License & Subscription Issues

How Many Email Addresses Does Microsoft 365 Business Basic Include?

Chanuka Geekiyanage Oct 16, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user needs to know how many email addresses and aliases can be created under a single Microsoft 365 Business Basic license and how billing applies to multiple addresses.

How Many Email Addresses Does Microsoft 365 Business Basic Include?

Product: Microsoft 365 Business Basic
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Determining the number of licenses required for a business that needs multiple role-based email addresses like info@ or sales@.
Observed behavior: Seeking clarification on whether Microsoft charges per individual email alias or per physical user mailbox.

Before you start

Ensure you have global or Exchange administrator privileges in the Microsoft 365 admin center before attempting to manage user aliases and shared mailboxes.

Solution 1Recommended

Configuring Email Aliases and Shared Mailboxes

Maximize your Microsoft 365 Business Basic subscription by utilizing free email aliases and shared mailboxes instead of purchasing separate licenses for functional addresses.

Microsoft 365 Business Basic charges per licensed user, not per email address. A single licensed user can have up to 400 email aliases (such as info@ or sales@) linked to their primary mailbox at no extra cost.

For addresses that multiple employees need to access, you can create a shared mailbox. Unlicensed shared mailboxes are completely free as long as they stay under the 50 GB storage limit. However, every distinct human user who needs their own personal login and mailbox requires their own paid license.

Add an email alias to a user

Log into the Microsoft 365 admin center. Go to 'Users' > 'Active users'. Select the user you want to modify, and under the 'Account' tab, click 'Manage username and email' to add the new alias.

Create a shared mailbox

In the Microsoft 365 admin center, navigate to 'Teams & groups' > 'Shared mailboxes'. Click 'Add a shared mailbox', enter the name and email address, and save changes. Then, select the new mailbox and click 'Edit' under 'Members' to grant your licensed users access.

Configuring Email Aliases and Shared Mailboxes

Cost Efficiency: Using aliases and shared mailboxes for role-based emails (like billing@ or support@) prevents you from paying unnecessary monthly licensing fees.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to pay for an additional license to use an info@ domain email?

No. You can set up 'info@' as an email alias for an existing licensed user, or as a shared mailbox, without paying for an additional Microsoft 365 license.

How many email aliases can one Microsoft 365 user have?

A single licensed user in Microsoft 365 can have up to 400 email aliases connected to their primary mailbox.

What is the storage limit for an unlicensed shared mailbox?

An unlicensed shared mailbox has a limit of 50 GB. If you exceed this storage limit, you will need to assign a paid license to the shared mailbox to increase its capacity.

Can two employees share a single Microsoft 365 Business Basic license?

No. Each separate person who needs to log into the service and have their own individual mailbox must be assigned their own distinct paid license.

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