Software development is a complicated matter because of the evolving network business models that accompany these innovative technologies. This is why most experienced developers opt for software platforms that reduce risks related to licensing management, software assets, and the overall app development process. 

Through the use of integrated development environments, developers can deliver the most intuitive code assistance for all supported frameworks and languages. Among the top solutions that assist developers in software licensing and development are Snow License Manager and Intellij Idea.

In this IntelliJ Idea vs Snow License Manager comparison, we will take an in-depth look at the pros and cons as well as the benefits and features of each solution to help you make an educated decision. 

IntelliJ Idea Overview

IntelliJ Idea is a Java-based Integrated Development Environment (IDE) that packs a myriad of software development tools for smart code navigation, reliable refactorings, and intelligent coding assistance. Designed by JetBrains, this dynamic solution indexes the source code of your software and subsequently performs a quick code analysis to ensure that coding inconsistencies are fixed. 

Moreover, IntelliJ Idea supports plugins through which users can attach using extra functionality to the IDE. The plugins can be downloaded and installed either from IDE’s built-in plugin search and install feature or through the software’s plugin repository website. 

IntelliJ Idea also offers Community and Ultimate editions of the solution, which differ in their support for various programming languages. Regardless of its differences, both solutions provide the best workflow for software development thanks to its progressive plugin repositories, which amount to more than 3000 plugins. 

IntelliJ Idea can work with SBT, Gradle, Bower, and Grunt. Plus, it works well with reliable version control platforms such as SVN, Perforce, Mercurial, and Git. At the same time, IntelliJ Idea also boasts an embedded version of DataGrip, making it easier for users to access databases such as MySQL, SQLite, PostgreSQL, Oracle, and Microsoft SQL Server directly from the IDE when they subscribed to the Ultimate Edition.

Perhaps the most significant advantage of using IntelliJ Idea is its advanced editor, which allows users to ensure seamless and smooth coding assistance for working with CSS and HTML codes. This added feature makes it easier for developers to accelerate and ensure efficiency when performing server-side and client-side JavaScript development. 

Furthermore, IntelliJ Idea has reasonable pricing packages with individual and organizational plans starting at $149 and $649 per month. Above all, it also has excellent for third-party languages such as Scala, Geronimo, and JavaFX, which is relatively missing in some of its competitors. 

Pros:

• Excellent Integration and Support for Common Developer Tools
• Great Plugin Ecosystem
• Robust Plugin Development and Marketplace
• Seamless Database Connectivity

Cons: 

• IDE Starts Slow
• Memory Intensive
• Needs Top-Level PC Requirements
• Consumes Tons of Battery Life

Snow License Manager Overview

Snow License Manager is a robust software asset management solution that empowers developers and organizations to reduce the risk and complexities involved with licensing for the software,  Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS). With the solution, software organizations can prevent overspending on software entitlements and cloud resources while ensuring that they remain compliant with licensing rules. 

What’s more, Snow Licensing Manager also provides a centralized view of hardware, software, and cloud assets of your organization, not to mention your application usage metrics and license entitlements. Through this process, software companies can pull licenses out of several spreadsheets and assists in monitoring how the software is being utilized. 

This is because the software automatically estimates the compliance position for all virtual and physical assets to simplify the process of data licensing management and allow stakeholders to monitor software expenditure and usage. Besides that, Snow License Manager also lets users create valid license positions (ELP) for multiple software vendors such as Microsoft, Adobe, and IBM while being provided with a comprehensive view for handling numerous device types, locations, and vendors in a streamlined interface.

Snow License Manager is abundant in financial management tools that provide businesses with relevant insights into the main drivers of cost and financial risks throughout the organization linked with non-compliance and non-optimized assets. This way, users can generate reports on trends and usage patterns to revise cloud allocation and subscription, renegotiate existing contracts, and forecast future costs. 

Other than that, Snow License Manager also incorporates a plethora of enterprise computing systems ranging from Android, Unix, Linux, iOS, Mac OSX, Windows, and Windows Phone. This enables users to audit information and conveniently import them into multiple inventory sources instead of manually inputting every data separately.

However, it should be noted that while the software has top-notch searching, reporting, and even asset and project tracking tools, the effectiveness of these features may depend on the person entering the data. This is why most organizations using the software tend to hire a software manager to oversee the process or even analyze essential software data. 

You can check how popular data analysis solutions analyze relevant software data here. Nevertheless, Snow License Manager offers flexible deployment options with its ability to work on-premise and as a hosted cloud service. 

Pros:

• License and Contract Expiration Monitoring
• Detailed Reports
• User-friendly Interface
• Customizable and Intuitive Dashboards

Cons:

• Extra Costs for All Additional Features
• Unresponsive Support
• Slow Report Generation
• Implementation Takes Time

While IntelliJ Idea and Snow License Manager help developers in the software development process, it is relatively clear that both solutions are fishes of different ponds. In this IntelliJ Idea vs Snow License Manager section, we will dig even more profound as to what separates one application from the other so you can find the most suitable solution for your operations. 

Usability

Usability is essential in every aspect of software development. It can help developers complete the task accurately and ensure that their users are having a good experience while using their solutions. IntelliJ Idea is an exceptional programming environment mainly used by Java developers in developing programs by refactoring codes. 

In the Java sphere, IntelliJ is considered one of the best programming tools thanks to its assistance features, which helps ease out the development process and make the programs developed by the solution very intuitive. Though slow report generation may occur on some occasions, the solution makes up for its shortcomings with its robust design, ease of use, and flexibility. 

Meanwhile, Snow License Manager makes it more straightforward for users to monitor the lifecycle of applications built using Scala or even Java solutions made through IntelliJ Idea. It also has a powerful built-in calculator that can capture your licensing position effectively throughout different licensing metrics. 

While it does work with multiple licensing metrics, Snow License Manager may not bode well for large enterprises and companies with more than 500 employees. It also should be taken into account that the software is not as easy-to-use as IntelliJ Idea as users may have to spend extra money on a third-party who is an expert in software management to handle the monitoring process. 

Pricing Plans

Let’s also dive into the Intellij Idea and Snow License Manager comparison in terms of costs. IntelliJ Idea and Snow License Manager differ in pricing, with the former offering two separate pricing packages for groups and individual users. Organizations can opt for the IntelliJ Idea Ultimate, and All Products Pack plans, which are pegged at $449 and $649 per user annually. 

The All Products Pack group pricing package, which suits well with medium to large enterprises, features all JetBrains desktop tools, two profilers, three extensions, and a generous 10 IDEs. On the one hand, individual packages are billed at $149 and $249 per user annually, respectively, with each subscription having the inclusion of a perpetual fallback license.

Unlike IntelliJ Idea, prices for the Snow License Manager are not publicly available, which means that interested users will have to request a quote via email or fill up a contact report on the vendor’s website. If that’s not enough, the software also does not offer a free trial, which makes it relatively risky, especially if your business has unique requirements that need to be fulfilled.

Integrations

Both the IntelliJ Idea and Snow License Manager work well with third-party applications. For instance, IntelliJ Idea makes it easier for users to collaborate and publish content thanks to its tight integration with BambooHR and Jira. Integrations with these solutions also help developers perform in-depth refactorings, astute error analysis, quick navigation, and coding assistance.

On the one hand, Snow License Manager offers slightly more integrations than Intellij Idea. It bodes well with LANDesk, MobileIron, AirWatch, BMC ADDM, and IBM ILMT, allowing users to expand its functionalities even further, not to systematically identify over 95,000 software publishers and more than 550,000 applications. 

Which Solution Works Best?

In this IntelliJ Idea vs Snow License Manager comparison guide, we found out that the following solutions are cuts from different cloths. Though IntelliJ Idea provides intelligent assistance coding for a large variety of languages, it is best used for Java applications because of its integrative environment. 

Snow License Manager may work best with software licensing and monitoring utilization, particularly with solutions based on Oracle, SAP, and IBM. Either way, both IntelliJ Idea and Snow License Manager can bring something valuable to your business so long as it fits your operations.