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HCL Domino vs Oracle Application Express (APEX) comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 17, 2024

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 Domino
Ranking in Rapid Application Development Software
18th
Average Rating
7.8
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
21
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Oracle Application Express ...
Ranking in Rapid Application Development Software
4th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.1
Number of Reviews
59
Ranking in other categories
Development Platforms (3rd), Low-Code Development Platforms (3rd)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of March 2025, in the Rapid Application Development Software category, the mindshare of HCL Domino is 0.5%, down from 0.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Oracle Application Express (APEX) is 8.3%, down from 9.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Rapid Application Development Software
 

Featured Reviews

FrederickLim - PeerSpot reviewer
Provides mobile email systems with solid stability and easy deployment
The initial setup is easy. You need to sign up. It depends on the scope. It will take longer if there are more than one or more applications. The project usually includes infrastructure and deployment may take anywhere from one month to six months. I rate the initial setup an eight out of ten, where one is difficult and ten is easy.
Rodrigo-Mesquita - PeerSpot reviewer
Rapid application development empowers big projects in months
The ability to quickly develop applications without needing to code a lot is very valuable. It is very quick to create a page, and one can use AI to speed up software development. It is easy to learn. In my company, we could develop a very big application in a couple of months.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"Overall, I would rate HCL Domino as eight out of ten. I would recommend HCL Domino and Notes applications for small and medium-sized companies since it offers a good return on investment."
"It serves as a centralized solution that fulfills all my requirements from operating my email server to managing various aspects of my operations."
"The email system is the most valuable feature."
"We can scale it if we want to."
"One valuable feature of HCL Domino is its integration with other directories."
"This solution can be used for workflow application so that applications can be easily developed."
"It is an excellent solution."
"The pricing is excellent."
"With only a browser, it is very easy to develop in a web environment."
"I like how we can actively develop and customize APEX because it's on the same database."
"The product is fast."
"The database is super easy to use for creating tables."
"We set up the HTTP server and installed the Apex Xamarin DB using the Mark Hill SQL packages for an older version. That's the extent of our configuration."
"I like that Oracle Application Express (APEX) is powerful and attractive, allowing my organization to modernize forms within two months. I also found its PWA feature very powerful because you can produce substantial mobile applications."
"The virtual patching feature is valuable."
"The product's initial setup phase was straightforward."
 

Cons

"The solution is expensive."
"The speed of the Notes client is an area that could be improved."
"Recently, IBM sold the product to HCL. Since Pakistan and India have some problems on a domestic level, we were actually considering replacing it with Indian products from the organization. We're just facing some regulatory issues."
"HCL Domino could have a better interface."
"HCL Domino could improve by having integration with other solutions, such as Microsoft 365."
"From the Domino side, it should support DKIM and DMARC."
"Designing a new template could provide a refreshed visual experience for users without significant changes to the underlying functionality."
"The product's user interface is one of its shortcomings since it is outdated, making it an area for improvement."
"Source control could be stronger in Oracle Application Express (APEX). It needs some work."
"There is not a lot of Wiki help or in Google, but there is some."
"The solution could provide more AI functionalities or AI assistance."
"Oracle is more of a database-oriented solution and is not very flexible in app development."
"Reporting needs to be accessed via third party tools."
"Fixing bugs is difficult because of how the HTML code is generated. It is not always broadly compatible with browsers."
"The solution does not support the Linux platform."
"The user interface needs to be improved. It should be more user-friendly."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"My company's customers need to make monthly or yearly payments towards the license charges of the product."
"For 30 licenses, we pay $1,500 every year. It is not an expensive product."
"I'd rate it a seven out of ten in terms of price."
"HCL Domino is costly, but it still depends on how your organization views it price-wise."
"We pay annually for the use of this solution and it is only a standard fee."
"The license for Domino is yearly. The price is high."
"The pricing is subjective and contingent on the intended usage."
"HCL Domino has reasonable pricing. It's not expensive."
"APEX itslelf is a free product, but you will need to license peripheral components."
"I would rate it around an eight in terms of price, with one being low and ten being high."
"We have a full Oracle E-Business Suite license, and we use that license to develop applications. There's no license required for developing Oracle applications."
"The tool is free with the Oracle Database license."
"The solution is free if you are using on Oracle database."
"It is expensive in comparison to other products."
"The solution is moderately priced, where it is neither cheap nor expensive."
"Oracle Application Express (APEX) is free, so this is another magic of the solution. You just get charged for the database license, which I don't need."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
15%
Government
10%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Construction Company
7%
Educational Organization
32%
Government
9%
Computer Software Company
8%
Financial Services Firm
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about HCL Domino?
The most valuable features of the solution are security and integration.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for HCL Domino?
The Notes client is very expensive, costing around $105 per client. Overall, HCL Domino is a costly product.
What needs improvement with HCL Domino?
The speed of the Notes client is an area that could be improved. Many people are not very happy with its speed. Additionally, in-line editing of documents and a document viewer are functionalities ...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Oracle Application Express (APEX)?
Oracle APEX is part of our on-premises solution included in our agreement with Oracle E Business Suite, though I don't know the cost specifics. Power BI is licensed by the user.
What needs improvement with Oracle Application Express (APEX)?
The user interface needs to be improved. It should be more user-friendly.
 

Also Known As

IBM Lotus Domino, Lotus Domino
Oracle APEX
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

A1 Telekom, Acubiz, Afrisam, E. A. Juffali & Brothers, Fiducia & GAD, and Pakistan State Oil
Hepart AG, pharmasol, SATLOG, Collège Bois-de-Boulogne
Find out what your peers are saying about HCL Domino vs. Oracle Application Express (APEX) and other solutions. Updated: March 2025.
842,296 professionals have used our research since 2012.