IBM App Connect Reviews

Vendor: IBM

4.1 out of 5

24 reviews
100% willing to recommend

435 followers

What is IBM App Connect?

Rapidly connect public clouds, private clouds and on-premises application

Get the IBM App Connect Buyer's Guide and find out what your peers are saying about IBM App Connect, Informatica Intelligent Data Management Cloud (IDMC), MuleSoft Anypoint Platform and more!

IBM App Connect is the #11 ranked solution in top Cloud Data Integration solutions. PeerSpot users give IBM App Connect an average rating of 8.2 out of 10. IBM App Connect is most commonly compared to Informatica Intelligent Data Management Cloud (IDMC): IBM App Connect vs Informatica Intelligent Data Management Cloud (IDMC). IBM App Connect is popular among the midsize enterprise segment, accounting for 55% of users researching this solution on PeerSpot. The top industry researching this solution are professionals from a educational organization, accounting for 48% of all views.

Helped 849,475 peers since 2012

Featured IBM App Connect reviews

Mehdi El Filahi

Co-Founder at tenekit

There is room for improvement in the logging messages. Sometimes, if you put someone new into App Connect, they can abandon it the same day. The logging is really painful. However, IBM has made efforts to integrate with Elasticsearch for logging, so that's an improvement. Overall, the logging can be difficult at times. One more important point is that if IBM improves its CI/CD capabilities, it will make a big difference. Right now, I have to create my own CI/CD setup from scratch for every client, which is inefficient. Back in 2013, I worked with Sonic ESB, and even then, it had CI/CD with Maven. With App Connect, you need to build everything yourself when using tools like Jenkins, Bamboo, or CircleCI. IBM really needs to provide official support for this.

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DeepikaSharma

Senior Software Engineer at CIMB Bank Berhad

Plugins for the repositories are a little difficult to find. It requires some information in the toolkit and if there were some links, options, or search buttons that would simplify things. I would like to have some predefined plugins built-in to App Connect with a list to choose from because some people use SVN, some use GitHub, and others use Bitbucket. The solution has a DFU mode which IBM states can easily be seen in the variables. It's not that easy to see and is lacking definition. When you're testing the code, you test it with the tool, but you also test the flow that you've created in the tool kit and see the values and what has been created in between the flows. I would want to see it presented in a more defined manner so that it's easy to view while you are debugging. I'd like to have more visibility when testing and debugging the code.

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AvinashArepaka1

Developer at Wipro Limited

I don't see any necessary improvements as IBM App Connect has been a market leader for many years. I find it particularly good for on-premises and now cloud use. Any major improvements have been addressed with App Connect Enterprise. Perhaps more tutorials for the training of new people who want to learn IBM App Connect would be beneficial.

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IBM App Connect mindshare

As of April 2025, the mindshare of IBM App Connect in the Cloud Data Integration category stands at 4.7%, up from 3.3% compared to the previous year, according to calculations based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Cloud Data Integration

PeerResearch reports based on IBM App Connect reviews

Type	Title	Date
Category	Cloud Data Integration	Apr 29, 2025	Download
Product	Reviews, tips, and advice from real users	Apr 29, 2025	Download
Comparison	IBM App Connect vs AWS Glue	Apr 29, 2025	Download
Comparison	IBM App Connect vs AWS Database Migration Service	Apr 29, 2025	Download
Comparison	IBM App Connect vs Informatica Intelligent Data Management Cloud (IDMC)	Apr 29, 2025	Download

Title	Rating	Mindshare	Recommending
Informatica Intelligent Data Management Cloud (IDMC)	3.9	6.1%	93%	182 interviews Add to research
MuleSoft Anypoint Platform	4.0	6.7%	92%	58 interviews Add to research

Valuable Features

IBM App Connect offers ease of use, supporting multiple languages and protocols, minimal coding, and provides pre-built adapters for fast deployment. Its security and scalability make it reliable and stable in complex integrations. Users value its ability to connect diverse interfaces, including Salesforce and SAP, with central management capabilities. The platform excels in automation, error handling, and integrates well with IBM products like WebSphere, enhancing efficiency by simplifying integration layers.

"I recommend IBM App Connect Enterprise to everyone."
"The solution is very fast-paced when it comes to making things right. We can quickly download what we need if we need any app migrations for our software business. We can download it plenty of times when we need to use it. It gives us very high speed for delivering any development."
"One of the most beneficial features is the ability to handle multiple communication technologies, like integrating Kafka flows, which is helpful as other teams heavily use it. Regarding error handling, I initially wrote most of the handling myself. While built-in features for error handling are built-in, it largely depends on the developer. We use a custom solution that catches all exceptions, logs them in a database, and replays them as needed. It has been effective for us for over twenty years."

Room for Improvement

IBM App Connect could improve audit and transaction logging, provide better support, enhance its user interface, and simplify container installation. Users seek more connectors, better integration with HR systems, and enhanced security features. They desire improved CI/CD capabilities, command line integration, and logging message clarity. Community building and cost considerations are important for wider adoption. Increasing event streaming capabilities and simplifying the setup and management process can also benefit users.

"Finding developers for the product is difficult since it is a niche solution. I know the OpenShift environment is running well for the microservice environment. We had some issues with the other environment we tried to implement. It can be easily implemented internally, but we have some problems in practice."
"I've been using IBM App Connect for about twenty-five years, and while I like it, there are some areas for improvement. The trace policy is ridiculous, and the biggest issue is the cost—it's expensive. People would use it much more if the price point weren't so high."
"One more important point is that if IBM improves its CI/CD capabilities, it will make a big difference. Right now, I have to create my own CI/CD setup from scratch for every client, which is inefficient."

ROI

Organizations experience ROI when using multiple IBM products, particularly in long-term scenarios. Centralizing integrations enhances operational efficiency, especially in critical operations like banking. Financial savings require detailed analysis for precise measurement. Successful ROI depends on skilled personnel with expertise in Salesforce, SAP, SFTP, and security. This wide knowledge base is essential for effective ESB use, similar to other platforms like Fuse and Mule. Users benefit from IBM App Connect in managing complex integrations and reducing downtime.

Pricing

IBM App Connect's pricing is perceived as high, with licensing costs varying based on usage, premium partnerships, and container-based consumption. Licenses generally include technical support and may range up to $200K annually. Users note the importance of securing licenses with unlimited endpoints to avoid extra costs. Some find the pricing moderate, benefiting from flexibility and potential discounts. Although setup costs can be expensive, the product is recognized for its quality and enterprise suitability.

"IBM App Connect's pricing is high compared to other products."
"App Connect is not cheap."
"The solution's pricing isn't cheap, but you can get good discounts based on your competitive deal."

Popular Use Cases

Businesses primarily utilize IBM App Connect for application integration and API creation across various sectors. They leverage it as an integration hub and middleware tool for orchestrating data between applications, managing transactions, and transforming data. Many use it for monitoring, security, and API conversions, supporting financial services and enterprise IT environments. They value its capabilities for managing connections in cloud settings, handling extensive data exchange, and facilitating seamless integration within IT infrastructures.

Service and Support

IBM App Connect customer service and support receive mixed feedback. Many highlight effective issue resolution, but note delayed responses for complex queries. Initial help setting up was praised; their team is considered knowledgeable and quick with fixes. They address critical problems promptly, though some report inconsistency in the experience. Quick resolution for simple queries and more swift responses are appreciated. Escalations for complex issues indicate a need for improved response times and proactive engagement.

Deployment

Installation of IBM App Connect varies in complexity. Some find it straightforward, especially with prior experience, while others encounter challenges, often requiring specialized knowledge. Deployment methods range from on-premises to cloud-based, each with unique steps. Experience with containers like Kubernetes aids in simplification. Proper documentation reading is crucial, as missteps can lead to issues. Automated processes, like Jenkins, help streamline setup, but familiarity with tools and infrastructure impacts ease of maintenance.

Scalability

IBM App Connect is recognized for its scalability, scoring high with users. Many note its adaptability, especially in cloud environments, though some report licensing costs and XML payload issues. Organizations benefit from containerization, enabling easy scaling for real-time applications and batch instances. Despite administrative challenges, users rate its scalability highly, often installed in a cluster mode without performance concerns.

Stability

IBM App Connect is regarded as stable, with minimal stability issues reported. Users report that it generally runs smoothly, although a few minor concerns were noted regarding complex services and scaling on the cloud version. Issues, when they arise, are quickly addressed by IBM. Some users mentioned platform-related challenges, not directly related to IBM App Connect. Regular updates and maintenance contribute to keeping it stable. Stability ratings range from seven to ten out of ten.

These insights are based on the in-depth reviews provided by peers to help you make a better buying decision.

Download our IBM App Connect Buyer's Guide for additional reliable information.

Review data by company size

By reviewers

By visitors reading reviews

Top industries

By visitors reading reviews

Educational Organization

48%

Computer Software Company

10%

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

Retailer

Government

Healthcare Company

Insurance Company

Real Estate/Law Firm

Comms Service Provider

Media Company

Energy/Utilities Company

Construction Company

University

Transportation Company

Pharma/Biotech Company

Wholesaler/Distributor

Legal Firm

Hospitality Company

Logistics Company

Non Profit

Compare IBM App Connect with alternative products

Learn more about IBM App Connect

App Connect Professional is IBM’s cloud integration offering which delivers an integration solution
• With ease-of-use, flexibility and increased responsiveness to the evolving business needs, while removing the daunting complexities of integration.
• Provides the powerful combination of a ‘simple integration experience’ for business users looking to automate how their applications talk to each other; coupled with a ‘configuration based integration’ approach for IT.
• App Connect Professional is for the teams and integration developers who need to solve more complex problems and need powerful tooling for integration scenarios

IBM App Connect was previously known as IBM Cast Iron.