IBM WebSphere Application Server vs Windows Server AppFabric comparison

IBM and Microsoft are both solutions in the Application Infrastructure category. IBM is ranked #5 with an average rating of 7.8, while Microsoft is ranked #17 with an average rating of 8.5. IBM holds a 12.0% mindshare in AIS, compared to Microsoft’s 0.6% mindshare. Additionally, 88% of IBM users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Microsoft users who would recommend it.

IBM WebSphere Application S...

Read 31 IBM WebSphere Application Server reviews

2,329 Views
1,674 Comparison Views

88% willing to recommend

Windows Server AppFabric

Read 4 Windows Server AppFabric reviews

176 Views
95 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

IBM WebSphere Application S...

Windows Server AppFabric

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Download the report

Executive SummaryUpdated on Mar 5, 2025

IBM WebSphere Application Server and Windows Server AppFabric compete in the application infrastructure category. IBM WebSphere has the upper hand due to its robust support and adaptable pricing structure, making it more favorable despite the compelling features of Windows Server AppFabric.

Features: IBM WebSphere offers extensive scalability, high availability, and comprehensive management tools ideal for enterprises needing advanced performance. It supports various platforms, making it adaptable across different environments. Windows Server AppFabric provides integrated caching, monitoring, and management features that excel within Windows environments. It is tailored for efficiency within the Windows ecosystem with seamless integration into Windows Server technologies.

Room for Improvement: IBM WebSphere can be complex and requires a steep learning curve, which may lead to longer deployment times. It can also become costly with scaling. Windows Server AppFabric lacks the flexibility for deployment beyond Windows environments and has limited support for cross-platform integrations. Its user interface could be more intuitive, and the customization options are somewhat restricted.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: IBM WebSphere provides versatile deployment options that cater to varied enterprise needs and a responsive customer service network. Its adaptability across diverse platforms contrasts with Windows Server AppFabric's streamlined Windows-focused deployment model, which integrates seamlessly with existing Microsoft technologies but lacks broader deployment flexibility. Windows Server AppFabric’s customer support is efficient for Windows-specific issues but not as extensive across mixed platforms.

Pricing and ROI: IBM WebSphere incurs higher initial setup costs, balanced by substantial long-term ROI due to its scalable solutions and rich feature set. Enterprises benefit from its investment value over time. Windows Server AppFabric presents a cost-effective setup, particularly for businesses utilizing the Microsoft stack. However, its ROI might be restricted by narrower platform compatibility, making it appealing to organizations deeply integrated into the Microsoft ecosystem.

To learn more, read our detailed IBM WebSphere Application Server vs. Windows Server AppFabric Report (Updated: April 2025).

Buyer's Guide

IBM WebSphere Application Server vs. Windows Server AppFabric

April 2025

Download the complete report

Helped 850,028 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

IBM WebSphere Application S...

Ranking in Application Infrastructure

5th

Average Rating

7.6

Reviews Sentiment

6.8

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Application Server (5th)

Windows Server AppFabric

Ranking in Application Infrastructure

17th

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

7.7

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2025, in the Application Infrastructure category, the mindshare of IBM WebSphere Application Server is 12.0%, up from 10.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Windows Server AppFabric is 0.6%, down from 0.7% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Application Infrastructure

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

VIJAY RAGAVAN

Team Manager at Waters Corporation

Ensure seamless deployment and networking with a focus on critical uptime

The most important issue I've found is the blue screen errors, particularly when customers use external displays with a P-type cable. I have advised against using external displays for crucial applications and recommended using VGA or laptop adapter screens to mitigate this issue. However, the blue screen error remains a major concern because it causes data loss during reboots.

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

"I find IBM support to be very nice."

"The solution is very stable and robust."

"As compared to other applications, it has tremendous support. We have built internal capability so that we use it extensively internally. It is also easier to use with the outside data. You can write in ESQL, Java, or any other technology that you want to use for development. So, it is a lot more flexible in the language that it supports."

"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."

"The scalability of the product is quite good."

"High availability, alert management, and deployments are the most valuable features for us. We have the ND version so we can do deployments."

"The solution has good performance."

"One of the most valuable features might be the stability of the IBM WebSphere Application Server."

More IBM WebSphere Application Server pros

"The most valuable feature is AppFabric's hosting solution, which is what we need for running workflows."

"The product's deployment phase was very easy."

"The ability to seamlessly deploy, image, and patch without causing downtime is extremely helpful and user-friendly."

"It is very usable and easy to understand. Antivirus and VPN are the main features being used now. It allows my clients to access the network from home, which was very crucial because of the pandemic."

Cons

"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."

"The solution consumes hardware."

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

"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."

"Some things are very difficult to do, so the interface and usage could be more intuitive for those."

"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."

"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 that this is a good product but I think that the cloud environment could be improved. I think that the future is in the utilization of the product in a product as a service way which is something that is lacking at this moment."

More IBM WebSphere Application Server cons

"Its price and licensing policy can be improved. It could be a little cheaper. Licensing is sometimes confusing. There are so many different options. It is difficult to find out what to buy or what to choose for my necessity."

"The most important issue I've found is the blue screen errors, particularly when customers use external displays with a P-type cable."

"The product is unable to connect with different cloud services."

"Microsoft will stop supporting the product next year, and we can't run unsupported programs in our systems."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"My company is on a perpetual or permanent license agreement with IBM WebSphere Application Server. There's also a pay-per-use option, but customers rarely choose that option. Most of the customers are on the perpetual license deal that's all-inclusive. As the license cost is quite expensive, I'm rating it two out of five."

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

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

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

"It is very expensive."

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

"We pay around $200,000 annually."

"When you purchase Maximo, you get WebSphere for free."

More IBM WebSphere Application Server pricing and cost advice

"The product is affordable, in my opinion."

"It is expensive, and its licensing is a bit confusing."

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

850,028 professionals have used our research since 2012.

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

32%

Computer Software Company

13%

Insurance Company

Manufacturing Company

No data available

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

No data available

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 Windows Server AppFabric?

The product's deployment phase was very easy.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Windows Server AppFabric?

The product is affordable, in my opinion.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Windows Server AppFabric?

See all answers

Comparisons

JBoss Enterprise Application Platform vs IBM WebSphere Application Server

Compared 27% of the time

JBoss vs IBM WebSphere Application Server

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 9% of the time

IBM DataPower Gateway vs IBM WebSphere Application Server

Compared 6% of the time

More IBM WebSphere Application Server Competitors

No data available

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

IBM WebSphere Application Server

April 2025

Download IBM WebSphere Application Server product report

Buyer's Guide

Application Infrastructure

March 2025

Download Windows Server AppFabric 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

Windows Server AppFabric extends Windows Server to provide enhanced hosting, management, and caching capabilities for Web applications and middle-tier services. The AppFabric hosting features add service management extensions to Internet Information Services (IIS), Windows Process Activation Service (WAS), and the .NET Framework 4. This includes Hosting Services and Hosting Administration tools that make it easier to deploy, configure, and manage Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) and Windows Workflow Foundation (WF) based services. The AppFabric caching features add a distributed, in-memory object cache to Windows Server that makes it easier to scale out high-performance .NET applications, especially ASP.NET applications.

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

OSIsoft

Buyer's Guide

IBM WebSphere Application Server vs. Windows Server AppFabric

April 2025

Free Report: IBM WebSphere Application Server vs. Windows Server AppFabric

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

DOWNLOAD NOW

850,028 professionals have used our research since 2012.

See our IBM WebSphere Application Server vs. Windows Server AppFabric 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.