setup costs.

To learn more, read our detailed IBM WebSphere Application Server vs. IIS Report (Updated: September 2025).

Buyer's Guide

IBM WebSphere Application Server vs. IIS

September 2025

Download the complete report

Helped 872,778 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

IBM WebSphere Application S...

Ranking in Application Server

5th

Ranking in Application Infrastructure

3rd

Average Rating

7.8

Reviews Sentiment

5.4

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

IIS

Ranking in Application Server

4th

Ranking in Application Infrastructure

1st

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

6.9

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2025, in the Application Server category, the mindshare of IBM WebSphere Application Server is 11.0%, down from 12.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of IIS is 5.6%, down from 6.8% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Application Server Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
IIS	5.6%
IBM WebSphere Application Server	11.0%
Other	83.4%

Application Server

Featured Reviews

BharathirajaSukumar

Senior Lead Analyst at Radial

Efficient load balancing and the clustering, achieved by using the deployment manager, is valuable

I believe that the system is already good. However, for improvement or enhancement, it is user-friendly, but it could offer better choices on the front end for different aspects or options. Sometimes, I have to search extensively for features, as there are no upfront tabs. There is a lack of visible, easy, user-friendly, and straightforward options for the number of features.

Read full review

Krishnakumar Natarajan

Systems Engineer at Atos

Designs and manages multiple websites while ensuring data backup and disaster recovery

I have experience with AWS, and I am most familiar with the server environment, as we just use the server environment and then use Microsoft products on an AWS environment. I have experience with Windows Server IIS, which I ran on my own on-premise data center. The website was developed and then hosted, and through IIS, we managed the servers. The manageability within the IIS environment is not very difficult. For server management, you need to ensure data backup, data restore, and you have a DR configured to keep the database intact. It was done on-premises, so I had no problem doing that. If you have to go to the cloud, then you should have the storage connected to the IIS server and also have a DR set up for that. I didn't use Microsoft Azure tools, but since it is a Microsoft product, Azure has all the portability, so you don't have to worry about compatibility on the cloud. On a scale of 1-10, I would rate this solution a 10.

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 integration between IBM tools and applications is very well executed."

"The most valuable features are its user-friendliness and reliability in terms of application hosting."

"The performance is good."

"The product offers good performance."

"The most valuable feature of this solution is Portal Virtualization."

"WebSphere Application Server's best features include the data subscription and connection viewer."

"The VPN service is quite useful."

"We needed this type of integration and WebShepere is the best tool for it."

More IBM WebSphere Application Server pros

"We use Windows Server only for Eggplant Manager."

"The most valuable feature of IIS is it does not consume a lot of resources. It does not consume a lot of resources, such as memory."

"When you are working with Microsoft solutions, you will see that the integration with the operating system, and implementing some security features, are easier in IIS than when using another solution."

"This is definitely a stable solution."

"We use the solution for our customer's web applications."

"The most valuable feature of IIS is the database it provides."

"The product's most valuable features are performance and security."

"The product is easy to use."

More IIS pros

Cons

"The business logic side of it is sort of missing in the sense that if I want to track and measure velocity, it is not really available. You have to buy another application and embark on a separate implementation. Instead of having different licensing, IBM DataPower should be integrated with WebSphere. It will allow us to build the business layer and rules a lot more efficiently, rather than developing rules within the application. It would be good if we can set up the business layer through parametrization rather than development. IBM DataPower has the business rule and the controls, and if it can be integrated, it would be fantastic. It will help the application in working better in terms of security features and business logic. If you're going to use it for open banking, you will be able to monitor velocity on the total pricing."

"The solution could improve the integration."

"The current trend is to move to Liberty because of the portability of its cloud and its Kubernetes, which containerize the application."

"The installation has room for improvement."

"IBM WebSphere Application Server hasn't changed much. It's still a heavyweight for any company compared to what you get. Unless your code base is deeply linked with it, I don't think it's a great idea to go with this solution. The current trend is toward modularity and containerization, and given the product's requirements, containerization will be difficult. There is a memory requirement as well."

"I think in some moments, the security was a little bit more complex to configure when it was delegated to other systems, making it an area where improvements are required."

"What could be improved in IBM WebSphere Application Server is its interconnection with other products, for example, Kafka. What I'd like to see in the next release of the solution is a better graphical user interface."

"While WebSphere mostly supports IBM HTTP Server (IHS) as the web server plugin, I think it would be beneficial if it also supported Apache and NGINX web servers. That would give customers more flexibility in their choices."

More IBM WebSphere Application Server cons

"I would like to see NLB features in IIS."

"IIS has some stability issues and needs restarting."

"IIS could improve the error logging. There are times we are not able to see the errors. More details would be helpful. Additionally, the configuring of the IIS should be allowed through coding instead of the classic view."

"Occasionally, we encounter performance issues with IIS where it becomes unresponsive and requires a solution restart."

"The areas of this solution that need improvement are monitoring, debugging, and troubleshooting."

"The solution's scalability needs improvement."

"The product could be more compatible with Linux and macOS, particularly when applying user configuration policies."

"The solution must improve the integration between its databases."

More IIS cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The price of IBM WebSphere Application Server could be less expensive and there is an annual license required for this solution."

"The pricing is a little expensive."

"It's expensive."

"IBM WAS base is part of the deal when you purchase IBM FileNet P8 Content Engine."

"WebSphere Application Server is expensive, so it may not be a good option for small companies."

"It costs more than some of the others, but, you get what you pay for."

"It is very expensive."

"I don't remember the price, but there are no additional costs."

More IBM WebSphere Application Server pricing and cost advice

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

"The cost for IIS is already included in Windows services. We don't have to pay anything extra."

"The price of the cloud system is a bit high."

"IIS is expensive."

"The price of Windows Server IIS is expensive. They have a large user base, and they charge a little bit too much."

"The tool is included with Windows."

"I didn't need to get an additional license for the solution since it was included in my server."

"The price is good."

More IIS pricing and cost advice

See which vendors are best for you

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

See recommendations

872,778 professionals have used our research since 2012.

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

34%

Computer Software Company

10%

Government

Insurance Company

Computer Software Company

16%

Financial Services Firm

14%

Government

Comms Service Provider

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	9
Midsize Enterprise	6
Large Enterprise	23

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	28
Midsize Enterprise	11
Large Enterprise	21

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about IBM WebSphere Application Server?

Network Deployment is the most useful feature for scalability. It has many features within the standard WebSphere Application Server edition.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for IBM WebSphere Application Server?

In Korea, when you buy IBM iOS, the WebSphere base version is included with iOS. That means no additional cost.

See all answers

What needs improvement with IBM WebSphere Application Server?

I find the server okay, however, using the Maker instance, the Moving instance, and the Change instance is a little bit complicated without WebSphere knowledge.

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 do you like most about IIS?

The product is flexible.

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

Comparisons

JBoss Enterprise Application Platform vs IBM WebSphere Application Server

Compared 25% of the time

Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Application Platform (EAP) vs IBM WebSphere Application Server

Compared 20% of the time

Tomcat vs IBM WebSphere Application Server

Compared 15% of the time

Oracle WebLogic Server vs IBM WebSphere Application Server

Compared 8% of the time

Apache Web Server vs IBM WebSphere Application Server

Compared 2% of the time

More IBM WebSphere Application Server Competitors

Apache Web Server vs IIS

Compared 30% of the time

NGINX Plus vs IIS

Compared 26% of the time

Tomcat vs IIS

Compared 10% of the time

Oracle WebLogic Server vs IIS

Compared 8% of the time

Oracle Application Server vs IIS

Compared 3% of the time

More IIS Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

IBM WebSphere Application Server

October 2025

Download IBM WebSphere Application Server product report

Buyer's Guide

IIS

October 2025

Download IIS product report

Also Known As

WebSphere Application Server

Windows Server IIS

Overview

IBM WebSphere Application Server (WAS) is a middleware platform developed by IBM. It provides a range of services and tools to help organizations develop, deploy, and manage Java-based applications. WAS is part of IBM's WebSphere product family and provides a secure, scalable, and highly available platform for developing and running web-based applications. WAS provides a secure, scalable, and highly available platform, making it an attractive solution for organizations looking to develop and deploy enterprise-grade applications.

IBM WebSphere Application Server Features

IBM WebSphere Application Server has many valuable key features. Some of the most useful ones include:

Application deployment: IBM WAS enables organizations to deploy and manage applications in a secure and scalable environment.

Clustering: The clustering feature can help organizations ensure high availability and improve application performance.

Load balancing: The solution Includes load balancing capabilities to distribute application workloads and improve performance.

Security: IBM WAS offers a range of security features, including authentication, authorization, and encryption, to help organizations secure their applications and data.

Monitoring and management: The solution’s range of tools for monitoring and managing applications, including the IBM WebSphere Administrative Console allows organizations to optimize application performance and resolve issues easily.

Integration: IBM WAS integrates with a range of IBM and third-party products, including IBM WebSphere MQ, IBM DB2, and more, to provide a comprehensive platform for developing and running web-based applications.

IBM WebSphere Application Server Benefits

There are many benefits to implementing IBM WebSphere Application Server. Some of the biggest advantages the solution offers include:

Improved application performance: The IBM WAS platform offers a scalable and secure platform for deploying and managing applications, enabling organizations to improve application performance and reduce downtime.

High availability: IBM WAS provides clustering and load-balancing capabilities to help organizations ensure high availability.

Improved security: With a large range of security features, including authentication, authorization, and encryption, the solution helps organizations secure their applications and data.

Simplified management: IBM WAS is designed with a set of tools for monitoring and managing applications, enabling organizations to optimize performance and resolve issues efficiently.

Increased flexibility: The solution integrates with a range of IBM and third-party products, providing organizations with a flexible platform for developing and running web-based applications.

Improved developer productivity: It supports the latest Java EE specifications, allowing developers to use the latest technologies and development methodologies when building applications.

Better customer experience: Organizations can deliver faster and more reliable applications, improving the overall customer experience.

Scalability: IBM WAS provides a scalable and secure platform for deploying and managing applications, so organizations can quickly respond to changing business requirements.

Reviews from Real Users

IBM WebSphere Application Server is a solution that stands out when compared to many of its competitors. Some of its major advantages are that it is stable, supports many languages, and is resilient.

Princewill O., Head Banking Application Customization and Reporting at a financial services firm, states, “[The solution is] very stable, supports many languages, and helpful for faster time to market.”

"What's most valuable in IBM WebSphere Application Server is its resilience. When you use the solution, you know that after the communication has been done, there will be no doubt that the data has reached its destination,” says Nicolae C., System and Solutions Architect at Seidor.

Another PeerSpot reviewer, an Enterprise Technical Leader at a tech services company mentions, “[It is an] enterprise-level product with extensive console capabilities, including the ability to control multiple JVM containers.”

IBM

Internet Information Services (IIS) provides a secure, easy-to-manage, modular and extensible platform for reliably hosting websites, services and applications. With IIS, you get choice and control without giving up reliability or security.

Microsoft

Sample Customers

TalkTalk, Property management group, E.SUN Bank, Ohio National Financial Services, Aviarc, Cincom Systems, FJA-US, D+H, Staples, Michigan Municipal League

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

Buyer's Guide

IBM WebSphere Application Server vs. IIS

September 2025

Free Report: IBM WebSphere Application Server vs. IIS

Find out what your peers are saying about IBM WebSphere Application Server vs. IIS and other solutions. Updated: September 2025.

DOWNLOAD NOW

872,778 professionals have used our research since 2012.

See our IBM WebSphere Application Server vs. IIS report.

See our list of best Application Server vendors and best Application Infrastructure vendors.

We monitor all Application Server 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.