IIS vs Tomcat comparison

Microsoft and Apache are both solutions in the Application Server category. Microsoft is ranked #4 with an average rating of 8.3, while Apache is ranked #2 with an average rating of 8.7. Microsoft holds a 6.9% mindshare in AppS, compared to Apache’s 19.8% mindshare. Additionally, 89% of Microsoft users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 94% of Apache users who would recommend it.

IIS

Read 56 IIS reviews

1,639 Views
1,236 Comparison Views

89% willing to recommend

Tomcat

Read 51 Tomcat reviews

4,655 Views
3,672 Comparison Views

94% willing to recommend

IIS

Tomcat

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Feb 2, 2025

IIS and Tomcat compete in the web server and application server category. IIS seems to have the upper hand in environments that require seamless integration with Windows, while Tomcat stands out in cross-platform flexibility and cost-effectiveness.

Features: IIS offers seamless compatibility with Microsoft applications, robust security features, and high performance. In contrast, Tomcat is lightweight, open-source, and excels in cross-platform capabilities, providing easy configuration for Java applications.

Room for Improvement: IIS struggles with compatibility beyond Microsoft platforms and has complex advanced configurations. Tomcat faces challenges with performance in handling static content and scalability for high-traffic applications, along with documentation complexity.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: IIS is integrated with Windows Server, providing straightforward on-premises deployment and decent technical support. Tomcat's deployment is flexible across platforms, yet support mainly relies on its strong open-source community.

Pricing and ROI: IIS is bundled with Windows Server, offering cost benefits to Microsoft users but can be expensive with additional licensing. Tomcat is free and open-source, providing a low-cost solution for Java applications, though enterprise support may lead to additional expenses.

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

Buyer's Guide

IIS vs. Tomcat

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

IIS

Ranking in Application Server

4th

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

7.0

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Application Infrastructure (1st)

Tomcat

Ranking in Application Server

2nd

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

7.7

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of March 2025, in the Application Server category, the mindshare of IIS is 6.9%, down from 7.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Tomcat is 19.8%, down from 21.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Application Server

Featured Reviews

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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Erick Karanja

Technical Lead at Cellulant Kenya

Offers high availability, straightforward deployment and easy to use

Tomcat could be a little bit more innovative. Tomcat could come up with a framework that's more lightweight and purely targeted at Java applications. Some other solutions are doing better right now, maybe because they have come up with MicroProfile, which I think is moving forward. It may actually beat Tomcat because of the lightweight nature of the framework, the MicroProfile. They're coming up with new solutions. So, for the future of Tomcat and to maintain the market share they might be looking for, they need to come up with initiatives to ensure that several of us have a lightweight framework to deploy applications on.

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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

"IIS is stable."

"Windows Server IIS is stable."

"It's very easy to publish."

"It has an intuitive user interface and provides a lot of options for building reports."

"IIS's most valuable feature is user-friendliness."

"The most valuable feature of IIS is that it's free, and it works."

"All the features of Microsoft IIS are valuable."

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

More IIS pros

"The most valuable feature is the free EE server."

"We can use Apache Tomcat for Java server applications."

"The deployment process is very fast."

"The ease of use of Tomcat is its most valuable feature. Once we grade particular software, we simply download it and we keep an eye on if Tomcat is working."

"The solution is convenient. It is a comfortable and easy-to-use solution for my use cases."

"One of the most valuable features of Tomcat is its compatibility with the Apache web server and its ease of configuration. It is simple to set up and maintain and allows for easy management of database connections, transactions, and isolation. Overall, Tomcat is a user-friendly application server that makes it easy to manage various aspects of database interactions."

"The solution is scalable."

"Tomcat has connectors like REST requests to connect the front end. Also, some parts of the inter-system communication go through REST. External connections with third parties occasionally involve both REST and SOAP protocols. Tomcat is versatile in accommodating these various communication methods."

More Tomcat pros

Cons

"The only issue I've encountered is with certificates not working fine sometimes. It's influenced by the server's service performance."

"Scalability issues and security concerns need attention from Microsoft."

"The documentation isn't very good and the options are very complex."

"The initial setup could be made easier."

"I would like to see NLB features in IIS."

"The areas of this solution that need improvement are monitoring, debugging, and troubleshooting."

"I am using an older version of Windows Server IIS and the general management and navigation to get something done is not as straightforward as I hope it to be. The interface could be improved."

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

More IIS cons

"Tomcat needs to improve its user interface."

"I would also like to see a dashboard with some integrations in order to see the logs and trace performance easier."

"Sometimes we face issues with the private and public networks and ensuring that once Tomcat is installed, that it is secure."

"Tomcat's performance is less than other solutions like IBM WebSphere or JBoss."

"The high availability is not as robust as the competition is such as WebLogic and Jboss."

"Tomcat is not user-friendly. I would also like to be able to have multiple applications run at the same time."

"Perhaps there could be an easier way to configure some advanced features."

"Resource configuration like JNDI and queue configuration, similar to other servers, should be provided from the admin console for Tomcat."

More Tomcat cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The yearly licensing cost is very high. The solution is very expensive."

"They offer a one-time payment model for the product license, and we pay annually for support."

"The tool is included with Windows."

"The price is good."

"The price of the cloud system is a bit high."

"The licensing cost is dependent on the usage."

"The solution provides multiple licensing options."

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

More IIS pricing and cost advice

"Tomcat is an open source solution."

"Tomcat is not costlier than other solutions."

"The tool is free."

"I give the pricing an eight out of ten."

"The solution is open source so is free."

"If it is a community version of the solution, no payment is required. However, if it is a Linux version, we must buy the solution from JBoss."

"It's open-source. We don't pay for the license."

"Tomcat is an open-source server."

More Tomcat pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

15%

Computer Software Company

15%

Manufacturing Company

Government

Educational Organization

48%

Financial Services Firm

14%

Computer Software Company

Government

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

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

What do you like most about Tomcat?

Tomcat's ease of use has positively impacted project timelines. Tomcat already has high availability – it doesn't go down so often and doesn't require a lot of maintenance. As long as your applicat...

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What needs improvement with Tomcat?

Resource configuration like JNDI and queue configuration, similar to other servers, should be provided from the admin console for Tomcat. Currently, it is done manually. The server config file must...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Tomcat?

I am using the solution at running level three. It is for running web applications.

See all answers

Comparisons

NGINX Plus vs IIS

Compared 31% of the time

Apache Web Server vs IIS

Compared 22% of the time

Oracle WebLogic Server vs IIS

Compared 16% of the time

JBoss vs IIS

Compared 7% of the time

Microsoft .NET Framework vs IIS

Compared 6% of the time

More IIS Competitors

Oracle WebLogic Server vs Tomcat

Compared 32% of the time

JBoss vs Tomcat

Compared 25% of the time

IBM WebSphere Application Server vs Tomcat

Compared 19% of the time

Caucho Resin vs Tomcat

Compared 4% of the time

Oracle GlassFish vs Tomcat

Compared 3% of the time

More Tomcat Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

IIS

March 2025

Download IIS product report

Buyer's Guide

Tomcat

February 2025

Download Tomcat product report

Also Known As

Windows Server IIS

No data available

Overview

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

Tomcat is a reliable and efficient web server, popular for hosting and running Java-based applications. It is praised for its scalability, compatibility with different operating systems and development frameworks, and its ability to handle heavy workloads.

Users appreciate Tomcat's ease of use, robust performance, reliable server functionality, seamless integration with various platforms, extensive documentation, and strong community support.

Apache

Sample Customers

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

1. Adobe Systems 2. Amazon 3. Apple 4. AT&T 5. Bank of America 6. Boeing 7. Cisco Systems 8. Citigroup 9. Dell 10. eBay 11. Facebook 12. General Electric 13. Google 14. Hewlett-Packard 15. IBM 16. Intel 17. JPMorgan Chase 18. Microsoft 19. Netflix 20. Oracle 21. PayPal 22. Salesforce 23. Samsung 24. Sony 25. Target 26. Twitter 27. Uber 28. Verizon 29. Visa 30. Volkswagen 31. Walmart 32. Yahoo

Buyer's Guide

IIS vs. Tomcat

March 2025

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