Distribution lists, Microsoft 365 groups and shared mailboxes: which do you need?
Updated 9 November 2026 · How we workHow-to
Three ways to reach several people at one address, each suited to a different job. How to pick the right one before you ask us to set it up.
"Can we have an address that goes to the whole sales team?" is a common request, and there are three ways to do it in Microsoft 365. They look alike from the outside and behave quite differently. Picking the right one up front saves changing it later.
Distribution list
A distribution list is simply an address that forwards a copy of each message to every member. There is no shared inbox: each person gets the message in their own mailbox, and replies come from the individual. It is the right choice for announcements and for groups that just need to be reachable at one address, such as everyone@ or managers@. New members do not see messages sent before they joined.
Shared mailbox
A shared mailbox has its own inbox, sent items and calendar, and several people open it alongside their own mail. Everyone sees the same messages, can see what has been answered, and can reply as the shared address. It suits addresses that customers write to and that need a response, such as info@, support@ or accounts@. It needs no paid license of its own and does not count as a user on our plan. Our article Using a shared mailbox covers the day-to-day.
Microsoft 365 group
A Microsoft 365 group combines a shared inbox and calendar with a SharePoint site for files, and it is what sits behind every team in Microsoft Teams. Members can read the group's conversations in Outlook or Teams, and new members can see the history. It suits a project or a department that works together on files as well as email. If you already have a team in Teams, you already have a group, and it already has an email address.
Choosing
If people only need to be reached at one address, a distribution list. If messages need to be worked on and answered as a team, a shared mailbox. If a group needs email, files and chat together, a Microsoft 365 group, usually as a team in Teams. If you are not sure, tell us what the address is for and who will use it, and we will suggest the right one.
Asking for one
Email hello@bitnode.tech with the address you want, who should be in it, who should be able to send to it (anyone, or only people inside the business), and whether it needs a calendar. We can set up any of the three the same working day in most cases, and change one type to another later if needs change.
Was this helpful?