Quick answer: Start with what you already pay for. Google Workspace (through Google Groups’ Collaborative Inbox) and Microsoft 365 (through shared mailboxes) both let a team share an address such as support@ or info@ at no extra licence cost. If you need assignment, internal notes, automation and reporting beyond that, look at an add-on such as Hiver, which runs inside Gmail, or a dedicated shared-inbox or help desk tool such as Front, Help Scout or HelpSpace. Choose based on team size, the features you will actually use, integrations, data security and the total price per user.
Effective communication matters to any team, and email is still where many customer and supplier conversations happen. Shared inbox software lets several people work from one address without forwarding messages, replying twice or losing track of who is handling what. This guide explains the key factors to weigh and compares the main types of tool, based on each vendor’s own documentation as of October 2026. We have not tested these products ourselves.
What a shared inbox does
A shared inbox gives a team one place to read and reply to messages sent to a common address. A good one lets you:
- see who is handling each conversation, so that no one replies twice and nothing is missed;
- assign a conversation to a colleague and mark it as resolved;
- leave internal notes that the customer does not see; and
- send replies from the shared address rather than from personal accounts.
Key factors to consider
Team size
The size of your team plays a big part. A small team handling a few dozen emails a day may need nothing more than the shared mailbox features in its existing email service. Larger teams, or teams with service-level targets, usually need assignment rules, reporting and automation to manage their email effectively.
Features
List the features your team will actually use, then compare tools against that list. Common ones include:
- email management: assignment, status (open or resolved) and tags or labels;
- collaboration tools: internal notes, mentions and collision alerts;
- workflow automation: rules, templates and auto-assignment;
- reporting and analytics: response times and volume; and
- security and privacy: permissions, sign-in protection and audit logs.
Integrations
Your shared inbox should connect to the tools you already use, such as a customer relationship management (CRM) system, a project management tool or chat. Our list of CRM systems for business may help if you have not chosen one yet.
Price
Most dedicated tools charge per user per month, and features differ by tier. Compare the price of the tier that includes the features on your list, not the cheapest tier. Check whether the tool needs paid seats for everyone who reads the inbox or only for those who reply.
Security and data handling
Shared inboxes often hold customer personal data. Check where data is stored, who can export it, whether the tool supports single sign-on and two-step verification, and what happens to your data if you cancel. Our guide to email security software covers protection against phishing and spoofing.
Types of shared inbox software
Gmail and Google Workspace
Gmail on its own is a personal inbox, but Google Workspace offers two ways to share email:
- Collaborative Inbox (Google Groups): a group owner or manager turns on Collaborative Inbox features for a group address. Members with the right permissions can then assign conversations to themselves or others, mark them as resolved, and use labels to organise them, according to Google’s Workspace help pages. An administrator may need to turn on Groups for Business first.
- Mail delegation: lets someone read and send email from another person’s account. This suits an assistant managing an executive’s mail more than a team inbox.
Gmail’s labels and filters, conversation threads and links to Google Docs, Sheets, Calendar and Drive, which the original version of this guide listed, still help teams that work this way.
Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft 365
Microsoft 365’s answer is the shared mailbox. According to Microsoft’s documentation:
- A shared mailbox can store up to 50 GB without its own licence. Each person who opens it needs their own licensed Exchange Online mailbox.
- Users with the right permissions can “send as” or “send on behalf of” the shared address.
- You need a Microsoft 365 business plan that includes email. Microsoft says Microsoft 365 Apps for business does not include email, while Business Standard does.
- Larger mailboxes, archiving and litigation hold need additional licences.
Outlook also offers shared calendars and works with Teams, OneNote, Word and Excel. The original version of this guide mentioned Outlook’s “Clutter” feature; Microsoft has since retired Clutter in favour of Focused Inbox, which sorts mail into Focused and Other tabs.
Hiver
Hiver started as a shared inbox built for teams that use Gmail, and that product continues as “Hiver in Gmail”, installed as a Chrome extension. As of October 2026, Hiver also sells Hiver Omni, a separate platform that handles email, chat, Slack, voice, SMS, WhatsApp and other channels in one place, according to its website. Both products cover shared inboxes, assignment, collaboration, automation and reporting, and Hiver now promotes AI features as well. Its site offers a free trial.
Dedicated shared inbox and help desk tools
Several standalone tools combine a shared inbox with help desk features:
- Front: markets “collaborative shared inboxes” alongside ticketing, live chat and AI features.
- Help Scout: its Inbox product brings email, SMS, social, chat and voice into one place, with automatic assignment and workflows, according to its website.
- HelpSpace: a help desk with grouped inboxes, task structuring and self-service sites.
Comparison at a glance
| Option | Type | Best for | Pricing model |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Workspace Collaborative Inbox | Built into your email suite | Small teams already on Google Workspace | Included in a Workspace subscription |
| Microsoft 365 shared mailbox | Built into your email suite | Teams already on Microsoft 365 | No extra licence up to 50 GB; users need their own licensed mailbox |
| Hiver | Gmail add-on, plus a separate omnichannel platform | Gmail-based teams that want help desk features | Subscription; free trial offered |
| Front | Standalone platform | Teams that want shared inboxes plus ticketing | Subscription; free trial offered |
| Help Scout | Standalone platform | Customer support teams across several channels | Subscription; check vendor site |
| HelpSpace | Standalone help desk | Teams that want a simple help desk with self-service | Subscription; free trial offered |
How to decide
- Write down your must-have features and how many people will read and reply.
- Check whether your current Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 plan already covers them.
- If not, shortlist two or three tools and run a free trial with real emails for a week or two.
- Compare the cost per user on the tier you need, and check data-export and cancellation terms.
- If your team also meets customers by video, our list of web conferencing software covers that side of customer communication.
Frequently asked questions
Can I create a shared inbox in Gmail for free?
Not in a personal Gmail account as a team tool. With Google Workspace, you can turn a Google Group into a Collaborative Inbox at no extra cost beyond your Workspace subscription.
Does a Microsoft 365 shared mailbox need a licence?
Not for up to 50 GB of storage, according to Microsoft. Each person who uses it needs their own licensed Exchange Online mailbox, and extra features such as larger storage or archiving need additional licences.
Does Hiver work only with Gmail?
No longer. “Hiver in Gmail” runs inside Gmail, while Hiver Omni is a separate platform covering email, chat, voice, SMS and other channels.
What is the difference between a shared inbox and a help desk?
A shared inbox focuses on email from a common address. A help desk adds tickets, a knowledge base, live chat and service-level reporting. Many tools now do both.
Checked in October 2026 against Google Workspace’s Collaborative Inbox help page, Microsoft’s shared mailbox documentation and the websites of Hiver, Front, Help Scout and HelpSpace. Features and prices change, so confirm details with each vendor before you buy.
