Every Australian business needs a professional email address. But once you decide to move away from a free Gmail or Outlook.com account, you face a choice: standard business email hosting included with your web hosting plan, or a premium productivity suite like Microsoft 365? Both are available through Australian Hosting Solutions. This guide breaks down the real differences.
What Is the Difference Between Business Email Hosting and Microsoft 365?
| Feature | Business Email Hosting (AHS) | Microsoft 365 (via AHS) |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | $99/year (up to 25 accounts) | $35/user per month |
| Email storage | 10GB shared | 50GB per mailbox |
| Productivity apps | Email only | Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, OneDrive |
| Cloud storage | Mailbox only | 1TB OneDrive per user |
| Calendar sharing | Basic webmail calendar | Full Exchange calendar sharing |
| Data storage | Sydney, Australia (Equinix) | Microsoft global datacentres |
| Support | Live phone, 22 hours/day | Live phone, 22 hours/day |
When Is Business Email Hosting the Better Choice?
- You have a small team (1–5 people) — $99/year covers up to 25 accounts, under $4 per address per year
- You only need email — no need to pay $35/user/month if your team does not use Teams, shared documents, or collaborative spreadsheets
- Data sovereignty matters — email stored in Sydney at Equinix, not overseas
- You want simple setup — accounts created in cPanel in under two minutes
When Does Microsoft 365 Make More Sense?
- Your team collaborates on documents in real time — Word and Excel co-authoring
- You need shared calendars — Exchange-based calendar and meeting scheduling
- Your team uses Microsoft Teams — video calls, chat, and file sharing bundled with email
- You need large mailboxes — 50GB per user versus 10GB shared storage
- You need desktop Office applications — installed on up to 5 devices per user
Can You Use Both Options Together?
Yes. Some Australian businesses run a hybrid setup — power users get Microsoft 365 licences, while shared mailboxes (info@, admin@) use standard business email hosting. Call (02) 9199 8787 and we will advise on the right configuration.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Microsoft 365 email stored in Australia?
Microsoft 365 is typically served from Australian datacentres but is subject to Microsoft’s global data residency policies. Standard AHS business email hosting is stored at Equinix in Sydney.
Can I get a professional email address without Microsoft 365?
Yes. Business email hosting from AHS gives you a domain-based address from $99/year, working in Outlook, Apple Mail, and any mobile client via IMAP.
How much does business email hosting cost in Australia?
From $99/year for up to 25 accounts (AHS Business Email), or $35/user/month for Microsoft 365 with the full productivity suite.
Can I upgrade to Microsoft 365 later?
Yes. AHS migrates your mailbox to Microsoft 365 at any time without losing emails. Call (02) 9199 8787.
Does Microsoft 365 include web hosting?
No. Microsoft 365 is email and productivity only. Australian Hosting Solutions provides both, managed from the same account with one point of contact.
Not sure which plan suits your team?
Call (02) 9199 8787 and we will walk you through the options — 22 hours a day, with a real person who knows the difference.
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