Microsoft 365 Business vs addy.io
In short: addy.io wins on privacy, addy.io wins on price, and Microsoft 365 Business wins on features. The full comparison is below, last checked 25 October 2026.
Microsoft 365 Business or addy.io: which should you choose?
- Microsoft 365 Business is the better pick if you want 50 GB of storage; the choice of any mail app over IMAP; and a calendar and contacts alongside your mail.
- addy.io is the better pick if you want a provider with no advertising business behind it; the lower price (About $1 a month, yearly); and a free plan before you pay anything.
| Feature | Microsoft 365 Business | addy.io |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 2.5 | 4.0 |
| Privacy | 1.0 | 3.5 |
| Price | 2.5 | 5.0 |
| Features | 5.0 | Not rated |
| Cheapest plan | Business Basic £5.40 per user a month, yearly, ex VAT | Lite About $1 a month, yearly |
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Storage | 50 GB | Forwards only |
| Your own domain | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| End-to-end encryption | No | No |
| Company based in | United States | United Kingdom |
| Your data is kept in | UK data centres for UK tenants (London, Cardiff, Durham) | EU |
| Founded | 2011 | 2018 |
| Free trial | One month free on some plans | Free plan |
| Funded by advertising | Yes, or its parent company is | No |
| Works in any mail app | ✓ IMAP and SMTP | No, its own apps only |
| Calendar and contacts | ✓ Yes | No |
| Aliases | Yes | Unlimited aliases |
| Open-source apps | No | ✓ Yes |
| Sign up without ID | No | ✓ Yes |
| White label | No | No |
| Reader offer | None | None |
| Last checked | 22 October 2026 | 25 October 2026 |
Want to add another? Open this in the compare tool.
The key differences
- Cheapest plans: Microsoft 365 Business Business Basic, £5.40 per user a month, yearly, ex VAT. addy.io Lite, About $1 a month, yearly.
- For free, Microsoft 365 Business gives you no free plan, and addy.io a free plan ().
- Microsoft 365 Business comes with 50 GB of storage and addy.io with no storage, as it forwards mail on.
- Data location: UK data centres for UK tenants (London, Cardiff, Durham) for Microsoft 365 Business, EU for addy.io.
- Microsoft 365 Business is based in the United States and addy.io in the United Kingdom, so different privacy laws apply.
- Microsoft 365 Business works in any mail app over IMAP, and addy.io only works in its own apps.
- Only Microsoft 365 Business is part of an advertising business.
- For extra addresses, Microsoft 365 Business has yes and addy.io has unlimited aliases.
Microsoft 365 Business and addy.io: your questions
Which is more private, Microsoft 365 Business or addy.io?
addy.io scores 3.5 out of 5 for privacy and Microsoft 365 Business 1. addy.io gives you a provider with no advertising business behind it, open-source apps and sign-up without ID.
Which is cheaper, Microsoft 365 Business or addy.io?
addy.io is cheaper. Its Lite plan is About $1 a month, yearly, against £5.40 per user a month, yearly, ex VAT for Microsoft 365 Business's Business Basic. addy.io also has a free plan. Check the renewal price before you pay, as some first-year prices go up.
Do Microsoft 365 Business and addy.io work with my own domain?
Yes, both do. Microsoft 365 Business: Yes. addy.io: Yes.
Where do Microsoft 365 Business and addy.io keep my email?
Microsoft 365 Business keeps it in the UK data centres for UK tenants (London, Cardiff, Durham). addy.io keeps it in the EU.
Do Microsoft 365 Business and addy.io work in other mail apps?
Microsoft 365 Business works in any mail app over IMAP. addy.io only works in its own apps.
Price changes and news
- 27 July 2026 Microsoft 365 Business: £5.40 (UK price change from 1 July 2026)
- 1 June 2026 Microsoft 365 Business: £4.90
The latest headlines: Microsoft 365 Business news · addy.io news.
Not sold on either? Try these
Microsoft 365 Business vs mailbox.org · addy.io vs mailbox.org · Microsoft 365 Business vs Posteo · addy.io vs Posteo · Microsoft 365 Business vs Proton Mail · addy.io vs Proton Mail
Switching between them
Moving to Microsoft 365 Business · Moving from Microsoft 365 Business. Or see all my switching guides.