IBM WebSphere Application Server vs Oracle Fusion Middleware comparison

IBM and Oracle are both solutions in the Application Server category. IBM is ranked #4 with an average rating of 7.8, while Oracle is ranked #6 with an average rating of 8.3. IBM holds a 13.0% mindshare in AppS, compared to Oracle’s 5.5% mindshare. Additionally, 88% of IBM users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 88% of Oracle users who would recommend it.

IBM WebSphere Application S...

Read 31 IBM WebSphere Application Server reviews

2,511 Views
1,831 Comparison Views

88% willing to recommend

Oracle Fusion Middleware

Read 16 Oracle Fusion Middleware reviews

1,472 Views
796 Comparison Views

88% willing to recommend

IBM WebSphere Application S...

Oracle Fusion Middleware

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Feb 2, 2025

IBM WebSphere Application Server and Oracle Fusion Middleware are significant players in the enterprise application server market. IBM WebSphere may have an edge in support and pricing, while Oracle Fusion Middleware excels with a comprehensive feature set appealing to those emphasizing functionality.

Features: IBM WebSphere Application Server is recognized for scalability, security, and robust performance, particularly in high-reliability environments. It suits organizations needing a flexible and secure server platform. Oracle Fusion Middleware stands out with wide-ranging features and strong integration capabilities, ideal for businesses requiring seamless application connectivity.

Room for Improvement: IBM WebSphere could enhance its usability for small-scale deployments and simplify integration with non-IBM products. Also, improving its user interface could benefit less technical users. Oracle Fusion Middleware might reduce the complexity of deployment procedures and offer more competitive pricing. Additionally, simplifying its vast feature set could ease navigation for new users.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Oracle Fusion Middleware provides solutions to ease integration with existing systems but can present deployment complexities, benefiting from formal support. IBM WebSphere offers strong technical support with tools that decrease deployment time, aiding in efficient troubleshooting and customer service.

Pricing and ROI: IBM WebSphere is known for a cost-effective pricing model that attracts cost-sensitive businesses without compromising server functionalities. Conversely, Oracle Fusion Middleware, with higher initial costs, promises considerable long-term ROI due to its rich feature suite for those investing in comprehensive solutions.

To learn more, read our detailed IBM WebSphere Application Server vs. Oracle Fusion Middleware Report (Updated: June 2025).

Buyer's Guide

IBM WebSphere Application Server vs. Oracle Fusion Middleware

June 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:

Categories and Ranking

IBM WebSphere Application S...

Ranking in Application Server

4th

Average Rating

7.6

Reviews Sentiment

6.8

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Application Infrastructure (3rd)

Oracle Fusion Middleware

Ranking in Application Server

6th

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

6.5

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2025, in the Application Server category, the mindshare of IBM WebSphere Application Server is 13.0%, up from 11.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Oracle Fusion Middleware is 5.5%, up from 5.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

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

Sai Kri

Assistant Manager Business Applications at NMC Healthcare

Migration to a modern interface enhances AI integration and cloud capabilities

Presently, Oracle recommends migrating to Oracle Fusion since it's a hot product now. e-Business Suite may soon be sunsetted and has an outdated UI, with few upgrades. In contrast, Oracle Fusion offers modern features, such as AI, cloud-based applications, and customization options like Redwood features. Oracle Fusion AI chatbots are embedded, benefiting projects.

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

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

"IBM WAS is the backbone for our enterprise content management suite which delivers the primary processes for our customers. Without a good application server, it would be hard to provide a secure layer of midddleware upon which the other applications run. IBM WAS improves the stability of the entire solution and provides a high quality platform for running web-based solutions."

"IBM WebSphere Application Server is one of the best servers due to its stability and paid license."

"The scalability of the product is quite good."

"The VPN service is quite useful."

"Starting with version 8, WAS provides a special folder called monitor deployment. Once you put the .war or .ear file in there, it is deployed automatically without human intervention. This greatly helps us in our continuous integration server. Once the deployment binary is ready, we write a script to copy it to that folder and then, voila! The application is up and running and accessible from its context root."

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

"IBM WAS is extremely scalable. It is easy to add additional servers and to divide the load over servers in all kinds of ways."

More IBM WebSphere Application Server pros

"Oracle Fusion is stable."

"The scalability is good."

"The most valuable feature is the structure of the product. We use Oracle Fusion Middleware to manage the Oracle database. Registered users can go to each product if sign-on credentials match each user's identical framework."

"The solution is extendable so you can start with two cores and add more at any time."

"The most valuable features are the pre-built connectors between Oracle applications, which allow quick integration. I also appreciate the fast deployment of components. Oracle Fusion Middleware's key benefit is enabling real-time data transfer between applications."

"Oracle Service Bus is the most valuable feature of the solution."

"It is really good in terms of features, and it is stable."

"The initial setup is easy. There are many self-tutorial videos are on the Internet, and then the Oracle documents are self-explanatory."

More Oracle Fusion Middleware pros

Cons

"The licensing could be improved, and I would like it to give the longevity of the lifespan of the visions. In the next release, I would like to be able to download and extract the files so that I can just use my application server."

"They should make the solution more lightweight and not bundle everything into a single product."

"WebSphere is very cumbersome and not user-friendly."

"The availability of the solution needs improvement."

"Initial setup is very simple. Just use the IBM Installation Manager and add the packages. The install wizard takes care of the rest. The only thing that can be difficult is to find the right packages on the IBM website, because of all the changes that IBM does on its website(s)."

"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."

"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."

"The footprint could be reduced so that we can use a smaller virtual machine to run the application. We could also use more scripts. I would like this solution to be more script oriented, rather than GUI oriented."

More IBM WebSphere Application Server cons

"Oracle Fusion Middleware could improve by offering enhanced and customizable business-related features, particularly in supporting individual businesses or custom applications."

"There could be improvements in the installation and integration parts of Oracle Fusion Middleware. The guides often have errors, such as web scripting issues, and can be difficult to follow."

"Oracle rapidly releases new features, and I may not be ready to adopt them."

"The main improvement must be made on the user interface. You need to use another Oracle cross in this product. It must be improved and some features of the connectors must be changed."

"The solution's technical support needs to be improved."

"Technical support should resolve issues more quickly."

"Oracle Fusion Middleware is based on the regulations in Saudi Arabia and the legislation changes. There is a need to be improvements all the time. It needs to adapt quickly in this market. Additionally, there could be some improvements in the construction sector."

More Oracle Fusion Middleware cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The licensing cost is 1,000 of euros for a 30-year table."

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

"The price of this product is higher than that of competitors."

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

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

"We pay around $200,000 annually."

"The solution is quite expensive."

"The licensing policy is based on the PVU base."

More IBM WebSphere Application Server pricing and cost advice

"It is expensive. We are looking for a cheaper solution."

"The solution is expensive so pricing is rated a six out of ten."

"We pay annually for the solution."

"The pricing is moderate. It's fine."

"The tool is best suited for large companies due to high licensing costs."

"The licensing costs are reasonable."

"The solution is quite expensive so is only used by larger organizations."

"My advice is to buy the basic modules first, gain the most benefit from them, then buy the advanced modules."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

33%

Computer Software Company

13%

Insurance Company

Government

Educational Organization

34%

Financial Services Firm

10%

Computer Software Company

10%

Government

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

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

What do you like most about Oracle Fusion Middleware?

The most valuable features are Oracle Unified Directory and unified identity access management.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Oracle Fusion Middleware?

Oracle Fusion Middleware is generally expensive, although I'm not directly involved with the licensing aspects.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Oracle Fusion Middleware?

There could be improvements in the installation and integration parts of Oracle Fusion Middleware. The guides often have errors, such as web scripting issues, and can be difficult to follow. With m...

See all answers

Comparisons

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Compared 23% of the time

Tomcat vs IBM WebSphere Application Server

Compared 17% of the time

Oracle WebLogic Server vs IBM WebSphere Application Server

Compared 8% of the time

WebLogic Suite vs IBM WebSphere Application Server

Compared 2% of the time

More IBM WebSphere Application Server Competitors

Oracle WebLogic Server vs Oracle Fusion Middleware

Compared 74% of the time

Tomcat vs Oracle Fusion Middleware

Compared 8% of the time

JBoss vs Oracle Fusion Middleware

Compared 8% of the time

More Oracle Fusion Middleware Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

IBM WebSphere Application Server

June 2025

Download IBM WebSphere Application Server product report

Buyer's Guide

Oracle Fusion Middleware

May 2025

Download Oracle Fusion Middleware product report

Also Known As

WebSphere Application Server

No data available

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

Oracle Fusion Middleware is the digital business platform for the enterprise and the cloud. It enables enterprises to create and run agile, intelligent business applications while maximizing IT efficiency through full utilization of modern hardware and software architectures.

Oracle

Sample Customers

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

Police Department of Izmir City

Buyer's Guide

IBM WebSphere Application Server vs. Oracle Fusion Middleware

June 2025

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