4 alternatives · productivity & storage · 2026
Microsoft 365 alternatives, by price.
Microsoft 365 starts at $99.99 a year. 2 of the 4 alternatives below start lower. Standing prices, not promotions — each read from the vendor's own page and linked to its source.
Side by side
What the alternatives cost
| Product | Starts at | Against Microsoft 365 | Free plan | Changes on record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft 365 the one you are comparing against | $99.99 per year · Microsoft 365 Personal | — | — | 7 since 2026 |
| Proton Proton | $3.99 per month, billed yearly · Mail Plus | 52% less | Yes | none |
| Google Workspace Google | $7 per seat / mo · Starter | not like-for-like | — | 3 since 2026 |
| Backblaze Backblaze | $99 per year · Personal backup | 1% less | — | none |
| Dropbox Dropbox | $9.99 per month · Plus | 20% more | Yes | 4 since 2026 |
CHEAPEST PAID PLAN FIRST. “NOT LIKE-FOR-LIKE” MEANS ONE IS PRICED PER USER AND THE OTHER IS NOT, ONE IS NOT BILLED BY THE MONTH OR YEAR, OR THEY ARE IN DIFFERENT CURRENCIES. THE RECORD DOES NOT CONVERT ANY OF THOSE.
Questions
Microsoft 365 alternatives, answered
Q1 What is the cheapest alternative to Microsoft 365?
Proton, at $3.99 a month billed yearly for its Mail Plus plan — the lowest paid entry price of the 4 alternatives on the record. Microsoft 365 itself starts at $99.99 a year. Proton and Dropbox also list a free plan.
Q2 Which Microsoft 365 alternatives have a free plan?
Proton and Dropbox. Only a plan the vendor lists at $0 counts; free trials do not.
Q3 Is Microsoft 365 more expensive than its alternatives?
2 of 4 alternatives start below Microsoft 365's $99.99 a year: Proton and Backblaze. Entry prices are compared only where both are charged the same way — per user against per user, flat against flat.
Q4 How current are these prices?
Each pricing page is re-read by MarkupBot at least daily. The table shows the standing price of every plan — where a vendor is running a promotion, the price it reverts to — and every product name links to its dated history and the archived capture behind each figure.