What Microsoft 365 does well
- Word, Excel, and PowerPoint are the industry standard
- Deep Teams, SharePoint, and Power Platform integration
- Copilot AI features across the suite
- Enterprise compliance and admin tooling
Microsoft 365 Alternative: Private Email & team workspace
Microsoft 365 bills per user and keeps your files in their cloud. We host your email and files on your own server, at a flat price, and you keep using the clients you like.
Free migration · No contract · 30-day refund
Side by side
Private Email + team workspace vs Microsoft 365
Keep the standards you rely on (IMAP, Office file formats) without the per-user bill or the lock-in.
| Last Hour (private email + team workspace) | Microsoft 365 | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | $29/mo email, $49/mo workspace | Per user, per month |
| Email protocol | Standard IMAP / POP3 / SMTP | Exchange / Outlook |
| Email clients | Outlook, a standard mail client, Apple Mail, any client | Outlook and webmail |
| Office files | ✓ .docx / .xlsx interoperable | Word, Excel, PowerPoint |
| Storage ownership | Your server, your data | Microsoft's cloud |
| Who can scan your mail | ✕ No one, it's your server | Microsoft, under their terms |
| Software license | Open source (private email, team workspace) | Proprietary |
| Free migration | ✓ Done for you | Self-serve tools |
| Support | US-based engineers, email | Tiered vendor support |
Straight talk
Where each one wins
Where Microsoft 365 may still be the better fit
- You depend on advanced Excel features or macros
- You use Teams and SharePoint heavily
- You need Copilot AI in your documents
- You want a fully managed enterprise tenancy
Our honest take: if your business runs on advanced Excel, Teams, or Copilot, stay with Microsoft. If you mainly need reliable business email and file storage without a per-user bill, private email and team workspace cover that and the data stays yours.
Making the move
How to switch from Microsoft 365
Moving from Microsoft 365 to private email and team workspace on Last Hour Hosting is a guided process. Here is what it looks like, step by step.
Step 1
Export your Outlook mail, calendar, and OneDrive files from Microsoft 365.
Step 2
Send us the exports and we import mail into your private mailboxes and files into team workspace.
Step 3
Set up your custom domain email and the team workspace apps for files, calendars, and docs.
Step 4
Update DNS mail records, then test sending, receiving, and file sync on all devices.
The upside
Why private email and team workspace is a strong Microsoft 365 alternative
- Your mail and files live on your own server, so they are not held in Microsoft's cloud under their terms.
- A flat $29/mo covers your team instead of Microsoft 365's per-user subscriptions that rise with every seat.
- You get email, file sync, calendars, contacts, and online documents without bundling in Microsoft's account ecosystem.
Frequently asked questions
Can I keep using Outlook with your email?
Yes. Our private email servers support IMAP, POP3, and SMTP, so you can use Outlook, a standard mail client, Apple Mail, or any standard email client.
Can I still open Word and Excel files?
Yes. Team Workspace includes an office suite and supports interoperability with Office file formats, so .docx and .xlsx files open and edit normally.
Is migrating from Microsoft 365 difficult?
No. We migrate your email, calendar, contacts, and files from Microsoft 365 to private email and team workspace for you, so you keep your history and don't lose anything.
Can I keep the same email address on a custom domain?
Yes. Your domain stays yours, so your address does not change. We set up DNS records for the new mail server, and once they propagate, mail flows to your private mailbox instead of Microsoft.
Will Office documents still open correctly after moving to team workspace?
Team Workspace's online office suite opens and edits standard .docx, .xlsx, and .pptx files, and you can also download them into desktop Office or any desktop office app. Most documents open without issue.