IBM FileNet Content Manager vs OnBase Records Management

IBM FileNet Content Manager9.2Visit OROnBase Records Management8.8Visit

Higher score IBM FileNet Content Manager #2 in Enterprise Content Management - Midmarket Software 9.2/10 Pricing on request ✓ 2 of 4 features Visit IBM

vs

OR OnBase Records Management #6 in Enterprise Content Management - Midmarket Software 8.8/10 Pricing on request ✓ 4 of 4 features Visit Hyland

• IBM FileNet Content Manager fits best

  Governed content repositories with lifecycle controls

• OnBase Records Management fits best

  Retention-focused records management programs

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Side by side

Feature	IBM FileNet Content Manager 9.2/10 Visit ↗	OROnBase Records Management 8.8/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.2	8.8
Ranking	#2 in Enterprise Content Management - Midmarket Software	#6 in Enterprise Content Management - Midmarket Software
Best for	Governed content repositories with lifecycle controls	Retention-focused records management programs
Pricing model	Paid	Paid
Starting price	Pricing on request	Pricing on request
Free plan	Not checked yet	—
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Cloud, Self-hosted, Mobile	Cloud, Self-hosted, Mobile
Platforms	Web, iOS, Android	Web, Windows, iOS, Android
Built for	Mid-market, Enterprise	Mid-market, Enterprise
Features IBM FileNet Content Manager 2/4 · OnBase Records Management 4/4
Records retention	Not checked yet	✓ (best)
Workflow automation	Not checked yet	✓ (best)
Version history	✓	✓
Audit logs	✓	✓
Specs
Deployment options	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Max file size	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Our review
Pros	Retention, holds, versioning and lifecycle management support governed records. Granular permissions, audit logs and object history strengthen content oversight. GraphQL API, container deployment and AI-assisted querying extend content access.	Retention plans and event sets govern managed-folder lifecycle actions. Holds pause retention-plan progression, with transaction logs tracking activity. Reports, audit trails, workflows, and version control support oversight.
Cons	Pricing requires contacting IBM sales. Listed integrations center on Salesforce and IBM App Connect. Its governance scope may exceed the needs of lightweight teams.	Pricing requires consultation with Hyland rather than a public plan selection. Integrations and broader ECM features are limited. The module's deployment options may depend on the overall OnBase implementation.
Our verdict	IBM FileNet Content Manager is an enterprise content services platform for capturing, storing, organizing, securing and governing business content. It is aimed at midmarket and enterprise organizations managing complex document… Read the review →	OnBase Records Management is a module in Hyland OnBase for managing related documents as records, with folders serving as the control point for each record. Administrators configure retention plans and event sets to govern managed-folder… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• IBM FileNet Content Manager — where it wins

  • Retention, holds, versioning and lifecycle management support governed records.
  • Granular permissions, audit logs and object history strengthen content oversight.
  • GraphQL API, container deployment and AI-assisted querying extend content access.

  Where it doesn't

  • Pricing requires contacting IBM sales.
  • Listed integrations center on Salesforce and IBM App Connect.
  • Its governance scope may exceed the needs of lightweight teams.

• OnBase Records Management — where it wins

  • Retention plans and event sets govern managed-folder lifecycle actions.
  • Holds pause retention-plan progression, with transaction logs tracking activity.
  • Reports, audit trails, workflows, and version control support oversight.

  Where it doesn't

  • Pricing requires consultation with Hyland rather than a public plan selection.
  • Integrations and broader ECM features are limited.
  • The module's deployment options may depend on the overall OnBase implementation.

• IBM FileNet Content Manager9.2/10 · Pricing on request

  A governed content repository with lifecycle controls, APIs, deployment flexibility and AI querying.

  Visit IBMFull verdict →
• OROnBase Records Management8.8/10 · Pricing on request

  A records-management module centered on retention plans, lifecycle controls, holds, and auditability.

  Visit HylandFull verdict →