HCL Domino vs Oracle Application Express (APEX) comparison

HCLSoftware and Oracle are both solutions in the Rapid Application Development Software category. HCLSoftware is ranked #18 with an average rating of 7.3, while Oracle is ranked #3 with an average rating of 8.4. HCLSoftware holds a 0.6% mindshare in RADS, compared to Oracle’s 7.6% mindshare. Additionally, 80% of HCLSoftware users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 90% of Oracle users who would recommend it.

HCL Domino

Read 21 HCL Domino reviews

2,550 Views
816 Comparison Views

80% willing to recommend

Oracle Application Express ...

Read 59 Oracle Application Express (APEX) reviews

9,289 Views
8,917 Comparison Views

90% willing to recommend

HCL Domino

Oracle Application Express ...

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 17, 2024

HCL Domino and Oracle Application Express (APEX) compete in the enterprise application development and deployment sector. Oracle APEX holds an edge for rapid application development and ease of use in data-driven user interfaces.

Features: HCL Domino provides robust security with data encryption and multifactor authentication, versatile integration, and supports multiple platforms such as AIX, Windows, and Linux. It serves as a centralized messaging and application solution with extensive functionalities. Oracle APEX facilitates rapid application development, focusing on low-code solutions and data-driven UIs. It offers easy deployment directly on the Oracle database, emphasizing portability and speed.

Room for Improvement: HCL Domino users note the need for better integration with third-party applications like Microsoft 365 and a more modern interface to enhance user-friendliness. Oracle APEX could improve with more robust workflow capabilities and a reduced learning curve for less technical users. Security handling of passwords and reporting features are areas needing enhancement.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Both HCL Domino and Oracle APEX support on-premises and private cloud deployments. Oracle APEX extends options to public and hybrid clouds, offering broader flexibility. HCL Domino is commended for responsive customer service, despite some complexity in technical support. Oracle APEX experiences vary, with some users desiring improved customer service interactions.

Pricing and ROI: HCL Domino's pricing is considered high for small and medium businesses but offers reasonable value. Licensing is often based on user count, with ROI noted by some users. Oracle APEX is bundled with Oracle database licenses, described as expensive, but APEX itself is free within this context, presenting cost-effectiveness for those already using Oracle products.

To learn more, read our detailed HCL Domino vs. Oracle Application Express (APEX) Report (Updated: June 2025).

Buyer's Guide

HCL Domino vs. Oracle Application Express (APEX)

June 2025

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Helped 861,524 peers since 2012

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

HCL Domino

Ranking in Rapid Application Development Software

18th

Average Rating

7.8

Reviews Sentiment

6.8

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Oracle Application Express ...

Ranking in Rapid Application Development Software

3rd

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

7.1

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Development Platforms (2nd), Low-Code Development Platforms (2nd)

Mindshare comparison

As of July 2025, in the Rapid Application Development Software category, the mindshare of HCL Domino is 0.6%, up from 0.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Oracle Application Express (APEX) is 7.6%, down from 9.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Rapid Application Development Software

Featured Reviews

FrederickLim

Technical Service Manager at Top Level Corporation Limited

Provides mobile email systems with solid stability and easy deployment

The initial setup is easy. You need to sign up. It depends on the scope. It will take longer if there are more than one or more applications. The project usually includes infrastructure and deployment may take anywhere from one month to six months. I rate the initial setup an eight out of ten, where one is difficult and ten is easy.

Read full review

Rodrigo-Mesquita

Senior Software developer at QV Systems

Rapid application development empowers big projects in months

The ability to quickly develop applications without needing to code a lot is very valuable. It is very quick to create a page, and one can use AI to speed up software development. It is easy to learn. In my company, we could develop a very big application in a couple of months.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"I like that HCL Domino is stable. It's a great product. I also like that HCL Domino is a mature product under IBM, which is why many companies use it."

"They offer good support and provide a roadmap."

"HCL Domino is the best product from a security point of view."

"The pricing is excellent."

"It serves as a centralized solution that fulfills all my requirements from operating my email server to managing various aspects of my operations."

"Domino's dual functionality as both a messaging and application solution is a standout feature compared to Exchange, which solely focuses on messaging."

"The most valuable feature of HCL Domino is how robust it is."

"The email system is the most valuable feature."

More HCL Domino pros

"This is a good application for quickly creating public applications."

"One standout feature of Oracle APEX is its seamless integration with backend procedures, allowing for quick updates without changing the front-end interface."

"It has a well-designed architecture and is a simple 3rd party application."

"One of the most valuable features is that we can develop everything locally and deploy it for different kinds of operators in different locations, so we can do our job in one piece. The benefit of that is that others can use these applications. They connect to the internet to do these kinds of applications based on the permissions for those users."

"Oracle APEX's reporting features are simple yet powerful. The ability to quickly create CRUD screens has simplified many RAD discovery processes, while the APEX environment allows the product owners and dev teams to quickly understand the complex solutions and employ usage statistics to identify areas requiring improvement. The option to add external JavaScript tools in screen development enables the development of complicated mobile or web usage scenarios in rare cases where the APEX UX is not enough."

"The solution is easy to handle. The tool has helped us develop many applications since it supports SQL and NoSQL languages. We are familiar with this language. Also, the solution’s interface design and database design are very easy. It is not so much complex. I have no experience working with other solutions."

"The most valuable applications within the organization are primarily data forms and extended reports."

"The most valuable features are security, stability, and ease of implementation."

More Oracle Application Express (APEX) pros

Cons

"The speed of the Notes client is an area that could be improved."

"Scalability needs to be improved to be on the level that's required. Support could also be enhanced."

"The solution could improve Kubernetes or Dockers migration to new environments in the cloud."

"From the Domino side, it should support DKIM and DMARC."

"When you compare with Microsoft Exchange, the UI could be more user-friendly."

"The client version of this solution could be faster and be made simpler for non-IT users. You will need to have some knowledge of Notes to correctly install this solution."

"Its performance and integration could be better. It has capabilities for large deployment with several servers, but in the latest interface, running with different servers isn't supported."

"They should provide its integration with other AI applications."

More HCL Domino cons

"It has been reported that the technology is very hard to learn, and the service is expensive."

"We would like to see tighter integration with the Oracle Cloud Infrastructure."

"The solution's layout could be improved for report generation to allow more configuration."

"Currently, APEX doesn't have a building workflow engine. I think that's the most important improvement that could be made at this point."

"Oracle is more of a database-oriented solution and is not very flexible in app development."

"Oracle Application Express would be improved if you could use it on a mobile platform."

"It would be highly beneficial if APEX were an all-in-one platform capable of handling all aspects of application development."

"It would be beneficial to include WebSockets so that you can see real-time updates."

More Oracle Application Express (APEX) cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"We're happy with the price of our license — it's pretty standard."

"We chose to pay for our licensing fees annually."

"It is less expensive compared to other vendors."

"While I don't have precise pricing information at hand, my understanding is that it tends to be on the higher end."

"My company's customers need to make monthly or yearly payments towards the license charges of the product."

"We pay annually for the use of this solution and it is only a standard fee."

"The pricing is subjective and contingent on the intended usage."

"Customers have to pay for a license for the Notes Client, not for the Domino database. There is a quarter license that we use."

More HCL Domino pricing and cost advice

"The product is completely free of cost."

"It's a free solution with no additional costs."

"To my understanding, my organization is using the free version of Oracle Application Express (APEX), but I'm unsure because I haven't checked the pricing or licensing cost for it."

"We have an Oracle basic product license, and then we can use Oracle APEX for free. We have many licenses for Oracle for approximately 20 processors."

"When buying the data license, APEX is included."

"Oracle Express comes with the Oracle license, it is a bundle."

"The pricing is mid-range so is neither expensive nor cheap."

"The solution is moderately priced, where it is neither cheap nor expensive."

More Oracle Application Express (APEX) pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

14%

Government

10%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Construction Company

Government

12%

Financial Services Firm

10%

Computer Software Company

10%

Manufacturing Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about HCL Domino?

The most valuable features of the solution are security and integration.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for HCL Domino?

The Notes client is very expensive, costing around $105 per client. Overall, HCL Domino is a costly product.

See all answers

What needs improvement with HCL Domino?

The speed of the Notes client is an area that could be improved. Many people are not very happy with its speed. Additionally, in-line editing of documents and a document viewer are functionalities ...

See all answers

What do you like most about Oracle Application Express (APEX)?

The product is fast.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Oracle Application Express (APEX)?

Oracle APEX is part of our on-premises solution included in our agreement with Oracle E Business Suite, though I don't know the cost specifics. Power BI is licensed by the user.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Oracle Application Express (APEX)?

Using AI to analyze data without needing much code would be better. Also, although the interface is easy to change, it could have more features.

See all answers

Comparisons

Microsoft Exchange vs HCL Domino

Compared 35% of the time

HCL Notes vs HCL Domino

Compared 13% of the time

Microsoft Exchange Online vs HCL Domino

Compared 10% of the time

GitHub CoPilot vs HCL Domino

Compared 9% of the time

More HCL Domino Competitors

Microsoft Power Apps vs Oracle Application Express (APEX)

Compared 21% of the time

Salesforce Platform vs Oracle Application Express (APEX)

Compared 19% of the time

OutSystems vs Oracle Application Express (APEX)

Compared 9% of the time

GitHub CoPilot vs Oracle Application Express (APEX)

Compared 9% of the time

Mendix vs Oracle Application Express (APEX)

Compared 7% of the time

More Oracle Application Express (APEX) Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

HCL Domino

July 2025

Download HCL Domino product report

Buyer's Guide

Oracle Application Express (APEX)

June 2025

Oracle Application Express (APEX) report

Download Oracle Application Express (APEX) product report

Also Known As

IBM Lotus Domino, Lotus Domino

Oracle APEX

Overview

HCL Domino (formerly IBM Domino) is a secure, enterprise-grade, application development platform. From IT to business, HCL Domino is the only low to pro-code application development platform that allows your business to build robust applications to solve workflow and process challenges fast. HCL Domino powers businesses around the world with 15,000 customers and 10 million apps built on our platform. HCL Domino has always been a secure, rock-solid, and proven solution.

Low cost of ownership - minimizing administration needs through automated installations, policies and monitoring helps staff focus on higher value tasks.
Minimized infrastructure - reducing costs by using less power, memory, data storage, network bandwidth and servers.
Rich application environment - supporting workflow-driven and people-oriented applications that help a wide variety of business operations deliver enhanced results.
Security-rich - helping protect your critical business assets. You can control information access, protect information and guarantee document authenticity.
High availability - featuring advanced clustering, replication, server fault recovery and automated diagnostic tools.

HCLSoftware

Oracle Application Express (APEX) is a low-code development platform that enables users to build enterprise apps securely and scalably. APEX, which offers world-class features, can be deployed anywhere. As part of the Oracle Database, developers can develop superior apps 20x more quickly by using all of the tools provided in a single, extensible platform.

Oracle APEX, a cloud platform that has been around for over 20 years, eliminates complexities associated with app building while delivering results faster and at a lower cost. The low-code aspect offers developers a visual approach to app development that accelerates the development process. Oracle APEX also provides a lively, global, and growing community of developers that can connect and share resources with each other.

Features of Oracle Application Express (APEX)

App building requires complexities and expert knowledge in vast web technologies. With Oracle APEX, these complexities involved with multi-faceted applications are reduced, and developers are provided with the rich features they need to fix business problems and create solutions. These features include:

Data: Oracle APEX offers revolutionary functionality to enable developers to turn data into information, no matter where that data is from. Under this functionality, you can display, chart, manipulate, and process data effortlessly and accurately.

Accessibility: Developers can build highly accessible and inclusive web apps for users with various abilities and requirements. Oracle APEX aims to provide a good user experience for everybody, with accessibility bug fixes and continuous improvements of their testing strategies.

Globalization: Oracle APEX provides the ability to create a framework to maintain well-performing applications in multiple languages and environments.

Smart Filters and Search: users can rapidly reduce searched data and remove clutter with search terms and filter suggestions for a more simplified user experience.

Security: Oracle APEX empowers web application builders to develop apps without compromising on security. Despite the constant increase of attacks and modification of web standards, developers can stay focused on their tasks without leaving applications exposed.

Monitoring: Monitoring and logging are built into Oracle APEX, which provides valuable insight into how users interact with your applications, as well as any hacking attempts, application errors, and performance issues.

User Interface: Developers can build modern web applications that are responsive, easily customizable, highly accessible, and simple to maintain with Universal Theme, a user interface for Application Express.

Reviews from Real Users

Oracle Application Express is a favorite among developers looking to create web applications quickly and securely for many reasons, which include its ease of use and the ability to quickly create public applications

A senior database developer at a tech services company notes, "This is a good application for quickly creating public applications."

Alvaro L., an intelligence coordinator at Grupo Orbis, writes, "Oracle Application Express is easy to use, people don't have to be developers to use it."

Oracle

Sample Customers

A1 Telekom, Acubiz, Afrisam, E. A. Juffali & Brothers, Fiducia & GAD, and Pakistan State Oil

Hepart AG, pharmasol, SATLOG, Collège Bois-de-Boulogne

Buyer's Guide

HCL Domino vs. Oracle Application Express (APEX)

June 2025

Free Report: HCL Domino vs. Oracle Application Express (APEX)

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