OpenText GroupWise vs Zimbra Collaboration comparison

Why PeerSpot?

OpenText and Zimbra are both solutions in the Email Applications category. OpenText is ranked #12, while Zimbra is ranked #9. OpenText holds a 2.5% mindshare in EA, compared to Zimbra’s 6.0% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of OpenText users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 96% of Zimbra users who would recommend it.

OpenText GroupWise

Read 3 OpenText GroupWise reviews

1,144 Views
995 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Zimbra Collaboration

Read 28 Zimbra Collaboration reviews

3,241 Views
3,047 Comparison Views

96% willing to recommend

OpenText GroupWise

Zimbra Collaboration

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on May 21, 2025

Zimbra Collaboration and OpenText GroupWise are competing solutions in professional communication platforms. Zimbra is preferred for cost-effectiveness and responsive support, while GroupWise is recognized for superior features and a comprehensive experience.

Features: Zimbra Collaboration focuses on integrated email, calendar, and collaboration tools with easy integration and strong security. OpenText GroupWise provides advanced document management, workflow capabilities, and suits organizations with complex requirements.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Zimbra Collaboration is known for a straightforward deployment process and attentive customer support. OpenText GroupWise offers comprehensive deployment options for various environments with detailed guidance.

Pricing and ROI: Zimbra Collaboration is cost-effective, emphasizing low setup costs, and offers a strong ROI. OpenText GroupWise, although potentially more expensive, justifies the investment with an extensive feature set and higher initial costs.

To learn more, read our detailed OpenText GroupWise vs. Zimbra Collaboration Report (Updated: November 2026).

Buyer's Guide

OpenText GroupWise vs. Zimbra Collaboration

November 2026

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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

OpenText GroupWise

Ranking in Email Applications

12th

Average Rating

9.0

Reviews Sentiment

7.8

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Wireless Email (3rd)

Zimbra Collaboration

Ranking in Email Applications

9th

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

7.3

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of November 2026, in the Email Applications category, the mindshare of OpenText GroupWise is 2.5%, up from 1.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Zimbra Collaboration is 6.0%, down from 7.9% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Email Applications Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Zimbra Collaboration	6.0%
OpenText GroupWise	2.5%
Other	91.5%

Email Applications

Featured Reviews

John Novak

Consulting Manager at Technical Consulting Resources

Great security, stability, versatility, expandability and low cost of ownership.

I like the ease of login best in GroupWise. With the desktop client you can login to GroupWise independently of the PC login and it has Web Client that can be used if your prefer not to install the client or are using a PC that does not have the GroupWise Client installed. I also like its user proxy capabilities. I also like the level of security that it provides. Additionally, it comes with GroupWise Messenger for secure instant messaging to desktop or mobile devices. It integrates well with the email on your mobile devices and smart phones via GroupWise Mobile Services.

Read full review

Muhammad Talha Baig

Business Analyst and Associate Project Manager at SAMI Pharmaceuticals

One of the premium features was customized rooms tailored to the collaboration needs

Zimbra's strength lies in its individuality, and it should focus on leveraging its unique features rather than trying to emulate competitors. My organization has certified Zimbra technicians, so we believe we can utilize Zimbra certification. However, I was recently informed by Zimbra that no such certification exists. I have recently completed the test kit, and after the training, I will gain access to tickets. Therefore, if any clients are experiencing issues, we have a certified technical team available to provide support 24/7. This is how we can cater to our client's needs. I recommend Zimbra to small-scale and enterprise customers. Anyone, even those with 5 users, can opt for Zimbra. Overall, I rate the solution a nine out of ten.

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

"I would advise others who are looking into implementing this product to go for it."

"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."

"The cost-effectiveness of the solution is most valuable."

"The solution is very flexible and has great storage capacity."

"Very secure with great storage capacity."

"One of the premium features was customized rooms tailored to the collaboration needs. Many of the clients customize features such as organization logos and scanners."

"The backup and storage management features of Zimbra Collaboration are valuable."

"VMware Zimbra is an enterprise-class E-mail, calendar, and collaboration solution, built for both public and private clouds."

"Despite sticking with Gmail for over a decade in terms of business, Zimbra have impressed me with some other aspects as well; if the time comes, I would prefer Zimbra to my current solution."

"Most valuable to us is the fact that it's open source, so it's possible to do a lot of customization."

"The configuration is simple."

"The stability is good and keeps getting better with each new update."

"The pricing of the solution is excellent; it's a newer solution with a modern interface and dashboard, the interface itself is very responsive and easy to navigate, the initial setup is very simple and straightforward, the stability is good and keeps getting better with each new update, and the solution really does scale very easily."

More Zimbra Collaboration pros

Cons

"Customer support did what they could but we had some issues because it required coordination between GroupWise and SUSE Linux or the Micro Focus storage support. It became a ping pong between these two parts of the same company and was unpleasant."

"The WebAccess feature is somewhat lacking and could be improved."

"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."

"Some issues cause the solution not to function correctly or to cause downtime once a month."

"The support was lacking in my experience."

"The new patches are, at times, not so good, so we don't install them, causing the tool to be not so stable overall."

"We have had an issue with security."

"The log files need to be improved; they need to show us more information because a lot of detail is lacking and that's not very helpful or insightful."

"File sharing permissions with Nextcloud integration need improvement."

"I can confidently say that Zimbra is good enough for 2,000 client users. But, at the same time, if my client needs more than that and we have two options—Zimbra or Microsoft—I'm going with Microsoft because many admins will speak to Microsoft's ability to handle that many."

"There are some security issues."

More Zimbra Collaboration cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"It was a part of the suite, so it was very cost-effective. There were no costs beyond the licensing fee."

"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."

"We pay yearly licenses for Zimbra Collaboration."

"There is an annual standard licensing fee to use Zimbra Collaboration and there is no other cost."

"The price of the solution is low."

"We are using perpetual licenses. We have deployed it in our local data center, and we buy perpetual licenses on a per-user basis."

"Zimbra Collaboration offers a good price-to-feature ratio."

"When it comes to the licensing of Zimbra Collaboration, my license covers the servers and I find its terms to be much simpler than those of Microsoft Exchange."

"I use Zimbra Collaboration's community version. We may move to the enterprise version since prices are affordable."

"We do not pay for licenses to use this solution."

More Zimbra Collaboration pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Comms Service Provider

14%

Computer Software Company

12%

Manufacturing Company

University

Outsourcing Company

11%

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Construction Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

No data available

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	19
Midsize Enterprise	3
Large Enterprise	7

Questions from the Community

Ask a question

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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...

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Comparisons

Microsoft Exchange vs OpenText GroupWise

Compared 17% of the time

Google Workspace vs OpenText GroupWise

Compared 15% of the time

Microsoft Exchange Online vs OpenText GroupWise

Compared 14% of the time

Amazon WorkMail vs OpenText GroupWise

Compared 12% of the time

Notify Technology NotifyLink vs OpenText GroupWise

Compared 4% of the time

More OpenText GroupWise Competitors

Microsoft Exchange vs Zimbra Collaboration

Compared 15% of the time

Google Workspace vs Zimbra Collaboration

Compared 13% of the time

IceWarp vs Zimbra Collaboration

Compared 11% of the time

Open-Xchange vs Zimbra Collaboration

Compared 10% of the time

Microsoft Exchange Online vs Zimbra Collaboration

Compared 9% of the time

More Zimbra Collaboration Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Email Applications

October 2026

Download OpenText GroupWise product report

Buyer's Guide

Zimbra Collaboration

October 2026

Download Zimbra Collaboration product report

Also Known As

Micro Focus GroupWise, GroupWise

No data available

Overview

OpenText GroupWise is a comprehensive business communication platform designed for messaging, calendaring, and document management. Known for robust security and reliability, it effectively supports enterprise-level communication needs.

Geared towards large organizations, OpenText GroupWise offers a stable and secure environment for handling emails, scheduling, and tasks. Its collaboration features allow seamless integration of communication tools, providing a unified approach to managing business processes. OpenText GroupWise's streamlined interface ensures ease of use and efficient navigation, making it a highly effective tool for efficient communication management.

What are the key features of OpenText GroupWise?

Email Management: Offers a comprehensive suite for managing emails efficiently.
Calendar Integration: Synchronizes scheduling and appointments to enhance time management.
Contact Management: Maintains and organizes contacts seamlessly.
Task Management: Facilitates task creation and tracking for optimized productivity.

What benefits do users gain from OpenText GroupWise?

Enhanced Security: Ensures data protection and secure communication.
Reliability: Provides a robust platform for uninterrupted operations.
Increased Productivity: Streamlines communication and task management.

OpenText GroupWise is widely implemented in industries like healthcare and finance, where secure communication is crucial. It integrates effectively to meet industry-specific compliance requirements, boosting efficiency and security in fast-paced environments.

OpenText

Zimbra Collaboration is a comprehensive tool for communication and collaboration, featuring easy account management and seamless integration capabilities with open-source customization. It's valued for premium functionalities like auto discovery and mobile synchronization, catering to small and medium-sized organizations.

Zimbra Collaboration provides essential features for business communication, including efficient account management via a centralized console and intuitive web interface. Designed for scalability and stability, it supports a range of functionalities from document sharing to video conferencing. Users benefit from its competitive pricing and open-source affordability. However, there's room for improvement in areas like backup, anti-spam, and mobile access, with a demand for better GUI, documentation, and language support. Zimbra's integration with third-party tools and strengthening video conferencing and storage management could enhance its appeal in various sectors.

What Are the Key Features of Zimbra Collaboration?

Centralized Console: Simplifies account management with an easy-to-use interface.
Open-Source Customization: Offers flexibility in adapting the platform to specific needs.
Seamless Integration: Allows smooth collaboration with existing tools and platforms.
Mobile Synchronization: Ensures access across devices for continuous productivity.
Anti-Spam Modules: Provides enhanced email security with built-in protections.

What Benefits Should Be Evaluated in Reviews?

Scalability: Grow with your organization's needs without compromising performance.
Affordability: Benefit from cost-effective features with competitive pricing.
Stability: Experience reliable and consistent performance across the platform.
Responsive Interface: Navigate effortlessly with a user-friendly design.

In industries like education and healthcare, Zimbra Collaboration implements effective email and collaboration solutions, offering robust security and seamless integration. It facilitates communication for organizations requiring reliable webmail support for numerous accounts, ensuring consistent performance and affordable scalability.

Zimbra

Sample Customers

Heritage Oaks Bank

NEC Biglobe, City of Ventura, Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, Hola Publishing, BIG, Sleepwell, LaFayette College, Xmission, DNA, Ring Line, Future Group, TIGC

Buyer's Guide

OpenText GroupWise vs. Zimbra Collaboration

November 2026

Free Report: OpenText GroupWise vs. Zimbra Collaboration

Find out what your peers are saying about OpenText GroupWise vs. Zimbra Collaboration and other solutions. Updated: November 2026.

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