HCL Verse vs Microsoft Exchange comparison

HCLSoftware and Microsoft are both solutions in the Email Applications category. HCLSoftware is ranked #13, while Microsoft is ranked #3 with an average rating of 8.0. HCLSoftware holds a 1.4% mindshare in EA, compared to Microsoft’s 11.4% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of HCLSoftware users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 93% of Microsoft users who would recommend it.

HCL Verse

Read 3 HCL Verse reviews

397 Views
294 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Microsoft Exchange

Read 92 Microsoft Exchange reviews

2,966 Views
2,078 Comparison Views

93% willing to recommend

HCL Verse

Microsoft Exchange

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on May 21, 2025

Microsoft Exchange and HCL Verse are enterprise communication solutions. Microsoft Exchange appears to have the upper hand in feature set and integration, while HCL Verse offers a more user-friendly interface and innovative workflow features.

Features: Microsoft Exchange includes a robust email infrastructure, seamless integration with Microsoft 365 services, and extensive security options. HCL Verse has a modern interface, social analytics, and efficient task management features.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: HCL Verse provides a straightforward deployment process with comprehensive customer support. Microsoft Exchange offers a more customizable deployment model with extensive resources for enterprise-level implementation.

Pricing and ROI: Microsoft Exchange involves a higher setup cost but delivers substantial ROI through its integration and enterprise capabilities. HCL Verse typically presents a lower initial cost, offering cost-effective solutions with valuable returns due to enhanced productivity features.

To learn more, read our detailed HCL Verse vs. Microsoft Exchange Report (Updated: June 2025).

Buyer's Guide

HCL Verse vs. Microsoft Exchange

June 2025

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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 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

Microsoft Exchange

Ranking in Email Applications

3rd

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

6.7

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Wireless Email (1st), File Archiving (3rd)

Mindshare comparison

As of July 2025, in the Email Applications category, the mindshare of HCL Verse is 1.4%, up from 1.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft Exchange is 11.4%, down from 11.7% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

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.

Read full review

Harry Murdani

Manager, IT Security at Averis Sdn Bhd

Helps with email services and communication with internal and external contacts

Everything is useful. The only useful thing Microsoft Exchange could do is give us more of a discount on pricing because it's so expensive. Regarding the calendaring functions of Exchange, there is a problem when scheduling an event for the whole day. When you click the whole day event, the scheduling doesn't really work. For example, if I schedule a meeting with you and block your whole day, instead of just putting a time from morning to afternoon, other people can still block your time, which results in double booking. It's kind of a bug that allows people to double-book. So, the scheduling isn't working properly yet. We also faced challenges with backup services. You need to use a third-party backup solution to back up the whole Exchange server properly. You can't use the native Windows backup services. It's like they're forcing me to buy another product, which means additional costs. The backup solution and the double booking issues. If Microsoft Exchange can fix these two things, then it will be very good.

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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

"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 feature is the mail server."

"The search tools are good."

"The functionality on the user side is quite good. Exchange provides an excellent platform for collaboration between users."

"It is very well integrated with other Microsoft programs, teams, and so on. They work well together."

"It's an excellent product from Microsoft. It provides more flexibility to the end-users. As it's connected with Teams, it also enables collaboration."

"It is a very stable tool...It is a very scalable tool."

"The ability to share information, appointments, and agendas easily is the big value of Microsoft Exchange."

"The interface is user-friendly."

"Microsoft Exchange has good performance and is user-friendly."

More Microsoft Exchange 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."

"Deployment should become a bit easier, the process is a bit complicated. You have to have done it one or two times before you get it right. The first time you do it, it won't be perfect. There are a lot of complications compared to Gmail For Business, which is a bit easier when it comes to configuration."

"Currently, its administration is too cumbersome. It's unwieldy. It's slow. It consumes too many resources. Configuration needs to be much more streamlined and administratively automated."

"The solution is stable, but it could improve. It's crashing if there is a big mail database. The Zimbra solution is better in this area."

"In terms of configuring the product, that's definitely an area in which they can make some improvements on."

"The only thing that could be improved is the pricing."

"Exchange took time to be deployed. It requires extensive configuration and setting up servers and managing internal network access."

"They could offer simultaneous features for Exchange Online and on-premises versions. Specific features such as litigation hold and audit setups should be available on-premises."

"An area for improvement would be the convenience of working with Azure services from Exchange on-premise installations."

More Microsoft Exchange cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The price of the solution is reasonable."

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

"This solution is expensive."

"I don't have enough information about the licensing costs of Microsoft Exchange, but I do know that you need two types of licenses to run it. You need the product key and the client access key to activate Microsoft Exchange. This means that apart from the standard Microsoft Exchange licensing fees, you have to pay additional costs."

"Licensing fees are paid monthly."

"Microsoft's licensing structure is too complex, but its prices are affordable, though not cheap."

"The product is quite cheap."

"Exchange is better for medium to large businesses because it can be quite costly for SMB, which may not need all the options the product provides."

"The solution's pricing is fine...I do think the tool offers value for money."

"Microsoft Exchange itself does not require a license, but users who will have mailboxes will require a license. It depends on the number of users to choose which license. If you exceed 2,000 mailboxes, it's preferable to get the enterprise license."

More Microsoft Exchange pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Government

21%

Computer Software Company

12%

Financial Services Firm

12%

Manufacturing Company

Computer Software Company

15%

Government

10%

Comms Service Provider

Financial Services Firm

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

No data available

Questions from the Community

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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 Microsoft Exchange?

The initial setup was straightforward and fast.

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft Exchange?

Microsoft Exchange is costly, and its licensing model can be expensive over time as more users require licenses.

See all answers

Comparisons

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Compared 51% of the time

Huddle vs HCL Verse

Compared 10% of the time

Microsoft Exchange Online vs HCL Verse

Compared 9% of the time

Hub vs HCL Verse

Compared 9% of the time

HCL Domino vs HCL Verse

Compared 8% of the time

More HCL Verse Competitors

Zimbra Collaboration vs Microsoft Exchange

Compared 17% of the time

KerioConnect vs Microsoft Exchange

Compared 17% of the time

Open-Xchange vs Microsoft Exchange

Compared 16% of the time

HCL Domino vs Microsoft Exchange

Compared 12% of the time

HCL Notes vs Microsoft Exchange

Compared 8% of the time

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Email Applications

June 2025

Download HCL Verse product report

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Exchange

June 2025

Download Microsoft Exchange product report

Also Known As

Verse, IBM Verse

Exchange, MS Exchange

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

Built to deliver the enterprise-grade security and reliability that businesses require, Microsoft Exchange provides email, calendar and contacts on your PC, phone and web browser.

Microsoft

Sample Customers

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

Paderborn-Lippstadt Airport, Scitec Nutrition, British Airways, InnoGames, Osteology Foundation, Franz Haniel & Cie. GmbH, NTC Contracting

Buyer's Guide

HCL Verse vs. Microsoft Exchange

June 2025

Free Report: HCL Verse vs. Microsoft Exchange

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