The difference between shared mailboxes and user mailboxes, keeping it simple, is shown in the image below.
A little more detail in explaining the image is:
User Mailbox:
- A user mailbox is like your personal email account.
- It’s tied to an individual user and usually used for personal communication.
- Each user has their own mailbox with a unique username and password.
- It’s meant for private communication and is generally not shared among multiple people.
Shared Mailbox:
- A shared mailbox is like a collaborative inbox that multiple users can access and use.
- It’s not tied to a specific person but rather to a specific purpose or role within an organisation.
- It doesn’t have its own login credentials; instead, multiple users with their own accounts can access it.
- It’s often used for group-related activities, such as a team or department email address, where several people need to access and manage emails collectively.
In summary, user mailboxes are individual and private, while shared mailboxes are designed for collaborative use by multiple individuals for a specific purpose or function within an organisation.
Now the fun part! Shared mailboxes can save you license costs! Here’s how:
Shared Mailbox = No License (Usually)
- In Microsoft 365, you don’t need to pay for a license for a shared mailbox if:
- The mailbox is under 50 GB in size.
- It’s not accessed directly (i.e., no logging in directly — you access it through your licensed user account).
So, you can create a shared mailbox like support@36-400.com.au or info@36-400.com.au, and multiple licensed users can manage it without needing to buy an extra license just for that mailbox.
You Do Need a License If:
- You want the shared mailbox to be larger than 50 GB.
- You want to enable archiving or other advanced features.
- You want someone to log in directly to the shared mailbox (e.g., via Outlook Web or mobile app with its own credentials).
If you would like assistance in checking your mailbox setup and maybe saving some money please call 36-400 on 03 9894 7588