HCL Verse vs KerioConnect comparison

HCLSoftware and GFI are both solutions in the Email Applications category. HCLSoftware is ranked #13, while GFI is ranked #9 with an average rating of 8.8. HCLSoftware holds a 2.1% mindshare in EA, compared to GFI’s 4.1% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of HCLSoftware users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 62% of GFI users who would recommend it.

HCL Verse

Read 3 HCL Verse reviews

706 Views
417 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

KerioConnect

Read 11 KerioConnect reviews

1,612 Views
1,483 Comparison Views

62% willing to recommend

HCL Verse

KerioConnect

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on May 21, 2025

HCL Verse and KerioConnect are competing in the email collaboration space. HCL Verse seems to have an upper hand in integration capabilities and compliance features, while KerioConnect excels in ease of management and customization flexibility.

Features: HCL Verse includes enterprise system integration, enhanced security, and collaboration tools. KerioConnect offers email management, filtering and policy controls, and integration with various platforms.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: HCL Verse utilizes a cloud-centric model with comprehensive support for larger enterprises with integration needs. KerioConnect has flexible deployment options, including on-premises and cloud, with a simplified installation process and responsive support catering to different organizational sizes.

Pricing and ROI: HCL Verse targets larger corporations, providing high ROI in environments needing advanced integration. KerioConnect is competitively priced for small to medium organizations, offering a cost-effective solution with solid features.

To learn more, read our detailed HCL Verse vs. KerioConnect Report (Updated: December 2025).

Buyer's Guide

HCL Verse vs. KerioConnect

December 2025

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Helped 881,082 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 Verse

Ranking in Email Applications

13th

Average Rating

9.0

Reviews Sentiment

7.6

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

KerioConnect

Ranking in Email Applications

9th

Average Rating

7.2

Reviews Sentiment

7.3

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Email Archiving (6th)

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2026, in the Email Applications category, the mindshare of HCL Verse is 2.1%, up from 1.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of KerioConnect is 4.1%, down from 4.8% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Email Applications Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
KerioConnect	4.1%
HCL Verse	2.1%
Other	93.8%

Email Applications

Featured Reviews

Marcos Roberto Silva

Diretor at MASTERDOM

Stable, scalable, and good interface

HCL Verse has a nice interface and it is a practical email solution. There are a diverse set of features, such as the search bar on top of the screens. The usability from the old applications to the new version has been very good. It was great that we were able to migrate applications from the older version to the new one.

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Marcelino Mongcal

Senior Systems Tech/Admin at Samco Software Inc.

A seamless setup ensures smooth communication with comprehensive support

We remain a partner with Sophos and use XG S Firewalls without AWS implementation. We only use Sophos endpoint and Sophos Central. We host some clients on-premise while others we host remotely. The VPN connection is easy and proprietary, so it's not open to any other VPN clients. Communication with other mail servers is seamless. It can communicate with Gmail and Outlook without issues, provided the DNS settings are correct. We monitor our servers and security logs, implementing GeoIP blocking. We frequently block China and India IPs due to brute force attacks on our servers. We have extensive experience with KerioConnect. Backing up and maintaining it is straightforward compared to Microsoft Exchange, making it administrator-friendly. On a scale of 1-10, this solution rates an 8.

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Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The most valuable feature is the mail server."

"HCL Verse has a nice interface and it is a practical email solution. There are a diverse set of features, such as the search bar on top of the screens."

"The most valuable features are its ease of use, excellent pricing, and it is platform agnostic."

"KerioConnect has integration with 365. We can use Outlook, which has its client and can be used with Apple devices. It integrates with the App Store and Microsoft Office. It has a smart router. The spam filtering and antivirus are good."

"It's relatively simple to use."

"What I like most about Kerio Connect is that it supports ActiveSync, and that is its most critical feature. The solution is also a nice, simple, robust, and stable mail server."

"Kerio Connect is secure, flexible, and easy to control from the user interface. It has many security features able to be controlled from one place, such as anti-spam. I have found it very convenient. Additionally, you can analyze log files and share folders which is helpful."

"We use the solution as a mail server. It connects with Outlook and is used for calendaring and similar tasks."

"The most valuable features are security and privacy because you installed it on your server, within your company premises, not in the cloud."

"We have contacted technical support a handful of times and received some assistance."

More KerioConnect pros

Cons

"The solution could improve by allowing us to use a color that we want in the editing boxes."

"Security is very important to us, so improvements to this functionality are welcome."

"We are considering switching to Microsoft Exchange. One reason is that it doesn't improve our workflow and doesn't integrate well with Microsoft 365 applications."

"The solution could improve the redundancy because we only have one copy of the Kerio Connect server on our hardware. The next step for us is to move to the cloud and if Kerio does not have a cloud version available they should release one"

"KerioConnect is stable as long as you use a strong password."

"Most of our clients use Outlook and Kerio Connect. Occasionally, Kerio can be a bit slow. They could make it faster to get onto the web interface without so much load time. It's just slow with Outlook, however, for some reason."

"KerioConnect continues to improve with regular updates throughout the year. They must be added to the roadmap, which requires approval."

"Having a native Outlook map integration would make Kerio Connect better."

"The search and archiving documentation capabilities need to be stronger."

"I would like to see better support from their support team."

More KerioConnect cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The price of the solution is reasonable."

"This is an affordable solution but the price could be improved."

"KerioConnect has a first-time cost and yearly subscription. It is not expensive."

"The price of Kerio Connect is better when comparing it to others solutions."

"The solution's pricing depends on how long you plan to keep it because you pay on a per-year basis. You might have a one-time setup cost for something like Microsoft Exchange or a Linux mail server. I'd say this solution is expensive on a per-year basis, almost 2000-3000 dollars annually. It doesn't seem to pay off yet, so we're considering switching to another product."

"The pricing is about $3 per mailbox per month."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Government

24%

University

Computer Software Company

Real Estate/Law Firm

Comms Service Provider

13%

Computer Software Company

11%

Manufacturing Company

Performing Arts

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

No data available

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	10
Midsize Enterprise	2

Questions from the Community

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What do you like most about KerioConnect?

The most valuable features are security and privacy because you installed it on your server, within your company premises, not in the cloud.

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for KerioConnect?

The pricing is very easy to understand. As a partner, we have a monitoring system that informs us when subscriptions expire, allowing us to handle renewals. The pricing is very competitive.

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What needs improvement with KerioConnect?

Since KerioConnect is a setup and go solution, everything works on its own. The only administrative tasks required are keeping it up to date, monitoring security logs, and ensuring protection from ...

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Comparisons

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Compared 41% of the time

Microsoft Exchange Online vs HCL Verse

Compared 15% of the time

Hub vs HCL Verse

Compared 12% of the time

HCL Domino vs HCL Verse

Compared 8% of the time

Microsoft Exchange vs HCL Verse

Compared 7% of the time

More HCL Verse Competitors

Microsoft Exchange vs KerioConnect

Compared 43% of the time

Zimbra Collaboration vs KerioConnect

Compared 21% of the time

IceWarp vs KerioConnect

Compared 10% of the time

Microsoft Exchange Online vs KerioConnect

Compared 9% of the time

Google Workspace vs KerioConnect

Compared 6% of the time

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Email Applications

January 2026

Download HCL Verse product report

Buyer's Guide

KerioConnect

January 2026

Download KerioConnect product report

Also Known As

Verse, IBM Verse

No data available

Overview

IBM Verse is a powerful email hosting solution that enables users to access their business communications from a laptop or desktop browser or from a mobile device. This email and business messaging experience is based on an innovative user-centric design, including social analytics and advanced search capabilities. IBM Verse helps users quickly find and focus on what content is most important, empowering them to build stronger working relationships while optimizing business results.

HCLSoftware

Kerio Connect, a messaging and collaboration solution, meets the needs of small and mid-sized businesses while offering a robust feature lineup. Business users enjoy support for their favorite email client and easy web-based access. Kerio Connect is highly stable—so you can focus on business rather than unexpected downtime and recovery.

GFI

Sample Customers

Canon Marketing Japan Inc., Australian Trade Commission, BTC, Havas, Canal Barge Co.Inc., RAVInvest, Elemental Path, WDR mediagroup

Southern Tier Brewing Company, Innotta, Baustoff + Metall, Hamifleurs, Chanson TV, Ryman Stationery

Buyer's Guide

HCL Verse vs. KerioConnect

December 2025

Free Report: HCL Verse vs. KerioConnect

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