IceWarp vs KerioConnect comparison

IceWarp and GFI are both solutions in the Email Applications category. IceWarp is ranked #9 with an average rating of 9.0, while GFI is ranked #8 with an average rating of 10.0. IceWarp holds a 4.6% mindshare in EA, compared to GFI’s 3.4% mindshare. Additionally, 90% of IceWarp users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 62% of GFI users who would recommend it.

IceWarp

Read 17 IceWarp reviews

2,748 Views
1,814 Comparison Views

90% willing to recommend

KerioConnect

Read 11 KerioConnect reviews

2,176 Views
1,697 Comparison Views

62% willing to recommend

IceWarp

KerioConnect

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Executive SummaryUpdated on May 21, 2025

IceWarp and KerioConnect are competing in the email and collaboration software space. While IceWarp has the upper hand in pricing and deployment, KerioConnect is seen as a more complete solution due to its robust features.

Features: IceWarp is known for its suite that offers document management, chat, and video conferencing. It supports Outlook Sync important for email synchronization, and provides good communication capabilities for team chatting and web conferences. IceWarp's applications are designed to be easy for many users. KerioConnect stands out with strong security features like anti-spam and antivirus, supports ActiveSync, and can be installed on-premise for secure, private communication. It integrates with Microsoft Office and Apple devices, offering a smart router for efficient use.

Room for Improvement: IceWarp could enhance its document collaboration tools, as its Word, Excel, and PowerPoint features lag behind Microsoft and Google. It also needs to simplify its deployment process and extend archiving capabilities beyond emails. KerioConnect could improve by offering more advanced collaboration features, expanding on cloud integration, and simplifying its setup for non-technical users. Enhancements in its management interface would also be beneficial.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: KerioConnect offers an easy, straightforward deployment process backed by strong customer support, making it simple for new implementations. IceWarp, while offering a range of support options, presents a more complex deployment, which might require more time and expertise to implement effectively.

Pricing and ROI: IceWarp is attractive for its competitive pricing and long-term ROI, resulting from its cost-effective, all-in-one suite. KerioConnect, despite requiring a higher initial investment, provides value through its reliable email and security capabilities, leading to a strong ROI for those seeking a secure, stable mail server.

To learn more, read our detailed IceWarp vs. KerioConnect Report (Updated: August 2026).

Buyer's Guide

IceWarp vs. KerioConnect

August 2026

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Helped 908,877 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

IceWarp

Ranking in Email Applications

9th

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

7.0

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

KerioConnect

Ranking in Email Applications

8th

Average Rating

7.2

Reviews Sentiment

7.3

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Email Archiving (7th)

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2026, in the Email Applications category, the mindshare of IceWarp is 4.6%, down from 5.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of KerioConnect is 3.4%, down from 4.6% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Email Applications Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
KerioConnect	3.4%
IceWarp	4.6%
Other	92.0%

Email Applications

Featured Reviews

AvinashLotke

Delivery Head at Team Computers

Useful for collaboration and storage but improvement is needed in API integration

The solution has traditional SSL integration, SAML, and Federation Services. In its latest version, it added SAML integration. However, it needs to work on API integration, especially for dashboards or integration with SAP for log and data system management. It doesn't yet have the kind of API that Google and Microsoft provide for synchronizing users with Active Directory. I think IceWarp needs to improve in a few areas. They have two types of admin consoles - a web-based one and a remote one. I'd like to see these combined into a single web-based admin console. The log reading and information system also needs improvement. The current way of showing incoming and outgoing logs isn't very clear. For new users, it's hard to understand these logs, especially compared to Office 365 and other systems with easier-to-read logs. They should also add an export option to get all logs with a single click whenever we need them.

Read full review

Marcelino Mongcal

Senior Systems Tech/Admin at Samco Software Inc.

A seamless setup ensures smooth communication with comprehensive support

We remain a partner with Sophos and use XG S Firewalls without AWS implementation. We only use Sophos endpoint and Sophos Central. We host some clients on-premise while others we host remotely. The VPN connection is easy and proprietary, so it's not open to any other VPN clients. Communication with other mail servers is seamless. It can communicate with Gmail and Outlook without issues, provided the DNS settings are correct. We monitor our servers and security logs, implementing GeoIP blocking. We frequently block China and India IPs due to brute force attacks on our servers. We have extensive experience with KerioConnect. Backing up and maintaining it is straightforward compared to Microsoft Exchange, making it administrator-friendly. On a scale of 1-10, this solution rates an 8.

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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

"It has great communication capabilities for team chatting and web conferences."

"The TeamChat feature has been really good for our email management. It lets us collaborate, share files, and invite guests like Google Spaces or Microsoft Teams. I like the two-factor authentication for security. However, they need to improve their document collaboration tools, as their Word, Excel, and PowerPoint features are basic compared to Microsoft and Google."

"IceWarp offers very extended cross-platform communication solutions."

"If you have a small to medium business and you require a professional collaboration server that focuses on the main services of emails and calendar scheduling, I recommend IceWarp."

"The solution has a very good log-in to the UI when compared to other solutions."

"An effective, functional, very good tool for controlling resources at a low cost."

"The product is used very extensively in my company since we have around 1,500 users using it. Also, there is no requirement for any administrators to manage the product by the people who own the solution."

"It's scalable and stable."

More IceWarp pros

"As long as the operating is stable, the Kerio connect will be very stable as well, so we don't have any problem with it."

"The most valuable features are security and privacy because you installed it on your server, within your company premises, not in the cloud."

"The solution is easy to maintain, unlike Exchange. It's easy to create multiple domains and back up and restore if needed. It also has good security features like anti-spam and antivirus."

"Kerio Connect is secure, flexible, and easy to control from the user interface."

"The user interface is good."

"We have contacted technical support a handful of times and received some assistance."

"This solution is our SMB alternative to Exchange, installed for more than forty SMB customers in a Linux environment with all of the collaboration features."

"Backing up and maintaining it is straightforward compared to Microsoft Exchange, making it administrator-friendly."

More KerioConnect pros

Cons

"Customer service is not always helpful."

"Our customers sometimes have problems receiving mail."

"The tool's configuration capabilities are not straightforward. Apart from that, if I want to archive emails into a vault so that they can be retrieved again later, the integration doesn't work, and IceWarp crashes."

"Although the documentation is extensive and in depth, you must familiarize yourself with it before taking full advantage of the product."

"Although it is not a tool, video conferencing should be scalable and operate in a professional and efficient way."

"Support is not good and it is challenging to receive a timely response."

"The solution has traditional SSL integration, SAML, and Federation Services. In its latest version, it added SAML integration. However, it needs to work on API integration, especially for dashboards or integration with SAP for log and data system management. It doesn't yet have the kind of API that Google and Microsoft provide for synchronizing users with Active Directory."

"There are some feature improvements possible the way we use it as a hosting provider, but for most we currently have workarounds."

More IceWarp cons

"It could be simpler to use and install, but I still wouldn't use it because there isn't a compelling use case."

"Most of our clients use Outlook and Kerio Connect. Occasionally, Kerio can be a bit slow."

"We are considering switching to Microsoft Exchange. One reason is that it doesn't improve our workflow and doesn't integrate well with Microsoft 365 applications."

"The solution could improve the redundancy because we only have one copy of the Kerio Connect server on our hardware. The next step for us is to move to the cloud and if Kerio does not have a cloud version available they should release one"

"This is just a cost, it's not something that's driving our business forward; it's just foundational."

"KerioConnect is stable as long as you use a strong password."

"You cannot integrate with other services like Google Docs, Google Assistant, Google Calendar, etc."

"The search and archiving documentation capabilities need to be stronger."

More KerioConnect cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Costs far less than other solutions."

"The license is based on the number of users."

"Pricing and licensing is very competitive and in some cases, cheap."

"Price-wise, it's a cheaper solution, without a doubt. Price is the reason we are still using the tool."

"It is definitely one of the lowest price solutions."

"There are various licensing plans available based on geographic zone."

"Our licensing is on a yearly basis. There were no additional costs."

"The solution is priced well."

More IceWarp pricing and cost advice

"The pricing is about $3 per mailbox per month."

"KerioConnect has a first-time cost and yearly subscription. It is not expensive."

"The solution's pricing depends on how long you plan to keep it because you pay on a per-year basis. You might have a one-time setup cost for something like Microsoft Exchange or a Linux mail server. I'd say this solution is expensive on a per-year basis, almost 2000-3000 dollars annually. It doesn't seem to pay off yet, so we're considering switching to another product."

"The price of Kerio Connect is better when comparing it to others solutions."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Comms Service Provider

13%

Manufacturing Company

12%

Computer Software Company

Outsourcing Company

Comms Service Provider

14%

Manufacturing Company

11%

Construction Company

Retailer

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	12
Midsize Enterprise	4
Large Enterprise	5

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	10
Midsize Enterprise	2

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for IceWarp?

IceWarp was very cost-effective, offering services at a significantly lower cost than Google, which was appealing for our organization.

See all answers

What needs improvement with IceWarp?

The solution needs improvements in security, particularly regarding document management. Users currently have the rights to delete smart documents, which poses a challenge for administrators. A mor...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for IceWarp?

We managed approximately one thousand user accounts with IceWarp for company communications. We utilized features such as smart attachments and document solutions. Our setup was primarily on-premis...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for KerioConnect?

The pricing is very easy to understand. As a partner, we have a monitoring system that informs us when subscriptions expire, allowing us to handle renewals. The pricing is very competitive.

See all answers

What needs improvement with KerioConnect?

Since KerioConnect is a setup and go solution, everything works on its own. The only administrative tasks required are keeping it up to date, monitoring security logs, and ensuring protection from ...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for KerioConnect?

Small medium-sized businesses are our primary focus, particularly in warehouse distribution and retail sectors. We are a reseller and purchase directly from Sophos.

See all answers

Comparisons

Google Workspace vs IceWarp

Compared 9% of the time

Microsoft Exchange Online vs IceWarp

Compared 8% of the time

Zimbra Collaboration vs IceWarp

Compared 7% of the time

Barracuda Email Security Gateway vs IceWarp

Compared 7% of the time

Fortra's Clearswift Secure Email Gateway vs IceWarp

Compared 5% of the time

More IceWarp Competitors

Microsoft Exchange vs KerioConnect

Compared 16% of the time

Zimbra Collaboration vs KerioConnect

Compared 11% of the time

Open-Xchange vs KerioConnect

Compared 9% of the time

Proofpoint Intelligent Compliance Platform vs KerioConnect

Compared 7% of the time

ProtonMail vs KerioConnect

Compared 7% of the time

More KerioConnect Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

IceWarp

August 2026

Download IceWarp product report

Buyer's Guide

KerioConnect

August 2026

Download KerioConnect product report

Overview

IceWarp is a comprehensive communication platform featuring email server capabilities, cross-platform communication, conferencing, and collaboration to enhance team productivity.

Effective for managing substantial user accounts, IceWarp combines a unified interface with features such as chat rooms and file-sharing to optimize email communications and collaboration on both on-premises and cloud setups. Integrated with platforms like AWS and Outlook, its flexible plans cater to diverse storage needs, particularly in regions where space management is critical. IceWarp's strengths lie in TeamChat for enhanced email management, task assignment, and security via two-factor authentication with significant benefits in cost savings and smart document management.

What are IceWarp's most important features?

Email Server Capabilities: Provides reliable, secure email services.
Cross-platform Communication: Facilitates seamless interaction across devices.
Unified Interface: Offers a cohesive platform for chat rooms and file-sharing.
Outlook Sync: Ensures seamless integration with Outlook for convenient access.
TeamChat: Enhances email management and adds task assignment features.
Conferencing: Enables effective collaboration through audio and video conferencing.

What benefits and ROI should users look for?

Cost Savings: Reduces expenses with streamlined communication tools.
Ease of Management: Simplifies administration with a unified interface.
Enhanced Collaboration: Improves teamwork with real-time document sharing.
Security: Offers two-factor authentication for added data protection.

In industries like customer service and communications, IceWarp is often implemented to handle large-scale email management and collaboration. Its ability to integrate well with on-premises and cloud infrastructures, including major platforms like AWS and Outlook, makes it suitable for organizations with diverse storage requirements. Companies utilize IceWarp's conferencing and file-sharing capabilities to enhance remote communications and collaboration.

IceWarp

KerioConnect delivers easy-to-use and secure email, calendar, and collaboration tools compatible with Office, Apple, and ActiveSync. Cost-effective and flexible, it suits on-premise installations, especially for SMBs seeking privacy and security.

KerioConnect offers a comprehensive email server experience with minimal resource needs and effective spam filtering. Compatible across platforms, it supports Outlook, enabling organizations to manage corporate communications efficiently. Its ability to host multiple domains makes it suitable for sectors like warehouse distribution and retail, with installation options that enhance security and privacy. However, faster Outlook integration, improved MS Teams and CRM system integration, and AI functionalities are sought after by users. Some demand a cloud version, Linux support, and better documentation. Still, KerioConnect remains a reliable choice for those needing on-premise capabilities.

What are KerioConnect's Key Features?

Ease of Use: Simplified interface for seamless navigation.
Robust Security: Advanced protection measures to safeguard data.
Spam Filtering: Efficiently reduces unwanted emails.
Platform Compatibility: Integrates with Office, Apple, and ActiveSync.
Log Analysis: Offers detailed insights for server management.
Multiple Domain Support: Manages diverse domains with ease.

What Benefits Should Users Expect?

Cost Efficiency: Lowers operational costs compared to alternatives.
Resource Minimization: Requires minimal system resources.
Deployment Flexibility: Allows tailored on-premise installations.
Enhanced Security: Provides privacy through internal hosting options.
Reliable Support: Access to reseller services from Sophos.

KerioConnect is widely utilized in SMBs across sectors like retail and warehouse distribution for its capability to handle multiple domains and integrate with Outlook for communication management. Resellers offer it as a dependable on-site email management solution, letting businesses maintain oversight and security control.

GFI

Sample Customers

Marriott, Toyota, Sony, Wendy's, Canon

Southern Tier Brewing Company, Innotta, Baustoff + Metall, Hamifleurs, Chanson TV, Ryman Stationery

Buyer's Guide

IceWarp vs. KerioConnect

August 2026

Free Report: IceWarp vs. KerioConnect

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