Try our new research platform with insights from 80,000+ expert users

HCL Sametime vs Webex comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Feb 3, 2025

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 Sametime
Ranking in Virtual Meetings
17th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.5
Number of Reviews
5
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Webex
Ranking in Virtual Meetings
2nd
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
125
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of September 2025, in the Virtual Meetings category, the mindshare of HCL Sametime is 0.6%, down from 0.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Webex is 12.6%, down from 16.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Virtual Meetings Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Webex12.6%
HCL Sametime0.6%
Other86.8%
Virtual Meetings
 

Featured Reviews

Bogdan Chechlowski - PeerSpot reviewer
Stable product, communicate very fast and allows to see who's online in the office or work environment
It was used for communication through text messages, primarily Being able to see who was online and communicate very fast was a good feature.  The security was quite good. However, when we tried to implement it for email at a high level, we had to use another solution, FortiMail Gateway. I view…
Wajid Khattak - PeerSpot reviewer
Easy to use, enables remote meetings, and saves time and money
We deployed the product in our headquarters and connected our four plants. It enables us to meet remotely. We use the tool for remote meetings. I work in the manufacturing sector The product is easy to use. We are very comfortable with it. The video call features are compatible with different…

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"I can view the status and availability of colleagues or team members, which makes it easy to approach them when they are available."
"The security was quite good."
"We can do the global meeting with this solution."
"Cisco is a pioneer in this particular technology. The features and technology have been adopted and they have been integrated with other solutions."
"The installation is not difficult."
"The implmentation of Webex is simple. It does not a lot of time."
"The most valuable feature is Webex's user-friendly video conferencing."
"I appreciate the developers of Webex because it's a wonderful tool. What I found most valuable in it is the seamless experience it offers, in terms of connecting with any person at any time remotely, without any glitches. This is the main advantage of Webex. I also like that the platform is user-friendly, so anyone using the tool for the first time won't find any difficulties when logging in or accessing it."
"The camera moves in tandem with the person who is using it to communicate with the other participants."
"Webex has enhanced the remote team collaboration process regarding time management and cost savings."
 

Cons

"It lacks some features compared to modern solutions. For example, it doesn't allow sending screenshots or other files."
"The webinar should be integrated into Sametime for a larger number of participants."
"Webex support is not good. When we try to open a ticket, it takes approximately 24 hours. With Microsoft, we get support within two or three hours."
"The product needs to improve its integration. I'm not sure how difficult it is for the IT team to set up the integration. Once set up, it's easy but still not as straightforward as other platforms, like Microsoft Teams, where everything is within the same technical environment. To ensure further security, face authentication should also be added for all internal corporate users logged into the platform."
"I think it's very inconvenient to have to enter my email address all the time just to be a visitor."
"The interface of Webex should be improved and it is difficult to find information."
"Sometimes the call quality is not that great. When you call in, especially in an international situation, or if you have people calling from different continents or geographical locations, there can be issues with the call itself."
"The performance is not always good and could be improved."
"Webex could add some integration with Microsoft Office or G-Suite."
"I would like to see the addition of new features that will add value to the product."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

Information not available
"I have recently switched to a different solution. WebEx is more costly. There are equivalent solutions at a lower cost."
"On a scale from one to ten, where one is cheap and ten is expensive, I rate the solution's pricing a six out of ten."
"I use the free version, not the enterprise version. The only compelling reason to go for paid WebEx pay is if you're hosting large meetings."
"This is an expensive product compared to Teams and it should be cheaper."
"I am using the free version of Webex."
"There is a subscription needed to use this solution and we pay approximately $5,000 per year."
"The price should be improved significantly."
"The price of Webex is in the middle range compared to the market."
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Virtual Meetings solutions are best for your needs.
867,676 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
No data available
Government
13%
Computer Software Company
12%
Manufacturing Company
11%
Comms Service Provider
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
No data available
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business40
Midsize Enterprise24
Large Enterprise60
 

Questions from the Community

What needs improvement with HCL Sametime?
I view it as part of HCL Notes and Domino, and my opinion is similar to those products. It lacks some features compared to modern solutions. For example, it doesn't allow sending screenshots or oth...
What is your primary use case for HCL Sametime?
It was used for communication through text messages, primarily.
What advice do you have for others considering HCL Sametime?
Overall, it was quite good. I would rate it an eight out of ten. It's a better product than some others from HCL, but overall, I wouldn't recommend it, given the availability of superior alternatives.
What do you like most about Webex?
Webex improved our overall team collaboration.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Webex?
Webex is expensive. If it weren't that expensive, we would probably use it for all our telecommunication needs, not just for telemedicine.
What needs improvement with Webex?
I would appreciate improvements in communication stability and performance. Sometimes we experience a poor communication stream, but I am uncertain whether it is due to the internet link or somethi...
 

Comparisons

No data available
 

Also Known As

Lotus Sametime, IBM Lotus Sametime
Cisco Spark
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Connect2Cloud, Superior Group, Daifuku Co. Ltd., Seaward, The City of Fort Worth, Christian Brothers Services, Berlitz, Deutsche Notes User Group, Danske Fysioterapeuter, Slumberland, La Vacanza, Rheinmetall AG
Seagate Technology, Kohn Pedersen Fox, World Vision International, Glen Raven, University of Notre Dame, CEV Multimedia, The Food Group, LUMEDX, California Baptist University, and Georgetown University Law Center.
Find out what your peers are saying about HCL Sametime vs. Webex and other solutions. Updated: September 2025.
867,676 professionals have used our research since 2012.