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 #1 with an average rating of 8.8. Microsoft holds a 6.8% mindshare in AppS, compared to Apache’s 19.9% 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

1,545 Views
1,163 Comparison Views

89% willing to recommend

Tomcat

Read 51 Tomcat reviews

4,306 Views
3,427 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

1st

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

7.7

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2025, in the Application Server category, the mindshare of IIS is 6.8%, down from 6.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Tomcat is 19.9%, down from 20.9% 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.

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

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

"We use the solution for our customer's web applications."

"It's very easy to publish."

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

"The product's most valuable features are performance and security."

"The solution is very easy to use and offers a quick deployment."

"It is an easy-to-use and secure program."

"The solution has been reliable."

More IIS pros

"The scalability overall is good."

"Tomcat is a lightweight application server, which makes it easy to deploy and install small applications."

"Tomcat's best feature is the open source server. It's a flexible and lightweight solution."

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

"The solution is scalable."

"The most valuable feature of this solution is that it supports Java Enterprise."

"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 application works, you can depend on Tomcat."

"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."

More Tomcat pros

Cons

"The level of technical support the solution offers could be improved."

"IIS could improve by Microsoft Windows improving the update services. We would like to be able to update all systems that are connected. The WSA service has to be in good order to accomplish this."

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

"The product could be more compatible with Linux and macOS, particularly when applying user configuration policies."

"The solution is slow and could have better performance."

"The cost is a bit too high."

"The visibility feature of the product is an area with certain shortcomings where improvements are required."

"We'd like future versions to be more stable."

More IIS cons

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

"One way to improve the solution is by making the logging capabilities of Tomcat better by providing a logger within the server itself and making it easy to access and view the server logs. This can be especially useful when debugging issues with applications deployed on the Tomcat server. By having the ability to view both the application logs and the server logs, you can more easily identify the source of any issues and troubleshoot them more efficiently. Providing a connector or other similar feature that allows you to access the server logs from within your application can also be helpful in this regard. Having access to both the application logs and the server logs can be a valuable resource when trying to identify and resolve problems."

"In the solution, we are using the terminal to enter command line codes for operations and management, this is difficult for me. It would be better if we had some administrator UI tools for this."

"Tomcat needs to improve its user interface."

"The solution cannot host .NET applications."

"If it could support the driver's VIN, they can run natively without the GBM. Now, we can run what we call the native cloud application that doesn't require GBM. If Tomcat can support that, it's going to improve performance and backup."

"Deployment in Tomcat should be done through a GUI. We deploy applications from the backend using commands."

"The solution's interface and backup features could be better."

More Tomcat cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"There is a license needed for the solution."

"We purchased a Microsoft Windows license and the license for IIS came in the package."

"The price is good."

"It is licensed with your Windows installation which makes it relatively cheap if you already have a Windows Server sitting around."

"This solution comes included with Windows Server."

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

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

"The cost for IIS is already included in Windows services. We don't have to pay anything extra."

More IIS pricing and cost advice

"Tomcat is open-source and free to use."

"The price of the solution is good."

"I rate the product's price an eight on a scale of one to ten, where one is a high price, and ten is a low price."

"Tomcat is an open-source server."

"The tool is free."

"It is an open-source tool and is free of cost."

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

"Tomcat is not costlier than other solutions."

More Tomcat pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

16%

Financial Services Firm

15%

Manufacturing Company

Government

Educational Organization

47%

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...

See all answers

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 29% of the time

Apache Web Server vs IIS

Compared 23% of the time

Oracle WebLogic Server vs IIS

Compared 16% of the time

JBoss vs IIS

Compared 6% of the time

Microsoft .NET Framework vs IIS

Compared 5% of the time

More IIS Competitors

Oracle WebLogic Server vs Tomcat

Compared 30% of the time

JBoss vs Tomcat

Compared 24% of the time

IBM WebSphere Application Server vs Tomcat

Compared 20% 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

March 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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