Microsoft Exchange vs Zimbra Collaboration comparison

Microsoft and Zimbra are both solutions in the Email Applications category. Microsoft is ranked #3 with an average rating of 8.4, while Zimbra is ranked #5 with an average rating of 8.0. Microsoft holds a 11.3% mindshare in EA, compared to Zimbra’s 9.2% mindshare. Additionally, 92% of Microsoft users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 96% of Zimbra users who would recommend it.

Microsoft Exchange

Read 89 Microsoft Exchange reviews

3,748 Views
3,240 Comparison Views

92% willing to recommend

Zimbra Collaboration

Read 29 Zimbra Collaboration reviews

3,542 Views
2,702 Comparison Views

96% willing to recommend

Microsoft Exchange

Zimbra Collaboration

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Jan 12, 2025

Zimbra Collaboration and Microsoft Exchange are competing products in the enterprise email and collaboration market. Microsoft Exchange appears to have an edge due to its robust features, while Zimbra Collaboration offers competitive pricing and advantages in support.

Features: Zimbra Collaboration is recognized for its open-source flexibility, which allows extensive customization. It integrates communication tools like email, chat, video, and voice calls, enhancing team collaboration. Additionally, Zimbra is highly compatible with third-party applications, making it versatile for diverse environments. Microsoft Exchange offers a comprehensive suite of productivity features, ensuring excellent email management and scheduling. Advanced security protocols protect user data, and its seamless integration with other Microsoft services enhances productivity with tools like SharePoint and Microsoft Teams.

Room for Improvement: Zimbra Collaboration could improve its built-in security modules, which are less powerful compared to dedicated solutions. Its two-factor authentication features could be refined for enhanced security. Additionally, Zimbra can work on increasing awareness among potential enterprise customers. Microsoft Exchange has a complex licensing model that might be streamlined. It also has a steeper learning curve for new users. Enhanced customization options for unique business processes could further improve Exchange.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Zimbra Collaboration provides a straightforward deployment process with support options emphasizing quick response times, beneficial for small to mid-sized businesses. Microsoft Exchange offers a more complex deployment process but provides extensive documentation and premium support services, which can be particularly advantageous for large enterprises needing robust support systems.

Pricing and ROI: Zimbra Collaboration offers a lower setup cost, making it attractive to organizations with limited budgets while providing reliable email and collaboration tools. Its cost-effectiveness suits small to medium businesses seeking essential functionalities. Microsoft Exchange, with its higher initial costs, justifies its pricing with a strong ROI from advanced functionalities and a comprehensive feature set that appeals to businesses focusing on long-term value and extensive integrations.

To learn more, read our detailed Microsoft Exchange vs. Zimbra Collaboration Report (Updated: January 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Exchange vs. Zimbra Collaboration

January 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

Ranking in Email Applications

3rd

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

7.1

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Wireless Email (1st), File Archiving (3rd)

Zimbra Collaboration

Ranking in Email Applications

5th

Average Rating

8.0

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2025, in the Email Applications category, the mindshare of Microsoft Exchange is 11.3%, down from 13.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Zimbra Collaboration is 9.2%, down from 11.6% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Email Applications

Featured Reviews

Hesham Hussain

Head Of Infrastructure at ValU

A good solution for large enterprises, but is expensive when compared to other solutions

Regarding the decision of increasing the number of users, it depends on the organization's choice, whether to opt for CapEx or OpEx. Both options involve expenses over the years. Building an in-house Exchange solution requires investing in hardware, storage, connectivity, and administrative resources. Office 365 shifts the budget solely to OpEx as a subscription service. Scalability is another factor. Starting a new company favors Office 365 due to cost efficiency. As the organization grows, the choice depends on available resources and technical expertise. An internal Exchange setup is feasible with skilled engineers, while Office 365 suits those lacking in-house resources.

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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

"Exchange is easy to use. It also has a built-in calendar for all the stuff I'm supposed to be looking at and doing. Exchange tells you if you have a doctor's appointment or a scheduled call. It also has a place to store and manage your contacts. If I want to add a new contact, it will put in information about that contact stored anywhere within the Microsoft Suite."

"We've been using Exchange as an email platform. Our clients require multi-country, multi-regional email collaboration with controlled mail flow. The most valuable feature is the capability of message tracking and the protection of user data."

"For me, the solution is very user-friendly. I've used it a long time and I know where everything is."

"The initial setup is very simple."

"It is easy to use and we can allow many users because now our users are scattered They over a wide area. We can use it from anywhere. That is the main benefit for us."

"The most valuable features of Microsoft Exchange are its ease of use, and simplicity of communication, and we can track communications between teams."

"It's a very user-friendly application. The mail server is also valuable when compared to other services like SquirrelMail."

"Microsoft Exchange is highly stable for the end-user systems. When we move to Office 365, it will be even more stable even. There's less administration required and it's very robust. We are really quite happy in using that."

More Microsoft Exchange pros

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

"Zimbra Collaboration's best feature is its compatibility with Microsoft's ActiveSync protocol, which allows users to use Outlook on Windows or MacOS."

"The configuration is simple."

"Zimbra Collaboration has a good web interface."

"Network NG Modules are valuable to us."

"The web interface is powerful and easy to use."

"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 most valuable feature is sending messages as well as text and documents. It's a big solution for us since internal communication is a must in our organization."

More Zimbra Collaboration pros

Cons

"More AI features would be good."

"The management of .pst files and archiving need improvement."

"It's not always the finest solution in terms of integration with products that are not from Microsoft. It integrates very well with Microsoft products but not with third-party products."

"From a security point of view, Microsoft should enhance the new features. Technical support could also be better."

"In terms of Microsoft Exchange, I think maybe what can be done is to make it more user-friendly."

"The cost could be cheaper."

"There are limitations in terms of the number of emails that can be sent in a minute, which makes it a little difficult for the marketing folks."

"They keep making all these changes, and our system was down for four or five days. They finally got it up, but there are still lots of quirks."

More Microsoft Exchange cons

"There are some security issues."

"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."

"Zimbra Collaboration does not have a solution roadmap as aggressive as the new collaboration mail solutions. Additionally, they can have a better interface and integration with single sign-on."

"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."

"The installation is not straightforward, it can take two days for the full implementation."

"They should enhance its online meeting features."

"The product must be more customizable."

"In the next release, Zimbra Collaboration should include a security feature to allow access for mobile device administrators."

More Zimbra Collaboration cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The pricing is expensive."

"I don't have enough information about the licensing costs of Microsoft Exchange, but I do know that you need two types of licenses to run it. You need the product key and the client access key to activate Microsoft Exchange. This means that apart from the standard Microsoft Exchange licensing fees, you have to pay additional costs."

"I rate Microsoft Exchange a four out of ten for pricing because it is quite cheap, and many companies use the solution."

"They are flexible when it comes to pricing, unlike most of the other vendors I have dealt with."

"I rate Microsoft Exchange's pricing a six out of ten."

"There is an annual cost to use Microsoft Exchange, and the price could be less expensive."

"Its price is okay."

"Microsoft's licensing structure is too complex, but its prices are affordable, though not cheap."

More Microsoft Exchange pricing and cost advice

"The solution is competitively priced."

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

"We pay yearly licenses for Zimbra Collaboration."

"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."

"If you choose the network edition, it is a little pricier. They have the open-source edition too which is only community supported."

"It's very expensive. When we compare the cost with Google Workspace, it's so expensive."

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

"The price of the solution is low."

More Zimbra Collaboration pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

15%

Government

11%

Financial Services Firm

Comms Service Provider

Computer Software Company

19%

Government

Comms Service Provider

Financial Services Firm

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

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 Microsoft Exchange?

The initial setup was straightforward and fast.

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft Exchange?

The licensing and pricing are quite costly, which can demotivate customers from opting for features and upgrades. However, the solution provides value for money if one is well-acquainted with Excha...

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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.

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

The solution is competitively priced.

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What needs improvement with Zimbra Collaboration?

When it comes to administration tasks like configuring specific filters or group signatures, I have to dig into the configuration since there's nothing in the graphical or web interface. The soluti...

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Comparisons

KerioConnect vs Microsoft Exchange

Compared 17% of the time

HCL Domino vs Microsoft Exchange

Compared 12% of the time

Open-Xchange vs Microsoft Exchange

Compared 12% of the time

IceWarp vs Microsoft Exchange

Compared 8% of the time

HCL Notes vs Microsoft Exchange

Compared 7% of the time

More Microsoft Exchange Competitors

Open-Xchange vs Zimbra Collaboration

Compared 21% of the time

KerioConnect vs Zimbra Collaboration

Compared 14% of the time

IceWarp vs Zimbra Collaboration

Compared 9% of the time

Google Workspace vs Zimbra Collaboration

Compared 7% of the time

Microsoft Exchange Online vs Zimbra Collaboration

Compared 6% of the time

More Zimbra Collaboration Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Exchange

January 2025

Download Microsoft Exchange product report

Buyer's Guide

Zimbra Collaboration

December 2024

Download Zimbra Collaboration product report

Also Known As

Exchange, MS Exchange

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Learn More

Microsoft

Zimbra

Overview

Built to deliver the enterprise-grade security and reliability that businesses require, Microsoft Exchange provides email, calendar and contacts on your PC, phone and web browser.

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

Sample Customers

Paderborn-Lippstadt Airport, Scitec Nutrition, British Airways, InnoGames, Osteology Foundation, Franz Haniel & Cie. GmbH, NTC Contracting

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

Microsoft Exchange vs. Zimbra Collaboration

January 2025

Free Report: Microsoft Exchange vs. Zimbra Collaboration

Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft Exchange vs. Zimbra Collaboration and other solutions. Updated: January 2025.

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