A Microsoft Outlook alternative for business email
“Outlook” can mean the app on your computer or the email service behind it. GINbox lets you keep the Outlook app your team knows and move your business email to your own domain, with simple per-mailbox pricing, and no office suite you do not need.
Updated 27 October 2026.
First: which Outlook do you want to replace?
- The Outlook app (on Windows, Mac or your phone). You do not have to replace it. Outlook works with any provider that supports the standard IMAP and SMTP settings, and GINbox does.
- The email service behind it (Microsoft 365, Exchange Online or Outlook.com). This is what GINbox replaces: your mailboxes move to GINbox, at your own domain, and Outlook simply connects to them.
If you only want a different mail app, Apple Mail, Thunderbird and the GINbox webmail all connect the same way. See the mail app settings.
GINbox vs Microsoft 365: what changes, and what does not
| GINbox | Microsoft 365 / Outlook | |
|---|---|---|
| Mail in the Outlook app | Yes, through IMAP and SMTP | Yes |
| Webmail | Gmail-style, in English and Hindi | Outlook on the web |
| Calendar and contacts | In the GINbox webmail, synced to phones. Not shown inside Outlook | In Outlook and across Microsoft 365 |
| Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive, Office web apps | Not included | Bundled in the suite plans |
| How you pay | Per mailbox, by storage size, monthly or yearly; no introductory price that jumps at renewal | Per user, by plan |
| Admin | Admin panel with a step-by-step setup, DNS checks and an activity log | Microsoft 365 admin centre |
Microsoft, Outlook, Microsoft 365, Google, Google Workspace, Gmail and Zoho are trademarks of their owners. GINbox is not affiliated with or endorsed by any of them. Facts about other products come from their own websites on the date shown and may have changed since: check their pages before you decide.
When you should stay on Microsoft 365
We would rather you choose well than choose us. Stay on Microsoft 365 if:
- your team works in Teams, SharePoint or the Office apps all day and pays for them already;
- you rely on Exchange features such as shared calendars, room booking or compliance tools;
- your clients or regulator require Microsoft specifically.
GINbox is the better fit if you mostly need dependable email at your own domain and would rather not pay for a suite. Our guide to choosing business email helps you decide.
Only some people need Microsoft 365? Keep them there and move everyone else to GINbox, on the same domain: split delivery.
How to move from Microsoft 365 to GINbox
- Add your domain to GINbox and create the mailboxes. Your mail keeps arriving at Microsoft meanwhile.
- In Outlook, export each mailbox as a .pst file, and upload it in the admin panel (up to 20 GB each). We import every folder and message.
- When the mail is across, change one DNS record (the MX record) to point at GINbox. We show you which.
- Each person chooses a password through a one-time link and adds their GINbox account to Outlook.
Every step in detail: moving from Microsoft 365 or Outlook.
What it costs
GINbox prices are per mailbox, by size. GST is extra, and every plan has every feature.
| Mailbox size | Per month, billed yearly | Per month, billed monthly |
|---|---|---|
| 5 GB | ₹49 | ₹59 |
| 10 GB | ₹69 | ₹79 |
| 50 GB | ₹169 | ₹199 |
| 100 GB | ₹289 | ₹339 |
For a dated comparison with Microsoft’s published price, see our pricing page.
Questions about leaving Outlook and Microsoft 365
Can I keep using the Outlook app with GINbox?
Yes. Outlook connects to GINbox for mail through standard IMAP and SMTP settings, on Windows, Mac and phones, so your team keeps the app it knows. Calendar and contacts are in the GINbox webmail and sync to phones; Outlook’s own calendar does not show them.
What is the best alternative to Outlook for business?
It depends which Outlook you mean. If you want a different mail app, Thunderbird, Apple Mail and others work. If you want a different email service for your company, GINbox, Google Workspace and Zoho Mail are the usual choices, and GINbox is the one built to keep Outlook working while you change the service behind it.
How do I move my email from Microsoft 365 to GINbox?
Export each mailbox from Outlook as a .pst file and upload it in the GINbox admin panel (up to 20 GB each). Keep your MX record at Microsoft until the mail is copied, then change it. A one-click Microsoft 365 connection is coming.
Can some people stay on Microsoft 365?
Yes. With split delivery a few people keep their Microsoft 365 mailboxes and everyone else moves to GINbox, on the same domain and with the same addresses, so you pay Microsoft only for the seats you need.
What will I lose if I leave Microsoft 365?
GINbox is email, not an office suite. You would no longer have Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive or Microsoft’s web Office apps from the same subscription, and Exchange features such as shared calendars. If your team depends on them, stay on Microsoft 365.
Is GINbox cheaper than Microsoft 365?
For email only, GINbox starts at ₹49 per mailbox per month billed yearly, GST extra, with no first-year discount that jumps at renewal and 30 days’ notice of any price change. Microsoft 365 plans bundle more than email, so they are not a like-for-like comparison. Our pricing page has a dated comparison with Microsoft’s published price.
Keep Outlook. Change what is behind it.
14 days free, up to 3 mailboxes, everything included. No card needed.