IBM App Connect vs MuleSoft Anypoint Platform comparison

IBM and Salesforce are both solutions in the Cloud Data Integration category. IBM is ranked #9 with an average rating of 8.2, while Salesforce is ranked #4 with an average rating of 8.1. IBM holds a 3.3% mindshare in CDI, compared to Salesforce’s 8.3% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of IBM users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 91% of Salesforce users who would recommend it.

IBM App Connect

Read 23 IBM App Connect reviews

1,868 Views
1,028 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

MuleSoft Anypoint Platform

Read 57 MuleSoft Anypoint Platform reviews

3,584 Views
2,315 Comparison Views

91% willing to recommend

IBM App Connect

MuleSoft Anypoint Platform

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 8, 2024

MuleSoft Anypoint Platform and IBM App Connect compete in the integration platform category, focusing on API management and iPaaS solutions. MuleSoft possesses an edge due to its ease of use, rapid deployment, and strong performance.

Features: MuleSoft Anypoint Platform offers extensive iPaaS and API management capabilities with numerous connectors for seamless application integration. It supports both cloud-based and on-premises deployments, providing flexible enterprise service bus configurations. MuleSoft is renowned for its ease in API development and management, offering robust security features. IBM App Connect provides extensive integration features, supporting multiple communication technologies with strong security. It excels in scalability and connecting diverse systems through its vast array of connectors. Its strengths include integration within the IBM ecosystem and reliability in security.

Room for Improvement: MuleSoft users often cite cost as a concern, with a need for a more transparent pricing model. There are suggestions for enhancements in runtime management, batch processing, and technical support response. Improved community resources and simplified setup could enhance accessibility. IBM App Connect users report a need for improvements in logging, lifecycle management, and CI/CD capabilities. Both platforms would benefit from additional connectors to support new technologies and cloud solutions. IBM users also express a need for better customer support integration and community-building efforts.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: MuleSoft Anypoint Platform offers flexible deployment options, supporting public, private, and hybrid cloud environments. Its customer service is considered reliable, although some users prefer community support. IBM App Connect supports on-premises and cloud deployments and is noted for robust customer service, aligning closely with enterprise requirements. IBM's support is highlighted as more structured and responsive, although areas for improvement remain.

Pricing and ROI: MuleSoft Anypoint Platform is considered expensive, with a complex pricing model potentially deterring smaller businesses. Despite this, it offers significant ROI through reduced maintenance and effective API management. IBM App Connect is also costly, with high licensing fees but flexible consumption options. Both platforms show positive ROI for enterprises, emphasizing reduced total cost of ownership and increased operational efficiency.

To learn more, read our detailed IBM App Connect vs. MuleSoft Anypoint Platform Report (Updated: January 2025).

Buyer's Guide

IBM App Connect vs. MuleSoft Anypoint Platform

January 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

IBM App Connect

Ranking in Cloud Data Integration

9th

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

6.8

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

MuleSoft Anypoint Platform

Ranking in Cloud Data Integration

4th

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

6.8

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Message Queue (MQ) Software (4th), Business-to-Business Middleware (1st), Workload Automation (9th), Integration Platform as a Service (iPaaS) (2nd)

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2025, in the Cloud Data Integration category, the mindshare of IBM App Connect is 3.3%, up from 3.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of MuleSoft Anypoint Platform is 8.3%, down from 8.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Cloud Data Integration

Featured Reviews

Mehdi El Filahi

Co-Founder at tenekit

Offers flexible adapters, good scalability but logging can be difficult at times

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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Vijay Subramanyam

Delivery Head at cblsolutions

Robust, reliable, and stable, ensuring high availability for critical integrations

I would rate the scalability an eight out of ten; it is a highly scalable solution. We have around 200 end users using this solution in our company. We use it to its maximum capacity. However, it's not for P1 applications, but definitely for severity two cases (P2 level). It integrates critical applications, but it's not a platform that, if it stops, the entire system would come down. So, it's more like a severity two level. However, it has the potential to eventually become a P1 platform. Not exactly P1 applications, but a P1 platform. Because now we are still in the transition to migrate everything, all the integrations to Mule Anypoint Platform. But once it's done, then this platform becomes critical. Because even now, we have point-to-point connections.

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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

"It's a powerful application for collaboration. It has many features for customization and integration."

"The most valuable feature is the security."

"It has different type of interfaces that can integrate with companies."

"I like the adapters. The adapters help us achieve scalability. If you want to connect to SAP, there's an adapter. Salesforce? There's an adapter. You want to connect to another system? There's likely an adapter for that."

"There is a friendly interface for configuration, and integration is made easy."

"Very scalable, flexible, and user-friendly."

"We use IBM App Connect for the integration between the applications."

"Provides good security features."

More IBM App Connect pros

"Whenever we need some support in our local language, we get it easily. They also have an office in Germany and if a person is unable to contact them by phone, they can go to the office in person."

"The solution's market place for different kinds of integration platforms is the most valuable feature."

"Customers can make use of Runtime Fabric, an RTF environment."

"The most valuable features of the Mule Anypoint Platform are the Flex Gateway, API management, easy-to-use, and connectors. Additionally, they are coming out with improvements to the solution when required."

"Initially, we faced challenges managing numerous scheduled jobs and duplicate entries in our SAP system. To address this, we developed a reusable component in Mule that all applications could use to interact with SAP."

"It's easy to use and comes as a bundle package with the Anypoint Platform, removing the need for any complex setup."

"Initial setup was very straightforward. Deployment is a cakewalk."

"Mule works very well with Salesforce and CRMs."

More MuleSoft Anypoint Platform pros

Cons

"The installation of containers could be simplified, as it currently requires a senior-level installer."

"The user interface of IBM App Connect can be a little bit more user-friendly, I would say because the first-time developer is onboarded while using IBM App Connect, he or she may get a little intimidated or daunted looking at all the options available or the pipelines, et cetera."

"The setup time for App Connect could be improved."

"In the next release, I would like to get some quality connectors."

"IBM needs to enhance and have a stronger offering for the event streaming part because this is the future needed for the containerization and the new integration requirement."

"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."

"Plugins for the repositories are difficult to find."

"The addition of string functionality would be a benefit, particularly in the ESQL space that IBM already uses internally."

More IBM App Connect cons

"Anypoint MQ could improve the user interface."

"The initial setup should be made easy and the documentation should have some guidance."

"The solution is very costly. The solution should provide a package with fewer capabilities at a lower price for specific companies that don’t have a big IT budget. Not every customer requires all the capabilities of the software. It will be a good fit in the market, and they will easily sell it more."

"In order to set up a storefront, we currently rely on a third-party solution. It would greatly enhance our operations if this feature was integrated into their existing solution."

"Mule Anypoint Platform could improve by having more up-to-date adapters to do work in a digital space."

"Better documentation, in particular with respect to the initial setup, would be helpful."

"There is not much information on the internet...The transforming message is an area in the solution that needs to be improved."

"Mule Anypoint Platform should improve its pricing. In my experience, a customer using the sandbox version couldn't upgrade to the final version because it exceeded their budget. Another area for improvement is the login mechanism. We need to integrate with third-party products for strong authentication, but it would be better if MuleSoft had its own robust login mechanism."

More MuleSoft Anypoint Platform cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"It is very expensive if we want to scale."

"Initially, App Connect was quite expensive because the cost was based on the number of processors we used. However, it's now based on containers, which means we can be more specific about our consumption and get a better price."

"The price could be better."

"The licensing cost for IBM App Connect is very high."

"IBM App Connect's pricing is high compared to other products."

"The cost depends upon the consumer."

"The solution's pricing isn't cheap, but you can get good discounts based on your competitive deal."

"App Connect is not cheap."

"Mule Anypoint Platform is an expensive solution."

"On a scale of one to ten, where one is cheap, and ten is expensive, I rate the solution's pricing as four or five out of ten."

"The product comes complete at one set price including support."

"Licensing can be complex as is the case with most iPaaS/cloud offerings."

"I can't give you a straightforward answer because sometimes it depends on the usage. If you're going to have fewer than 5 million messages, it is free of cost. If you're going to have more than 5 million messages, they're going to charge $100 per month"

"Making changes in Anypoint MQ is expensive."

"The tool is heavily bundle-priced. I rate the solution’s pricing five on a scale of ten, where one is expensive, and ten is cheap."

"The licensing is core-based. My customers tell me that it's very expensive compared to the cost of other integration suites."

More MuleSoft Anypoint Platform pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Educational Organization

58%

Computer Software Company

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

Educational Organization

24%

Computer Software Company

13%

Financial Services Firm

10%

Manufacturing Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about IBM App Connect?

I like the adapters. The adapters help us achieve scalability. If you want to connect to SAP, there's an adapter. Salesforce? There's an adapter. You want to connect to another system? There's like...

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for IBM App Connect?

IBM App Connect's pricing is high compared to other products.

See all answers

What is your primary use case for IBM App Connect?

Our company has a big project for delivery and e-commerce sites. We use IBM App Connect to deliver information to our end users after they buy our products. We get information from many places, suc...

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What advice do you have for others considering Mule Anypoint Platform?

I architected solutions using Oracle SOA/OSB, Spring Boot, MuleSoft Anypoint Platform on cloud / on-premises and hybrid modes; What I see is though if you are an enterprise and have enough money th...

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How does TIBCO BusinessWorks compare with Mule Anypoint Platform?

Our organization ran comparison tests to determine whether TIBCO BusinessWorks or Mule Anypoint platform integration and connectivity software was the better fit for us. We decided to go with Mule...

See all answers

What can Mule Anypoint Platform be used for and what do you use it for most often?

This is a very flexible solution that comes with multiple uses. My organization mostly uses Mule Anypoint Platform for API management, as it lets us build new APIs easily and design new interfaces...

See all answers

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Compared 11% of the time

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Compared 5% of the time

SAP Process Orchestration vs IBM App Connect

Compared 5% of the time

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Compared 10% of the time

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Compared 9% of the time

Amazon SQS vs MuleSoft Anypoint Platform

Compared 6% of the time

Microsoft Azure Logic Apps vs MuleSoft Anypoint Platform

Compared 6% of the time

Palantir Foundry vs MuleSoft Anypoint Platform

Compared 2% of the time

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

IBM App Connect

January 2025

Download IBM App Connect product report

Buyer's Guide

MuleSoft Anypoint Platform

January 2025

Download MuleSoft Anypoint Platform product report

Also Known As

IBM Cast Iron

Data Integrator, Anypoint MQ

Learn More

IBM

Salesforce

Overview

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

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

MuleSoft Anypoint Platform is used for integration and API management, connecting enterprise applications across retail, e-commerce, and supply chain. It supports cloud-to-cloud and cloud-to-on-premises scenarios with real-time and asynchronous messaging.

Users leverage MuleSoft Anypoint Platform for diverse integrations including cloud-based and on-premises, enabling data transformations, middleware functions, and hybrid integrations. It seamlessly connects systems like SAP, Salesforce, and Oracle, facilitating data transfers and integrating legacy systems. The platform offers a graphic interface, quick implementation, and a variety of connectors, contributing to its popularity for robust and scalable solutions. Despite its strengths, users seek better technical support, more connectors, simplified runtime management, and improved documentation.

What are the key features of MuleSoft Anypoint Platform?

Marketplace for integration platforms: Provides pre-built connectors and templates.
API management: Efficient management and monitoring of APIs.
Graphic interface: User-friendly design for ease of use.
Monitoring capabilities: Comprehensive monitoring and observability features.
Quick implementation: Rapid deployment of integrations and APIs.
Pre-built templates: Ready-to-use templates for common integrations.
Stability and performance: Reliable and high-performing platform.
Data transformation with DataWeave: Powerful tool for data mapping and transformation.
Support for hybrid deployments: Flexibility to integrate cloud and on-premises systems.

What benefits and ROI can users expect?

Increased connectivity: Seamless integration of multiple systems.
Operational efficiency: Streamlined processes and data flows.
Scalability: Ability to grow with business needs.
Cost savings: Reduced development time with pre-built components.
Enhanced visibility: Improved monitoring and management of integrations.

Enterprises in retail, e-commerce, and supply chain implement MuleSoft Anypoint Platform to connect various applications and systems. It supports real-time messaging for inventory management, synchronizes customer data across platforms, and integrates with legacy systems for smooth data migration. Users benefit from quick deployments and a marketplace that accelerates integration projects.

Sample Customers

United Way of Allegheny County, Saint-Gobain CPS, Ricoh, SunTrust Banks Inc.

VMware, Gucci, MasterCard, Target, Time Inc, Hershey's, Tesla, Spotify, Office Depot, Intuit, CBS, Amtrak, Salesforce, Gap, Ralph Lauren

Buyer's Guide

IBM App Connect vs. MuleSoft Anypoint Platform

January 2025

Free Report: IBM App Connect vs. MuleSoft Anypoint Platform

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