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HCL Sametime vs Webex comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Feb 3, 2025

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 Sametime
Ranking in Virtual Meetings
19th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.5
Number of Reviews
5
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Webex
Ranking in Virtual Meetings
2nd
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
7.2
Number of Reviews
124
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2025, in the Virtual Meetings category, the mindshare of HCL Sametime is 0.3%, down from 0.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Webex is 18.4%, up from 15.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Virtual Meetings
 

Featured Reviews

Bogdan Chechlowski - PeerSpot reviewer
Stable product, communicate very fast and allows to see who's online in the office or work environment
It was used for communication through text messages, primarily Being able to see who was online and communicate very fast was a good feature.  The security was quite good. However, when we tried to implement it for email at a high level, we had to use another solution, FortiMail Gateway. I view…
AlexandruCioruta - PeerSpot reviewer
Used to conduct online third-party client meetings or third-party vendor meetings
The solution's video conferencing quality is good, and I rate it a nine out of ten. The solution's security features are end-to-end encrypted, and I rate them ten out of ten. The version we're using requires no technical team for deployment and maintenance. The solution has an enterprise version, but we're not currently using it. I would recommend the solution to other users because it has good video conference quality. I mostly leverage the solution for third-party client meetings or third-party vendor meetings. Overall, I rate the solution a nine out of ten.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"I can view the status and availability of colleagues or team members, which makes it easy to approach them when they are available."
"The security was quite good."
"They have a feature called Call Me in which I need to type in my phone number and I can get a conference room to call my number rather than needing to dial in every time. I think that's a quite good feature."
"Integrates well with other Cisco solutions."
"One of the most valuable features of WebEx is that it's very quick for ad hoc meetings, and I use it all day, every day, for internal chat with my team. It's just a good platform."
"Screen share is the most valuable feature."
"Seamless integration with Microsoft Outlook."
"Webex is a thin client and we like the interface. It is easy to use."
"A valuable feature of Webex is that it's useful for virtual meetings and similar webinars."
"The most valuable aspect of this solution is that it is the easiest for participants to get connected to."
 

Cons

"The webinar should be integrated into Sametime for a larger number of participants."
"It lacks some features compared to modern solutions. For example, it doesn't allow sending screenshots or other files."
"Webex could be improved by having a password-protected system. I don't remember there being any passwords for the meetings, but, presently, Zoom has meeting protection."
"The solution can improve by adding a smaller version for small business usage or for personal use. The solution is geared towards larger companies and enterprises."
"It would be great if they had a directory that you could consult for the meeting dial-in numbers."
"The interface of Webex should be improved and it is difficult to find information."
"The scalability and voice quality attached to the solution are areas of concern where improvements are required."
"There are too many issues with getting people connected to meetings."
"I do not like the solutions functions."
"When it was just two people trying to conference, it was easier. But now I see there are times when many people have to be on the call at the same time. That's definitely something that Webex can help with."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

Information not available
"For me, there is no licensing fee."
"The price of Webex is in the middle range compared to the market."
"The price of the license depends a lot on the type of service required and whether it is for the entire company or only for a few users."
"I am not aware of the pricing details."
"This is an expensive product compared to Teams and it should be cheaper."
"There are no licensing fees."
"We purchase the product's yearly license. It is expensive."
"There is an annual license required for this solution."
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845,406 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
No data available
Educational Organization
81%
Computer Software Company
4%
Government
3%
Financial Services Firm
3%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

What needs improvement with HCL Sametime?
I view it as part of HCL Notes and Domino, and my opinion is similar to those products. It lacks some features compared to modern solutions. For example, it doesn't allow sending screenshots or oth...
What is your primary use case for HCL Sametime?
It was used for communication through text messages, primarily.
What advice do you have for others considering HCL Sametime?
Overall, it was quite good. I would rate it an eight out of ten. It's a better product than some others from HCL, but overall, I wouldn't recommend it, given the availability of superior alternatives.
What do you like most about Webex?
Webex improved our overall team collaboration.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Webex?
The tool is expensive. It costs approximately $6000 per year. The vendor must work on the pricing. $3500 to $4500 would be more reasonable. Webex is much more expensive than the other brands.
What needs improvement with Webex?
The solution's initial setup process is lengthy. The tool takes a bit of time to download. When you are at the tail end of starting up a meeting, installing Webex will delay you.
 

Comparisons

No data available
 

Also Known As

Lotus Sametime, IBM Lotus Sametime
Cisco Spark
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Connect2Cloud, Superior Group, Daifuku Co. Ltd., Seaward, The City of Fort Worth, Christian Brothers Services, Berlitz, Deutsche Notes User Group, Danske Fysioterapeuter, Slumberland, La Vacanza, Rheinmetall AG
Seagate Technology, Kohn Pedersen Fox, World Vision International, Glen Raven, University of Notre Dame, CEV Multimedia, The Food Group, LUMEDX, California Baptist University, and Georgetown University Law Center.
Find out what your peers are saying about HCL Sametime vs. Webex and other solutions. Updated: March 2025.
845,406 professionals have used our research since 2012.