Hosted Exchange or Web Mail?

Hosted Exchange

Hosted Exchange is what hosting providers usually call their Microsoft Exchange Email Hosting service. Hosted exchange is a premium service offered by email hosting providers such as Fasthost, Rackspace, simplymailsolutions etc. Hosted exchange runs on the Microsoft Exchange server (2007 is the current version but 2010 is soon being released) and have Outlook as the email client.

Microsoft Outlook lets you send and receive emails, but it also lets you share calendars, folders, tasks and contacts. Outlook have desktop, browser and mobile access giving you a 24/7/365 connection – whether you are working in the office, from home or out and about.

Web Mail

Web Mail requires an internet connection and thus give you access to emails, calendars, contacts and task lists – anytime and anywhere. This is also its major downside. You need an internet connection and a web browser.

Hosted exchang and Web mail – So Whats the Difference?

Most email hosting providers offer both hosted exchange and web mail email solutions. The major difference between hosted exchange and web mail is with web mail you need to have an internet connection with a web browser. Except for this you have to determine what is most suitable for your needs.

Other differences are you cannot collaborate with tasks among users in web mail, you cannot share contacts in web mail and you cannot delegate or amend events in your calendar in web mail.

The main difference as mentioned is that web mail is a budget version of hosted exchange and web mail is usually the perfect solution for individuals to small businesses.