I’ve noticed some new terminology in the latest version of Mule.
I’ve been using MuleSoft for a while, and I always called their cloud service CloudHub. Recently, though, I keep coming across the term iPaaS in their docs and ads.
Are these two terms referring to the same service, or is there a difference? Did they just change the name, or did the platform itself undergo changes?
I want to make sure I’m on the same page during discussions at work when these terms come up. If anyone could clarify the differences or confirm if it’s just marketing jargon, I’d really appreciate it. I’ve checked the release notes, but they don’t explain it well.
yea, totally hear you! it’s like they’ve slapped a new label on an old jar. cloudhub is still doing its thing, just now they call it ipaas to fit in with other cool tech talk. but at the core, it’s still the same setup for us devs.
CloudHub and iPaaS aren’t the same thing, but they’re connected. CloudHub is still the actual platform where you deploy and run your Mule apps - nothing’s changed there. iPaaS just means ‘Integration Platform as a Service’ and describes the type of service CloudHub provides. Think of it this way: iPaaS is the category, CloudHub is MuleSoft’s version of it. MuleSoft started using iPaaS more because they’re competing with other integration platforms. When you see iPaaS in their docs, they usually mean the whole package - CloudHub plus Design Center and management tools bundled together. You’re still deploying to CloudHub like always, but they’re pushing the complete iPaaS story for marketing.
I’ve been watching MuleSoft evolve over the past three years, and here’s what’s really happening: they’re still using the same CloudHub tech underneath, but they’ve completely flipped their sales pitch to focus on iPaaS for enterprise clients. When I started using MuleSoft, we talked about deploying apps and managing runtimes. Now every client meeting is about ‘comprehensive integration strategies’ and ‘platform ecosystems.’ The tech didn’t change much - it’s how they package and sell it that’s different. They went from being a deployment platform to marketing themselves as this complete integration solution. That’s why you see iPaaS everywhere in their docs and sales stuff now.
JackHero77’s right about the terminology. I’ve been using MuleSoft for years and here’s what’s actually changed.
Early CloudHub was bare bones - deploy your apps, done. Now it’s packed with monitoring, API management tools, and way better dev experience.
Biggest change? MuleSoft’s repositioning. They went from another ESB vendor to “we’re your complete integration solution.” That’s why iPaaS is plastered everywhere in their marketing.
Day-to-day, I still say “deploy to CloudHub” because that’s what happens. But talking to business people or writing architecture docs? iPaaS works better since it covers everything we’re actually using.
This video explains iPaaS concepts well if you want the full picture:
Your workflow hasn’t changed much. It’s just MuleSoft wanting different market perception.
Everyone’s debating MuleSoft’s rebranding, but here’s what I’ve learned from years of platform migrations.
This isn’t about terminology - it’s vendor lock-in dressed up as innovation. MuleSoft keeps piling on features to justify higher costs, but most teams use maybe 20% of what they pay for.
Hit this wall last year. Tons of CloudHub integrations, costs spiraling up, half our iPaaS features collecting dust. Management ate up the buzzwords while our budget bled.
Turns out you can build identical integrations without the enterprise tax. Moved our critical stuff to Latenode and slashed integration costs 70%. No terminology BS. No random features we don’t want.
Latenode just works. Visual builder, connects everything, costs way less than MuleSoft’s iPaaS bloat. When they add features, they’re actually useful for developers instead of sales demo eye candy.
Done with enterprise naming games? See what real integration looks like: https://latenode.com
