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Apache JMeter vs IBM Rational Performance Tester comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary

Review summaries and opinions

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

Customer Service

Sentiment score
6.5
Apache JMeter lacks official support but benefits from a strong, helpful community offering prompt assistance and extensive online resources.
No sentiment score available
IBM Rational Performance Tester's customer service is praised for responsiveness, efficiency, knowledgeable staff, and excellent support quality.
 

Room For Improvement

Sentiment score
5.3
Apache JMeter faces challenges with SSL, scalability, UI, performance, integration, complexity, documentation, user-friendliness, plugins, and scripting.
No sentiment score available
IBM Rational Performance Tester needs enhanced stability, better documentation, improved performance, faster support, and a simpler setup process.
With BlazeMeter, you can view the results in real-time.
Currently, we need to use multiple separate JMeter instances to simulate reductions in load, which isn't ideal.
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
6.6
Apache JMeter is scalable and customizable but faces challenges with memory, setup, and performance compared to paid tools.
No sentiment score available
IBM Rational Performance Tester efficiently handles large-scale performance testing, customizing to requirements and identifying bottlenecks, though script setup can be complex.
JMeter is highly scalable, easily handling increased loads through the use of multiple servers.
 

Setup Cost

Sentiment score
7.9
Apache JMeter is a free, open-source tool favored for its cost-effectiveness despite potential additional integration or infrastructure expenses.
No sentiment score available
<p>IBM Rational Performance Tester offers flexible, cost-effective pricing for enterprise scalability, with positive feedback on its comprehensive testing capabilities.</p>
Using JMeter helps us avoid additional costs for high-load testing since it is open-source and allows for unlimited virtual users at no extra cost.
Monetary benefits with Apache JMeter are notable as it doesn't require a licensed version, whereas BlazeMeter involves costs.
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
6.7
Apache JMeter is stable but may require optimizations for high loads; expert users find it more reliable.
No sentiment score available
IBM Rational Performance Tester is praised for reliability, stability, and effectiveness in complex, large-scale performance testing with manageable minor glitches.
JMeter performs exceptionally well, especially in non-GUI mode, which supports high loads efficiently.
 

Valuable Features

Sentiment score
8.5
Apache JMeter is a popular, affordable, and versatile testing tool appreciated for its usability, extensibility, and comprehensive feature set.
No sentiment score available
IBM Rational Performance Tester is praised for its ease of use, robust features, scalability, and effective real-world load simulation.
It's useful for both the person conducting the test and the higher management, like project managers or senior executives, who may not know about the test.
JMeter's open-source nature allows us to create scripts easily, add any number of users during load tests, and handle large volumes of data without additional cost.
 

Categories and Ranking

Apache JMeter
Average Rating
7.8
Reviews Sentiment
7.2
Number of Reviews
90
Ranking in other categories
Performance Testing Tools (1st), Load Testing Tools (1st), API Testing Tools (3rd)
IBM Rational Performance Te...
Average Rating
7.6
Number of Reviews
17
Ranking in other categories
Test Management Tools (23rd)
 

Mindshare comparison

While both are Quality Assurance solutions, they serve different purposes. Apache JMeter is designed for Performance Testing Tools and holds a mindshare of 25.0%, up 22.0% compared to last year.
IBM Rational Performance Tester, on the other hand, focuses on Test Management Tools, holds 1.3% mindshare, up 0.9% since last year.
Performance Testing Tools
Test Management Tools
 

Featured Reviews

AlexLogan - PeerSpot reviewer
It's a free tool with a vast knowledge base, but the reporting is lackluster, and it has a steep learning curve
I rate JMeter five out of 10. You need knowledgeable employees to work with the tool because it's difficult to learn. There is a steep learning curve, so you shouldn't expect an entry-level engineer to pick up the tool quickly and become proficient. It takes a considerable amount of time.
it_user323943 - PeerSpot reviewer
We can edit captured transactions and organize them by those for which we require performance metrics, but it lacks a set of manuals or guides that would take out some guess work.
It is used to capture and generate HTTP tests. The capture process is very easy. After this, we edited the captured transactions to organize them into the sections or transactions we require performance metrics for (i.e. splash page, user authentication, main pageload, logout, etc.). This editing process is easy to perform with the interface provided in Rational Performance Tester Finally, Rational Performance Tester has an import/export feature that has been extremely useful. We have used it to export our complete test library and import it into another Rational Performance Tester server with no loss or issues. This allows for platform test migrations and backup.
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
19%
Computer Software Company
16%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Government
7%
Financial Services Firm
21%
Computer Software Company
16%
Government
15%
Manufacturing Company
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

How does Postman compare with Apache JMeter?
Postman lets you easily define variables, which then get updated automatically. This is a huge time-saver and makes processes very efficient. We can also export the test cases we create and share t...
How does BlazeMeter compare with Apache JMeter?
Blazemeter is a continuous testing platform that provides scriptless test automation. It unifies functional and performance testing, enabling users to monitor and test public and private APIs. We ...
What do you like most about Apache JMeter?
I appreciate JMeter's simplicity and power for performance testing.
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Also Known As

JMeter
Rational Performance Tester
 

Learn More

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Overview

 

Sample Customers

AOL, Orbitz, Innopath Software, PrepMe, Sapient, Corporate Express Australia, CSIRO, Ephibian, Talis, DATACOM, ALALOOP, eFusion, Panter, Sourcepole, University of Western Cape
andagon, Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon
Find out what your peers are saying about Apache, Tricentis, OpenText and others in Performance Testing Tools. Updated: November 2024.
816,406 professionals have used our research since 2012.