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Head-to-head · Application Servers

Eclipse GlassFish vs IBM WebSphere Liberty

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 4 checks side by side
Higher score Eclipse GlassFish #3 in Application Servers 9.0/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 3 of 3 features Visit GlassFish
IBM WebSphere Liberty #6 in Application Servers 8.7/10 Paid ✓ 3 of 3 features Visit IBM Liberty

Eclipse GlassFish leads on 0 checks, IBM WebSphere Liberty on 0, and 4 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 4 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreEclipse GlassFish · 9.0/10
  • Free planonly Eclipse GlassFish

Eclipse GlassFish scores higher on our rubric for application servers: 9.0 against 8.7 out of 10; our editors rank them #3 and #6.

On java standard, IBM WebSphere Liberty gives you Both where Eclipse GlassFish offers Jakarta_ee. On deployment model, IBM WebSphere Liberty gives you Both where Eclipse GlassFish offers Self_hosted.

Eclipse GlassFish is the better fit for free Jakarta EE deployments needing security depth. IBM WebSphere Liberty is the better fit for enterprises needing supported Liberty deployments.

  • Eclipse GlassFish fits best

    Free Jakarta EE deployments needing security depth

  • IBM WebSphere Liberty fits best

    Enterprises needing supported Liberty deployments

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Side by side

Feature Eclipse GlassFish 9.0/10 Visit ↗ IBM WebSphere Liberty 8.7/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.0 8.7
Ranking #3 in Application Servers #6 in Application Servers
Best for Free Jakarta EE deployments needing security depth Enterprises needing supported Liberty deployments
Pricing model Free Paid
Starting price Free plan —
Free plan ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Free trial — —
Deployment Self-hosted, Cloud Cloud, Self-hosted
Platforms Windows, macOS, Linux Windows, macOS, Linux
Support Community, Docs Docs
Built for Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Eclipse GlassFish 3/3 · IBM WebSphere Liberty 3/3
Clustering ✓ ✓
Admin console ✓ ✓
Container support ✓ ✓
Specs
Java standard Jakarta_ee Both
Deployment model Self_hosted Both
Supported operating systems Linux, macOS, UNIX, Windows AIX, IBM i, Linux, macOS, Windows
Our review
Pros
  • Free, open-source Jakarta EE Platform and Web Profile implementations
  • Clustering, load balancing, embedded deployment, and REST administration
  • TLS, RBAC, realms, and audit logging support security-focused deployments
  • Supports both Java EE and Jakarta EE application models
  • Deploys across containers, Kubernetes, virtual machines, and bare metal
  • Includes clustering, modular configuration, and browser-based administration
Cons
  • Requires JDK 21 or higher for GlassFish 8.0.4
  • Self-hosted deployment leaves installation and operations to your team
  • Its focus on Jakarta EE may not fit non-Jakarta application stacks
  • The published Standard subscription starts at USD 759
  • No free plan is listed
  • Only one subscription plan is presented for comparison
Our verdict

Eclipse GlassFish is an open-source application server for developing and deploying Jakarta EE applications and web services. It offers both full and Web Profile distributions, making it relevant for teams that need Jakarta EE runtime…

Read the review →

IBM WebSphere Liberty is a modular Java application server for enterprises building, deploying, and running business applications. It supports Java EE and Jakarta EE programming models, MicroProfile for microservices, and modernization of…

Read the review →
  1. Eclipse GlassFishApplication Servers 9.0Free plan
  2. IBM WebSphere LibertyApplication Servers 8.7Paid

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Eclipse GlassFish — where it wins

    • Free, open-source Jakarta EE Platform and Web Profile implementations
    • Clustering, load balancing, embedded deployment, and REST administration
    • TLS, RBAC, realms, and audit logging support security-focused deployments

    Where it doesn't

    • Requires JDK 21 or higher for GlassFish 8.0.4
    • Self-hosted deployment leaves installation and operations to your team
    • Its focus on Jakarta EE may not fit non-Jakarta application stacks

  • IBM WebSphere Liberty — where it wins

    • Supports both Java EE and Jakarta EE application models
    • Deploys across containers, Kubernetes, virtual machines, and bare metal
    • Includes clustering, modular configuration, and browser-based administration

    Where it doesn't

    • The published Standard subscription starts at USD 759
    • No free plan is listed
    • Only one subscription plan is presented for comparison

More comparisons

All application servers comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update