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The bottom line
Strong free basics and inexpensive storage, offset by persistent complaints about the new Outlook's usability.
Outlook puts email, calendars, contacts and tasks in one service, with Focused Inbox, Sweep rules, scheduled sending and flagged-email tasks. Copilot can summarize and draft email. The free plan includes 15 GB of mailbox storage; Microsoft 365 Basic starts at $1.67 per month billed annually, or $1.99 month to month, for 100 GB of mailbox storage.
The main reservation is the new Outlook experience. Reddit users report a clunky interface, missing unified inbox and inbox ads; one commenter also says New Outlook cannot open PST files. Those are user reports, not a guarantee every account will have the same issues, but they make Outlook harder to recommend to anyone who wants a simple, predictable mail client.
Good fit if
- People who need free email
- Users combining email and calendars
- One person needing more mailbox storage
Skip it if
- People who need PST access in New Outlook
- Windows Mail users seeking a simpler interface
- Users bothered by reported inbox ads
ScoresHow it rates
What works
- Free plan includes 15 GB mailbox storage
- Focused Inbox separates priority messages
- Sweep rules automate mailbox cleanup
- Flagged email can become Microsoft To Do tasks
- Copilot can summarize and draft email
What doesn't
- Reddit users describe New Outlook as clunky
- Some Windows users report no unified inbox
- Users complain about faux-email ads
- One commenter says New Outlook cannot open PST files
- New Outlook draws strong criticism from some users
01What Microsoft Outlook actually does
Microsoft Outlook brings email, calendar, contacts and tasks together in one service. You can use it as webmail or as a client for personal, school and work accounts. That makes it more than an inbox: it also handles scheduling, meeting RSVPs and reminders, and can turn flagged messages into action items with Microsoft To Do.
For everyday email, Outlook includes Focused Inbox to separate priority messages, Sweep rules for mailbox cleanup, and options to schedule a message or undo a send. Copilot can summarize and draft email, though the published pricing details do not specify which plans include those AI tools.
The name covers different experiences, too. Users on Reddit distinguish the newer Outlook from Outlook Classic, and several say the newer version feels closer to webmail and lacks functions they relied on in Classic. If you are switching from another mail app, check which Outlook version your account or device will use before treating the two as interchangeable.
02Where Microsoft Outlook is strong
The clearest case for Outlook is its free email tier and relatively inexpensive storage upgrade. According to the pricing information checked November 6, 2026, Outlook Free costs $0 and includes one person, a 15 GB mailbox and 5 GB of cloud storage. Microsoft 365 Basic raises those limits to 100 GB of mailbox and 100 GB of secure cloud storage for $1.99 monthly, or $1.67 per month when billed annually.
The service also covers the basics people often split across separate apps: email, calendar, contacts and task tracking. Calendar tools include RSVPs, reminders and group scheduling; flagged messages can become Microsoft To Do tasks. Focused Inbox, Sweep cleanup rules and scheduled sending are useful controls for a busy inbox, while Copilot can summarize or draft messages.
If you also want Office apps, Personal is listed at $9.99 monthly or $8.33 per month billed annually, with 1 TB of cloud storage. Family costs $12.99 monthly or $10.83 per month billed annually, for one to six people and up to 6 TB of cloud storage. Both plans list a one-month free trial.
03Where it falls short
The free tier has firm storage limits: 15 GB for the mailbox and 5 GB for cloud files. Basic costs extra and raises both to 100 GB, but it does not include the 1 TB of cloud storage listed with Personal. Personal and Family list 100 GB of mailbox storage per person; Family’s cloud allowance is shared across the plan, up to 6 TB for as many as six people.
The more immediate concern is the newer Outlook experience. In Reddit discussions, users complain about a cluttered or inconvenient interface, missing unified inbox support and ads styled like email. Other commenters say they miss features from Outlook Classic; one reports that the new version cannot open or edit PST files. These are user reports, not a guarantee that every account will hit the same problem, but they matter if you are replacing a long-used desktop setup.
Outlook’s bundled feature list is broad, but the published pricing information does not say which paid plan unlocks Copilot or whether every listed feature works identically across web, desktop and mobile. Confirm those details before switching for a specific workflow.
04Microsoft Outlook pricing: what you'll actually pay
Outlook Free costs $0 and includes 15 GB of mailbox storage and 5 GB of cloud storage. Microsoft 365 Basic starts at $1.67 per month when billed yearly, or $1.99 month to month; it raises mailbox and cloud storage to 100 GB each. That is the cheapest paid tier listed.
The jump to Personal is substantial: $8.33 per month billed yearly or $9.99 monthly. Personal adds Office apps, 1 TB of cloud storage and use on up to five devices. Family costs $10.83 per month yearly, or $12.99 monthly, for one to six people and up to 6 TB of cloud storage. Mailbox storage remains 100 GB per person.
Annual prices are per-month equivalents, but billed yearly; monthly prices are billed monthly. Personal and Family include a one-month free trial. No add-ons are listed in the published pricing details.
05Switching to (or from) Microsoft Outlook
The published product information does not publish migration steps, expected setup time or data-export instructions, so we can’t put a reliable effort estimate on switching. It also doesn’t specify how to export email, calendars, contacts or tasks. If PST access is essential, note the stated limitation: New Outlook is not for people who need PST access.
Outlook combines email, calendar, contacts and tasks, and is available on the web and as a client for personal, school and work accounts. Moving away may mean replacing several functions, but the published details don’t say how those records transfer to another service. Reddit feedback cited for this review points to usability complaints about the new Outlook and reported inbox ads as reasons some users may look elsewhere. The complaints are not a measure of how common either issue is, and the available material does not identify a specific destination or migration workaround.
From the threadsWhat users say
Reddit sentiment about New Outlook is mostly negative: users complain about its interface, missing features and ads, and some say they prefer Classic Outlook or another client. A few commenters point to specific improvements, including pinning messages and handling missed email, but those positives do not outweigh the broader frustration in these threads.
clunky, laggy, scattered with features im most certainly never going to use
The option to cancel/decline only future instances of meetings, and to pin messages, are the only real positive features they've added
The lack of unified inbox is my main issue with it, but I'm also bothered by the faux-email ads at the top of my inbox
Not being able to open PST files and read/write to them makes it hopeless for me
Questions people ask
Is Outlook Mail safe to use?
The published material does not establish whether Outlook is safe or provide security details, so we can’t give a safety verdict from these sources. It describes Outlook as a Microsoft email service with calendar, contacts and tasks. For security assurances or current account protections, check Microsoft’s official security documentation.
Is Outlook being phased out?
The sources distinguish Outlook Classic from New Outlook; they do not say the Outlook email service is being phased out. A Reddit commenter says Classic Outlook is still supported and claims the opt-out phase was pushed to March 2027, but that timeline is not confirmed by official lifecycle information in the published material.
Is Microsoft Outlook shutting down?
The published facts describe Outlook as an available webmail service and client, and do not say it is shutting down. The Reddit discussion is about Windows Mail being retired and users being directed toward Outlook, plus complaints about New Outlook. That is different from Microsoft ending Outlook itself.
Does Outlook have a free plan?
Yes. The pricing information checked November 6, 2026 lists Outlook (Free) at $0 per month for one person, with 15 GB of mailbox storage and 5 GB of cloud storage. Microsoft 365 Basic is listed separately, starting at $1.67 per month when billed annually or $1.99 month to month.
What do users dislike about New Outlook?
In the Reddit threads we read, users criticize the interface, lag, ads in the inbox, lack of a unified inbox, and missing or less flexible features. One commenter also says New Outlook cannot open and read or write PST files. Some users mention useful additions, but the threads are predominantly critical.
Sources
- Microsoft Outlook homepage
- Microsoft Outlook pricing, compiled via web search from microsoft.com
- Reddit: the new Microsoft Outlook is pure garbage
- Reddit: What is everyone using now that Windows Mail is retired? Because I am NOT using Outlook.
- Reddit: Microsoft Outlook
- Reddit: Replacement for Microsoft Outlook Android