Apache Web Server vs IIS comparison

Apache and Microsoft are both solutions in the Application Infrastructure category. Apache is ranked #4 with an average rating of 8.8, while Microsoft is ranked #1 with an average rating of 8.3. Apache holds a 10.4% mindshare in AIS, compared to Microsoft’s 12.4% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of Apache users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 89% of Microsoft users who would recommend it.

Apache Web Server

Read 23 Apache Web Server reviews

2,012 Views
1,692 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

IIS

Read 56 IIS reviews

2,923 Views
2,186 Comparison Views

89% willing to recommend

Apache Web Server

IIS

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Mar 5, 2025

IIS and Apache Web Server compete in the web server category. Apache seems to have the upper hand due to its open-source nature and cross-platform compatibility.

Features: IIS integrates seamlessly with Windows and offers robust security with application pools and process isolation. It is easy to use for Microsoft ecosystem users and provides performance benefits when hosting applications. Apache, known for stability and flexibility, is the most widely used web server worldwide. It is open-source, supports multiple operating systems, and efficiently handles extensive client requests.

Room for Improvement: IIS faces compatibility issues outside Microsoft environments and can be challenging to scale. Troubleshooting is not intuitive for unfamiliar users. Apache requires detailed command-line configuration, which can be daunting for less experienced users. It lacks support for the .NET framework and structured customer support outside certain areas.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: IIS is often deployed on-premises or in hybrid cloud setups, benefitting from Microsoft's support ecosystem, although initial support levels may vary. Apache's deployment is versatile but often relies on community support due to its open-source nature, making official support less straightforward.

Pricing and ROI: IIS incurs costs from Windows Server licenses, making it economically viable for organizations already using Microsoft products, with users reporting strong ROI from integration benefits. Apache, being free, offers significant cost savings, though ROI varies greatly depending on implementation and hardware expenses.

To learn more, read our detailed Apache Web Server vs. IIS Report (Updated: March 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Apache Web Server vs. IIS

March 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

Apache Web Server

Ranking in Application Infrastructure

4th

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

7.6

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

IIS

Ranking in Application Infrastructure

1st

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

7.0

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Application Server (4th)

Mindshare comparison

As of March 2025, in the Application Infrastructure category, the mindshare of Apache Web Server is 10.4%, up from 10.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of IIS is 12.4%, down from 13.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Application Infrastructure

Featured Reviews

Saurav Kumar

Senior security architecture at National Payment Corporation Of India

Offers security features that are reliable

When it comes to Apache Web Server, I don't have any suggestions for improvement because we use it in the UAT environment. For production, my company mainly uses NGINX. There is no direct package provided by the product if I want to use WAF. In NGINX, NGINX Plus has the signature update capability, but in Apache, the same feature is not available, making it an area where improvements are required. If WAF can be introduced in Apache Web Server, it would be a good improvement so that its users can implement either the WAF module or ModSecurity, as they choose. For NGINX, I think it has NGINX Management Suite, which is GUI-based and allows you to manage your configuration via the user interface, but Apache fails to offer such capabilities to users. Apache Web Server should provide users with the same capabilities offered under NGINX Management Suite with the help of a simple GUI so that our company doesn't have to do anything on the terminal while directly getting to use the user interface, which can help us with the configuration part.

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VikramSingh6

Operations Executive at Quess

A simple and easy-to-use solution but not recommended for public apps

I would rate the overall solution a six out of ten. We have around five to six developers and engineers for the solution’s deployment and maintenance. You can use the solution if your website is not too big or complicated. However, if it is big and complicated, then you need to use Apache or Red Hat. This tool can be used for internal purposes. But if you plan to host a public app, then I wouldn’t recommend the tool.

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Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The open-source nature is one of its most significant advantages."

"It is more secure to use Apache and you will have fewer problems than other web services."

"The best thing about Apache is that it is open-source, so implementing my platform on-premises is less expansive than other solutions."

"Apache Web Server is free of cost."

"It's reliable, configurable and generally secure."

"Most of the features I liked were related to the performance during peak hours."

"The solution offers good security."

"The product's initial setup phase is straightforward."

More Apache Web Server pros

"When you are working with Microsoft solutions, you will see that the integration with the operating system, and implementing some security features, are easier in IIS than when using another solution."

"All the features of Microsoft IIS are valuable."

"IIS is stable."

"The product is easy to use."

"What I like the most is that it is easy to use."

"IIS works natively with Windows Server without any issues in publishing certificates."

"It is a lightweight web host that is easy to configure for simple webpages."

"The solution is very simple to use and easy to deploy."

More IIS pros

Cons

"It would be great if technical support for Apache were available in Iran. It is a very important need."

"The product's initial setup process could be easier for users."

"There is a security-related problem that depends on the web server's configuration."

"Adding a reverse proxy to Apache Web Server would be a significant improvement."

"Things change very fast. We're always on the lookout for better approaches and tools. If the solution falls behind, we may have to switch."

"For NGINX, I think it has NGINX Management Suite, which is GUI-based and allows you to manage your configuration via the user interface, but Apache fails to offer such capabilities to users."

"The interface has room for improvement."

"The major issue occurs with ports. So, I would like to see easier port management."

More Apache Web Server cons

"IIS's memory management could be improved."

"The solution's black box is not fast."

"There is an issue with the network. The tool's price is also high."

"Having no support for other than a Microsoft environment and programming languages limits the usage of IIS in many cases."

"IIS could improve the error logging. There are times we are not able to see the errors. More details would be helpful. Additionally, the configuring of the IIS should be allowed through coding instead of the classic view."

"If Microsoft IIS could work well with AppOptics or things like PHP, Python, and other custom languages that run on the webserver, it would be ideal. I think there are cases where people need to use Apache instead of IIS when IIS doesn't work well with other web languages."

"It would be beneficial if you could automate security certificate monitoring with IIS."

"The user interface could be improved."

More IIS cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The apache software is free, open-source."

"It is an open-source solution."

"It is a free-of-cost solution."

"There is no licensing cost for the product."

"The tool's pricing is on a yearly basis."

"The price of Windows Server IIS is expensive. They have a large user base, and they charge a little bit too much."

"The tool is included with Windows."

"The licensing cost is dependent on the usage."

"There is no license needed to use the solution."

"There is an annual license to use this solution and the price could be better."

"I think it's part of the Windows Server, so you won't have any other costs to add in order to use the IIS service."

"There is a license needed for the solution."

More IIS pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

17%

Financial Services Firm

16%

Manufacturing Company

Government

Computer Software Company

16%

Financial Services Firm

15%

Manufacturing Company

Government

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Apache Web Server?

The product's initial setup phase is straightforward.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Apache Web Server?

Apache Web Server is a free product, with no associated setup costs or licensing fees.

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What needs improvement with Apache Web Server?

There is no need for substantial improvements as we have a dedicated team managing the server, ensuring everything runs smoothly.

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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,...

See all answers

What do you like most about IIS?

The product is flexible.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for IIS?

If you have a Windows license, there is no additional cost for IIS. However, you may need to pay for SSL publishing at times.

See all answers

Comparisons

NGINX Plus vs Apache Web Server

Compared 27% of the time

Microsoft .NET Framework vs Apache Web Server

Compared 8% of the time

Zend PHP Engine vs Apache Web Server

Compared 7% of the time

IBM WebSphere Application Server vs Apache Web Server

Compared 7% of the time

Oracle SOA Suite vs Apache Web Server

Compared 5% of the time

More Apache Web Server Competitors

NGINX Plus vs IIS

Compared 30% of the time

Oracle WebLogic Server vs IIS

Compared 16% of the time

Tomcat vs IIS

Compared 14% of the time

JBoss vs IIS

Compared 7% of the time

Microsoft .NET Framework vs IIS

Compared 6% of the time

More IIS Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Apache Web Server

March 2025

Download Apache Web Server product report

Buyer's Guide

IIS

March 2025

Download IIS product report

Also Known As

Apache HTTP Server

Windows Server IIS

Overview

The Apache HTTP Server Project was founded in 1995 by a group of webmasters, known as The Apache Group, with the aim of developing robust, richly-featured, freely-available and commercial-standard Web (HTTP) server source code. The result was Apache Web Server or Apache HTTP Server, which is an open-source public-domain web server.

This collaborative project has been enhanced ever since with contributions from the core development team and other volunteers situated all over the globe. Also, hundreds of users of this open-source web server have contributed code, ideas, and documentation. The project falls under The Apache Software Foundation, which manages many open-source projects.

Apache

Internet Information Services (IIS) provides a secure, easy-to-manage, modular and extensible platform for reliably hosting websites, services and applications. With IIS, you get choice and control without giving up reliability or security.

Microsoft

Sample Customers

Cisco, Intuit, General Electric, Adobe, VMware, PayPal, HP, EMC, eBay, Apple, SAP, Qualcomm, SanDisk, Allstate, FedEx

Erste Bank Group, NJVC, Samsung Electronics, Sheraton Hotels and Resorts, Tata Steel Europe, Urban Software Institute

Buyer's Guide

Apache Web Server vs. IIS

March 2025

Free Report: Apache Web Server vs. IIS

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