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soapUI VS IBM API Connect

Compare soapUI VS IBM API Connect and see what are their differences

soapUI logo soapUI

SoapUI Pro is one of the most prominent API testing platforms around, allowing developers to quickly prototype the functions of their apps and get them to market with little hassle.

IBM API Connect logo IBM API Connect

Secure and manage your API ecosystem across multiple clouds with industry-leading IBM API Connect
  • soapUI Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-16
  • IBM API Connect Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-06-24

soapUI features and specs

  • Comprehensive Testing
    soapUI supports a wide range of testing types including functional, security, and load testing, providing a one-stop solution for API testing needs.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    The tool features an intuitive graphical user interface, making it accessible for users with varying levels of technical expertise.
  • Extensive Protocol Support
    soapUI supports multiple protocols like SOAP, REST, JMS, AMF, as well as a range of underlying technologies including HTTP, HTTPS, JMS, etc., offering flexibility in testing different kinds of APIs.
  • Scripting Capability
    With Groovy scripting support, users can create custom assertions, automation scripts, and add advanced logic to their tests.
  • Community and Documentation
    A large community of users and extensive documentation and tutorials are available, aiding in faster troubleshooting and learning.
  • Integrations
    soapUI integrates well with other tools such as Jenkins, Maven, and JIRA, streamlining the CI/CD pipeline.
  • Open Source Version
    The availability of an open-source version allows users to start testing without any initial cost.

Possible disadvantages of soapUI

  • Performance Issues
    soapUI can become slow, especially with large and complex projects, which can affect productivity.
  • High Memory Usage
    The application often consumes a significant amount of memory, leading to potential performance degradation on less powerful machines.
  • Steep Learning Curve for Advanced Features
    While the basic features are user-friendly, mastering advanced functionalities and scripting capabilities can be challenging for beginners.
  • Limited Advanced Reporting
    The reporting capabilities in the open-source version are quite basic compared to other commercial API testing tools.
  • Paid Licensing for Pro Features
    Many advanced features and more efficient workflows are locked behind the paid 'Pro' version, which might not be affordable for smaller teams or individual developers.
  • UI Glitches
    Users occasionally report glitches and bugs in the graphical user interface, which can be inconvenient and interrupt workflow.
  • Lack of Cloud Deployment
    As of now, soapUI does not offer a cloud-native or SaaS version, limiting flexibility for teams that prefer cloud-based tools.

IBM API Connect features and specs

  • Comprehensive API Lifecycle Management
    IBM API Connect provides tools for every stage of the API lifecycle, from creation and testing to deployment and monitoring. This all-in-one solution simplifies managing APIs and streamlines workflows.
  • Robust Security Features
    The platform includes advanced security features such as OAuth, LDAP integration, and API rate limiting to ensure APIs are protected against common vulnerabilities and unauthorized access.
  • Scalability
    IBM API Connect is designed to handle large-scale API deployments, making it suitable for enterprises with high demands for performance and reliability. It can seamlessly scale to accommodate growing API usage.
  • Developer Portal
    A built-in developer portal comes with the product, which helps in engaging with external developers, providing comprehensive documentation, and enabling easy onboarding.
  • Analytics and Monitoring
    The platform offers extensive analytics and monitoring tools to track API usage, performance, and error rates. This helps organizations make data-driven decisions and optimize their API strategies.

Possible disadvantages of IBM API Connect

  • Complexity
    Due to its comprehensive feature set, IBM API Connect can be complex to set up and configure, requiring significant expertise in API management.
  • Cost
    Being an enterprise-grade solution, IBM API Connect can be relatively expensive, which might not be suitable for small businesses or startups with limited budgets.
  • Learning Curve
    New users might find the platform challenging to learn due to its extensive capabilities and advanced configuration options. Adequate training and documentation are required to utilize it effectively.
  • Integration Challenges
    Integrating IBM API Connect with other systems and tools can sometimes be challenging and might require additional effort and customization.
  • Performance Overhead
    The extensive features and enterprise-level functionalities might introduce some performance overhead, which could affect API response times under certain conditions.

Analysis of soapUI

Overall verdict

  • Overall, SoapUI is considered a good tool for API testing, particularly for those looking for an all-in-one solution. Its extensive feature set and flexibility in handling different test scenarios make it a reliable choice in the industry. However, users should be aware of its potentially steep learning curve and resource-intensive nature, especially with large test suites.

Why this product is good

  • SoapUI is widely regarded as a robust tool for API testing due to its comprehensive set of features, including functional testing, security testing, and load testing capabilities. It offers a user-friendly interface that allows both technical and non-technical users to create and execute tests with ease. Furthermore, SoapUI supports multiple protocols such as SOAP, REST, JMS, and HTTP, making it versatile for various testing scenarios.

Recommended for

    SoapUI is recommended for QA engineers, developers, and testers who need a powerful tool to test APIs thoroughly. It is suitable for organizations that require detailed and comprehensive API testing solutions and are looking for a tool that can integrate with their DevOps processes. Additionally, teams using multiple API protocols will benefit from SoapUI's versatility.

Analysis of IBM API Connect

Overall verdict

  • Overall, IBM API Connect is a good choice for organizations that need a scalable, secure, and feature-rich API management solution. Its extensive functionality and integration options make it well-suited for businesses with complex API requirements.

Why this product is good

  • IBM API Connect is considered a robust solution for managing the entire API lifecycle. It offers capabilities such as API creation, security, management, and analytics. Its integration with IBM's cloud services and other technologies provides a comprehensive environment for developing and deploying APIs, making it a good choice for businesses seeking an enterprise-level API management tool.

Recommended for

    IBM API Connect is recommended for enterprises, particularly those in industries like finance, healthcare, and manufacturing, where security and scalability are crucial. It's also suitable for organizations that require detailed analytics and monitoring capabilities, and those who want a solution that integrates well with existing IBM products and services.

soapUI videos

REST API Automation - SoapUI OpenSource Review - Mac

More videos:

  • Review - Testing REST API with SoapUI OpenSource - Part 6 - Assertions - Mac
  • Review - SoapUI Certification : Basic details about certification

IBM API Connect videos

Using the Swagger REST APIs for IBM API Management Developer Portal (Part 1 of 3)

More videos:

  • Review - User defined policies in IBM API Management V4 0 2 part 1 of 9

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to soapUI and IBM API Connect)
Website Testing
100 100%
0% 0
API Tools
59 59%
41% 41
Web Service Automation
0 0%
100% 100
Software Testing
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare soapUI and IBM API Connect

soapUI Reviews

Top 20 Open Source & Cloud Free Postman Alternatives (2024 Updated)
Product Introduction: SoapUI is a robust tool for testing SOAP and REST APIs, known for its extensive testing capabilities, including functional, load, and security testing, which makes it the perfect postman alternative.
Source: medium.com
Best Postman Alternatives To Consider in 2025
This open-source tool caters specifically to SOAP and RESTful web services. SoapUI excels in security testing, with features like load testing and functional testing. While not as beginner friendly as Postman, SoapUI offers a comprehensive solution for more complex API testing needs.
Postman Alternatives for API Testing and Monitoring
SoapUI is a popular open-source and commercial API testing tool (the commercial is called ReadyAPI), due to its powerful capabilities, flexibility and user-friendly platform. It’s particularly effective for testing SOAP, REST and GraphQL APIs. SoapUI allows inputting the WSDL or endpoint URL, configuring the requests with headers, parameters, or body content and sending the...
15 Best Postman Alternatives for Automated API Testing [2022 Updated]
SoapUI provides security and load testing features, and its functional testing supports SOAP and REST API. Users can use SoapUI’s drag-and-drop or point-and-click for scripting features, creating and running automated regression, compliance, and load tests on Web API.
Source: testsigma.com
15 BEST SoapUI Alternatives (2022 Update)
SoapUI is a widely popular API testing tool. It allows you to test REST and SOAP protocols. It facilitates seamless integrations and reusability of scripts. However, load and workflow testing is difficult with SoapUI.
Source: www.guru99.com

IBM API Connect Reviews

Postman Alternatives for API Testing and Monitoring
IBM API Connect enables companies to create, secure, and manage APIs. Users can test both REST and SOAP APIs, by simulating API behavior in various scenarios, ensuring that they function correctly under different conditions. For monitoring, IBM API Connect provides real-time analytics and operational monitoring tools, extending to security capabilities as well.
Top 15 MuleSoft Competitors and Alternatives
IBM API Connect uses an intuitive experience to help enterprises create, manage, secure, and monetize APIs. It offers infrastructure, tools, and facilities to power digital transformation on premises and across clouds.
15 Best Postman Alternatives for Automated API Testing [2022 Updated]
IBM API is a handy API tool for creating, managing and publishing APIs across cloud environments. Using IBM API Connect via APIs, you may securely expose record systems, services, and databases. This API platform simplifies corporate operations by providing simple functionality for powering digital apps.
Source: testsigma.com

What are some alternatives?

When comparing soapUI and IBM API Connect, you can also consider the following products

Postman - The Collaboration Platform for API Development

MuleSoft Anypoint Platform - Anypoint Platform is a unified, highly productive, hybrid integration platform that creates an application network of apps, data and devices with API-led connectivity.

Sauce Labs - Test mobile or web apps instantly across 700+ browser/OS/device platform combinations - without infrastructure setup.

TestComplete - TestComplete Desktop, Web, and Mobile helps you create repeatable and accurate automated tests across multiple devices, platforms, and environments easily and quickly.

Azure API Management - Microsoft Azure API Management enables user to create consistent and modern API gateways for existing back-end services hosted anywhere, secure and protect them from abuse and overuse, and get insights into usage and health.

Ranorex Studio - Accelerate testing with Ranorex Studio, the all-in-one tool for test automation. For desktop, web, or mobile app testing, with easy codeless automation tools, a full IDE, robust object recognition, flexible reporting and built-in Selenium WebDriver.