Exchange ServerandOutlookare terms that people working in an organization come across a lot.

Both serve to transmit emails between people.

But does that mean they are the same?

microsoft-exchange-vs-outlook

Lets say how a net online gate and an internet connection are related.

Both complement each other, but one would not work without the other.

Thats how Outlook and Exchange work.

microsoft-exchange-online

This article will give you a quick explainer of what these apps do.

Without wasting any further, lets start then.

What is Microsoft Exchange?

microsoft-outlook

If you instead want to manage only a personal account, you’re free to do that too.

Think of it as a tool that can manage everything related to emails.

It supports the standards used by email clients such as POP, IMAP, SMTP, etc.

microsoft-exchange-plans

When a new employee joins a workplace, he is given a corporate email address.

That is created on an Exchange server.

All the data and respective permissions reside there.

microsoft-exchange-features

There is also the option to control emails coming to the new users mailbox.

you’ve got the option to host Microsoft Exchange on your premise and run it.

Or use the cloud version of the tool known as Exchange Online.

What is Outlook?

It works with a paid Exchange subscription or a free Outlook.com account.

The Outlook app is available for Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, and the web.

you might get by using a free Outlook account.

This is fine for personal use.

But you will have limited features that you get on a paid plan.

Now that we have established what both of these services are lets look at the differences between them.

Storage Space and Pricing

A free Outlook account comes with15 GBof space for your emails.

You also get a5GBOneDrive space for storing your photos, documents, and files.

Microsoft Exchange comes with a paid plan or is bundled with a Microsoft 365 subscription for Individuals and Businesses.

You get50 GBof mailbox storage with the base plan.

This starts at $4/month.

With Plan 2, you get100 GBof mailbox for $8/month.

Security

Microsoft Exchange has security safeguards that include protection against viruses and malware.

To protect your data from loss or corruption, there are redundant servers and data recovery services in place.

Additionally, you could filter emails so that it follows a certain rule of your Organization.

Outlook is pretty secure, with Microsoft pushing regular security updates to it.

For spam emails, Outlook determines it automatically and sends it to theTrashfolder.

Microsoft Exchange, on the other hand, can manage every aspect of your email account.

This list is endless.

Usability

Outlook has a very simple interface.

It has easy-to-access menus, and one can easily switch between email and calendars.

In short, you’ve got the option to get up and running in a very quick time.

Microsoft Exchange, on the other hand, has controls that require time to master it.

The options to customize your emails are extensive.

This by no means indicates that Microsoft Exchange is not a great tool.

It just requires more work to get used to.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Outlook 365 the same as Exchange?

Microsofts 365 service also includes the Exchange Server.

That means you might use an Outlook email account configured using that email server.

What are the benefits of using Exchange?

Conclusion

Both these services sort of fulfill each other.

Exchange is the backbone, holding and managing the data securely.

And Outlook is the interface through which you’re able to access emails.

Yes, you’ve got the option to access Outlook without the need for an Exchange account.

But with an exchange account, the features it comes with enhance your overall experience.

I hope you have differentiated between the two by now.

With that said, it is time to say goodbye.