Try our new research platform with insights from 80,000+ expert users

HCL Domino vs Microsoft Exchange Online comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary

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
Average Rating
7.8
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
21
Ranking in other categories
Rapid Application Development Software (19th)
Microsoft Exchange Online
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.5
Number of Reviews
89
Ranking in other categories
Email Applications (2nd)
 

Mindshare comparison

HCL Domino and Microsoft Exchange Online aren’t in the same category and serve different purposes. HCL Domino is designed for Rapid Application Development Software and holds a mindshare of 0.5%, up 0.5% compared to last year.
Microsoft Exchange Online, on the other hand, focuses on Email Applications, holds 14.1% mindshare, down 15.4% since last year.
Rapid Application Development Software
Email Applications
 

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.
Babatunde-Olugbode - PeerSpot reviewer
Offers good user interface and seamlessly integrates with other Microsoft services
I like its user interface. I don't struggle or face any challenges while using it. The design interface is simple. I haven't had any trouble managing it for a long time. Even if I encounter a challenge or two, I can always reach out to Microsoft for help. So, overall, it's been a very positive experience. Having everything under one account was valuable. I just had to go through cybersecurity for licensing and download everything. With one account, you can download Office and use Online features directly from your Exchange. There are security solutions in place, and we take customer data very seriously. For example, if I accidentally create a forwarding rule or send an email with an image attached, I get a notification immediately. Compliance-wise, it's quite good online. We can do many things. Even if I can't click on something or upload a specific file type, it'll still be stored for compliance or investigation purposes. So, subscribing to these features. The benefits are widespread and effective communication. We use Microsoft Teams for meetings within and outside our organization. Additionally, Teams can be used for chat, allowing us to track communication and see user activity. Those are the key points that have proven to be beneficial.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"Domino's dual functionality as both a messaging and application solution is a standout feature compared to Exchange, which solely focuses on messaging."
"This solution can be used for workflow application so that applications can be easily developed."
"I find the HCL Domino server scalable."
"The most valuable feature of HCL Domino is how robust it is."
"It serves as a centralized solution that fulfills all my requirements from operating my email server to managing various aspects of my operations."
"HCL Domino is an application development and collaboration platform with strong stability and security. Deployment of this platform is easy and takes only 10 minutes."
"They offer good support and provide a roadmap."
"The email system is the most valuable feature."
"I have found the interface to be user-friendly and the overall simplicity valuable features."
"The most valuable features of Microsoft Exchange Online are the frequent updates. They upgrade and optimize the features to make them better and better. They have a very strong ecosystem and they integrate together."
"One of my favourite features is the Microsoft Calendar, which we use for booking appointments, scheduling calls, and managing resource rooms and devices. The Online Mailbox feature is also crucial because it allows us to communicate effectively within and outside the organization, contributing to our business growth."
"It's pretty reliable. We haven't had any issues with it."
"The most valuable feature of Microsoft Exchange Online is its ease of use."
"The solution is easy to access, and you can bring your own device to access from anywhere."
"Microsoft Exchange Online is an easy-to-use solution."
"I like that Exchange Online is easy to use and that I do not need to maintain the previous Exchange Server. I also do not need to worry about the security of the Exchange Server. If there are any issues, then it will be the service provider's problem and not mine."
 

Cons

"The client version of this solution could be faster and be made simpler for non-IT users. You will need to have some knowledge of Notes to correctly install this solution."
"Scalability is also an issue. We have problems with large databases."
"From the Domino side, it should support DKIM and DMARC."
"The product's user interface is one of its shortcomings since it is outdated, making it an area for improvement."
"For me, the one thing missing is a really good reporting engine."
"Many people are not very happy with its speed."
"Its performance and integration could be better. It has capabilities for large deployment with several servers, but in the latest interface, running with different servers isn't supported."
"The solution is expensive."
"I would like to let new users know that there are challenges regarding user provisioning, HRMS and the AD. Also, the data migration integrity needs to be checked in terms of the old data."
"Cloud security is always a concern and the solution can always increase their security."
"I would like to have the option to have my electronic signature posted on my emails by default. I am able to add it manually but cannot get it by default."
"The solution should have more integration with other platforms."
"Improving the methods for inputting email signatures could be beneficial for the product."
"I would prefer an anti-malware functionality in at least the basic version."
"When we need to purchase additional licenses for additional users, the process is slow."
"There is an annual enterprise subscription could improve by having more features."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"We're happy with the price of our license — it's pretty standard."
"I'd rate it a seven out of ten in terms of price."
"It is less expensive compared to other vendors."
"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."
"Price is reasonable compared to the other solutions."
"We chose to pay for our licensing fees annually."
"Customers have to pay for a license for the Notes Client, not for the Domino database. There is a quarter license that we use."
"The price of Microsoft Exchange Online security could improve. The overall price of the solution is reasonable."
"There is a license required for the solution and it is paid annually."
"There is a license for Microsoft Exchange Online and I have information on that, but there have been so many changes to the licensing and it's a completely different story nowadays. Microsoft has been pushing users to buy a package of products under one license. Users are becoming more dependent on Microsoft rather than independent, that you can't decide anymore, and from my point of view, that is bad."
"The pricing for Microsoft Exchange Online is quite reasonable, in my opinion. Many licensing options are available so that we can choose based on the customer's needs. For example, if a customer only requires mailbox features, we can recommend Plan One or Plan 2. We can suggest an E3 or E5 license if they need the entire Office suite. There are also premium subscriptions for enterprise customers, offering additional security features. Overall, I don't find the pricing costly because Microsoft provides many features and security capabilities, making it reliable for all customers, depending on their requirements."
"Microsoft solutions are expensive."
"The pricing for this solution is good. We renew our contract every three years. I would rate the pricing for this solution a three out of five."
"The price of the license depends on a lot of factors, such as the number of licenses and company specifics."
"Microsoft Exchange Online is an affordable solution."
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Rapid Application Development Software solutions are best for your needs.
845,406 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
15%
Government
10%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Construction Company
7%
Computer Software Company
12%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Government
7%
Comms Service Provider
6%
 

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 do you like most about Microsoft Exchange Online?
The benefits are widespread and effective communication. We use Microsoft Teams for meetings within and outside our organization. Additionally, Teams can be used for chat, allowing us to track comm...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft Exchange Online?
The pricing for Microsoft Exchange Online is quite reasonable, in my opinion. Many licensing options are available so that we can choose based on the customer's needs. For example, if a customer on...
What needs improvement with Microsoft Exchange Online?
There are always improvements needed. My personal issue with using OfficeSuite and the Exchange Server is that one has to cobble together a whole bunch of different applications. Therefore, a lot o...
 

Also Known As

IBM Lotus Domino, Lotus Domino
Exchange Online, Exchange Online Plan 1, Exchange Online Plan 2, MS Exchange Online
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

A1 Telekom, Acubiz, Afrisam, E. A. Juffali & Brothers, Fiducia & GAD, and Pakistan State Oil
Bank Alfalah Ltd., Paderborn-Lippstadt Airport, Blue Star Infotech, Scitec Nutrition, Resolution Films, British Airways, Empire Cinemas, InnoGames
Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft, ServiceNow, OutSystems and others in Rapid Application Development Software. Updated: March 2025.
845,406 professionals have used our research since 2012.