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Microsoft Exchange Online vs OpenText GroupWise comparison

Microsoft and OpenText are both solutions in the Email Applications category. Microsoft is ranked #2 with an average rating of 8.8, while OpenText is ranked #12. Microsoft holds a 11.1% mindshare in EA, compared to OpenText’s 1.8% mindshare. Additionally, 96% of Microsoft users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of OpenText users who would recommend it.
Microsoft Exchange Online
Read 92 Microsoft Exchange Online reviews
  • 3,912 Views
  • 3,756 Comparison Views
96% willing to recommend
OpenText GroupWise
Read 3 OpenText GroupWise reviews
  • 551 Views
  • 518 Comparison Views
100% willing to recommend
 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on May 21, 2025

Microsoft Exchange Online and OpenText GroupWise are email collaboration tools with strengths in different areas. Microsoft Exchange Online has an upper hand in pricing and support while OpenText GroupWise offers strong features.

Features: Microsoft Exchange Online delivers integration with Microsoft services, seamless productivity, and widespread familiarity. OpenText GroupWise provides strong security, reliable offline functionality, and robust data protection.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Microsoft Exchange Online offers a cloud-based model with reduced infrastructure costs and scalable solutions. Customer service is known for responsiveness and guidance. OpenText GroupWise provides on-premise and cloud options, though customer support could benefit from enhanced speed and effectiveness.

Pricing and ROI: Microsoft Exchange Online is competitively priced with a subscription model, offering a substantial ROI by integrating Microsoft tools. OpenText GroupWise entails potential higher initial costs, yet offers a promising ROI for companies prioritizing security and data continuity.

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To learn more, read our detailed Microsoft Exchange Online vs. OpenText GroupWise Report (Updated: December 2025).
Buyer's Guide
Microsoft Exchange Online vs. OpenText GroupWise
December 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

Microsoft Exchange Online
Ranking in Email Applications
2nd
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.2
Number of Reviews
92
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
OpenText GroupWise
Ranking in Email Applications
12th
Average Rating
9.0
Reviews Sentiment
7.8
Number of Reviews
3
Ranking in other categories
Wireless Email (3rd)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2026, in the Email Applications category, the mindshare of Microsoft Exchange Online is 11.1%, down from 15.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of OpenText GroupWise is 1.8%, up from 1.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Email Applications Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Microsoft Exchange Online11.1%
OpenText GroupWise1.8%
Other87.1%
Email Applications
 

Featured Reviews

AM
Asad Mohammad
Assistant General Manager, IT Infrastructure at SAMI Pharmaceuticals (Pvt.) Limited.
Offers flexibility and cost-effectiveness with multiple service options but could improve support and mobile features
There are many things to consider about email management in Microsoft Exchange Online. The online management is good, the storage is sufficient, and we use most of the features such as the custom rules in Microsoft Exchange Online, which we cannot find in any other email solution. That is a very good option, as we have many options to create custom rules in Microsoft Exchange Online. Regarding security features in Microsoft Exchange Online, we also use Defender for Exchange which includes the basic Exchange Online protection that has spam and threat controls. The use of Defender is beneficial for our security. The flexibility of choosing plans in Microsoft Exchange Online is good. We have chosen the best plan for our use, including multiple licenses such as plan one and business basics, which leads us towards cost-effectiveness, and the pay-as-you-go option is more flexible. Microsoft Exchange Online is very scalable.
Read full review
JN
John Novak
Consulting Manager at Technical Consulting Resources
Great security, stability, versatility expandability and low cost of ownership
About the only thing I don't like about GroupWise is the lack of a modern Linux client. Micro Focus stop their development of the Linux Client a long time because there wasn't enough demand for it. Most other solutions do not have the Linux client. I would really like to see OpenText add a modern GroupWise Linux Client back. But until they do there is the Web Client to be used in a browser.
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

"Exchange Online plays a significant role in our business. It controls all our emails, so we'd be in a lot of trouble if we didn't have that. It's an essential product."
"Exchange Online's best feature is its webmail platform."
"The solution is stable."
"The most valuable feature of Microsoft Exchange Online is its performance."
"Microsoft Exchange Online is very simple and easy to use."
"Microsoft Exchange Online's resiliency is its most valuable feature."
"The features of Microsoft Exchange Online are very intuitive and well-built, keeping the user experience in mind. The usability and the accessibility are the best aspects of this solution."
"Message trace is the most valuable feature of the product."
More Microsoft Exchange Online pros
"The cost-effectiveness of the solution is most valuable."
"Very secure with great storage capacity."
"I like the ease of logging best in Micro Focus GroupWise. I also like its proxy capabilities from a user level. I also like how secure Micro Focus GroupWise is."
 

Cons

"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."
"We'd like to have the ability to recall emails on the web. I'm not sure if that is available yet."
"The solution's performance can be improved when you are trying to access it remotely."
"This solution involves a lot of work for an administrator. It is not always easy to find exactly what you are looking for within the system."
"In terms of areas for improvement, I think Microsoft could enhance security. Right now, there are limited options for security within Exchange Online, and much of it relies on third-party security and compliance tools. I'd like to see more security features directly integrated. One specific area that needs improvement is the configuration of SMTP for third-party applications. It's challenging to manage without an on-premise SMTP server, and this is an issue many organizations face, including ours. If Microsoft could offer better SMTP configuration for third-party applications within Exchange Online, it would greatly benefit us."
"The pricing could be a bit lower."
"I would prefer an anti-malware functionality in at least the basic version."
"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."
More Microsoft Exchange Online cons
"What I don't like about Micro Focus GroupWise is the removal of the Unix client. Micro Focus took that function away about ten years ago because there wasn't enough demand for it."
"Their support can be improved. It is not as good as it used to be."
"The WebAccess feature is somewhat lacking and could be improved."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The pricing for Microsoft Exchange Online is quite reasonable, in my opinion. Many licensing options are available so that we can choose based on the customer's needs. For example, if a customer only requires mailbox features, we can recommend Plan One or Plan 2. We can suggest an E3 or E5 license if they need the entire Office suite. There are also premium subscriptions for enterprise customers, offering additional security features. Overall, I don't find the pricing costly because Microsoft provides many features and security capabilities, making it reliable for all customers, depending on their requirements."
"Our organization pays for a corporate license to use the solution."
"It is a reasonable solution."
"The cost of Microsoft Exchange Online is approximately $4 to $36 per user. They do not give a discount which is not good. The solution is expensive if you have 800 to 1,000 users. They should give discounts when you have a lot of users."
"We have a three-year license for $25,000."
"There is a license required for the solution and it is paid annually."
"The product is very cheap."
"The pricing is a bit more expensive than other solutions."
More Microsoft Exchange Online pricing and cost advice
"Micro Focus GroupWise is the most affordable solution on-premises. Versus Microsoft Exchange on-premises, pricing is 20:1, so there's no comparison. Micro Focus GroupWise is cheaper, though, for my clients, it's not about the cost but the stability and security of the solution."
"It was a part of the suite, so it was very cost-effective. There were no costs beyond the licensing fee."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
10%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Educational Organization
7%
Manufacturing Company
7%
Computer Software Company
19%
University
10%
Manufacturing Company
7%
Educational Organization
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business40
Midsize Enterprise16
Large Enterprise40
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Microsoft Exchange Online?
The benefits are widespread and effective communication. We use Microsoft Teams for meetings within and outside our organization. Additionally, Teams can be used for chat, allowing us to track comm...
See all answers
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft Exchange Online?
If I segment it into three points: low price, average, and high price, I would place Microsoft Exchange Online between average and high price.
See all answers
What needs improvement with Microsoft Exchange Online?
There is room for improvement in Microsoft Exchange Online. Technical support for Microsoft is good, but in all fairness, I sometimes think more can be done. I have personally tried exploring with ...
See all answers
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Comparisons

Google Workspace vs Microsoft Exchange Online Logo
Google Workspace vs Microsoft Exchange Online
Compared 29% of the time
Open-Xchange vs Microsoft Exchange Online Logo
Open-Xchange vs Microsoft Exchange Online
Compared 16% of the time
Amazon WorkMail vs Microsoft Exchange Online Logo
Amazon WorkMail vs Microsoft Exchange Online
Compared 10% of the time
Zimbra Collaboration vs Microsoft Exchange Online Logo
Zimbra Collaboration vs Microsoft Exchange Online
Compared 6% of the time
HCL Notes vs Microsoft Exchange Online Logo
HCL Notes vs Microsoft Exchange Online
Compared 3% of the time
More Microsoft Exchange Online Competitors
Microsoft Exchange vs OpenText GroupWise Logo
Microsoft Exchange vs OpenText GroupWise
Compared 30% of the time
Google Workspace vs OpenText GroupWise Logo
Google Workspace vs OpenText GroupWise
Compared 18% of the time
Zimbra Collaboration vs OpenText GroupWise Logo
Zimbra Collaboration vs OpenText GroupWise
Compared 12% of the time
Open-Xchange vs OpenText GroupWise Logo
Open-Xchange vs OpenText GroupWise
Compared 12% of the time
More OpenText GroupWise Competitors
 

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide
Microsoft Exchange Online
January 2026
Microsoft Exchange Online reportDownload Microsoft Exchange Online product report
Buyer's Guide
Email Applications
January 2026
OpenText GroupWise reportDownload OpenText GroupWise product report
 

Also Known As

Exchange Online, Exchange Online Plan 1, Exchange Online Plan 2, MS Exchange Online
Micro Focus GroupWise, GroupWise
 

Overview

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.
Microsoft
Collaboration solution that offers support for any communication over intranets, extranets and the Internet.
OpenText
 

Sample Customers

Bank Alfalah Ltd., Paderborn-Lippstadt Airport, Blue Star Infotech, Scitec Nutrition, Resolution Films, British Airways, Empire Cinemas, InnoGames
Heritage Oaks Bank
Buyer's Guide
Microsoft Exchange Online vs. OpenText GroupWise
December 2025
Free Report: Microsoft Exchange Online vs. OpenText GroupWise
Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft Exchange Online vs. OpenText GroupWise and other solutions. Updated: December 2025.
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