# Amazon WorkMail alternatives and how to migrate

By Rotomal team · Updated 2026-11-03 · Part of [WorkMail Exit](https://rotomal.com/workmail-exit/)

**Short answer:** AWS names Kopano Cloud, Zoho Mail and Zoom Mail as alternatives to Amazon WorkMail, and any provider works; most small businesses move to Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace. Whichever you choose, the migration is the same: recreate users and aliases, copy mail, calendars and contacts, switch your DNS records in one window, then run a final copy. Finish before WorkMail ends on 31 March 2027.

## The alternatives

| Provider | Named by AWS | What they offer WorkMail users (checked 3 November 2026) | Good fit for |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Kopano Cloud | Yes | €2.99 per mailbox per month (or €32 per year) with 50 GB; a migration tool for email and folders that you authorize in your AWS console, with a dry run | Email-only teams that want a low price and an EU provider |
| Zoom Mail | Yes | $4 per user per month with 50 GB; step-by-step guide for email, calendar and users | Teams that already use Zoom Workplace |
| Zoho Mail | Yes | Direct migration of email, calendar and contacts, in batches | Teams that want mail plus other Zoho apps |
| Microsoft 365 | No (any provider works) | Exchange Online IMAP migration for mail; it does not move contacts or calendar items | Offices that use Outlook, Word and Excel |
| Google Workspace | No (any provider works) | Gmail with Google's data migration service | Teams that already work in Google Docs and Drive |

Prices change and differ by country, so check the provider's own page before you decide.

## Step 1: list what you have

- Users and their mailbox sizes.
- Distribution groups and aliases, including postmaster@ and abuse@.
- Resource mailboxes such as meeting rooms.
- Mail flow rules, SES receipt rules or Lambda functions attached to WorkMail.
- Which phones, Outlook installs and Mac Mail accounts connect to WorkMail.

## Step 2: copy mail, calendars and contacts

WorkMail supports IMAP clients, Outlook, the Android and iOS mail apps and macOS clients; it does not support POP3. Mail is usually copied over IMAP or with the new provider's migration tool while WorkMail keeps running. Calendars and contacts need a tool or client that reads them: Microsoft says its IMAP migration to Microsoft 365 does not migrate contacts, calendar items or tasks, and AWS's mailbox export leaves contacts out.

## Step 3: switch the DNS

- A day or two ahead, lower the TTL on MX and AutoDiscover records.
- Add the new provider's domain verification, SPF include and DKIM records first; they do not affect delivery.
- In one window, point MX at the new provider and replace the AutoDiscover record.
- Keep DMARC in place and watch its reports for a week.
- Remove the SES SPF entry and MAIL FROM records once nothing sends through SES.

## Step 4: final copy and archive

Run one more copy after the switch for anything that arrived at WorkMail while DNS caught up. Then take an archive of each mailbox to storage you own, and only after that let WorkMail lapse.

## Common mistakes

- Switching MX before users exist on the new provider, so mail bounces.
- Forgetting aliases and groups, so info@ or orders@ stops arriving.
- Leaving the old SPF and DKIM only, so mail from the new provider lands in spam.
- Assuming the AWS export includes contacts.
- Leaving the move until March 2027, when every IT provider is busy.

## If you want it done for you

WorkMail Exit runs these four steps for you: a DNS check first, then the copy, the DNS switch and the final archive. $75 for up to 5 mailboxes, paid once, and you keep the contract with the provider you choose.

## FAQ

### What is the best Amazon WorkMail alternative?

The one that matches the apps you already use. Offices on Outlook and Excel usually choose Microsoft 365; teams on Google Docs choose Google Workspace; email-only teams often pick Kopano, Zoho or Zoom Mail, which AWS names.

### Can I migrate WorkMail with IMAP?

Yes for mail: WorkMail supports IMAP clients. IMAP does not carry calendars or contacts, so move those with a client or a migration tool that reads them.

### How long does a WorkMail migration take?

For a small office, the copy usually runs over a day or two while WorkMail keeps working, and the DNS switch is one planned window. AWS notes DNS changes can take up to 48 hours to process.

### Will I lose email during the switch?

Not if you run a final copy after the MX change. Mail that still arrives at WorkMail while DNS updates is picked up in that pass.

### Do I need to move my domain away from Route 53?

No. Keep the domain where it is and change only the mail records.

## Sources

- AWS: Amazon WorkMail end of support (alternatives named) https://docs.aws.amazon.com/workmail/latest/adminguide/workmail-end-of-support.html
- Kopano Cloud: WorkMail migration https://kopano.cloud/workmail-migration/
- Zoom: Amazon WorkMail alternative https://www.zoom.com/en/lp/amazon-workmail/
- Zoho: AWS WorkMail alternative https://www.zoho.com/workplace/lp/aws-workmail-alternative.html
- AWS: Setting up email clients for Amazon WorkMail https://docs.aws.amazon.com/workmail/latest/userguide/clients.html
- AWS: Exporting mailbox content https://docs.aws.amazon.com/workmail/latest/adminguide/mail-export.html
- AWS: Adding a domain to Amazon WorkMail https://docs.aws.amazon.com/workmail/latest/adminguide/add_domain.html
- Microsoft Learn: Migrating IMAP mailboxes to Microsoft 365 (limits) https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/exchange/mailbox-migration/migrating-imap-mailboxes/migrating-imap-mailboxes

[WorkMail Exit](https://rotomal.com/workmail-exit/) does this for you. Request it free, no card: https://rotomal.com/workmail-exit/request/
---
Rotomal · https://rotomal.com/workmail-exit/amazon-workmail-alternatives/ · hello@rotomal.com