HCL Notes vs Microsoft Exchange Online comparison

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Comparison Buyer's Guide
Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between HCL Notes and Microsoft Exchange Online based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out in this report how the two Email Applications solutions compare in terms of features, pricing, service and support, easy of deployment, and ROI.
To learn more, read our detailed HCL Notes vs. Microsoft Exchange Online Report (Updated: March 2024).
765,386 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Featured Review
Quotes From Members
We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use.
Here are some excerpts of what they said:
Pros
"HCL Notes is stable most of the time.""The most valuable feature is the access that it provides to documents. This offers us an easy way to make changes.""The most valuable feature is the UI.""Its security is absolutely stratospheric. In an application, you can lock down to field-level security. For example, I could log in and see a field in an HR database with salaries. When you log in, you see exactly the same database, but the field with the salary just isn't there. So, you can literally have field-level security on it, and you can also have secure encryption. For example, I could give you that database allowing you to see the salary, but a calculation that shows how much they get per month in another field is encrypted. So, you won't be able to see that because you don't have the encryption key. You can implement high-level security very simply.""The product is very stable and scalable.""The solution provides great security.""The solution is practical, good interface, and performs well.""It is easy to integrate the product with other services."

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"Microsoft has many consultants who can provide support.""It is a reasonable solution.""Microsoft Exchange Online has great functionality.""One of the important features is the collaboration tool used in Office 365. The security and DLP mechanisms are also quite good.""The most valuable feature is being able to assign an individual a task.""The online version is faster, as it is a cloud instance. We can have massive mailbox capacity: 100 GB per user, which is huge. We can't provision such capacity internally, as the company would get burnt out paying for mailbox storage.""Microsoft Exchange Online is an easy-to-use solution.""The solution is easy to use and the cloud version has taken a lot of challenges away from the user."

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Cons
"GUI and replication can be improved.""The interface could be more user-friendly. Some additional trainings could be added as well.""We had trouble connecting this solution to the database from Microsoft. We have done it, although it can be easier.""I would like to see integration with other solutions.""I love this product. I have used it for many years, and I have been a developer for it. If anything, it can be faster in the client version. The client version is a little bit hard. It is not fast. This is the only problem I see. Otherwise, it is a very good product.""Web support is very old and needs an upgrade. We can handle a different password for the client to access the mail services, compared to the web services. We need to implement many other components to get access to the web access. There could be a feature to interpret if the web access is available from any end-user equipment.""There is a chat component but it does not work properly.""The only improvement that we're planning to do is that all our applications are still designed in the layout and format of Notes version 4, and our plan over the coming years is to modernize their look. One of the things they're developing or considering deploying is a program to automatically upgrade the look and feel of databases. If they deploy that, that will be revolutionary. In other words, we decide on a corporate look and feel for our database and press a button. We've probably got 50 different applications in Notes, and it would just go through the whole lot and upgrade all of them to look the same."

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"The solution should have more integration with other platforms.""In the past, we had issues with DB in mailboxes.""The solution could improve with the integrations with some of the known applications is still not possible, there must be more connectors.""The support could improve their response time and sometimes the phone lines are not clear because of static or noise. However, the agents are knowledgeable and very helpful.""The ActiveSync services and the mapping services could be improved.""The SaaS platform performance could be improved. At a previous company, we used this same solution on-premises. The data exchange was much faster compared to the SaaS platform and we sometimes experience lags.""There is room for improvement in terms of security, as it could be better.""We use different software for email spoofing filters and similar functions because Exchange is quite limited in this area."

More Microsoft Exchange Online Cons →

Pricing and Cost Advice
  • "The price is reasonable."
  • "We pay annually for the use of the solution."
  • "It is far cheaper to license. It is a third of the cost of our Microsoft license for 10 times the amount of usage. Developing applications cost a fraction of anything else. There are two reasons for that. First of all, applications are very fast to build. All the security is already built into the platform, so you don't have to worry about security at all. The other thing is that because fewer people use it than, for example, Microsoft SharePoint, the salary commanded by programmers is slightly lower. So, it is not only faster; you also get cheaper programmers. So, you really win-win-win on it."
  • "We pay licensing fees on a yearly basis."
  • "I don't remember how much we paid when we first bought the Domino license, but now, we pay only for the passport. For 30 client licenses, we pay about $1,500 per year, and we don't consider it very expensive for the quality of the product. In our case, we need 30 client licenses. So, we buy 30 client licenses independently of the server. It is very easy for us to choose and maintain this kind of license and get the passport advantage."
  • "The solution is expensive. There are many components or features which make the price very high."
  • More HCL Notes Pricing and Cost Advice →

  • "I have no opinion."
  • "Initially, we had issues with the licensing agreement, but we worked it out with Microsoft."
  • "It is a reasonable solution."
  • "In my opinion, the online license is the best one we have. It is a bundle that we have from Microsoft. It is a bit high in price."
  • "I think it's just awesome. There's no argument about how much value you get on the per user, for user expenditure. It's really great, I don't have any issues with it. I think it's excellent."
  • "The price is a bit high. It is especially expensive in the Indian market."
  • "We have a license per user scenario."
  • "The pricing is a bit more expensive than other solutions."
  • More Microsoft Exchange Online Pricing and Cost Advice →

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    Questions from the Community
    Top Answer:The security and performance of the solution are good even though our platform is variable, except for the mail services.
    Top Answer:Web support is very old and needs an upgrade. We can handle a different password for the client to access the mail services, compared to the web services. We need to implement many other components to… more »
    Top Answer:We use the solution for mail implementation, app development or business processes.
    Top Answer:The most valuable feature of the solution is its integration with Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft Teams for shared calendars.
    Top Answer:We are Microsoft partners. We bought some licenses, and some are within our package or partnership with Microsoft.
    Top Answer:The solution’s technical support could be improved.
    Ranking
    7th
    out of 24 in Email Applications
    Views
    2,305
    Comparisons
    1,269
    Reviews
    4
    Average Words per Review
    750
    Rating
    8.5
    2nd
    out of 24 in Email Applications
    Views
    5,554
    Comparisons
    3,984
    Reviews
    49
    Average Words per Review
    362
    Rating
    8.7
    Comparisons
    Also Known As
    IBM Lotus Notes, Lotus Notes
    Exchange Online, Exchange Online Plan 1, Exchange Online Plan 2, MS Exchange Online
    Learn More
    Overview

    HCL Notes is a secure on-premises email client that allows teams access to email, calendar, and contact management capabilities. The solution integrates other collaboration tools seamlessly along with HCL Domino business applications, into a single workspace. HCL Notes is most commonly used in corporate environments for email, but can also be used to create websites, custom applications and business workflows, discussion groups, and document libraries. In addition, the solution enhances user experiences, helps internal teams collaborate with internal and external stakeholders, and streamline communication management operations.

    HCL Notes is available for Windows, Apple iOS, and Android.

    HCL Notes Features

    HCL Notes has many valuable key features. Some of the most useful ones include:

    • Instant Messaging with HCL Sametime.

    • Unified Inbox: This HCL Notes feature helps you consolidate multiple email accounts into one viewable platform.

    • Filters: The HCL Notes filters allow users to filter their emails by sender, date received, opened/unopened, and more.

    • Reminders: With the reminders feature, users are prompted with reminders to send or reply to emails.

    • Notifications: HCL Notes notifications feature pings users, notifying them when they receive new emails.

    • Task Management: HCL Notes has built-in task creation and assignment functionality.

    • Reporting & Statistics.

    HCL Notes Benefits

    Some of the benefits of using HCL Notes include:

    • Mobility and accessibility: HCL Notes provides users with access to their mail and calendar wherever and whenever they are doing work.
    • Easy integration: With HCL Notes, you can interact with files directly from your email messages — preview, download, follow, comment, or share them with your team.
    • Better access capabilities: HCL Notes makes it possible for you to access profiles, roles, skill sets, and areas of responsibility for all your contacts. It also allows you to view related blogs and collaboration histories of shared work.

    Reviews from Real Users

    Below are some reviews and helpful feedback written by HCL Notes users.

    An Administration & Technical Director at a tech services company says, "Its security is absolutely stratospheric. In an application, you can lock down to field-level security. For example, I could log in and see a field in an HR database with salaries. When you log in, you see exactly the same database, but the field with the salary just isn't there. So, you can literally have field-level security on it, and you can also have secure encryption. For example, I could give you that database allowing you to see the salary, but a calculation that shows how much they get per month in another field is encrypted. So, you won't be able to see that because you don't have the encryption key. You can implement high-level security very simply."

    PeerSpot user Bogdan C., Kierownik Biura Informatyki at an insurance company, mentions, “The most valuable feature is the access that it provides to documents. This offers us an easy way to make changes.”

    Marcos S., Diretor at MASTERDOM, comments, “The solution is practical, good interface, and performs well. The usability of the old applications to the new version of the client is very good. The migration is very good for some legacy applications.”

    Exchange Online helps protect your information with advanced capabilities. Anti-malware and anti-spam filtering protect mailboxes. Data loss prevention capabilities prevent users from mistakenly sending sensitive information to unauthorized people. Globally redundant servers, premier disaster recovery capabilities, and a team of security experts monitoring Exchange Online around the clock safeguard your data.
    Sample Customers
    Connect2Cloud, Hansgrohe, Sauk County, Blue Water Shipping, FDBR, ibml, Multivac, Aarhus University Hospital, Hendricks Regional Health, Asian Paints, Integra Legal, Sunplus Technology, S¾SS, The Moroccan Ministry of Youth and Sports, Nicrometal, Doncasters Group, Practice Plan, Barr, RACV, Neotechnik, Deutsche Notes User Group
    Bank Alfalah Ltd., Paderborn-Lippstadt Airport, Blue Star Infotech, Scitec Nutrition, Resolution Films, British Airways, Empire Cinemas, InnoGames
    Top Industries
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company15%
    Comms Service Provider11%
    Government11%
    Financial Services Firm9%
    REVIEWERS
    Manufacturing Company14%
    Computer Software Company12%
    Government10%
    Comms Service Provider8%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company14%
    Comms Service Provider9%
    Government9%
    Financial Services Firm7%
    Company Size
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business54%
    Large Enterprise46%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business27%
    Midsize Enterprise16%
    Large Enterprise57%
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business40%
    Midsize Enterprise15%
    Large Enterprise45%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business31%
    Midsize Enterprise20%
    Large Enterprise49%
    Buyer's Guide
    HCL Notes vs. Microsoft Exchange Online
    March 2024
    Find out what your peers are saying about HCL Notes vs. Microsoft Exchange Online and other solutions. Updated: March 2024.
    765,386 professionals have used our research since 2012.

    HCL Notes is ranked 7th in Email Applications with 12 reviews while Microsoft Exchange Online is ranked 2nd in Email Applications with 84 reviews. HCL Notes is rated 8.0, while Microsoft Exchange Online is rated 8.6. The top reviewer of HCL Notes writes "Accessible from any device, good support, and works very well for emails, document sharing, and workflows". On the other hand, the top reviewer of Microsoft Exchange Online writes "Helps reduced IT operations, scalable, and simple setup". HCL Notes is most compared with HCL Verse, Microsoft Exchange, HCL Domino, Google Workspace and IceWarp, whereas Microsoft Exchange Online is most compared with Google Workspace, Amazon WorkMail, Zimbra Collaboration, Zoho Mail and CodeTwo Exchange Rules. See our HCL Notes vs. Microsoft Exchange Online report.

    See our list of best Email Applications vendors.

    We monitor all Email Applications reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.