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IBM Rational ClearCase vs Visual Studio Team System comparison

IBM and Microsoft are both solutions in the Software Configuration Management category. IBM is ranked #5 with an average rating of 6.0, while Microsoft is ranked #3 with an average rating of 8.8. IBM holds a 7.5% mindshare in SCM, compared to Microsoft’s 1.9% mindshare. Additionally, 66% of IBM users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Microsoft users who would recommend it.
IBM Rational ClearCase
Read 6 IBM Rational ClearCase reviews
  • 301 Views
  • 207 Comparison Views
66% willing to recommend
Visual Studio Team System
Read 14 Visual Studio Team System reviews
  • 124 Views
  • 43 Comparison Views
100% willing to recommend
 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive Summary
We performed a comparison between IBM Rational ClearCase and Visual Studio Team System based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out in this report how the two Software Configuration Management solutions compare in terms of features, pricing, service and support, easy of deployment, and ROI.

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To learn more, read our detailed IBM Rational ClearCase vs. Visual Studio Team System Report (Updated: March 2025).
Buyer's Guide
IBM Rational ClearCase vs. Visual Studio Team System
March 2025
Download the complete report
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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 Rational ClearCase
Ranking in Software Configuration Management
5th
Average Rating
6.4
Number of Reviews
6
Ranking in other categories
Version Control (9th)
Visual Studio Team System
Ranking in Software Configuration Management
3rd
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.7
Number of Reviews
14
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2025, in the Software Configuration Management category, the mindshare of IBM Rational ClearCase is 7.5%, up from 7.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Visual Studio Team System is 1.9%, up from 1.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Software Configuration Management
 

Featured Reviews

Daniel Antonio Jimenez Quintana - PeerSpot reviewer
Difficult to use, not efficient, but stable
We are using IBM Rational ClearCase in Peru at two large banks for a code repository. However, it is not meant to be used as a repository I have found it very difficult to understand many functionalities in IBM Rational ClearCase. We have had many problems and it is not user-friendly.  I have…
Read full review
Mustapha Sedki Ben Romdhane - PeerSpot reviewer
A scalable and efficient solution that can be used to perform tasks involved in developing information systems
We can use the tool to perform limited tasks in developing information systems The product is efficient. It is an accepted tool globally. The product must improve its stability. It must do more innovations. It could be made more efficient to provide the best responses. It will help us with…
Read full review

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"IBM Rational ClearCase is a stable solution. I have not had any difficulty with reliability."
"ClearCase integrates well with other engineering tools and frameworks such as the Eclipse environment."
"The tool had features similar to Git for version control. It offered branching and merging capabilities, providing better control over code management. Integration was possible with other tools, including some change management tools. The overall process was normal."
"The product is efficient."
"Microsoft makes great products. They are quite robust."
"The most valuable feature is the code management, where there is sharing of code for developers and it is distributed within the organization."
"I am not familiar with any issues with respect to stability, and I have never seen Team System crash."
"The solution is pretty stable."
"The solution’s fast performance is its most valuable feature."
"The product helps with version control. I can build, develop, test and deploy applications from a single platform."
"The solution has a good framework that is user friendly and scalable."
More Visual Studio Team System pros
 

Cons

"I have found it very difficult to understand many functionalities in IBM Rational ClearCase. We have had many problems and it is not user-friendly."
"The solution's UI is slow compared to other tools. It is an old tool."
"The protection needs to be improved."
"I would like to see the inclusion of more programming languages, especially better support for Java."
"I have seen customizations with Team System that allowed it to integrate into other ticketing systems like Jira, which would be a really nice feature to see."
"I would say compared to some more modern tools which are made to work offline, with this solution you have to be connected all of the time and with a central server. In our case, it's not a big problem because we all work on-premises, but it can be an issue if you have teams in different locations."
"The tool's subscriptions are expensive for medium and small businesses. It works fine on Windows. However, it is not stable on other platforms."
"The product must improve its stability."
"When you go into the front-end, the web portal, if, for example, you pick up an issue, it would be ideal if the branch was automatically created in the repository. Right now, this isn't the case."
"The overall customer support needs to improve."
"Support response time could stand improvement."
More Visual Studio Team System cons
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"IBM Rational ClearCase, like any other IBM tool, is expensive."
"This is a very expensive product."
"It is an open-source product from Microsoft."
"The tool's licensing costs are yearly."
"There is no fee for the solution's community version."
"You can choose pricing from a variety of options. I would rate the product's pricing a six out of ten."
"The price could be better."
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845,406 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Manufacturing Company
26%
Financial Services Firm
14%
Computer Software Company
13%
Government
8%
No data available
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about IBM Rational ClearCase?
The tool had features similar to Git for version control. It offered branching and merging capabilities, providing better control over code management. Integration was possible with other tools, in...
See all answers
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for IBM Rational ClearCase?
IBM Rational ClearCase, like any other IBM tool, is expensive.
See all answers
What needs improvement with IBM Rational ClearCase?
The solution's UI is slow compared to other tools. It is an old tool.
See all answers
What do you like most about Visual Studio Team System?
The product is efficient.
See all answers
What needs improvement with Visual Studio Team System?
The product must improve its stability. It must do more innovations. It could be made more efficient to provide the best responses. It will help us with internal and external processes.
See all answers
What is your primary use case for Visual Studio Team System?
We can use the tool to perform limited tasks in developing information systems.
See all answers
 

Comparisons

Git vs IBM Rational ClearCase Logo
Git vs IBM Rational ClearCase
Compared 48% of the time
IBM Rational ClearQuest vs IBM Rational ClearCase Logo
IBM Rational ClearQuest vs IBM Rational ClearCase
Compared 24% of the time
Bitbucket vs IBM Rational ClearCase Logo
Bitbucket vs IBM Rational ClearCase
Compared 20% of the time
IBM Engineering Workflow Management vs IBM Rational ClearCase Logo
IBM Engineering Workflow Management vs IBM Rational ClearCase
Compared 9% of the time
More IBM Rational ClearCase Competitors
No data available
 

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide
Software Configuration Management
March 2025
IBM Rational ClearCase reportDownload IBM Rational ClearCase product report
Buyer's Guide
Visual Studio Team System
March 2025
Visual Studio Team System reportDownload Visual Studio Team System product report
 

Also Known As

Rational ClearCase
No data available
 

Overview

IBM Rational ClearCase is an enterprise-grade configuration management system that provides controlled access to software assets, including requirements, design documents, models, test plans and test results. It be can be integrated with other IBM solutions, including IBM Rational Team Concert, IBM Rational ClearQuest, IBM Rational Asset Manager and IBM Rational Application Developer for WebSphere Software.

IBM

Microsoft Visual Studio Team System is a platform for productive, integrated, and extensible software development life-cycle tools that helps software teams by improving communication and collaboration throughout the software development process.

Microsoft
 

Sample Customers

Atos SE, FEI, STM
Bluegarden A/S, Tracasa, Rabobank Group, Borusan Otomotiv, Arelik, Alfa Bank
Buyer's Guide
IBM Rational ClearCase vs. Visual Studio Team System
March 2025
Free Report: IBM Rational ClearCase vs. Visual Studio Team System
Find out what your peers are saying about IBM Rational ClearCase vs. Visual Studio Team System and other solutions. Updated: March 2025.
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See our IBM Rational ClearCase vs. Visual Studio Team System report.
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We monitor all Software Configuration Management reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.