Zoho Mail vs Microsoft 365 Business
In short: Zoho Mail wins on privacy, Zoho Mail wins on price, and Microsoft 365 Business wins on features. The full comparison is below, last checked 22 October 2026.
Zoho Mail or Microsoft 365 Business: which should you choose?
- Zoho Mail suits you best if you want a provider with no advertising business behind it; to pay less: $1 per user a month, yearly; and a free plan to start on.
- Microsoft 365 Business suits you best if you want more space for your mail: 50 GB.
| Feature | Zoho Mail | Microsoft 365 Business |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 3.0 | 2.5 |
| Privacy | 1.5 | 1.0 |
| Price | 5.0 | 2.5 |
| Features | 4.5 | 5.0 |
| Cheapest plan | Mail Lite $1 per user a month, yearly | Business Basic £5.40 per user a month, yearly, ex VAT |
| Free plan | Yes, up to 5 users, 5 GB, own domain | No |
| Storage | 5 GB | 50 GB |
| Your own domain | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| End-to-end encryption | No | No |
| Company based in | India | United States |
| Your data is kept in | EU (Amsterdam, Dublin); UK data centre announced for 2026, not confirmed live | UK data centres for UK tenants (London, Cardiff, Durham) |
| Founded | 2008 | 2011 |
| Free trial | 15 days free, and a free plan for small teams | One month free on some plans |
| Funded by advertising | No | Yes, or its parent company is |
| Works in any mail app | ✓ IMAP and SMTP | ✓ IMAP and SMTP |
| Calendar and contacts | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Aliases | Yes | Yes |
| Open-source apps | No | No |
| Sign up without ID | No | No |
| White label | Unknown | No |
| Reader offer | None | None |
| Last checked | 22 October 2026 | 22 October 2026 |
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The key differences
- Zoho Mail's cheapest plan is Mail Lite ($1 per user a month, yearly); Microsoft 365 Business's is Business Basic (£5.40 per user a month, yearly, ex VAT).
- For free, Zoho Mail gives you a free plan (up to 5 users, 5 GB, own domain), and Microsoft 365 Business no free plan.
- Zoho Mail comes with 5 GB of storage and Microsoft 365 Business with 50 GB of storage.
- Zoho Mail keeps your mail in the EU (Amsterdam, Dublin); UK data centre announced for 2026, not confirmed live, while Microsoft 365 Business keeps it in the UK data centres for UK tenants (London, Cardiff, Durham).
- Zoho Mail is based in India and Microsoft 365 Business in the United States, so different privacy laws apply.
- Only Microsoft 365 Business is part of an advertising business.
Questions people ask
Which is more private, Zoho Mail or Microsoft 365 Business?
Zoho Mail scores 1.5 out of 5 for privacy and Microsoft 365 Business 1. Zoho Mail gives you a provider with no advertising business behind it.
Which is cheaper, Zoho Mail or Microsoft 365 Business?
Zoho Mail is cheaper. Its Mail Lite plan is $1 per user a month, yearly, against £5.40 per user a month, yearly, ex VAT for Microsoft 365 Business's Business Basic. Zoho Mail also has a free plan. Check the renewal price before you pay, as some first-year prices go up.
Do Zoho Mail and Microsoft 365 Business work with my own domain?
Yes, both do. Zoho Mail: Yes. Microsoft 365 Business: Yes.
Where do Zoho Mail and Microsoft 365 Business keep my email?
Zoho Mail keeps it in the EU (Amsterdam, Dublin); UK data centre announced for 2026, not confirmed live. Microsoft 365 Business keeps it in the UK data centres for UK tenants (London, Cardiff, Durham).
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: Zoho Mail news · Microsoft 365 Business news.
Also worth a look
- mailbox.org4.5 out of 5 overall
- Proton Mail for Business4.0 out of 5 overall
- Tuta Business4.0 out of 5 overall
Zoho Mail vs mailbox.org · Microsoft 365 Business vs mailbox.org · Zoho Mail vs Proton Mail for Business · Microsoft 365 Business vs Proton Mail for Business · Zoho Mail vs Tuta Business · Microsoft 365 Business vs Tuta Business
Switching between them
Ready to move? My step-by-step guides cover your mail, contacts, forwarding and your own domain: Zoho Mail to Microsoft 365 Business · Microsoft 365 Business to Zoho Mail.