IBM Bob, ready for your team.
Buy IBM Bob through Incede.ai, have it configured in three days, or run it inside your own environment. Not ready to buy? Start with a free 30-day trial or a pilot on your own code.
Compare the three offerings · Find the right plan
Updated
What is IBM Bob?
IBM Bob is IBM's AI coding agent and development partner for enterprise teams. IBM describes it as helping teams understand, plan, build, test, secure, and modernize software, with Ask, Plan, and Agent modes in the IDE and in the Bob Shell command line. Optional premium packages add guided workflows for Java modernization, IBM i, and IBM Z.
What IBM Bob does for your developers
Write and refactor code, get answers about your codebase, or plan a change before implementing it.
Work in the Bob IDE or bring Bob to the terminal with Bob Shell, on macOS, Windows, or Linux.
Connect Bob to your enterprise tools and internal systems through the Model Context Protocol (MCP).
Encode your team's coding standards and review steps once, so Bob applies them in every session.
What teams use IBM Bob for.
Common starting points, each with a good first project.
Java modernization
Upgrade Java 8 or 11 to 17, 21, or 25, and move WebSphere, WebLogic, or Tomcat apps to Liberty.
First project: Upgrade one application's Java version, with tests.
IBM i and RPG
Convert fixed-form RPG to free form and DDS to DDL, and extract business rules from RPG applications.
First project: Document and convert one set of related RPG programs.
Mainframe (IBM Z)
Analyze COBOL, PL/I, assembler, and JCL, and plan modernization with impact analysis across CICS, IMS, and Db2.
First project: Impact analysis and documentation for one application.
Understand legacy code
Explain unfamiliar code, map dependencies, and generate architecture documentation.
First project: Document one poorly documented subsystem.
Testing & secure code
Generate unit tests, strengthen regression coverage, and flag vulnerabilities in the IDE and in pull-request review.
First project: Raise test coverage on one service.
APIs, MCP & watsonx Orchestrate
Build API integrations and MCP servers, and develop watsonx Orchestrate agents, tools, and tests.
First project: Build one API integration, MCP server, or Orchestrate tool.
Premium packages are licensed separately. IBM reports that Blue Pearl completed a typical 30-day Java upgrade in 3 days, and APIS IT saw 10x faster architecture analysis and documentation (results reported by IBM, not Incede.ai).
Three ways to start with IBM Bob.
Services are optional. Choose what your team needs.
IBM Bob Licensing. Buy Bob through us for IBM's SaaS or self-hosted deployment. Best for teams ready to buy Bob and configure it themselves.
What's included
- Plan sizing across Pro, Pro+, Ultra, and Enterprise
- Bobcoin allowances and pooled usage for teams
- Premium package selection: Java Modernization, IBM i, or IBM Z
- Deployment guidance: IBM SaaS region or self-hosted
- Formal quote, purchase order, renewals, and seat changes
- Free 45-minute activation call for your admin
How it works
- Step 1: tell us your team size, use cases, and deployment
- Step 2: we size your plan and send a formal quote
- Step 3: purchase order, then your activation call
What you need
- Number of developers and expected usage
- Target use cases, such as Java, IBM i, or IBM Z
- Preferred deployment: US East, Frankfurt, Tokyo, or self-hosted
- A named admin to activate your organization
- A purchasing contact for the quote and purchase order
Licensing and billing go through us; IBM provides product support. Prices vary by country, so we send a formal quote. IBM offers new subscribers the first month free on the Java Modernization and IBM i packages through December 31, 2026.
Setup & Configuration. Three days of hands-on setup on IBM's SaaS, at a fixed fee, so Bob runs as a governed platform: who can use it, what it can spend, and what it can reach. Best for teams that want Bob configured properly from day one.
What's included
- Admin, teams, seats, and user invites
- Shared Bobcoin budget, spending limits, and usage dashboard
- Install for your first group of about 10 developers
- Project rules, 2 custom modes, and up to 2 tool connections
- One premium-package example on your sample repository
- Configuration record, admin handover, and team orientation
How it works
- Week before: short readiness call to confirm access
- Day 1: admin, controls, and install for your first group
- Day 2: project rules, custom modes, and tool connections
- Day 3: a real task end to end, adjustments, and handover
What you need
- Active IBM Bob Enterprise entitlement and a named admin
- Contacts on your identity and device-management teams
- A test laptop that can install Bob without network blocks
- One sample repository, with access granted
- Security approval and credentials for up to 2 tool connections
Single sign-on is set up where supported and approved. Onboarding beyond your first group, custom tool connectors, connecting Bob to the watsonx Orchestrate development kit, and further modernization work are available as extras.
Self-Hosted Starter Package. IBM Bob on Red Hat OpenShift that you operate, with license and services in one package to get your first team live. Best for organizations whose code must stay within approved environments.
What's included
- Self-hosted license for up to about 25 developers
- Readiness review and a security data-flow diagram
- Install on your existing OpenShift cluster
- Company login, TLS certificates, and a tested backup
- Developer setup: rules, modes, and tool connections
- Operations runbook and handover to your team
How it works
- Weeks 1–2: readiness workshop and security sign-off
- Weeks 3–4: install, secure, and test a backup restore
- Weeks 5–6: starter team live and handover
What you need
- Red Hat OpenShift 4.20–4.22 on x86, run by your team
- About 13.5 vCPU, 13.5 GiB memory, and 24 GiB storage to spare
- NFS or OpenShift Data Foundation storage, plus a backup target
- An approved cloud model account, such as AWS Bedrock or Azure OpenAI
- LDAP or Active Directory, DNS, and TLS certificates
Your team operates the environment, and with a cloud model route, prompts go to the model provider you approve. GPU-hosted models, air-gapped installs, the IBM Z package, and larger rollouts are scoped separately. Optional Self-Hosted Care covers ongoing upgrades, health reviews, and business-hours support.
Find the right IBM Bob plan.
Answer three questions for a starting recommendation. We'll confirm it, size your Bobcoin budget, and send a formal quote.
Choose Enterprise if you want a shared Bobcoin budget and central control. Otherwise, Pro+ (180 Bobcoins in IBM's plan listing) fits the way your developers will use Bob.
A starting point only. Plans, allowances, and prices are set by IBM and vary by country; your formal quote confirms the right mix.
Try IBM Bob, or prove it on your own code.
Start with IBM's free trial, or run a short pilot that gives you measured results before you commit to seats.
Free 30-day trial
Try IBM Bob on your own code with IBM's free trial, which includes 50 Bobcoins for 30 days. We send you the trial link and help your first developer get started.
- No services purchase needed
- Move to Pro, Pro+, Ultra, or Enterprise when the trial ends
- We help you choose the right plan from what you used
Pilot on your own code
A focused pilot with a small team on one real workload, such as a Java upgrade, test automation, or legacy documentation. Scoped up front; typically a few weeks.
- Measured results against a baseline you agree
- Bobcoin usage forecast for your teams
- Plan and premium-package recommendation
- Executive readout and rollout plan
IBM Bob FAQ.
What's the difference between IBM Bob and watsonx Orchestrate?
watsonx Orchestrate runs AI agents inside business workflows, handling requests, approvals, and tasks across enterprise systems. IBM Bob helps software developers understand, build, modernize, and test code, including the agents and tools that run in watsonx Orchestrate. Incede.ai implements both.
Can we buy IBM Bob through Incede.ai?
Yes. Incede.ai is a Certified IBM Partner authorized to resell IBM Bob. We size the right plan and premium packages, provide a formal quote, handle the purchase and renewals, and include a free 45-minute activation call. Services are optional; many customers buy only the license.
What is self-hosted IBM Bob?
Self-hosted IBM Bob runs on Red Hat OpenShift that your organization operates, on premises or in your own cloud account. IBM made it generally available in September 2026. Developers use the same Bob IDE and Bob Shell as on IBM's SaaS, while your team operates the environment and its upgrades. On IBM's SaaS, IBM runs Bob in your chosen region (US East, Frankfurt, or Tokyo) and routes tasks across supported models; self-hosted uses one model route you configure. IBM lists Bobalytics usage analytics for self-hosted as coming soon. Most teams start on SaaS and choose self-hosted when code must stay in environments they control.
Does self-hosted mean our code never leaves our environment?
It depends on the model setup. Fully self-hosted models running on your own GPUs keep model processing inside your environment. With a cloud model route, which is the pattern the Starter Package uses, prompts and code context go to the model provider you approve, under your agreement with that provider.
How much does IBM Bob cost?
IBM publishes Pro, Pro+, and Ultra plans and offers custom Enterprise pricing, with premium packages priced separately. Prices vary by country and change over time, so we provide a formal quote for your team and deployment.
Is there a free trial of IBM Bob?
Yes. IBM offers a free 30-day trial that includes 50 Bobcoins. Request it through us and we'll send you the trial link and help your first developer get started. When the trial ends, you can move to Pro, Pro+, Ultra, or Enterprise.
What is a Bobcoin?
Bobcoins are IBM Bob's usage units. Each task Bob performs draws down Bobcoins, and heavier tasks use more. Each plan includes an allowance (IBM lists 50 for Pro, 180 for Pro+, and 1,000 for Ultra), and Enterprise pools Bobcoins across your team with limits per team or user. We help you forecast usage and set budgets.
What does the IBM Bob Enterprise plan add?
IBM lists team member management, pooled Bobcoin usage, Bobcoin limits for teams and users, and seat and budget tracking. Enterprise is sold on an annual term with custom pricing, and it is the plan used for both IBM's SaaS and self-hosted deployment.
What do developers need to run IBM Bob?
Bob runs on macOS, Windows, and Linux. IBM lists a minimum of 4 GB of memory (8 GB recommended) and about 500 MB of disk space, and installation takes about five minutes. Developers can also use Bob Shell in the terminal.
How do we measure ROI from IBM Bob?
Agree a baseline before you start, such as the time to complete an upgrade, test coverage, or review time, then measure the same work with Bob during a trial or pilot alongside Bobcoin usage. IBM reports customer results such as Blue Pearl completing a Java upgrade in about three days. A pilot gives you numbers for your own code.
Can you work alongside our IBM Consulting or systems integrator team?
Yes. We can own the IBM Bob workstream (licensing, setup, governance, and pilots) while your broader program continues with your existing partners.
What support do you provide?
Our support runs during business hours and is defined in each offering. IBM provides Bob product support through IBM support cases; with our services, we open and manage those cases for you. We don't offer 24/7 support or operate your OpenShift platform.
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