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Microsoft Exchange vs OpenText GroupWise comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on May 21, 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

Microsoft Exchange
Ranking in Email Applications
3rd
Ranking in Wireless Email
2nd
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.6
Number of Reviews
95
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
OpenText GroupWise
Ranking in Email Applications
12th
Ranking in Wireless Email
3rd
Average Rating
9.0
Reviews Sentiment
7.8
Number of Reviews
3
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of February 2026, in the Email Applications category, the mindshare of Microsoft Exchange is 10.2%, down from 11.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of OpenText GroupWise is 2.0%, up from 1.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Email Applications Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Microsoft Exchange10.2%
OpenText GroupWise2.0%
Other87.8%
Email Applications
 

Featured Reviews

SJ
Manager IT Support at Naubahar Bottling Company (Pvt.) Ltd. Gujranwala Pakistan
Efficient email management with seamless integration
We previously used Microsoft Exchange but have moved to an MDN email solution due to cost and user growth Microsoft Exchange is a user-friendly and easy-to-deploy solution, which is beneficial for handling emails even without professional support. It is effective in managing email integration…
JN
Consulting Manager at Technical Consulting Resources
Great security, stability, versatility expandability and low cost of ownership
About the only thing I don't like about GroupWise is the lack of a modern Linux client. Micro Focus stop their development of the Linux Client a long time because there wasn't enough demand for it. Most other solutions do not have the Linux client. I would really like to see OpenText add a modern GroupWise Linux Client back. But until they do there is the Web Client to be used in a browser.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"Microsoft Exchange has good performance and is user-friendly."
"The most valuable feature of Microsoft Exchange is its ease of use."
"Scalability-wise, I rate the solution a ten out of ten."
"Microsoft Exchange's most valuable feature is that it's old-fashioned communication, meaning it's good for people who aren't able to work comfortably in a cloud environment."
"For me, the solution is very user-friendly. I've used it a long time and I know where everything is."
"The best features are that Exchange is very customer-friendly, its interface is self-explanatory, it doesn't hang, and it keeps evolving."
"Microsoft Exchange is stable."
"The interface is user-friendly."
"I like the ease of logging best in Micro Focus GroupWise. I also like its proxy capabilities from a user level. I also like how secure Micro Focus GroupWise is."
"Very secure with great storage capacity."
"The cost-effectiveness of the solution is most valuable."
 

Cons

"The solution is stable, but it could improve. It's crashing if there is a big mail database. The Zimbra solution is better in this area."
"Deployment should become a bit easier, the process is a bit complicated. You have to have done it one or two times before you get it right. The first time you do it, it won't be perfect. There are a lot of complications compared to Gmail For Business, which is a bit easier when it comes to configuration."
"They could offer simultaneous features for Exchange Online and on-premises versions. Specific features such as litigation hold and audit setups should be available on-premises."
"The biggest issue with Microsoft Exchange is its high cost, especially in pricing for license upgrades and expansion to more users."
"Exchange can be a little finicky, sometimes, or flakey. Last week, for example, I had gone into my calendar to check on some briefings that I had established, and then went back into my inbox, and suddenly the view had changed. I had no idea what it was that I had done, and I couldn't figure out how to get that view back. I took a productivity hit as a result of that, trying to fix it, due to the fact that it just wasn't what I wanted. It wasn't what I was used to working with. Two different tech support people had to work with me in order to get the view back to what I wanted just so I could be productive."
"I think it could be more scalable."
"Exchange took time to be deployed. It requires extensive configuration and setting up servers and managing internal network access."
"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."
"Their support can be improved. It is not as good as it used to be."
"The WebAccess feature is somewhat lacking and could be improved."
"What I don't like about Micro Focus GroupWise is the removal of the Unix client. Micro Focus took that function away about ten years ago because there wasn't enough demand for it."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"It's working very well. There is no problem, but the price is not the best."
"Its price is okay."
"It is not expensive."
"The price of Microsoft Exchange could improve. In Egypt, the price keeps increasing."
"Since my company is on Microsoft Cloud, we pay for the licenses per user. Compared to volume licensing, I would say the present licensing cost is not expensive."
"The platform has a reasonable price."
"Licensing costs for Microsoft Exchange have increased, but are still fair. For some users, the cost is high considering the number of functions and features they will use."
"There is an annual cost to use Microsoft Exchange, and the price could be less expensive."
"Micro Focus GroupWise is the most affordable solution on-premises. Versus Microsoft Exchange on-premises, pricing is 20:1, so there's no comparison. Micro Focus GroupWise is cheaper, though, for my clients, it's not about the cost but the stability and security of the solution."
"It was a part of the suite, so it was very cost-effective. There were no costs beyond the licensing fee."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
11%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Government
8%
Comms Service Provider
8%
Computer Software Company
19%
University
10%
Comms Service Provider
7%
Manufacturing Company
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business41
Midsize Enterprise28
Large Enterprise35
No data available
 

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...
What do you like most about Microsoft Exchange?
The initial setup was straightforward and fast.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft Exchange?
I am aware of pricing aspects, and I would say it is affordable for what it is.
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Also Known As

Exchange, MS Exchange
Micro Focus GroupWise, GroupWise
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Paderborn-Lippstadt Airport, Scitec Nutrition, British Airways, InnoGames, Osteology Foundation, Franz Haniel & Cie. GmbH, NTC Contracting
Heritage Oaks Bank
Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft Exchange vs. OpenText GroupWise and other solutions. Updated: February 2026.
881,733 professionals have used our research since 2012.