Hiya,
as a (rather new) Axigen Partner and a small business owner I partially understand where you’re coming from.
However: Axigen offers a free version already, which (roughly speaking) only lacks Active Sync and Cyren.
I think it is fair to say, that people using the free version are not necessarily in need of Active Sync. IMAP, CalDav / CardDav can be used on Tablets and Phones too.
If you have a (small) business, you should be aware, that secure and maintained IT services and devices cost a certain amount of money.
If you are too small to stem the cost of € 534 for 10 users for 1 year (Which is 44,50€ per month) and € 174 for each consecutive year (14,50€ / Month), you can either stick with the free version for 5 users, but without ActiveSync and Cyren or try your luck with other products.
Apart from ActiveSync and Cyren, there is also support involved.
I normally don’t do product bashing, but for instance IceWarp offers a “48hr” Support policy with their licensed product (similar to Axigen Business): You will reveice a reaction (Nothing more!) within 48 hours. Each answer will take another 48 hours. Want support sooner? Pay up!
Axigen responds within hours, so far within 1 to 6 hours hours at most and then stays on topic until it is solved.
Now, as fas as the price is concerned:
They are still in the same ballpark as Zimbra, Kopano (Zarafa), IceWarp and Kerio - to name a few.
Some of these offer “community versions”, where possibly can use some sort of ActiveSync (Kopano’s ZPush) but will also have to cope with: Nightly builds as update (Hardly tested), No Web-Interface etc. etc.
Others (Horde, SOGo) will offer completely free versions … but absolutely no support, unless you buy commercial support - which will cost you 4 four-digit sum per year.
So, what alternatives would be there?
Hosted Exchange? Smallest Package with Exchange: € 10.50 / Month / User. Including Office etc. … and having all your E-Mails read by M$, NSA etc. etc. (SCNR)
Google Mail for Business starts at 6$ / User / Month. Google. Should I say more?
These big services do have the culprit of single SMTP Servers being blacklisted, so your mail might be received by your counterpart…or not.
My company offers “Hosted Axigen” either on a shared server or on a dedicated instance.
Although I am still cheaper than M$, I would not be able to stick with € 99 / year for 10 users - as the license extension is € 174 per year for 10 users already!
Last but not least:
“As such, you are getting “premium” testing results and feedback for free.”
Which is why they have the free version already.
Apart from that: Giving out your product for (nearly) free and (hopefully) getting feedback is not going to pay any bills.
Again: If you are struggling to handle the license fee, than either your company or your IT budget is too small for what you want, which is a full-blown, supported, E-Mail-Infrastructure with added ActiveSync and commercial AV / AS.
Review of either IT Budget or company goals and wishes is needed.
I apologise, if any of the above should be received as offensive.
But well over 20 years of working with smaller and bigger (yuuuge!) companies have shown me, that the cost of a secure and supported infrastructure is still being underestimated and seen as a burden, although all of these business will confirm that they’d be dead within days, if their IT should be compromised or blow up.
Kind regards
Jeroen