FME Reviews

FME pricing experiences vary with some users finding the standard licensing cost of approximately €15,000 annually reasonable, while others note a significant increase in prices following rebranding. Floating licenses are seen as potentially beneficial to reduce simultaneous usage costs. Resellers appreciate discounts aiding cost adjustments, though some express concern over rebranded pricing linked to company size and turnover. The platform is praised for its affordability compared to larger platforms, despite recent price increases.

• "FME Server used to cost £10,000; now it can cost over £100,000."
• "The product's price is reasonable."
• "We used the standard licensing for our use of FME. The cost was approximately €15,000 annually. We always welcome less expensive solutions, if the solution could be less expensive it would be helpful."

Users primarily employ FME for tasks such as ad hoc analysis, facial analysis, data quality controls, and geographical data management. In governmental settings, it handles address-linked datasets and network infrastructure management for Smallworld Database. FME facilitates creating automatic data flow processes, real-time event handling, APC data transformation, and integration with ArcGIS Enterprise. With its capability for large-scale transformations and Python coding compatibility, it is used for efficient analysis and data management beyond ArcGIS Pro capabilities.

FME's initial setup presents varying levels of complexity. Some users find it easy and quick, especially with FME Workbench, which can take minutes to deploy. However, the local license server setup may require IT involvement, and some describe it as challenging, akin to ArcGIS Pro's server installation. FME Server setup depends on whether it's Cloud-based or on-premises, with the latter needing IT support. Users appreciate the straightforward licensing process.

Organizations find FME's scalability impressive. While some believe additional engines might be needed as usage increases, others note it scales well for batch processes. It suits enterprise needs and is highly rated by users for its utility. Performance improves with adequate computational power, cautioning against unnecessarily large data movements. Multiple users in various organizations find significant benefits, emphasizing the platform's ability to meet diverse scaling requirements effectively.

FME is considered highly stable by most users, with minimal issues experienced even after updates. Users find the 2022 version particularly stable, rating it an eight out of ten for stability. In contrast, the 2023 version receives mixed opinions, with users noting that changes to the interface have affected its reliability, giving it a rating of five out of ten. Stability perceptions vary depending on the version chosen.