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HCL Domino vs Zimbra Collaboration comparison

The compared HCLSoftware and Zimbra solutions aren't in the same category. HCLSoftware is ranked #17 in RADS , with an average rating of 7.7, and holds a 0.7% mindshare in the category. Zimbra is ranked #5 in EA , with an average rating of 8.0, and holds a 8.2% mindshare. Additionally, 80% of HCLSoftware users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 96% of Zimbra users who would recommend it.
HCL Domino
Read 22 HCL Domino reviews
  • 2,315 Views
  • 741 Comparison Views
80% willing to recommend
Zimbra Collaboration
Read 29 Zimbra Collaboration reviews
  • 2,419 Views
  • 2,298 Comparison Views
96% willing to recommend
 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive Summary
We performed a comparison between HCL Domino and Zimbra Collaboration based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

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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
Average Rating
7.8
Reviews Sentiment
6.7
Number of Reviews
22
Ranking in other categories
Rapid Application Development Software (17th)
Zimbra Collaboration
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
7.3
Number of Reviews
29
Ranking in other categories
Email Applications (5th)
 

Mindshare comparison

HCL Domino and Zimbra Collaboration aren’t in the same category and serve different purposes. HCL Domino is designed for Rapid Application Development Software and holds a mindshare of 0.7%, up 0.4% compared to last year.
Zimbra Collaboration, on the other hand, focuses on Email Applications, holds 8.2% mindshare, down 9.1% since last year.
Rapid Application Development Software Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
HCL Domino0.7%
Microsoft Power Apps12.3%
ServiceNow9.9%
Other77.1%
Rapid Application Development Software
Email Applications Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Zimbra Collaboration8.2%
Google Workspace20.6%
Microsoft Exchange Online12.8%
Other58.4%
Email Applications
 

Featured Reviews

FrederickLim - PeerSpot reviewer
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
Muhammad Talha Baig - PeerSpot reviewer
One of the premium features was customized rooms tailored to the collaboration needs
Zimbra's strength lies in its individuality, and it should focus on leveraging its unique features rather than trying to emulate competitors. My organization has certified Zimbra technicians, so we believe we can utilize Zimbra certification. However, I was recently informed by Zimbra that no such certification exists. I have recently completed the test kit, and after the training, I will gain access to tickets. Therefore, if any clients are experiencing issues, we have a certified technical team available to provide support 24/7. This is how we can cater to our client's needs. I recommend Zimbra to small-scale and enterprise customers. Anyone, even those with 5 users, can opt for Zimbra. Overall, I rate the solution a nine out of ten.
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

"The most important benefit is security. The security architecture is very good. It's the best part of the solution."
"The most valuable feature of HCL Domino is how robust it is."
"The pricing is excellent."
"This solution can be used for workflow application so that applications can be easily developed."
"We have been able to set up a portal using a special XPage application that gives our customers access to this system."
"I find the HCL Domino server scalable."
"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."
More HCL Domino pros
"The web interface is powerful and easy to use."
"The most valuable feature of Zimbra for our team's productivity is its efficiency in handling email communication."
"Zimbra Collaboration is light to manage. It works on the Linux operating system, which is far better to manage than Microsoft Windows. Microsoft Exchange works only on the Windows server. We prefer working on the Linux server for security reasons and ease of management. Zimbra Collaboration also has some integrated tools for security. It some modules to fight malware. These modules are not very powerful but are still doing a great job. Microsoft Exchange doesn't have a basic module. You have to purchase a security solution and add it to the solution. The cost of Zimbra Collaboration is one more reason for liking it. It is also very simple to migrate from Zimbra Collaboration to another email solution."
"It has all collaboration features, such as document sharing, video conferencing, chatting, task sharing, and calendar sharing."
"The stability is good and keeps getting better with each new update."
"Network NG Modules are valuable to us."
"The configuration is simple."
"The backup and storage management features of Zimbra Collaboration are valuable."
More Zimbra Collaboration pros
 

Cons

"Scalability is also an issue. We have problems with large databases."
"The speed of the Notes client is an area that could be improved."
"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."
"HCL Domino needs to be more user-friendly."
"For me, the one thing missing is a really good reporting engine."
"The solution is expensive."
"Designing a new template could provide a refreshed visual experience for users without significant changes to the underlying functionality."
"When you compare with Microsoft Exchange, the UI could be more user-friendly."
More HCL Domino cons
"The solution’s forums don't have much information or documentation on administration tasks."
"In the next release, Zimbra Collaboration should include a security feature to allow access for mobile device administrators."
"The antispam and antivirus features are hard to understand on mobile devices."
"The product must be more customizable."
"I can confidently say that Zimbra is good enough for 2,000 client users. But, at the same time, if my client needs more than that and we have two options—Zimbra or Microsoft—I'm going with Microsoft because many admins will speak to Microsoft's ability to handle that many."
"The tool should improve its multi-cloud feature."
"There are some security issues."
"Zimbra Collaboration could improve the migration from a basic solution to a more containerized solution. For example, the installation should be able to extend to the containers and manage them with some solution, such as OpenShift or Kubernetes."
More Zimbra Collaboration cons
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Price is reasonable compared to the other solutions."
"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."
"It is less expensive compared to other vendors."
"We pay annually for the use of this solution and it is only a standard fee."
"The license for Domino is yearly. The price is high."
"For 30 licenses, we pay $1,500 every year. It is not an expensive product."
"HCL Domino is costly, but it still depends on how your organization views it price-wise."
More HCL Domino pricing and cost advice
"The price of the solution is low."
"If you choose the network edition, it is a little pricier. They have the open-source edition too which is only community supported."
"The solution is not expensive compared to other products."
"When it comes to the licensing of Zimbra Collaboration, my license covers the servers and I find its terms to be much simpler than those of Microsoft Exchange."
"On a scale of one to ten, where one is cheap, and ten is expensive, I rate the price a four"
"The solution is competitively priced."
"We do not pay for licenses to use this solution."
"There is an annual standard licensing fee to use Zimbra Collaboration and there is no other cost."
More Zimbra Collaboration pricing and cost advice
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
12%
Government
11%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Construction Company
8%
Computer Software Company
15%
Comms Service Provider
10%
Government
8%
Manufacturing Company
5%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business16
Midsize Enterprise3
Large Enterprise2
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business19
Midsize Enterprise3
Large Enterprise7
 

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?
One challenge I faced with HCL Domino was fully understanding its capabilities because initial use may lead to misconceptions based on simpler platforms. Exploring and comprehending what is possibl...
See all answers
How does Zimbra Collaboration compare with Microsoft Exchange?
Zimbra is a free, open source collaborative software suite. The features I like best are the ease of integration and the email, calendar, and collaboration server with web interface. In addition, I...
See all answers
What do you like most about Zimbra Collaboration?
The most valuable feature of Zimbra for our team's productivity is its efficiency in handling email communication.
See all answers
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Zimbra Collaboration?
The solution is competitively priced.
See all answers
 

Comparisons

Microsoft Exchange vs HCL Domino Logo
Microsoft Exchange vs HCL Domino
Compared 35% of the time
HCL Notes vs HCL Domino Logo
HCL Notes vs HCL Domino
Compared 14% of the time
Microsoft Exchange Online vs HCL Domino Logo
Microsoft Exchange Online vs HCL Domino
Compared 10% of the time
Microsoft Power Apps vs HCL Domino Logo
Microsoft Power Apps vs HCL Domino
Compared 9% of the time
GitHub CoPilot vs HCL Domino Logo
GitHub CoPilot vs HCL Domino
Compared 7% of the time
More HCL Domino Competitors
Microsoft Exchange vs Zimbra Collaboration Logo
Microsoft Exchange vs Zimbra Collaboration
Compared 24% of the time
Open-Xchange vs Zimbra Collaboration Logo
Open-Xchange vs Zimbra Collaboration
Compared 21% of the time
KerioConnect vs Zimbra Collaboration Logo
KerioConnect vs Zimbra Collaboration
Compared 14% of the time
IceWarp vs Zimbra Collaboration Logo
IceWarp vs Zimbra Collaboration
Compared 9% of the time
Zarafa vs Zimbra Collaboration Logo
Zarafa vs Zimbra Collaboration
Compared 3% of the time
More Zimbra Collaboration Competitors
 

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide
HCL Domino
September 2025
HCL Domino reportDownload HCL Domino product report
Buyer's Guide
Zimbra Collaboration
August 2025
Zimbra Collaboration reportDownload Zimbra Collaboration product report
 

Also Known As

IBM Lotus Domino, Lotus Domino
No data available
 

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
Zimbra Collaboration provides administrators and their end users innovative features that solve the challenges faced by organizations using today's legacy communications infrastructure.
Zimbra
 

Sample Customers

A1 Telekom, Acubiz, Afrisam, E. A. Juffali & Brothers, Fiducia & GAD, and Pakistan State Oil
NEC Biglobe, City of Ventura, Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, Hola Publishing, BIG, Sleepwell, LaFayette College, Xmission, DNA, Ring Line, Future Group, TIGC
Buyer's Guide
Rapid Application Development Software
August 2025
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