4 Best Hosted Exchange Servers for Business (2024): Microsoft Outlook

Hosted Exchange Servers

Understanding the difference between Microsoft Office 365 and hosted Exchange servers can be tough to nail perfectly at first — even though it can significantly impact how you communicate with friends, family, colleagues, and customers.

Microsoft Outlook is one of the most used mail clients for businesses and organizations, with a growing number choosing to use Exchange servers that are set up separately from the free-for-all Office 365 environment to enjoy added control and stability.

The popularity of Exchange servers isn’t just because of Microsoft brand recognition; the reliability of the service, as well as many included productivity and collaboration tools, makes it ideal for business. For many businesses, it’s most cost-efficient to purchase Exchange hosting space from a trusted and reliable provider rather than configuring and maintaining its own dedicated server resources.

Microsoft Hosted Exchange Server Reviews

Because Microsoft Outlook Exchange is so widely used, there are many hosted Exchange options from which to choose. HostingAdvice.com has looked at the spectrum of competitors providing hosted Exchange, and we’ve used our expertise in servers and business-class hosting solutions to narrow down the top providers.

Our recommendations for servers to provide Microsoft Exchange are based on reliability, support, security, file sharing, and other key aspects that make up the hosted Exchange experience.

1. 1&1 IONOS – Microsoft Hosted Exchange Server

Providing full support for Microsoft Exchange, 1&1 IONOS is a web hosting service that works well for beginners and experienced users alike. The hosted Exchange service is offered as a separate service or upgrade from the company’s standard email system.

All 1&1 IONOS email services are secure, encrypted, and protected against spam and viruses. With competitive pricing, 1&1 IONOS has the full package for hosted Exchange without any hassle of setup and maintenance.

IONOS.com

1&1 IONOS review

Monthly Starting Price $1.00

  • Business email with a personal consultant
  • Choice of IONOS mail, Microsoft 365, or Google Workspace mailboxes
  • FREE domain or transfer included
  • Create up to 500 email accounts
  • Premium tools for email marketing available
  • Get started on 1&1 IONOS now.
EMAIL
RATING
★★★★★ 4.9 Our Review»
1&1 IONOS: Our Expert’s Review

Alexandra Anderson (HostingAdvice.com): If the budget factor is on your mind when searching for a web host, rest easy. 1&1 IONOS has a wide range of packages, including reduced rates for the first few months (or year) and starter plans for all of their web hosting and website building services. Go to full review »

Money Back Guarantee Disk Space Domain Name Setup Time
30 days 10 GB – Unlimited FREE (1 year) 4 minutes

2. GoDaddy – Microsoft Office 365 Server

One of the foremost names in domain and email hosting, GoDaddy also offers hosted Exchange services. All packages have the necessary features to make email communication easy and secure — including antivirus protection and spam filtering.

Users of GoDaddy’s Microsoft Outlook-based service can access their emails from any computer or device connected to the internet without having to install special software on each one. Additionally, robust online storage space keeps all contacts saved in case your local files are lost due to an accident or virus attack.

GoDaddy.com

GoDaddy review

Monthly Starting Price $6.99

  • Professional email solutions on your domain
  • Microsoft Outlook and Office 365 available
  • World-class data security and spam filtering
  • HIPAA-compliance features with premium plans
  • 99.9% uptime guaranteed
  • Get started on GoDaddy now.
EMAIL
RATING
★★★★★ 4.6 Our Review»
GoDaddy: Our Expert’s Review

Ryan Frankel (HostingAdvice.com): Arguably the most noteworthy name in domain and email hosting, GoDaddy touts premium, affordable email and productivity solutions for personal use and businesses of all sizes. Whether you just need a couple gigs of email storage or a robust hosted email server with Office 365, GoDaddy has you covered. Go to full review »

Money Back Guarantee Disk Space Domain Name Setup Time
30 days 25 GB – 100 GB FREE (1 year) 4 minutes

3. DreamHost – Microsoft Hosted Exchange Server

Predominantly known for its WordPress hosting expertise, DreamHost also supports Microsoft Exchange servers for email communication. All you need is to set up a few DNS records, for which the web host’s knowledge base provides clear instructions.

DreamHost gives customers massive inboxes that come with 25 GB of storage, along with top-tier spam, virus, and phishing filters. Add in the company’s industry-leading 97-day money-back guarantee, and you can safely trust DreamHost with your Exchange server email needs.

DreamHost.com

DreamHost review

Monthly Starting Price $2.59

  • Automated malware scans
  • Unlimited domain hosting
  • Unlimited email accounts with POP/IMAP/SMTP
  • FREE eCommerce store tools and PCI compliance
  • Streamlined proprietary control panel
  • Get started on DreamHost now.
EMAIL
RATING
★★★★★ 4.8 Our Review»
DreamHost: Our Expert’s Review

Laura Bernheim (HostingAdvice.com): While DreamHost’s price might be a little steep compared to other high-value hosting providers, the company gives customers ample time and reasons to get hooked and stick around. The company, which started in the founders’ dorm room in 1997, offers an industry-leading 97-day money-back guarantee. Go to full review »

Money Back Guarantee Disk Space Domain Name Setup Time
97 days Unlimited FREE (1 year) 4 minutes

4. Liquid Web – Microsoft Hosted Exchange Server

As one of the titans of worry-free managed hosting, Liquid Web offers top-notch support for hosted exchange services. All plans include powerful features such as mobile device access, shared calendars, global address lists, and Outlook integration.

Secure communication between users of Liquid Web’s service is assured through military-grade encryption technology — making it one of the most secure solutions around when handling sensitive data via email or other messaging protocols.

LiquidWeb.com

Liquid Web Review

Monthly Starting Price $14.70

  • Heroic Support® and fully managed hosting
  • Linux or Windows options with cPanel, InterWorx, or Plesk
  • Industry leader in customer loyalty and NPS score
  • Servers proven faster than AWS and Rackspace
  • 100% uptime guarantee plus built-in backups
  • Get started on Liquid Web now.
BEST OVERALL
RATING
★★★★★ 4.8 Our Review»
Liquid Web: Our Expert’s Review

Alexandra Anderson (HostingAdvice.com): We’ve gotten to know a few key members of the Liquid Web team personally, and let us tell you: The passion they put into talking about their products hints that this is a company worth checking out. Liquid Web boasts supreme uptime, always-there-for-you support, and a constant commitment to building out more functionality for the customer. Go to full review »

Money Back Guarantee Disk Space Domain Name Setup Time
30 days 40 GB SSD – 200 GB SSD New or Transfer 7 minutes

What is the Difference Between Hosted Exchange and Microsoft 365?

One of the main differences between the two is that Microsoft 365 includes more than just email and calendaring capabilities. It includes access to the full suite of Office products and other tools and services such as cloud storage, security and compliance features, and online meetings and video conferencing.

Microsoft 365 is a subscription-based service that includes access to various Microsoft products and services, including the Office suite of productivity tools and cloud storage. It is designed to help businesses and organizations improve employee collaboration and communication.

Hosted Exchange is a service that allows businesses to access the Microsoft Exchange Server platform from a remote location, typically through a third-party provider. This allows businesses to use the Exchange Server platform without hosting it on their own servers or maintaining it in-house.

Another key difference is that Microsoft 365 is a subscription-based service, while hosted Exchange is typically offered on a per-user, per-month basis. This means that with Microsoft 365, businesses pay a flat fee for access to all of the included products and services, whereas with hosted Exchange, businesses only pay for the number of users who need access to the Exchange Server platform.

How Much Does Hosted Exchange Cost?

Hosted Exchange can accommodate any organization’s budget, depending on how many mailboxes are needed and the storage space required. According to Optimal Networks, an IT consulting and management company, hosted Exchange servers can cost anywhere from $0 to $30 per mailbox month. The average mailbox costs $12 per month.

When selecting a business-class email and calendar system, Microsoft Outlook Exchange is considered one of the best bets in the industry. Using hosted Exchange, Outlook can be accessed from any device, at a desk, or on the go. The ease of having shared folders, calendars, and tasks can help businesses increase overall productivity.

Other options include Office 365, which is ideal for nonprofits and small businesses, and Gmail for Business, which offers larger mailboxes, so take the time to shop around.

Overall, Exchange has the desired features for an enterprise email solution that is trusted by organizations of all sizes and types.

How Does Microsoft Outlook Exchange Server Hosting Work?

If you’ve decided that you want to use Microsoft Outlook Exchange, the next step is choosing a hosted Exchange server. Hosted Exchange is a service that provides a Microsoft Exchange email box and storage space available via a server from a third-party provider.

Microsoft Exchange Graphic
A hosted Exchange provider houses your sent and received email, contacts, and calendar data on a server.

A provider of hosted Exchange manages the data on a cloud-based server, including mail sent and received, contacts, and calendar data. An Exchange server can handle tens of thousands of email accounts and data, making it the solution of choice for many corporate environments. While its power and storage are excessive for most individuals’ personal email needs, it’s ideal for small- to mid-sized businesses to the enterprise.

Hosted Exchange has many benefits, including automatic software upgrades, maintenance, and technical support. The lack of physical servers and significant security advantages benefit enterprise operations. Organizations should consider whether their data is highly sensitive and whether retaining control over it is essential before choosing hosted Exchange service.

Microsoft Exchange Server Hosting Powers Business Email

All businesses need email, and Microsoft Outlook Exchange is a major competitor in that market. But there are many options for hosted Exchange servers to choose from, and the prices and mailbox sizes vary.

Choosing the right provider is a matter of knowing your budget, how many mailboxes you’ll need, and how much space is required to keep your business connected. Crunch these numbers, then match them to your choice of provider.

MS Exchange logo

However, Microsoft Exchange may not be the best fit for everyone, particularly regarding server and software expenses and maintenance. Fortunately, many other emailing alternatives abound for much lower prices.

If you decide to look into other options, be sure to read our list of the top email hosting services for your business or personal use.

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