Google Workspace vs Zimbra Collaboration comparison

Google and Zimbra are both solutions in the Email Applications category. Google is ranked #1 with an average rating of 8.1, while Zimbra is ranked #6 with an average rating of 8.0. Google holds a 16.0% mindshare in EA, compared to Zimbra’s 7.1% mindshare. Additionally, 95% of Google users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 96% of Zimbra users who would recommend it.

Google Workspace

Read 105 Google Workspace reviews

6,815 Views
4,702 Comparison Views

95% willing to recommend

Zimbra Collaboration

Read 28 Zimbra Collaboration reviews

2,273 Views
2,159 Comparison Views

96% willing to recommend

Google Workspace

Zimbra Collaboration

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Jan 25, 2026

Zimbra Collaboration and Google Workspace vie in the email and collaboration tools category. Google Workspace holds an edge due to its extensive features and strong integration within Google's ecosystem.

Features: Zimbra Collaboration provides a centralized interface for managing email, calendars, and tasks, emphasizing security and flexibility. It integrates anti-spam and antivirus tools and offers LDAP and Active Directory compatibility. Google Workspace offers an array of applications like Docs, Sheets, and Slides, focusing on real-time collaboration and broad accessibility, alongside excellent email, calendar, and file-sharing capabilities.

Room for Improvement: Zimbra Collaboration could enhance its mobile application features and upgrade its two-factor authentication. Its interface might benefit from modernization to compete with newer solutions. More robust security modules could strengthen data protection. Google Workspace, while feature-rich, faces challenges in pricing competitiveness for smaller businesses. Its initial learning curve can be steeper for users unfamiliar with cloud-based services. Additional offline capabilities could also improve user flexibility.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Zimbra Collaboration supports on-premises deployment, providing substantial data control and security management options. It offers a straightforward setup that can be controlled via a web-based interface or CLI for flexibility in server management. Google Workspace, as a cloud-based platform, simplifies deployment with a streamlined setup process. It integrates customer service support within its cloud offerings, aiding users in implementation and ongoing operations.

Pricing and ROI: Zimbra Collaboration's cost efficiency appeals to budget-conscious organizations, minimizing initial setup expenses. Its open-source nature offers customization advantages without extensive investment. Google Workspace, despite higher costs, provides comprehensive tools fostering significant productivity gains and potential long-term ROI. Its broad integration scope justifies the investment for businesses seeking expansive collaboration and operations functionalities.

To learn more, read our detailed Google Workspace vs. Zimbra Collaboration Report (Updated: December 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Google Workspace vs. Zimbra Collaboration

December 2025

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Helped 881,227 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

Google Workspace

Ranking in Email Applications

1st

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

6.7

Number of Reviews

105

Ranking in other categories

Wireless Email (1st), Cloud Storage (8th), Content Collaboration Platforms (2nd)

Zimbra Collaboration

Ranking in Email Applications

6th

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

7.3

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2026, in the Email Applications category, the mindshare of Google Workspace is 16.0%, down from 23.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Zimbra Collaboration is 7.1%, down from 9.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Email Applications Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Google Workspace	16.0%
Zimbra Collaboration	7.1%
Other	76.9%

Email Applications

Featured Reviews

AnnaRomagnuolo

Assosiate Professor at Palazzo del Mediterraneo

Collaborative work with students has improved but storage limitations and support issues remain

We have Google Workspace, and we use it primarily for Drive to collect items. We categorize folders with topics and material either for students or for research. We use Google Doc to share documents, especially when we assign homework to be corrected for peer correction or classroom correction. With Teams and Microsoft, we use it for collective calls and exam supervision because we use video surveillance through camera with Teams. We use Teams for meetings and to share material with students. The ability to share documents with students and assign them things and correct them in real time has been beneficial. You can verify what they write, and they can contribute and cooperate to create a collective document, which is something that our society nowadays requires. The ability to cooperate, especially those who work with languages and those who work with writing, need to learn how to cooperate. There is co-editing and co-writing, all these sorts of things. I love the fact that I can easily have access to folders that I can categorize and where I can upload research material and teaching material.

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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.

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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 solution helps us to collaborate."

"The collaboration features are valuable."

"Users can work anywhere with an internet connection."

"We find Google Drive and mail useful for our services."

"The document sharing in which multiple people can work on the same document. To go along with that is the archiving of documents. If you mess up a document, it's easy to go get a previous version."

"We value the collaboration levels that are offered. Having everything integrated in a single platform is a dream come true for us."

"The solution is very stable."

"Easy-to-build forms are allowing me to get feedback and information from my internal teams as well as from the customers very efficiently with the result data in structured manner."

More Google Workspace pros

"A lot of other products like Microsoft Exchange offer email or collaboration features, but they are not as fast as Zimbra."

"Zimbra Collaboration's sharing features are most valuable."

"Zimbra Collaboration is light to manage. It works on the Linux operating system, which is far better to manage than Microsoft Windows. Microsoft Exchange works only on the Windows server. We prefer working on the Linux server for security reasons and ease of management. Zimbra Collaboration also has some integrated tools for security. It some modules to fight malware. These modules are not very powerful but are still doing a great job. Microsoft Exchange doesn't have a basic module. You have to purchase a security solution and add it to the solution. The cost of Zimbra Collaboration is one more reason for liking it. It is also very simple to migrate from Zimbra Collaboration to another email solution."

"It has all collaboration features, such as document sharing, video conferencing, chatting, task sharing, and calendar sharing."

"The solution is easy to implement."

"The logs, troubleshooting, and tracking we have found to be the most valuable features. We have any issues with lost messages the features are useful. It is very easy to track and log."

"The most valuable feature of Zimbra Collaboration is email functionality."

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

More Zimbra Collaboration pros

Cons

"Less customizations than there used to be."

"Google Mail's spam filter needs improvement. If I'm sending mail to another email user, sometimes it goes to the spam folder, and they won't know unless they check because they aren't seeing it in the primary inbox. They may miss important emails. At the same time, I'm receiving spam that shouldn't go to my inbox."

"What needs improvement in Google Workspace is the Google Drive app, in particular, making the process of finding the shared and most used files and folders easier. The first time you get an invite to view a file or folder in Google Drive and you view that folder or file, it's pretty easy, but the next time you try to access it again, sometimes, it's a bit difficult to find what was shared with you. An additional feature I'd like to see in Google Workspace is the option to un-send messages in Gmail. Microsoft has a message recall feature, and this isn't available in Gmail, so it's the feature I'd like to be added to Gmail."

"The solution is not user-friendly and it doesn't integrate that well with Microsoft Office, which is one of the bigger business apps on the market, compared to Google Sheets and applications of that sort."

"The product could improve the number of participants allowed in a meeting and the strength of the meetings."

"I would rate the stability a five out of ten."

"Scalability is not as good as we would like."

"Integration with Microsoft Outlook could be improved."

More Google Workspace cons

"Zimbra should provide a desktop client. Right now, we are using a web browser for accessing our emails. There should also be a desktop client."

"The solution’s forums don't have much information or documentation on administration tasks."

"The support was lacking in my experience. However, recently the support I received was good. Perhaps they have improved."

"It would be great if a group chat feature were created to allow for a team environment."

"Zimbra Collaboration could improve the migration from a basic solution to a more containerized solution. For example, the installation should be able to extend to the containers and manage them with some solution, such as OpenShift or Kubernetes."

"They should enhance its online meeting features."

"The product must be more customizable."

"The tool should improve its multi-cloud feature."

More Zimbra Collaboration cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The pricing is very high, although I cannot tell if this is the result of the Indian vendors artificially inflating it."

"Pricing is something concerning. We find the solution very expensive."

"The pricing is a bit on the higher side than normal. For a basic Google account it costs $100, but Enterprise is %150."

"There are benefits that can provide a competitive advantage, e.g., improved productivity (with appropriate training), increased collaboration (with correct use of tools), flexible working - work from home or remote locations, easy to scale - fast onboarding of new employees, and ability to add and remove licenses, as required."

"The main challenge regarding startups with identity services is you could be on a platform that works well but the services are expensive. For example, Microsoft Azure costs approximately $30 per user which is expensive. You end up choosing a different platform, such as G Suite Enterprise because it is priced reasonably and is less expensive than other solutions."

"The solution is expensive."

"I can't recall the exact pricing per user for Google Workspace, but I know it's not that expensive. I'm in a mid-sized company that's able to maintain and afford Google Workspace, so it has competitive pricing, and I would rate its price as four out of five."

"Approximately $6 per user, per month."

More Google Workspace pricing and cost advice

"Zimbra Collaboration is less expensive than Microsoft Exchange. Zimbra works for small companies because it is not expensive. Zimbra Collaboration has more security tools than Microsoft Exchange. If you are choosing between Zimbra Collaboration and Microsoft Exchange, you have to take into account the cost of security tools with Microsoft Exchange. When you purchase Microsoft Exchange, you will also have to purchase tools for security, which adds to the cost. The migration from Zimbra Collaboration to another email solution is very simple and easy. Migration from Microsoft Exchange to another email solution is very difficult. Microsoft doesn't allow migration that easily. In fact, you have to pay for tools to do that. You have to buy some expensive tools to migrate."

"Zimbra Collaboration is expensive, and there is no perpetual license option."

"The solution is not expensive compared to other products."

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

"The solution is competitively priced."

"We pay yearly licenses for Zimbra Collaboration."

"The price of the solution is low."

"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

Educational Organization

10%

Computer Software Company

Manufacturing Company

Comms Service Provider

Computer Software Company

12%

Comms Service Provider

10%

Government

Manufacturing Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	64
Midsize Enterprise	14
Large Enterprise	27

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

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Google Workspace?

Easy-to-build forms are allowing me to get feedback and information from my internal teams as well as from the customers very efficiently with the result data in structured manner.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Google Workspace?

The pricing for Google Workspace is moderate. I would rate it a five out of ten, indicating it is neither cheap nor expensive. The current cost is approximately seven to ten euros per user per mont...

See all answers

What needs improvement with Google Workspace?

The only inconvenience is the fact that you have limited storage. After a while, you have to buy a surplus. It is not intuitive with Teams. It is hard to find categories and folders in Teams. I do ...

See all answers

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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What do you like most about Zimbra Collaboration?

The most valuable feature of Zimbra for our team's productivity is its efficiency in handling email communication.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Zimbra Collaboration?

The solution is competitively priced.

See all answers

Comparisons

Office 365 vs Google Workspace

Compared 24% of the time

Amazon WorkMail vs Google Workspace

Compared 19% of the time

Microsoft Exchange Online vs Google Workspace

Compared 13% of the time

ProtonMail vs Google Workspace

Compared 8% of the time

Amazon WorkDocs vs Google Workspace

Compared 2% of the time

More Google Workspace Competitors

Open-Xchange vs Zimbra Collaboration

Compared 22% of the time

Microsoft Exchange vs Zimbra Collaboration

Compared 21% of the time

KerioConnect vs Zimbra Collaboration

Compared 11% of the time

Microsoft Exchange Online vs Zimbra Collaboration

Compared 10% of the time

IceWarp vs Zimbra Collaboration

Compared 7% of the time

More Zimbra Collaboration Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Google Workspace

January 2026

Download Google Workspace product report

Buyer's Guide

Zimbra Collaboration

January 2026

Download Zimbra Collaboration product report

Also Known As

G-Suite Enterprise, G-Suite, Google Apps for Business, G Suite Basic, G Suite Business, G-Suite Basic, G-Suite Business, Google Vault

No data available

Overview

Similar to G Suite, all Google Workspace plans provide a custom email for your business and include collaboration tools like Gmail, Calendar, Meet, Chat, Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms, Sites, and more.

As we’ve evolved G Suite into a more integrated experience across our communication and collaboration tools, we’ve rebranded to Google Workspace to more accurately represent the product vision.

Google

Zimbra Collaboration provides administrators and their end users innovative features that solve the challenges faced by organizations using today's legacy communications infrastructure.

Zimbra

Sample Customers

There are over five million businesses that use Google Apps for Business worldwide. Some key customers include The Roche Group, National Geographic, American Red Cross, City of Los Angeles, Flight Centre, and Konica Minolta.

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

Google Workspace vs. Zimbra Collaboration

December 2025

Free Report: Google Workspace vs. Zimbra Collaboration

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