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.
| Product | Mindshare (%) |
|---|---|
| Zimbra Collaboration | 6.7% |
| Google Workspace | 14.3% |
| Microsoft Exchange Online | 9.0% |
| Other | 70.0% |
| Type | Title | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Category | Email Applications | Jun 23, 2026 | Download |
| Product | Reviews, tips, and advice from real users | Jun 23, 2026 | Download |
| Comparison | Zimbra Collaboration vs Google Workspace | Jun 23, 2026 | Download |
| Comparison | Zimbra Collaboration vs Microsoft Exchange Online | Jun 23, 2026 | Download |
| Comparison | Zimbra Collaboration vs Microsoft Exchange | Jun 23, 2026 | Download |
| Title | Rating | Mindshare | Recommending | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google Workspace | 4.1 | 14.3% | 95% | 106 interviewsAdd to research |
| Microsoft Exchange Online | 4.3 | 9.0% | 96% | 93 interviewsAdd to research |
| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 17 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 3 |
| Large Enterprise | 5 |
| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 133 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 73 |
| Large Enterprise | 89 |
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?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.
| Author info | Rating | Review Summary |
|---|---|---|
| CTO at Molecular Connections Private Limited | 4.0 | I find Zimbra Collaboration's web interface to be good, but its administration tasks are cumbersome due to lacking documentation and interface features. The main advantage is security improvements, although Carbonio offers better administration and support. |
| Business Analyst and Associate Project Manager at SAMI Pharmaceuticals | 4.5 | We use Zimbra Collaboration because it's affordable and open-source, offering security and expert support. While its customizable features are valuable, we face occasional monthly downtime and suggest enhancements, particularly in email functionality. We've reached 70% ROI. |
| Senior Solution Sale at Noventiq | 4.0 | We use Zimbra Collaboration for email and file storage, but it needs push email functionality and improved online meeting features to compete with platforms like Office 365 Teams. We switched from another product to return to on-premise systems. |
| Manager assistant at a energy/utilities company with 10,001+ employees | 4.0 | I find Zimbra Collaboration's web access feature to be the most valuable. However, there's room for improvement in its multi-cloud capabilities. I haven't previously used or considered other solutions, and there's no specific information about ROI or deployment preferences. |
| System and Network Engineer at ADEX TECHNOLOGY | 4.0 | I use Zimbra Collaboration for support and integration solutions. It has effective features for video calls and is available as a desktop and mobile application, but requires frequent patch installations that can introduce instabilities due to inadequate testing. |
| Senior Services Manager at NextCom Systems Inc | 4.0 | I find Zimbra Collaboration's compatibility with Microsoft's ActiveSync protocol valuable for using Outlook on Windows or MacOS. However, it lacks a security feature for mobile device administrators, which I hope will be included in future releases. |
| Head of Studies at a university with 11-50 employees | 4.0 | I primarily use Zimbra Collaboration for emails and meeting requests. It is easy to use, implement, and scale. However, we've faced security issues and are evaluating if MS Exchange might be a better alternative. |
| VS at Netplay Inc | 4.0 | I've used this reliable, easy-to-set-up email solution for years. It's good for basic SMB needs, though minor bugs and performance could improve. Overall, I recommend it, especially with free community support. |
| IT Manager at a energy/utilities company with 51-200 employees | 4.5 | I value Zimbra Collaboration's sharing features. However, video conferencing needs improvement, and its Admin NG module is concerning for confidentiality. Licensing is expensive and unclear. Despite these, I rate it 9/10. |
| General Manager Sales BFSI at Kyndryl | 4.0 | I find Zimbra Collaboration a stable, scalable email solution with good functionality and easy setup. However, its roadmap, interface, and SSO integration need improvement. Despite this, I rate it an eight out of ten. |
Zimbra Collaboration has a good web interface.
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 solution’s forums don't have much information or documentation on administration tasks. Open-Xchange has a much better administration interface.
I have been using Zimbra Collaboration for seven years.
We haven’t faced any issues with the solution’s stability.
The solution is easy to scale.
I have previously used Carbonio. Carbonio has a better administration interface and support than Zimbra Collaboration.
My team deploys the solution fairly quickly. The solution's deployment doesn't take more than a week. We've done multiple domains, and it usually doesn't take much time. We run business continuity scenarios, which also span days.
The biggest profit from using Zimbra Collaboration is the security improvements.
The solution is competitively priced.
I would recommend the solution to other users.
Overall, I rate the solution an eight out of ten.
Zimbra is a cheap and open-source tool. It provides security, which is crucial for user authentication and authorization. It also offers robust support options, including access to expert assistance.
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.
Some issues cause the solution not to function correctly or to cause downtime once a month.
New features could be implemented, or areas could be enhanced, such as the email feature.
I have been using Zimbra Collaboration for five years.
Deployment can take up to a few weeks, depending on the organization, first solution, and migration.
We've achieved 70% ROI.
The pricing of this tool varies depending on factors such as the number of mailboxes and the client's usage. As a distributor, the organization provides discounts based on the configuration of mailboxes, especially for clients with higher mailbox quantities. You can also negotiate with the vendor, which can further impact the cost for the client. Generally, the larger the usage scale, the more cost-effective the pricing is. While pricing details may vary from client to client, it appears that Zimbra offers flexibility in pricing based on individual client needs and usage levels.
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.
We use the product for sending and receiving emails and sending and storing files in mobile storage.
They could provide a push email functionality for the enterprise version. We utilize SMTP to send emails to basic users for office usage. They could introduce a similar functionality for mobile usage as well.
They should enhance its online meeting features, particularly in comparison to robust platforms like Microsoft Office 365 Teams.
We have been using Zimbra Collaboration for two years.
We can upgrade the storage capacity as per requirements. The platform remains fine, but there is an occasional need to check emails on mobile devices during non-office hours.
We have used another product before. We switched to Zimbra Collaboration as we decided to go back to on-premise systems.
It takes an hour and a half to complete the configuration. We have to log in to the company, and the suite runs automatically by creating a user profile.
We pay yearly licenses for Zimbra Collaboration.
We use the product for sending and receiving emails. The collaboration functionality within Zimbra Enterprise serves as a localized alternative to cloud-based platforms like OneDrive, functioning within our local system infrastructure.
It has significantly enhanced our organization's internal and external communications, catering to a user base of 8,200 individuals.
The most valuable feature of Zimbra for our team's productivity is its efficiency in handling email communication. The platform excels in sending and receiving emails with large file attachments within the local system, ensuring a remarkably fast process surpassing online solutions' performance. Furthermore, integrating Zimbra's calendar and email features has significantly impacted our scheduling and task management.
However, it could be a more reliable product. We are still encountering downtime. It is affected by various factors, including the team's expertise in managing the platform due to issues arising from upgrades and documentation handling.
I rate it a nine out of ten.
The tool should improve its multi-cloud feature.
I have been working with the solution for more than ten years.
I rate the tool's scalability a nine out of ten.
We need to develop our internal capabilities to support Zimbra Collaboration. We take support from the community.
Zimbra Collaboration's installation was easy. The difficult part was to obtain experience with Linux OS.
I use Zimbra Collaboration's community version. We may move to the enterprise version since prices are affordable.
I rate the product an eight out of ten.
Zimbra Collaboration is a good tool for video calls. It is also a good desktop application and mobile application, while Zimbra's two-factor authentication is not so good. The mobile application of Zimbra has features allowing it to be used in Zimbra Drive while also providing features for video calls.
There is a lot of patch installation needed in Zimbra Collaboration, and sometimes using the new patches, we end up finding some other vulnerabilities. The new patches are, at times, not so good, so we don't install them, causing the tool to be not so stable overall. Seemingly, the new patches are not tested before Zimbra releases them.
I have been using Zimbra Collaboration for four years. My company is a vendor and reseller of Zimbra.
Stability-wise, I rate the solution a seven out of ten.
Scalability-wise, I rate the solution a five out of ten. For simple installation and use, Zimbra Collaboration is okay. In Zimbra Collaboration, there is a specific configuration for which we should have experience with CLI and system administration. One has to study more details of the product.
There are 200 users of Zimbra Collaboration in my company.
I rate the technical support a six out of ten because the support sometimes doesn't respond quickly. The agents offering support are not really familiar with complicated and complex problems.
Neutral
Zimbra Collaboration's initial setup phase was easy. For some architectures, you should be a good technician, and you should be able to study the architecture of Zimbra to know what you install.
On a scale of one to ten, where one is difficult, and ten is easy, I rate the setup phase a six.
I work at companies using Zimbra and offer support for Zimbra. I use Zimbras' on-premises and cloud versions.
The time taken to deploy Zimbra Collaboration depends on an organization's architecture and its complexity. To deploy it on only one simple server, we need two or three hours. When you have a complicated architecture, deployment can take a few days.
We can use one person to deploy Zimbra Collaboration for a complex architecture, but when you want to speed up the process and do the deployment faster, we can use two or three people. The number of people for deployment depends on an organization and its architecture.
When compared with Google or Office 365, Zimbra Collaboration's price is much cheaper.
On a scale of one to ten, where one is cheap, and ten is expensive, I rate the price a four.
Zimbra Collaboration is a good solution for messaging and collaboration. When compared with Google or Office 365, Zimbra Collaboration is a good solution since it has a lot of extra features that can be used, which I don't know yet.
If you want a solution just for messaging, collaboration, sharing of Zimbra Drive or files, and something else, you can use Zimbra Collaboration. Zimbra is cheap, and you get the basic functionalities and features. When you use Office 365, you have all the applications from the suite of Microsoft Office, including Microsoft Teams and some other features. If you use Google Workspace platform, you get to use many extra features. Zimbra Collaboration can be useful for messaging and its collaboration capabilities.
Overall, I rate the solution an eight out of ten.
Zimbra Collaboration's best feature is its compatibility with Microsoft's ActiveSync protocol, which allows users to use Outlook on Windows or MacOS.
In the next release, Zimbra Collaboration should include a security feature to allow access for mobile device administrators.
I've been using Zimbra Collaboration for about three years.
I would rate Zimbra Collaboration's stability eight out of ten.
I would rate Zimbra Collaboration's scalability eight out of ten.
The initial setup was straightforward.
Zimbra Collaboration offers a good price-to-feature ratio.
I would give Zimbra Collaboration a rating of eight out of ten.
I primarily use the solution for sending and receiving emails and meeting requests.
It is very easy to use.
The solution is easy to implement.
The solution can scale.
We have had an issue with security. We had attacks in the summer, which is why we didn't buy the latest update. The security is bad. I'm not sure if it was on Zimbra's end or the firewall's or human error.
I've been using the solution for five years.
We have had issues with stability.
We have about 200 people on the solution right now. The scalability of the solution is fine.
The initial setup is not complex. It is very easy to deploy.
I'm not sure how many people were involved in the deployment process.
I'm not sure of the exact cost of the solution. However, my understanding is that it is not too expensive. I'm not sure if there are any extra fees.
We have been evaluating Zimbra and MS Exchange. We wanted to know if MS Exchange was better than Zimbra.
While I'm not sure of the exact version we're using, it is not the latest version.
We may be switching to MS Exchange. Our department head would like to switch. However, our IT team doesn't want another project at this time.
I'd rate the solution eight out of ten overall.
We typically use the solution for our email and collaboration. It’s nothing much. It’s just the basic functionality that we are leveraging.
The subscription base in terms of their support, unlike before, now has a community addition. Now, everything is free.
It's just easy to use and straightforward. For an SMB, it is a recommendable email solution.
The product is easy to set up.
It’s a stable solution.
It does have a few bugs. However, they are small and can be worked around.
The performance could be better in terms of handling multiple domains.
I’ve used the solution for three to five years at this point. I’ve used it for a while now. It’s been a long time.
The stability has been great. There are some bugs that can be fixed with minor workarounds. It doesn’t crash or freeze. It’s reliable. I like the performance, however, of course, it could be better.
We have about 150 users on the solution currently.
We do not really plan to increase usage as we are trying to reduce it due to the pandemic. We really need to trim it down, actually.
We haven’t needed support, although in the community version, there is a community you can reach to for help. The community has been responsive so far.
The solution is easy to set up. It’s not overly complicated.
The installation process only takes an hour. It’s pretty fast.
Deployment and maintenance only require two people. There’s an engineer and a systems admin.
We have an integrator that assists us.
There is now a community addition that is free to use.
We are using an older version of the solution.
I’d rate the solution eight out of ten.
I would recommend the solution to others, especially if they happen to be an SMB.
Zimbra Collaboration is mainly used for messaging, emails, calendars, video conferencing, and document sharing.
Zimbra Collaboration's sharing features are most valuable.
Zimbra Collaboration's video conferencing could be improved. Their documentation is also mainly in English, and it would be useful to have it available in other languages. There's also a problem with the new Admin NG module, which makes it possible for the administrator to access users' mail on their system, which is particularly problematic for organizations with confidentiality requirements. This feature cannot be removed, though you can choose whether or not to activate it. In the next release, Zimbra Collaboration should make all the features from their previous web interface available on their new one.
I've been using Zimbra Collaboration since 2011.
Zimbra Collaboration's stability is generally ok, but it depends on the version number, especially if you're early in that version. For example, there were some issues with high numbers of sessions and infrastructure requirements in the early days of version eight.
Zimbra Collaboration's architecture is ok for scalability if you do the multi-node deployment. However, there's a problem with the high availability of mailbox servers, which isn't very good.
The initial setup isn't very complex.
Zimbra Collaboration is expensive, and there is no perpetual license option. Also, their licensing model is unclear, making it difficult to evaluate the value of the solution before buying.
Zimbra's community is very helpful when you need information. I would rate Zimbra Collaboration nine out of ten.
Zimbra Collaboration is a plain mailing solution across our organization and with our partners.
The most valuable feature of Zimbra Collaboration is email functionality.
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 have been using Zimbra Collaboration for approximately seven years.
Zimbra Collaboration is a stable solution.
There were 5,000 users using Zimbra Collaboration.
The scalability of Zimbra Collaboration is good.
I have contacted support for some incidents.
I have not used another similar solution to Zimbra Collaboration.
The initial installation of Zimbra Collaboration was straightforward.
The deployment of Zimbra Collaboration was done in-house. The solution does not require any maintenance.
There is an annual standard licensing fee to use Zimbra Collaboration and there is no other cost.
I rate Zimbra Collaboration an eight out of ten.
