Google Workspace alternatives for small teams, by what you need
Looking beyond Google Workspace? Compare the main kinds of business email alternatives by need: privacy, cost, Microsoft tools, developers, plus how to switch.
"What's a good Google Workspace alternative?" has no single answer, because people leave for different reasons. One person is tired of the per-seat bill. Another wants their mail out of a big advertising company's reach. A third just needs addresses on a domain and nothing else.
We run a mail service, so we have a stake in this, and we'll say where we're not the right fit.
If you want the same thing from a different company
Microsoft 365 is the direct alternative: mail, calendar, chat, documents and storage in one subscription. It suits teams already working in Word, Excel and Outlook. It's also a full suite with the same per-person pricing model, so it won't make the bill smaller.
If you want privacy first
Some providers build their service around privacy and encryption, such as Proton and Tutanota-style services. They tend to offer custom domain support on paid plans. The trade-off is less compatibility: end-to-end encrypted mail often needs the provider's own app or a bridge, and standard IMAP access may be limited or work through extra software. Check this before you commit if you rely on a specific email app.
If you want a good mail-only service
A handful of providers focus on email, calendar and contacts, and do them well, with standard IMAP and SMTP support. If you want traditional mailboxes without a suite, they're worth a look. Compare storage, support quality, how they handle your DNS records and whether you can export your mail.
If you want the lowest cost
The cheapest route is usually a mail host that gives you mailboxes and nothing more, or the mailboxes bundled with your registrar or web host. Cheap is fine as long as you check three things:
- Authentication help. Do they give each domain its own DKIM key and tell you exactly which SPF and DMARC records to publish?
- Storage and limits. How big can a mailbox get, and how many messages can you send per hour?
- Support. Can you reach a person when mail stops arriving?
If you're a developer who also needs mailboxes
This is where we fit. Mailions gives you mailboxes on your domain, readable in the browser or any email app, plus an HTTP API and SMTP for the mail your app sends, all authenticated under the same domain. You get aliases and forwarding, and a panel that shows the DNS records and checks them. We don't offer a calendar, document editor or video calls, and webmail composes plain text for now. If your team lives in shared documents, we're not the best single answer.
Comparing by need
| If you care about | Look at |
|---|---|
| Office documents and calendar | Another full suite |
| Privacy and encryption | A privacy-focused provider (check IMAP support) |
| Mail without extras | A mail-only service or mail host |
| Cost | A mail host or registrar mail, with checks |
| Mailboxes and a sending API together | Mailions |
What to do before you switch
- List what you use. Calendar events, shared drives, group addresses, mail routing rules.
- Export what you need. Mail can be copied over IMAP with a migration tool, which keeps your folders. Calendars and contacts export as files.
- Lower your DNS TTL a day ahead, as described in DNS propagation time.
- Create the new mailboxes and test them.
- Switch the MX records. Publish the new ones and remove the old ones together, so mail doesn't split.
- Update SPF and DKIM. Remove the old provider from your SPF record and publish the new provider's DKIM key. What is SPF explains why the old entry is worth removing.
- Check authentication by sending a test and reading the headers, as shown in how to check SPF, DKIM and DMARC.
- Keep the old account for a few weeks in case late mail arrives.
Mistakes people make when switching
- Moving the MX records before the new mailboxes exist, so mail bounces
- Forgetting aliases and group addresses that used to forward to people
- Leaving the old provider in SPF forever
- Not telling the team their email app needs new settings
- Cancelling the old account the same day
What we'd actually suggest
Match the tool to what you do all day. If it's documents, stay with a suite. If it's email and a product that sends email, a mail host with an API is simpler and often cheaper. If you're unsure, run the new service alongside the old one on a spare address for a week.
To see whether Mailions fits, contact us with your domain and what you send. The basic setup is described in professional email on your own domain.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest alternative to Google Workspace?
Mail-only hosts and email bundled with web hosting usually cost least, often a few dollars or less per mailbox per month. Forwarding a domain address to an existing inbox can be cheaper still, with fewer features.
Can I keep my email address when leaving Google Workspace?
Yes. The address belongs to your domain, not to Google. Copy your mail across with an IMAP migration, point the MX record to the new provider and update SPF and DKIM. People writing to you will not notice the change.
What do I lose by leaving Google Workspace?
Mainly the bundled tools: Docs, Drive, Meet and shared calendars. If your team relies on them, replace those first or keep a smaller plan for the people who need them. If you only use email, a mail-focused provider covers it.