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Anish Bheekoo - PeerSpot reviewer
IT Lead at a educational organization with 201-500 employees
Real User
Jul 26, 2023
An easy, simple, and secure product with an excellent message-tracing feature
Pros and Cons
  • "Message trace is the most valuable feature of the product."
  • "The interface is a bit confusing."

What is our primary use case?

The product is used to create email addresses. We can also create groups and distribution lists. The product also provides email forwarding features. We can create rules, monitor the flow of emails, and trace messages. We can use connectors on the platform for email security and email signature.

What is most valuable?

Message trace is the most valuable feature of the product. We can get a customized report on what is happening in our environment. We can trace all the emails, understand what happened, and get information on how they reached the user and the hops before delivery. It is very interesting.

We can also know how many deliveries failed and are pending in the queue and customize our reports how we want them to be. The product is very easy, simple, and secure. It is available everywhere because it is cloud-based.

What needs improvement?

The solution should have a better interface. The interface is a bit confusing. It should be more simple. The product should also improve the email flow. The rules are a bit complicated compared to the previous version. The previous version was much easier, and the latest one is more complicated.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using the solution for four to five years.

Buyer's Guide
Microsoft Exchange Online
January 2026
Learn what your peers think about Microsoft Exchange Online. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: January 2026.
881,082 professionals have used our research since 2012.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

In my organization, 150 people use the product. I have plans to increase the usage by 10% in one or two years, depending on how much the organization will grow. The product is extensively used in our company.

How are customer service and support?

I had a very good first impression of the technical support team. Technically, the team is very good, very supportive, and very friendly. The team members are well-mannered while talking to customers. They follow up very well and are with us until the case is closed and we are satisfied.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

I was using Lotus Notes five to six years ago. It was centrally based in our head office. I didn’t contribute to it. Later, when I applied to have my own email solution, I chose Microsoft.

How was the initial setup?

The solution is very easy to set up. We just have to enter the username and password and start using it. We can deploy emails to end users within five to ten minutes. The product is cloud-based.

What was our ROI?

In our business, everything is done by email applications, Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft Word. So, we get a 60% ROI on the solution.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

We pay a yearly licensing fee for the solution. The cost depends upon the plans we choose and the types of applications we want to use. We have a three-year deal with Microsoft to get a good price for the product. They are very willing to revise the price, accompany us for the setup, and give us a framework. They are very impressive to work with. There are no additional costs associated with the product.

What other advice do I have?

I am using the latest version of the solution. Most businesses and users are using Microsoft for email business. I would recommend the solution to others. Overall, I rate the solution a ten out of ten.

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Kalpa Prabashwera - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Information Technology System Administrator at a government with 1,001-5,000 employees
Real User
Mar 12, 2023
Reliable, easy to access, and has good support
Pros and Cons
  • "It's pretty reliable. We haven't had any issues with it."
  • "The solution is expensive."

What is our primary use case?

We use the Microsoft email suite and we use this solution on a client basis so email can go through it. Everyone is using it currently.

What is most valuable?

We like that it is online and easy to access. We can work for everywhere. You don't have to install anything. 

It's pretty reliable. We haven't had any issues with it. 

The product is scalable.

Technical support has been very good.

We've witnessed a bit more ROI since switching to the cloud. 

What needs improvement?

The solution is expensive. 

The stability could always be better.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using the solution for three years. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I'd rate the stability eight out of ten. We haven't had any issues, however, in previous versions, a few months back, we did have an outage.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It's scalable. I'd rate it ten out of ten for ease of expansion. There are 300 users on it right now. We do not have plans to increase usage. 

How are customer service and support?

We've used technical support in the past. They have been very good. We have nothing to complain about. 

How was the initial setup?

We don't have to do any setup. We just have to log in and start using it. Since it's cloud-based there is no configuration necessary.

We have three people who are able to deploy and manage the solution.

What was our ROI?

We've seen an ROI. When we were on-premises we had much more trouble. The cloud makes it much better. We're saving a bit more money.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The solution is expensive. For the price, we do get value, however, it is a bit too much money.

We pay for the solution on a yearly basis. There are no extra costs on top of licenses. 

What other advice do I have?

I'm always on the latest version since it is a cloud-based solution. 

I'd recommend the solution to others if they have the budget.

I would rate the solution nine out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Microsoft Exchange Online
January 2026
Learn what your peers think about Microsoft Exchange Online. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: January 2026.
881,082 professionals have used our research since 2012.
TOFIK AHMED - PeerSpot reviewer
Ict User Support Technician at a university with 10,001+ employees
Real User
Feb 16, 2023
Good cloud environment, is stable, and scalable
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable feature is the cloud environment."
  • "The deployment is complex and has room for improvement."

What is our primary use case?

The primary use case of Microsoft Exchange Online is for emailing.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable feature is the cloud environment.

What needs improvement?

The deployment is complex and has room for improvement.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using the solution for five years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution is scalable.

How are customer service and support?

The technical support is good.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is straightforward.

The deployment takes some time because it is complex.

We required 14 people for the deployment.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

We have a three-year license for $25,000.

What other advice do I have?

I give the solution a nine out of ten.

We have 700 people using the solution.

I recommend Microsoft Exchange Online to other users.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud

If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?

Microsoft Azure
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Solutions Architect at a financial services firm with 1-10 employees
Real User
Top 20
Jul 24, 2024
An easy-to-use platform providing mail tagging and other top-notch security measures
Pros and Cons
  • "The solution is stable."
  • "The cost is very high, and not every customer can afford licenses."

What is our primary use case?

It's a messaging card with the assembly solutions. I manage multiple platforms and upgrade and migrate the environment on-prem to online.

What is most valuable?

It is an easy-to-use platform. It provides both browser-based and desktop versions, accessible through a single license or up to three licenses. Additionally, with enterprise plans, you can use desktop licenses. It includes mail tagging and other top-notch security measures. You can manage mailboxes and utilize many other features based on your needs. Shared mailboxes are also available and can be used freely.

What needs improvement?

The cost is very high, and not every customer can afford licenses. Many customers only require the desktop version, so they don't opt for desktop licensing. Also, Exchange lacks a tunneling system. We need to explore third-party solutions and tunneling systems.

They are improving the new version of Outlook. It's free, and we provide the desktop application. This can be quite resource-intensive on the desktop level. When you open Outlook, it heavily utilizes your internet connection, slowing down your email access. Another issue concerns security features. There have been reported bugs in Microsoft's security features where emails marked as spam may still get through, leading to concerns about spoofing.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Microsoft Exchange Online for 11 years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is stable. However, some certain limitations and issues arise, particularly with the desktop application and related functionalities. Recently, Microsoft announced an issue with email invitations not functioning correctly in Exchange Online, leading to duplication and other disruptions.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We must procure licenses and ensure we have everything required based on the requirements. However, this also depends on the network. For instance, scalability and other issues may arise if we have fifteen users and a network speed of ten Mbps from our ISP.

How are customer service and support?

I experienced an issue with Microsoft Exchange Online, where creations are typically sorted out within 15-16 days.

How was the initial setup?

I've worked on involved setting up Microsoft Exchange Online. We implemented DMARC, DKIM, and other essential email authentication protocols. Additionally, we focused on configuring API access to enhance security measures. We also redirected all mail services to Office 365, a standard procedure. Our approach included reconfiguring settings according to best practices for Exchange Online.

The deployment spans one month at maximum, depending on specific requirements. For me, it is crucial to meet all prerequisites, such as domain names, DMARC policies, certificates, and other necessary configurations. Once these are prepared, straightforward implementations can be completed within seven days, barring unforeseen complexities. Integration with licensing structures, email gateways, and potential hybrid environments adds further considerations. Understanding hybrid configurations is essential and tailored to meet client-specific needs for an optimal online deployment.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

All of that is managed within the pipeline. The cost-saving aspect involves reducing licensing requirements. For instance, if you have fifteen licenses, you must evaluate which licenses are unnecessary for non-required production. Reducing those licenses will reduce costs.

What other advice do I have?

The compliance features are crucial. We have options such as rights management, marking as confidential, and restrictions on sending emails. Additionally, we monitor tunneling systems for security threats such as malware and employ spam filtering and anti-spam measures. These practices are designed based on industry best practices and tailored to meet customer requirements, including regulatory compliance. Retention policies are also implemented online for five to ten years, depending on customer and regulatory requirements.

It can be integrated using the Graph API. Third-party tools like IronPort and Mimecast can also be integrated with Exchange Online. These integrations often utilize Azure APIs for connectivity.

It requires maintenance based on our needs. Unnecessary licensing can become an issue, especially in large environments with multiple users. Therefore, it's essential to manage licenses effectively, such as by removing licenses from groups based on usage. Regular maintenance involves disabling users, removing sync, and adjusting licensing accordingly. Security features like spam filtering should also be upgraded quarterly to ensure optimal protection.

I recommend using Microsoft Exchange Online because it offers a straightforward environment. Administrative tasks are easily manageable at the L1 and L2 levels. However, it's important to note that Exchange Online operates primarily through a UI-based control interface. If issues like data corruption occur on the backend, we lack direct control to fix them ourselves. In such cases, we must report the issue to Microsoft for resolution.

Overall, I rate the solution a nine out of ten.

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Integrator
PeerSpot user
Innocent Ohiaru - PeerSpot reviewer
IT Administrator at a university with 5,001-10,000 employees
Real User
Nov 15, 2023
A stable and user-friendly solution that provides various productivity tools and enables communication
Pros and Cons
  • "The product enables us to have remote meetings."
  • "The solution must provide better security features."

What is our primary use case?

I manage the tool. All of our business activities happen with the help of the tool. We also have SharePoint integrated into it. We have several other packages listed on the Exchange platform.

What is most valuable?

The product enables us to have remote meetings. Several valuable resources like SharePoint are available to us. It has been our basic tool for communication in an enterprise environment. It's user-friendly. The interfaces are quite friendly. We can navigate around interfaces and tasks. It has several productivity tools attached to it. I can have it deployed on the local computer and the cloud. As long as we have access to the internet, the tool is accessible anywhere in the world. It is a seamless and excellent product. It is a critical support platform.

What needs improvement?

The solution must provide better security features. It provides two-factor authentication, IPSec, security payload, and other authentication and encapsulation. I want more consignment of the access to identify users.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using the solution for about 15 years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The tool’s stability is excellent. The server hardly goes down. In ten years, I hardly recall any downtime.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We have more than 300 to 400 users.

How are customer service and support?

The support is excellent.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We chose the solution because our sister companies and other associates were using it.

How was the initial setup?

The setup was not difficult. We created a domain and implemented it with the help of a third-party company that is a partner with Microsoft. I do the annual renewal of our licensees. We have moved from enterprise licenses to educational licenses. Educational licenses have certain benefits and discounts.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The product is very cheap. It is relatively affordable.

What other advice do I have?

If someone plans to use the solution, they must consider the number of users. They must choose the license model depending on their organization. The documentation must be put together in detail, and the right model must be chosen. Overall, I rate the tool a ten out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud

If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?

Microsoft Azure
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
System Administrator at a healthcare company with 201-500 employees
Real User
Jul 24, 2023
The tool has diverse functions and excellent support
Pros and Cons
  • "Microsoft has many consultants who can provide support."
  • "It is tricky to integrate Microsoft Exchange Online if you are in an infrastructure provided by other vendors."

What is our primary use case?

I work for civil ministries, and we exclusively use Microsoft products because we get them for a low price.

I handle security with Fortinet, and I run virtualization with Citrix. Those are my main tasks.

What is most valuable?

Microsoft has many consultants who can provide support.

What needs improvement?

Some of the Microsoft implementations of protocols are far from standard. They make their own standards, and you're out if you can't convert to them. With other Unix-based solutions, we had more flexibility to react to special problems we needed to solve. We can only solve the problem now if the problem is solvable with Microsoft.

Similarly, it is tricky to integrate Microsoft Exchange Online if you are in an infrastructure provided by other vendors. We have had an alternative solution to Exchange since 2016, and if we had problems, it was never a problem with Microsoft. It was a problem with the alternative product. The problem is that Microsoft has a standard, and you need to stick to it.

Even if the reason for the problems is Microsoft, the SMTP stack in Exchange is far from the RC of SMTP. If the alternative solution makes extensions to DNS for their active directory and if you use an RC DNS server, you would have problems with some of the records that Microsoft produces. They are not replicated. If you begin with Microsoft, you make everything Microsoft. It is difficult to mix Microsoft with other vendors or with other products. And you get less support if you want to choose a solution other than Microsoft.

Moreover, Exchange Online should work on integration with other services like Teams because when they work together, you gain benefits that other companies might not be able to give you.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Microsoft Exchange Online since 2012, and we will use it in the future.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We formerly worked with Unix-based mail servers. The positive side is that you're flexible. You could use different hardware. You get limited with Microsoft.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

Microsoft solutions are expensive.

What other advice do I have?

I prefer to use solutions like LibreOffice since they are free and cheaper, but our partners might have problems reading our data, and we would face difficulties cooperating.

The main problem with Microsoft products is that we get very dependent on them. Until 2016, I had to make decisions for the budget for the Southwest of Germany, and when you work with Microsoft, your budget is fixed to them, and you lose your ability to work with other solutions. That was a bad situation for us.

If you don't plan to use other solutions in the future, it's a good product. Otherwise, you have to be prepared that some problems may arise. Once you get married to Microsoft, it's a fierce divorce if you want to leave. I rate the solution an eight to nine out of ten.

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Support Engineer with 201-500 employees
Real User
Feb 26, 2023
Easy to set up with good pricing and good access
Pros and Cons
  • "Technical support is helpful."
  • "We'd like to have the ability to recall emails on the web. I'm not sure if that is available yet."

What is our primary use case?

The solution is basically for access and it provides the ability to just receive and send emails. It also works with calendars and contacts and all of that.

What is most valuable?

The solution works very well. It's one of the best options available. The access it provides is good. 

It has an easy initial setup. 

Technical support is helpful.

It is scalable.

The solution is quite stable. 

It has okay pricing. 

What needs improvement?

We'd like to have the ability to recall emails on the web. I'm not sure if that is available yet.

I haven't used the solution for too long and need more time to see if other improvements are needed.

The cost could be a bit lower.

We've had clients complain about some aspects of Microsoft Bookings. It would be great to have an opinion platform back on Bookings. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been working with the solution for six months. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is stable. The only thing that is not so stable is Microsoft Teams. However, Exchange has good reliability. It doesn't crash or freeze. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I love the scalability. I like that I can start wherever I am and scale up or down. I love the flexibility it gives us.

We have about 50 people on the solution presently. 

How are customer service and support?

Technical support is great. I've raised some requests, and they were helpful and responsive. 

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We did not previously use a different solution. 

How was the initial setup?

I took part in the implementation process. The initial setup is pretty straightforward and simple. 

The deployment didn't take more than an hour. 

We have two administrators that are global admins. We have one admin that is specifically for Exchange. 

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The pricing is fine. I've discussed this with customers, and they have found the price point to be fair. When you compare it to others, like Google, it is competitive. If it could be lower, of course, it would be ideal.

The solution costs $12 to $16 per user per month. 

What other advice do I have?

I currently support Microsoft products. I don't sell Microsoft. They also have my test environment, where I test a few things.

Everything is available in the documentation. It's a great solution. Everything you need is there.

Overall, I'd rate the solution nine out of ten. There's always room to improve still. 

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud

If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?

Microsoft Azure
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Integrator
PeerSpot user
IT specialist at a media company with 51-200 employees
Real User
Feb 26, 2023
Good documentation, excellent support, and an easy initial setup
Pros and Cons
  • "The solution generally works well. We can send and receive emails just fine."
  • "The pricing could be a bit lower."

What is our primary use case?

We primarily have it for our customers. We primarily use the solution with mobile access, and it's just for having the ability to send and receive emails. It also works with calendars and contacts. 

What is most valuable?

The solution generally works well. We can send and receive emails just fine. 

It is useful and easy to use. 

The initial setup is straightforward. 

It's scalable.

The solution is stable.

Technical support is great.

The solution offers great documentation. 

What needs improvement?

We'd like to have the ability to recall emails. 

I've just used it for six months and am still working to understand the general landscape.

The pricing could be a bit lower. 

Certain items have been removed from Mircosoft Booking. They should re-add the capabilities it had before. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using the solution for six months at this point. It's been less than a year. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability of this solution is pretty good. We do find, however, that Microsoft Teams is unstable. Exchange, so far, has been great. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

This solution is definitely scalable. We haven't had any issues at all. I love that I can start with what I actually need and scale up or down as needed from there. 

Right now, we have about 50 people on the solution. 

How are customer service and support?

Technical support is great. We're happy with its capabilities. There is also useful documentation that can help users understand the solution. 

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We are not using any other solutions. 

How was the initial setup?

The setup is pretty straightforward. It's not overly complex. It just took about an hour to set up everything. We simply had to go through some documentation. After we did that, it was very easy.

We have two administrators that can handle the management. They are global Microsoft admins. We also have an Exchange admin specifically. 

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The pricing is fine. I've had similar conversations with my customers, and we've found the cost is fair. However, if it could be lower, that would be a plus. 

The cost is around $12 to $16 per user.

What other advice do I have?

I'm an end user. We also currently support Microsoft products. 

Everything is available in the documentation, and there is great support. It's worth the price, and other users would enjoy having it.

I'd rate the solution nine out of ten. 

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Microsoft Exchange Online Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
Updated: January 2026
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Buyer's Guide
Download our free Microsoft Exchange Online Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.