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IBM WebSphere Application Server vs JBoss Enterprise Application Platform comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Apr 20, 2025

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
3rd
Average Rating
7.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
31
Ranking in other categories
Application Server (4th)
JBoss Enterprise Applicatio...
Ranking in Application Infrastructure
10th
Average Rating
8.8
Reviews Sentiment
7.9
Number of Reviews
7
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of July 2025, in the Application Infrastructure category, the mindshare of IBM WebSphere Application Server is 11.6%, up from 10.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of JBoss Enterprise Application Platform is 8.7%, up from 7.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Application Infrastructure
 

Featured Reviews

BharathirajaSukumar - PeerSpot reviewer
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.
Gustavo Magni - PeerSpot reviewer
Stable solution with an easy initial setup process
We use the solution for the deployment of Java-based applications The solution helps my organization with simple and fast deployments. The solution is easy to configure and deploy. The solution's architecture needs improvement. Also, there could be more integration with container platforms. We…

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Pros

"The VPN service is quite useful."
"It does integrate well with the Tivoli Federated Identity Management system."
"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."
"Without the Admin Console it would be very hard to configure JVM settings, JDBC datasources, mail session settings, and security providers."
"This solution is easy to use with a GUI that is intuitive and very helpful."
"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."
"Stable and easy to handle in terms of hosting applications."
"Its technical support is excellent."
"The solution is quite stable."
"The most valuable aspect of JBoss EAP is its support for clustering and load balancing, which is essential for our applications that serve multiple users simultaneously."
"The most valuable features of this solution are scalability and performance."
"It's convenient and barebone."
"JBoss Enterprise Application Platform works very well."
 

Cons

"Based on the field and based on the build that was provided, we've noticed a lot of constraints in terms of the performance now."
"WebSphere Application Server doesn't have an automated deployment option, forcing us to use third-party tools like Jenkins UCD and Palo Automated Deployment."
"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."
"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."
"The solution consumes hardware."
"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."
"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."
"This solution needs better management UI."
"It's hard to find out the root cause of errors."
"Improvement is needed in the synchronization between cluster nodes, especially under network strain."
"Lacks some functional requirements."
"A graphic user interface can be added."
"Its architecture needs improvement."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"It is very expensive."
"We used to pay about $100,000-$120,000 US or somewhere around there. That was a bit cost-prohibitive for us to continue."
"The licensing policy is based on the PVU base."
"IBM WAS base is part of the deal when you purchase IBM FileNet P8 Content Engine."
"I don't remember the price, but there are no additional costs."
"WebSphere Application Server is expensive, so it may not be a good option for small companies."
"The price of this product is higher than that of competitors."
"If your application is just a web app that does not need to scale big, you can obtain a single core license of WAS Express edition, which has almost the same features with limited processing cores. If you manage a very big application farm (i.e. need to run 10 or more WAS servers) it is better to get IBM WAS Hypervisor Edition."
"The solution is cost-effective."
"It is an open-source solution."
"While I am not directly involved with the financial aspects, JBoss is known for its reasonable subscription pricing. Potential users should consider whether the cost aligns with their budget and requirements."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
33%
Computer Software Company
13%
Government
7%
Insurance Company
6%
Financial Services Firm
32%
Computer Software Company
10%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Government
8%
 

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.
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.
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.
What needs improvement with JBoss Enterprise Application Platform?
In my experience, it is more beneficial to embed all that into Kubernetes ( /products/kubernetes-reviews ) today. This approach makes it easier to develop, deploy, and administer applications.
What is your primary use case for JBoss Enterprise Application Platform?
I use JBoss Enterprise Application Platform ( /products/jboss-enterprise-application-platform-reviews ) for all our web applications, both internal and external.
 

Also Known As

WebSphere Application Server
JBoss EAP, Red Hat EAP
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

TalkTalk, Property management group, E.SUN Bank, Ohio National Financial Services, Aviarc, Cincom Systems, FJA-US, D+H, Staples, Michigan Municipal League
APD, Banco Azteca, Roche, Tata Sky, Frost Bank
Find out what your peers are saying about IBM WebSphere Application Server vs. JBoss Enterprise Application Platform and other solutions. Updated: June 2025.
860,168 professionals have used our research since 2012.