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IIS vs Windows Server AppFabric comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Mar 5, 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

IIS
Ranking in Application Infrastructure
1st
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.7
Number of Reviews
61
Ranking in other categories
Application Server (4th)
Windows Server AppFabric
Ranking in Application Infrastructure
13th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.5
Number of Reviews
5
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2026, in the Application Infrastructure category, the mindshare of IIS is 6.6%, down from 11.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Windows Server AppFabric is 2.7%, up from 0.9% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Application Infrastructure Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
IIS6.6%
Windows Server AppFabric2.7%
Other90.7%
Application Infrastructure
 

Featured Reviews

Krishnakumar Natarajan - PeerSpot reviewer
Systems Engineer at Atos
Designs and manages multiple websites while ensuring data backup and disaster recovery
I have experience with AWS, and I am most familiar with the server environment, as we just use the server environment and then use Microsoft products on an AWS environment. I have experience with Windows Server IIS, which I ran on my own on-premise data center. The website was developed and then hosted, and through IIS, we managed the servers. The manageability within the IIS environment is not very difficult. For server management, you need to ensure data backup, data restore, and you have a DR configured to keep the database intact. It was done on-premises, so I had no problem doing that. If you have to go to the cloud, then you should have the storage connected to the IIS server and also have a DR set up for that. I didn't use Microsoft Azure tools, but since it is a Microsoft product, Azure has all the portability, so you don't have to worry about compatibility on the cloud. On a scale of 1-10, I would rate this solution a 10.
DN
Senior System Administrator at Kentainers
Improved on-premise performance has supported faster, secure apps and clearer server monitoring
One thing I appreciate most about Windows Server AppFabric is because it's widely used; it's easier to get solutions online from other communities when I am stuck. Because it is widely used, it's easier to get solutions and also easier to work with. Especially after I found 2019, I have worked with 2019 and I appreciate it. It's easier to get solutions. After implementing Windows Server AppFabric, I can say I love the speed. The functionality and speed are good. Earlier, when they added more people, I could see some lagging. But now, I have no issue even if I double the users, even if I add 30% of users or any applications, it will still be fast. It increased the speed and also security. I've noticed the new one I have is good and secure. I love the security. The monitoring capabilities of Windows Server AppFabric help me improve service visibility and troubleshooting. In a day, I have to go through a lot of the logs and also the utilization. There, I see the CPU. I have to do the utilization, and I can see what is utilizing the most. By doing this, I can be able to tell what, in case I need to do an upgrade, what I might need to provide the upgrade or maybe increase in users that will not affect the operations.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The product's initial setup phase is straightforward."
"IIS is quite easy to set up as it comes pre-configured, so I don't have to install anything."
"IIS works natively with Windows Server without any issues in publishing certificates."
"The product is easy to use."
"What I like the most is that it is easy to use."
"It's very easy to publish."
"The product is scalable."
"The stability is better than it was in the past."
"It is very usable and easy to understand, and antivirus and VPN are the main features being used now, allowing my clients to access the network from home, which was very crucial because of the pandemic."
"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."
"This product works great for us and it's unfortunate that they're not going to support it anymore."
"After implementing Windows Server AppFabric, I can say I love the speed."
 

Cons

"Compared to Linux, the solution’s Windows patching is slower. I would like to improve it."
"IIS needs to improve its security. Its support needs to be faster and clear. The tool's licensing could be cheaper as well."
"The documentation of IIS could be better. They are not easily accessible. I had to use YouTube and other online resources to learn how to use the solution properly."
"The solution should improve the cluster environment and load balancing."
"The documentation is not very detailed."
"The solution's black box is not fast."
"Can be difficult to set up for new users and complex to troubleshoot."
"The tool needs to improve its performance."
"The product is unable to connect with different cloud services."
"The most important issue I've found is the blue screen errors, particularly when customers use external displays with a P-type cable."
"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."
"Microsoft will stop supporting the product next year, and we can't run unsupported programs in our systems."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"I give the price of the solution a five out of ten."
"We pay a yearly licensing fee for the solution."
"It is licensed with your Windows installation which makes it relatively cheap if you already have a Windows Server sitting around."
"The solution’s pricing is yearly. The pricing is affordable and not high."
"The yearly licensing cost is very high. The solution is very expensive."
"There is an annual license to use this solution and the price could be better."
"Users can get a subscription-based license or a perpetual license for IIS."
"IIS's pricing is reasonable."
"The product is affordable, in my opinion."
"It is expensive, and its licensing is a bit confusing."
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908,800 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
14%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Comms Service Provider
10%
Construction Company
10%
Comms Service Provider
12%
Financial Services Firm
12%
Manufacturing Company
12%
Outsourcing Company
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business30
Midsize Enterprise11
Large Enterprise22
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

Which is better - IIS or NGINX Plus?
IIS is a flexible, secure, and manageable web server to host anything on the web. IIS’s scalable and open architecture can handle the most demanding tasks. From media streaming to web applications,...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for IIS?
For the pricing, setup cost, and licensing for IIS, as a Microsoft product, I didn't think much about separately purchasing an IIS product as it is part of Microsoft Windows. We bought a developmen...
What needs improvement with IIS?
I see that IIS has maintained the same interface for a long time, so they could potentially use more automation or integrate Copilot into it to make it easier to use. I have not accessed or checked...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Windows Server AppFabric?
I am overall satisfied with the licensing cost of Windows Server AppFabric. It's a reasonable price because I run multiple servers, so we bought the bulk one. I can say the price was fair.
What needs improvement with Windows Server AppFabric?
I do not utilize Windows Server AppFabric's workflow management for now because that's a project that we might be looking at in the coming year, in the first or second quarter.
What is your primary use case for Windows Server AppFabric?
All of our major applications are on-premise, so I think 90% of my software used by the employees is on-premise. We have the telephony, we have the ERP, we have some mobile apps. We run a mobile ap...
 

Also Known As

Windows Server IIS
No data available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Erste Bank Group, NJVC, Samsung Electronics, Sheraton Hotels and Resorts, Tata Steel Europe, Urban Software Institute
OSIsoft
Find out what your peers are saying about IIS vs. Windows Server AppFabric and other solutions. Updated: August 2026.
908,800 professionals have used our research since 2012.