Apache Tomcat
open-source
Open-source Java servlet container and web server for deploying Java-based web applications.
Best application server software for remote and distributed teams in 2026
Remote and distributed teams need application server software that works from any network: hosted or cloud-native deployment, access that does not route through an office, and collaboration that holds up across time zones.
No product in this category matches the remote team filter yet, so all 8 are listed below.
Back to all Application Server Software tools, or browse the full software directory. You can also run head-to-head comparisons or read about our review methodology.
For background on scoring, see how rankings work. Our editorial articles add deeper analysis, the glossary clarifies vendor terminology, and our calculators help estimate ROI before the shortlist narrows further.
All application server software
Nothing in this category met the remote team filter, so the full application server software category is listed here instead.
GlassFish
open-source
Open-source Jakarta EE-compliant application server for enterprise Java workloads.
Gunicorn
open-source
Python WSGI HTTP server for running Django and Flask applications in production.
Microsoft IIS
subscription
Windows-native web server for hosting ASP.NET, PHP, and static sites with deep Windows Server integration.
Nginx
freemium
High-performance web server, reverse proxy, and load balancer with a commercial Plus tier.
Puma
open-source
Concurrent Ruby HTTP server designed for speed and parallelism in Rails and Rack applications.
Uvicorn
open-source
Lightning-fast ASGI server for Python async frameworks like FastAPI and Starlette.
WildFly
open-source
Open-source Jakarta EE application server, the community upstream of Red Hat JBoss EAP.
Common questions about application server software for remote teams
What application server software capabilities matter most for remote teams?
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Hosted or cloud-native deployment, access control that works from any network, asynchronous collaboration, and an audit trail that shows who changed what when nobody shares an office.
Can application server software work without a VPN?
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Cloud-hosted products in this category are reached over HTTPS and need no VPN. Self-hosted deployments do, unless you put an authenticating proxy or zero-trust gateway in front of them.
How do remote teams keep access under control with application server software?
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Put the product behind SSO with MFA, keep roles scoped to what each person needs, and review access on a schedule. Session logging matters more when nobody can confirm identity in person.