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IBM BPM vs Nintex Process Platform vs WebRatio 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:
 

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2025, in the Business Process Management (BPM) category, the mindshare of IBM BPM is 7.4%, down from 7.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Nintex Process Platform is 2.0%, down from 2.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of WebRatio is 0.2%, up from 0.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Business Process Management (BPM)
 

Featured Reviews

Muhammad Kamran - PeerSpot reviewer
Has efficient processes and intuitive workflow with many valuable features
You will have access to make any needed changes. Additionally, the review will be published on PeerSpot.com in written or audio format, available to other people. You can stay anonymous if you wish. Notifications and the use of the review are subject to PeerSpot's terms of use, which you can find at PeerSpot.com/TOS. I would give the solution an overall rating of ten out of ten points.
Damilola Adeleye - PeerSpot reviewer
Straightforward interface and user-friendly
There are a lot of apps in K2, but what I really found that needs improvement is the management section of K2, especially the management server and the admin page where you can manage processes, add users, set security fees, and add licenses. The reason for this is because the part that is the section of administration, particularly the management called rows, has multiple rules, as many as you want. For instance, you may have around 200 rules, and when you view them, only the first ten are displayed, and you have to click next to see the next ten and so on until you get to the hundredth rule. On that page, as of today, we only have what we call to fetch, where you can search for a particular rule you're looking for, or else you have to keep clicking until you get to the final page you want. So that's a bit challenging.
reviewer1485573 - PeerSpot reviewer
Little coding needed and speeds development time but lacks documentation
The maintenance aspect is too heavy. Moving from one version to the other made the solution change, and not in a way that we liked. Typically there are documents about the release of new versions and a set of activities required to migrate from one to the other. This time, it was very messy. There were issues surrounding the management of the release. This could potentially be due to the fact that WebRation, in the past, had started to make some choices regarding the framework and architecture that were changed later. In the past, we'd use a strategy as the environment, as an architectural pattern for the application. Now, it's moving more on the spring framework and this initiated some change that obviously had an impact on our application. It's caused a problem with maintenance. The solution seems to have changed its approach. Now, it's more related to a federative application environment in a monolithic aspect. While the solution was interesting at one point, everything is moving towards the cloud. WebRatio should be moving also in the web approach. Currently, you have to install an environment inside the desktop. The future is the cloud. Normally with a low code environment, there is a VPN notation - maybe a WebML or FML notation. If they can move in to have an environment that has a running machine at the end, it would be great. Obviously, some components on the server-side should be deliberate. Normally it's the model you control that's step-by-step and has a very simple flow. In the digital environment, in the organization, the process is more complex. The quality of the documentation and the community surrounding the product are poor. They need to give users more documentation and build up the surrounding community. As it isn't a well-known product, it's hard to find professionals to work with it.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"It is easy to take a requirement, put it in the code, and deploy it."
"The most valuable feature is the ability to customize your rules and put them inside the tool."
"IBM BPM is both scalable and stable."
"The system integration layer is valuable because this enables an organization to create a single point where all the key organizational master data is held in different IT applications across different functions, that can be accessed and updated."
"The solution is stable."
"One thing that I love about them is that they make it easier to integrate with other systems, especially with the use of smaller files."
"There is a component of this BPM pool - I can't recall the name. What it does is, it allows you to create various scenarios and then run them quickly, before actually putting them onto a tool. So I think that part of the tool is really fantastic, because that enables you to create scenarios, create simulations, before actually going out and putting it into the tool itself"
"This product does the job in terms of executing the workflow."
"NWC forms could be better. Also, the ability to build workflows that are not dependent on SharePoint is very desirable. The forms feature just isn’t as functional as the forms for SharePoint."
"Only Nintex has the feature which allows attachments to an email.​"
"The Vizio-style designer that runs in the browser is, to me, by far the most valuable feature of the solution. It means that the customer doesn’t have to install any client tools to create powerful workflows."
"The most valuable features of this solution are that it's no code, it's very flexible, and it's easy to design."
"Easily maintained and customization is quite simple."
"We were able to meet all of the requirements for functionality that were specified, and we did not experience challenges where we had to compromise on functionality."
"Valuable features include workflows (escalation, reminder, LazyApproval, actions, etc.) and ease of use."
"It provides data accuracy with fewer failures."
"The initial setup isn't too complex."
 

Cons

"I hope IBM uses something from IBM Content Navigator to make the interface easier to navigate."
"They could provide case studies to investigate and understand the functionality of business processes before development."
"Performance on large scale requirements could also be improved."
"The debugging needs improvement. There is some confusion surrounding the debugging."
"If the processing gets better, it would be more efficient."
"I suggest establishing a developer forum for better communication and issue resolution. Also, the administration panel could be improved for task management."
"UI is an area with a shortcoming that needs improvement."
"I would like to see a lot more case studies."
"At times, issues arise in certain scenarios. In such cases, the versioning can become quite difficult. There may be no other way but to restart the entire process or rectify it at that point."
"While Nintex Workflow has pretty robust troubleshooting abilities, I think that improving the default logging and notifications would be helpful."
"User interface could use some improvement. Perhaps integration with Visual Studio or SharePoint Designer would be useful."
"Converting a document from PDF to MS Word, or vice versa, needs to be improved."
"Heavy, cumbersome and inflexible."
"It's very tedious to manage."
"Currently, a notable challenge lies in the alignment of user experiences across the eight or nine applications within the suite. Transitioning between applications can be somewhat cumbersome due to varying user interfaces. However, the provider is actively addressing this concern by consistently rolling out updates every four to five months, aimed at harmonizing and streamlining the interfaces. This ongoing effort is expected to enhance the user experience over time. In terms of functionality and features, the platform stands out, offering flexibility with the option for both on-premises and cloud deployment. This flexibility extends to the RPA tool, providing clients with choices tailored to their preferences. An advantage lies in the shared security and data infrastructure across the toolset, facilitating smooth data transfer between applications. This contrasts with experiences with Oracle, where data transfer may involve complexities such as the need for intermediary file formats like TXL or SCZ."
"The management server and the admin page where you can manage processes need improvement."
"The maintenance aspect is too heavy."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Due to its extensive features and capabilities, the product pricing is more aligned with medium—to large enterprises."
"When considering the features of the solution the price is expensive compared to competitors."
"Price wise, IBM BPM is cheaper than other similar solutions and has excellent pricing."
"IBM BPM is expensive, so most large companies opt for IBM based on their licensing options."
"I give the pricing an eight out of ten."
"It's expensive. All software is always extremely high. The manufacturing cost that we have compared to the selling cost, it's not like you're building a house or building a car. But putting that aside, considering that it's expensive, it's a lot of money. If you compare it with some of the other alternatives in the market, it's a similar price. For instance, if you compare it with Pegasystems, it's a similar price."
"The pricing is very high."
"The price is good but could be a little lower."
"We pay on a yearly basis. It's my understanding that we pay approximately $11,000/year."
"There is an initial fee when purchasing and a fee for maintenance afterward."
"This solution is affordable and is cheaper than most alternatives on the market. We have a standard cloud license that costs about 20k per year."
"For the initial hundred users, the cost is $21,000 per year, which I find too high."
"The price of this solution is affordable but the problem in Algeria is our community is a bit slower. The new clients might feel the solution is a bit expensive."
"Certainly. Notably, in terms of cost, this solution presents a substantial advantage, being approximately forty percent more economical compared to Oracle. It offers flexibility with two deployment options, catering to both cloud and on-premises preferences. Moreover, within each deployment option, there are two variations available. For organizations with limited IT resources and relying on citizen developers—individuals from the business side comfortable with technology—the platform allows for a more hands-on approach. These users can independently implement solutions without extensive coding or custom development. In contrast, the KQ solution at Symantec is adept at addressing the needs of sectors like banking, where extensive custom development is required for seamless integration with existing applications, websites, and ensuring robust security measures."
"The annual support costs are expensive."
"Nintex is around INR 200 per license in India, which is much cheaper. Smaller organizations are always looking for cost-effective solutions, and Nintex provides local solutions with very low pricing."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
31%
Computer Software Company
12%
Manufacturing Company
7%
Government
6%
Computer Software Company
20%
Financial Services Firm
18%
Government
7%
Manufacturing Company
7%
No data available
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

Which is better, IBM BPM or IBM Business Automation Workflow?
We researched both IBM solutions and in the end, we chose Business Automation Workflow. IBM BPM has a good user inter...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for IBM BPM?
Once it is installed, maintaining it is not a big issue.
What do you like most about K2?
The latest version of Nintex has many features. We have a clear roadmap and the necessary application to integrate it...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for K2?
Nintex Process Platform is expensive. Prices relate to both features and the professional services necessary due to o...
What needs improvement with K2?
The user interface in Nintex needs improvement. It is not very intuitive and requires changes. Additionally, the depl...
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Comparisons

 

Also Known As

WebSphere Lombardi Edition, IBM Business Process Manager, IBM WebSphere Process Server
K2 blackpearl, K2 Five, Nintex Workflow
No data available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Barclays, EmeriCon, Banca Popolare di Milano, CST Consulting, KeyBank, KPMG, Prolifics, Sandhata Technologies Ltd., State of Alaska, Humana S.A., Saperion, esciris, Banco Espirito Santo
SEA Corp, Omnicom Group, Verizon, STIHL
Unicredit Leasing, Acer, Gruppo Torinese Transporti, A2A, SET Distribuzone, Dolomiti Energia, AIM Gruppo, IFC CNA_ Amsa
Find out what your peers are saying about Camunda, Apache, Automation Anywhere and others in Business Process Management (BPM). Updated: April 2025.
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