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IBM WebSphere Application Server vs Oracle Fusion Middleware comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Feb 2, 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 Server
5th
Average Rating
7.8
Reviews Sentiment
5.4
Number of Reviews
32
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
16
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2026, in the Application Server category, the mindshare of IBM WebSphere Application Server is 9.6%, down from 12.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Oracle Fusion Middleware is 5.5%, up from 5.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Application Server Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
IBM WebSphere Application Server9.6%
Oracle Fusion Middleware5.5%
Other84.9%
Application Server
 

Featured Reviews

CF
Senior Manager, MW & DB Automation at a computer software company with 11-50 employees
Has worked seamlessly in complex clustered environments and supports long-term development efforts
IBM WebSphere Application Server is currently at version 9.0.5.23. In recent months, they released fix 23, as they periodically release fixes. Previously, they frequently increased versions, but now they maintain 9.0.5 with different releases. It's based on Java J2EE 7 and Java SDK 1.8. Oracle announced that 2030 will be the last year when Java SDK 1.8 will be supported. Oracle currently deploys Java 2.x in parallel, with the latest being version 25. The future of IBM WebSphere Application Server remains uncertain since it's based on Java 1.8 and Java 7. I haven't found any white papers or official documentation from IBM outlining their trajectory post-2030.
Sai Kri - PeerSpot reviewer
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 e-Business Suite may soon be sunsetted and has an outdated UI, with few upgrades.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.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The solution is robust. The connection management and the scalability, which IBM provides to the Stack, are also valuable."
"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."
"I would say that the clustering, achieved by using the deployment manager, is valuable, as there is a load balancing feature that uses different nodes, handled by the deployment manager, and this functionality helps with the load balancing of applications."
"Security: It is compatible with the latest Java 8 security features, supports FIPS 140-2 and NIST SP 800-53 with strong ciphers and cryptography keys, and supports TLS 1.2 completely. Also, configuring client and server certificates is relatively easy."
"The most valuable features are its user-friendliness and reliability in terms of application hosting."
"It does integrate well with the Tivoli Federated Identity Management system."
"The most valuable feature of this solution is Portal Virtualization."
"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."
"The solution is very easy to install."
"Oracle recommends moving to Oracle Fusion as they are constantly releasing new AI, modern, web-based, and cloud-based features with updated UI. With Redwood customization and AI chatbots embedded, Oracle Fusion stands ahead of older systems."
"It is really good in terms of features, and it is stable."
"The scalability is good."
"The solution is quite good for applying patches or performing upgrades."
"The initial setup is easy. There are many self-tutorial videos are on the Internet, and then the Oracle documents are self-explanatory."
"I rate Oracle Fusion Middleware as ten out of ten."
"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."
 

Cons

"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."
"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)."
"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 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 installation has room for improvement."
"The security could be better."
"When compared with WebLogic, Weblogic is lighter and consumes less memory."
"The price could always be better."
"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."
"I would rate the stability a nine out of ten because we did have multiple breakdowns and crashes."
"For improvements, I think Oracle Fusion Middleware could be better at connecting to third-party applications. While it works well with Oracle products, it's more limited to non-Oracle systems than other middleware solutions like MuleSoft."
"One thing that I would like to see is if this product can be containerized. We are moving away from virtual servers and moving more towards containerization to be able to quickly set up environments or have the flexibility of scaling them. It would be good if it can be containerized, and it works well in containerized platforms."
"An improvement for Oracle's Fusion Middleware could definitely be found in the SOA component. It's a heavyweight container and, if you ask me, if a product is available as a docker image where we can easily port it in to another Kubernetes platform, that would be perfect. But as for the current situation in the market, nobody is really willing to deploy this on premises."
"Technical support should resolve issues more quickly."
"The product should improve BPEL features."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The price of this product is higher than that of competitors."
"The price of IBM WebSphere Application Server could be less expensive and there is an annual license required for this solution."
"WebSphere Application Server is expensive, so it may not be a good option for small companies."
"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 policy is based on the PVU base."
"We used to pay about $100,000-$120,000 US or somewhere around there. That was a bit cost-prohibitive for us to continue."
"There is an Eclipse Plugin provided by IBM, so no need to buy IBM Rational Application Developer or Rational Software Architect tools."
"It's expensive."
"The solution is quite expensive so is only used by larger organizations."
"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 expensive so pricing is rated a six out of ten."
"We pay annually for the solution."
"My advice is to buy the basic modules first, gain the most benefit from them, then buy the advanced modules."
"It is expensive. We are looking for a cheaper solution."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
34%
Computer Software Company
9%
Insurance Company
7%
Government
6%
Financial Services Firm
11%
Computer Software Company
11%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Performing Arts
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business9
Midsize Enterprise6
Large Enterprise23
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business3
Midsize Enterprise2
Large Enterprise11
 

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?
At Royal Bank, which is a major IBM customer with mainframes and numerous IBM products, they have a specific agreement regarding pricing. The pricing structure for large enterprise customers differ...
What needs improvement with IBM WebSphere Application Server?
IBM WebSphere Application Server is currently at version 9.0.5.23. In recent months, they released fix 23, as they periodically release fixes. Previously, they frequently increased versions, but no...
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.
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...
What is your primary use case for Oracle Fusion Middleware?
I use Oracle Fusion Middleware ( /products/oracle-fusion-middleware-reviews ) primarily for installation, business intelligence installations, BPM ( /products/informatica-intelligent-data-managemen...
 

Also Known As

WebSphere Application Server
No data available
 

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
Police Department of Izmir City
Find out what your peers are saying about IBM WebSphere Application Server vs. Oracle Fusion Middleware and other solutions. Updated: December 2025.
881,082 professionals have used our research since 2012.