IBM WebSphere Application Server vs JBoss Enterprise Application Platform comparison

IBM and Red Hat are both solutions in the Application Infrastructure category. IBM is ranked #5 with an average rating of 7.8, while Red Hat is ranked #6 with an average rating of 9.0. IBM holds a 12.0% mindshare in AIS, compared to Red Hat’s 8.7% mindshare. Additionally, 88% of IBM users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 88% of Red Hat users who would recommend it.

IBM WebSphere Application S...

Read 31 IBM WebSphere Application Server reviews

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1,567 Comparison Views

88% willing to recommend

JBoss Enterprise Applicatio...

Read 7 JBoss Enterprise Application Platform reviews

1,302 Views
1,138 Comparison Views

88% willing to recommend

IBM WebSphere Application S...

JBoss Enterprise Applicatio...

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Apr 20, 2025

IBM WebSphere Application Server and JBoss Enterprise Application Platform are competing products in the enterprise application server space. IBM WebSphere seems to have the upper hand in terms of support and stability, while JBoss is noted for its versatility and cost-effectiveness.

Features: IBM WebSphere Application Server provides scalability, security, and integration capabilities, which are ideal for complex enterprises. JBoss Enterprise Application Platform offers open-source flexibility, ease of use, and a modular architecture, supporting agile environments.

Room for Improvement: IBM WebSphere could improve its user interface simplicity, enhance its integration with non-IBM tools, and offer better licensing options. JBoss might benefit from enhanced enterprise-level support, more comprehensive documentation, and expanded third-party integrations.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: IBM WebSphere features a structured deployment process and comprehensive customer support, especially beneficial for complex implementations. JBoss Enterprise Application Platform emphasizes rapid deployment and offers community-driven support focused on flexibility.

Pricing and ROI: IBM WebSphere involves higher initial setup costs but offers strong ROI with its performance and support. JBoss Enterprise Application Platform provides a lower upfront cost and enhances ROI through cost-effective scalability and adaptability.

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

Buyer's Guide

IBM WebSphere Application Server vs. JBoss Enterprise Application Platform

April 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 Infrastructure

5th

Average Rating

7.6

Reviews Sentiment

6.8

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Application Server (5th)

JBoss Enterprise Applicatio...

Ranking in Application Infrastructure

6th

Average Rating

8.8

Reviews Sentiment

7.9

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 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

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

Gustavo Magni

lead architect at Sys Manager

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…

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

"It does integrate well with the Tivoli Federated Identity Management system."

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

"IBM WebSphere Application Server is easy to use."

"The thing about WebSphere, as opposed to other ones that I am aware of such as JBoss and Liberty, is that WebSphere has the most comprehensive scaffolding available to it."

"The scalability of the product is quite good."

"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 solution is robust. The connection management and the scalability, which IBM provides to the Stack, are also valuable."

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

More IBM WebSphere Application Server pros

"The solution is quite stable."

"JBoss Enterprise Application Platform works very well."

"Its technical support is excellent."

"Stable and easy to handle in terms of hosting applications."

"It's convenient and barebone."

"The most valuable features of this solution are scalability and performance."

"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."

Cons

"The solution consumes hardware."

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

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

"In spite of the solution's robustness, it is expensive and a bit difficult to support."

"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."

"The installation has room for improvement."

"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."

More IBM WebSphere Application Server cons

"Improvement is needed in the synchronization between cluster nodes, especially under network strain."

"This solution needs better management UI."

"A graphic user interface can be added."

"Lacks some functional requirements."

"It's hard to find out the root cause of errors."

"Its architecture needs improvement."

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."

"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."

"We used to pay about $100,000-$120,000 US or somewhere around there. That was a bit cost-prohibitive for us to continue."

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

"The pricing is a little expensive."

"We pay around $200,000 annually."

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

More IBM WebSphere Application Server pricing and cost advice

"The solution is cost-effective."

"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."

"It is an open-source solution."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

32%

Computer Software Company

14%

Insurance Company

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

31%

Computer Software Company

11%

Manufacturing Company

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.

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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 JBoss Enterprise Application Platform?

The solution is quite stable.

See all answers

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.

See all answers

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.

See all answers

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Compared 6% of the time

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Compared 3% of the time

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

IBM WebSphere Application Server

May 2025

Download IBM WebSphere Application Server product report

Buyer's Guide

Application Infrastructure

May 2025

JBoss Enterprise Application Platform report

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Also Known As

WebSphere Application Server

JBoss EAP, Red Hat EAP

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

Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Application Platform (JBoss EAP) is an open source platform for modern Java applications deployed in any environment. JBoss EAPâs architecture is modular, and cloud ready. The platform offers powerful management and automation for greater developer productivity. It is based on the open source Wildfly project (formerly known as JBoss Application Server).

Red Hat

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

Buyer's Guide

IBM WebSphere Application Server vs. JBoss Enterprise Application Platform

April 2025

Free Report: IBM WebSphere Application Server vs. JBoss Enterprise Application Platform

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