Email has become a primary communication method for individuals and businesses, replacing everything from paper bills to channels for customer support.
The number of email users worldwide has been steadily growing year by year. If you want to go beyond the free email offerings, present a professional email address, and have some level of control over your corporate email communications, you'll want to sign up with an email hosting provider.
Also:Cloud-based email services: Everything you need to know
What is the best email hosting service right now?
Our favorite email hosting provider is Google Workspace. If you want a familiar email hosting provider that offers ample storage and gives customers a direct and easy-to-understand pricing structure, this is the right host for you.
ZDNET has tested many email hosting providers over the years, and we keep an eye on market trends, pricing changes, and market improvements. Below, we have compiled our recommendations for excellent email hosting providers specializing in email and office productivity, as well as solid web hosts offering email packages with a personalized touch.
Best email hosting services of 2024
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Up to 5TB of storage
- Flexible pricing
- Familiar to free Gmail users
Cons
- Doesn't offer unlimited storage for enterprises
More Details
Formerly known as G-Suite, Google Workspace integrates an enterprise-level Gmail management interface with Google Docs, Meet, Calendar, and other tools. However, it's not just for the enterprise level -- far from it.
Pricing is easier to understand with Workspace than with Microsoft Office 365. Microsoft offers a wide variety of plans and options that are integrated into its other licensing pricing structures.
Google gives you three simple choices: $6 per month, $12 per month, or $18 per month per user on a yearly contract, depending on your desired management features. Features include custom and secure email, pooled storage ranging from 30GB to 5TB, and support. Enterprise clients can contact Google for tailored solutions.
You can also test out the service for 14 days for free. Customers say Google Workspace is a reliable host, although some customer support issues should be ironed out.
Google Workspace features: Your own domain name:Yes |Mailbox size:30GB, 2TB, and 5TB |Spam and virus protection:Yes |Aliases:Yes |24/7 support:Chat, ticket, or phone |Archiving and storage:Depending on the plan | Free trial
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Email hosting included in web hosting plans
- 24/7 support
Cons
- No archiving options
- No spam detection
More Details
We reviewed Hostinger positively when evaluating website hosting providers and consider this provider an excellent option for businesses of all sizes that want to combine email and web services.
Android and iOS apps are available, alongside read receipts, aliases, email templates, inbuilt calendars and contacts, forwarding rules, two-factor authentication, anti-spam measures, and more, depending on your plan.
Business plans combining web and email hosting begin at $2.99 per user monthly, or Business plans are priced at $3.99 per user monthly. Three months of free hosting are added to four-year contracts. Plans provide 1GB of inbox storage per user (up to 100 users). If you opt for business email hosting alone, for a $1.59/month starting subscription, you can enjoy up to 10GB of inbox storage. For $3.99/month, this increases to 50GB.
You can opt for one month to four years of hosting.
Also:Hostinger web hosting review: Good support and a killer entry-level price
The company's standard web hosting plan includes email accounts and mailboxes. Hostinger's dedicated hosting service goes further by using the customer-centricTitan email hosting service. Titan email hosting services offer integrated calendars alongside email management and scheduling features.
Customers find this host provides the whole package with excellent support.
Hostinger features: Your domain name:Yes |Mailbox size:10GB to 50GB or 1GB per inbox|Spam and virus protection:Yes|Aliases:Yes |24/7 support:Chat, ticket, or phone (surcharge for priority support) |Archiving and storage:No
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Starts at 1TB cloud storage
- Spam and virus protection
- 24/7 support
Cons
- Advanced security only included in Premium plans
More Details
Microsoft 365 encompasses all the Office desktop apps, Office online apps, Microsoft Teams, Exchange's benefits, calendaring, mobile apps, and more. If you are comfortable with the Outlook email client and Microsoft software, you will want to consider Microsoft 365 Business for your email hosting solution.
Available in Basic, Standard, and Premium packages -- with prices starting at $6 per month, per user -- customers can opt for business-class email, security packages, webinar and large meeting virtual solutions, and access control, among other features.
Microsoft 365 Business Standard is available for $12.50/month per user, and this may be a better option if you want Loop workspaces. Microsoft 365 Business Premium, priced at $22/month per user, includes enterprise-grade device protection. Customer feedback indicates that this option is great for businesses of all sizes, although some users prefer more control over update mechanisms.
A one-month free trial is available. Individual home users can also opt for Microsoft 365 Personal, with subscriptions set at $69.99/year.
Microsoft 365 Business features:Your domain name:Yes |Cloud storage size:1TB|Spam and virus protection:Yes |Aliases:Yes |24/7 support:Chat, ticket, or phone |Archiving and storage:Depending on the plan | One-month free trial
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Affordable
- Long-term, simple plans
Cons
- Storage relatively low on basic plans
- Email sending limits
More Details
A2 web hosting is an excellent option for small businesses. It offers customers multi-account access, 24/7 support, a variety of migration tools, anti-spam filters, administrator tools, useful email templates, and between 10GB and 30GB of storage per account.
As a bonus, this email hosting service is cheap. Plans start at only $1.59 per month (10GB storage, up to 200 emails sent per hour limit, or 500 per day), as long as you agree to a 36-month contract. Premium plans begin at $2.59 monthly (30GB storage, up to 300 emails sent per hour limit, or 1000 per day).
This email hosting service could be your best bet for a new business venture. Customers enjoy the speed and reliability of this host, but some express frustration at the level of emergency support offered.
A2 features:Your domain name:Yes |Inboxstorage size:Up to 30GB|Spam and virus protection:Yes|Aliases:Yes|24/7 support:Chat, ticket, or phone, Guru Crew Support |Archiving andstorage: Depending on plan | Money-back guarantee
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Collaborative document editing
- Long test period
Cons
- 10 users minimum for business plans
More Details
A great name aside, IceWarp is an excellent browser-based email hosting option that combines cloud and on-premise technologies.
Its offerings, in particular, are worth highlighting as they include shared contacts and calendars, collaborative document editing, mailing list management, web meetings, ChatGPT integration, audio and video calls, mobile apps and synchronization, and archiving. The dashboard, too, is an attractive interface for accessing emails, calendars, meetings, and files.
Regarding subscriptions, IceWarp offers a variety. The basic plan for startups and small businesses (up to ten user accounts) is priced at only $15/month, with 200GB of email storage and 1TB of file storage per user.
Business plans are the next step up, starting at $3.50/month per user. You will need to agree to 10 user accounts at minimum. This plan covers up to 500 users with 200GB of email storage and 1TB of file storage per user. Custom plans are also available.
If you decide you would instead go elsewhere within three months, IceWarp says you will not be charged. Customers find this service reliable and easy to use, although migration can take a while.
IceWarp features: Your domain name:Yes |Mailbox size:200GB + 1TB file storage|Spam and virus protection:Yes |Aliases:Yes |24/7 support:Chat, ticket, or phone |Archiving and storage:Included
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Unlimited mailbox size
- Microsoft integration
- Migration assistance
Cons
- Short trial
More Details
Rackspace is one of the original cloud infrastructure providers. The company offers many infrastructure-as-a-service options, including complete Exchange hosting, Microsoft 365 management, and traditional email hosting suitable for small to medium-sized businesses and beyond.
The company offers migration assistance from other hosts, a large team of MCSA-certified staff, and the ability to support an existing Microsoft Enterprise Agreement. Free migration is provided on all plans.
Subscriptions start at $2.99 per month per user and increase to $3.99 monthly for premium service. If you want unlimited archiving, prices begin at $6.99/month. A trial is available, although you have to make up your mind within 14 days. Customer feedback indicates that Rackspace's migration help and uptime are notable, but customer support can be lackluster.
Rackspace features: Your domain name:Yes |Mailbox size:25GB mailboxes, 30GB storage|Spam and virus protection:Yes |Aliases:Yes |24/7 support:Chat, ticket, or phone |Archiving and storage:Depending on plan, additional fee| 14-day free trial
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Security focus
- Free plans available
- Family options
Cons
- Poor customer support reviews
More Details
Proton Mail should be in the running if you want a security-first email hosting solution.
Developed by the same organization that offers Proton VPN, Proton Drive, and Proton Pass, Proton Mail offers a wide range of options, including a free plan and a family plan. Email is end-to-end encrypted, and storage levels range from 1GB to a massive 3TB on shared family subscriptions.
Mail Plus ($3.99/month) comes with 10 email addresses, 15GB of storage, and a custom email domain if you need a basic option. Proton for Business plans, starting at $6.99/month, includes secure business email, a calendar, and access to Proton VPN.
Customers say that they like the simple interface and security provisions but note that customer support needs improvement.
Proton Mail features: Your domain name:Yes |Mailbox size:1GB - 3TB|Spam and virus protection:Yes |Aliases:Yes |24/7 support:Email, online form | End-to-end encryption | Desktop app | Free option
What is the best email hosting service?
If you want a no-brainer decision, choose Google Workspace or Microsoft 365, depending on whether you're more tied to the Google or Microsoft ecosystem. That's it. Both are excellent offerings that provide solid services and support, if sometimes frustrating.
However, there are other worthy options on the market. To help you decide, we've highlighted each email hosting provider's noteworthy features below.
Email hosting service | Starting price | Storage | Your Domain |
Google Workspace | $6/user/mo | 30GB, 2TB, and 5TB | Yes |
Office 365 Business | $6/user/mo | 1TB+ | Yes |
Hostinger | $2.99/user/mo | 10GB+ | Yes |
A2 web hosting | $1.59/user/mo | 30GB | Yes |
IceWarp | $3.50/user/mo | 200GB | Yes |
Rackspace | $2.99/user/mo | 25GB+ | Yes |
Proton Mail | $3.99/user/mo | 1GB - 3TB | Yes |
Which is the best email hosting service?
There are countless email hosting providers, and we've done our best to highlight the top picks in the market. The best email hosting providers are listed below, depending on your need and use case.
Choose this email hosting service… | If you want… |
Google Workspace | A comprehensive office suite and you prefer the Google ecosystem. Google is familiar as an email hosting service and offers straightforward pricing with different storage options. |
Office 365 Business | A comprehensive office suite and prefer the Microsoft ecosystem. If you want an email host focused on Outlook, stick with Microsoft. |
Hostinger | Email hosting, and you're also buying web hosting. As a combination, Hostinger is a solid choice to manage both sides. |
A2 web hosting | An affordable email hosting plan over the long term. A2 is popular in the market for its offerings to smaller businesses, and rightly so. |
IceWarp | Comprehensive email services, but prefer to avoid Microsoft and Google. This is an excellent option for startup companies, too, that need up to 10 inboxes. |
Rackspace | Microsoft features, but want to work with a non-Microsoft provider. Rackspace should be considered if you want assistance with migration. |
Proton Mail | A security-first email solution. Proton Mail is an end-to-end encrypted service with extremely high security standards. Specialist security support is available. |
Factors to consider when choosing an email hosting service
When you are on the hunt for a new email hosting provider, consider the factors below.
- Features: Flexibility and different features are paramount when you select an email hosting service. Software bundles, sending tools, custom domains, billing options, and more could sway your choice, so you need to decide what features are the most important to you.
- Affordability: Most email hosting providers require customers to sign up for at least a year or more. You must consider the rolling fees over time and match your budget with the right host.
- Reliability: Ensure you pick an email hosting provider with minimal downtime. There's no point in paying for an unreliable host that could impact your access to the services you have signed up for.
- Scalability: If you own a small or midsize business, you may need to expand your operation. Consider choosing a provider that can quickly scale to match your evolving needs.
- Security: As email services are often the gateway to our other online services, choosing an email provider with a strong security record is worthwhile. Unfortunately, even the largest and best companies may eventually experience a breach, but you want to find a company that constantly works to improve its security posture.
How did we choose these email hosting providers?
Many of us at ZDNET have decades of experience with email hosting providers. In making recommendations, we take this experience and combine it with crucial factors, including:
- Familiarity: We have included vendors that ZDNET authors are personally familiar with and feel comfortable recommending. After all, if we wouldn't use the service, it's probably not worth consideration.
- Pricing: We have included a range of email hosting providers that offer services and price points suitable for different clients. There's no point in paying for multiple inboxes or advanced features if you are unlikely to use them.
- Security: In today's world, filled with data breaches and cyberattacks, security must be at the forefront of your online communication channels. We selected providers known for their robust security practices and frequent upgrades, improvements, and audits.
- Flexibility: We like to see various email and hosting plans, including family and business options. We also consider offering contracts with different time frames important.
- Customer support: Signing up for a new email hosting service or switching providers can be stressful. We prefer to showcase companies that provide solid customer support over email, phone, and chat.
Should I host my email?
While it is undoubtedly possible to self-host your email, and local backup options seem attractive, you will need some technological acumen and be willing to undergo the setup process, whether at home or by renting a server. For most users, signing up for an email hosting service is easier and quicker.
Do you get free email with a GoDaddy domain?
Domain purchases alone will not net you free email services. Instead, you will need to sign up for hosting, of which some plans will grant you free, professional email hosting for a year.
What is the best free email hosting service?
In most cases, you get what you pay for. Some robust and functional free email services are available, but keep in mind that they will likely have limitations. These could include the number of emails you can send daily, your email addresses, or the amount of storage available.
Our best recommendation for a free email service is Proton Mail, which offers 1GB of storage, one user account, and one email address.
How do I properly recover a stolen email account with a Google server?
This doesn't just apply if you're using Google for your email. If you're using another hosting provider, but also using Gmail, you might need to get this answered. It's easiest if you can still log in. But even if you can't, Google offers a set of steps for you to follow.Here's Google's pageto get you started.
But keep in mind that the best way to avoid recovering a stolen email account is to protect it properly. Set upmulti-factor authenticationandget your recovery codes from Google.
What free email service ends in org?
There are free email services, but be careful: free services often come with other costs, including privacy. Since it's costly to maintain an email hosting service, those using free services may not get much support or may find the service disappears one day. Or, you may be bombarded with adverts every time you access your inbox.
Also, be careful of free services that are essentially phishing sites, capturing all the emails you get, including personal identifying information. That said,mail.comis a reasonably safe service that offers email addresses with the linuxmail.org and musician.org domains. Other free services, like Yahoo and Google, allow you to set up email aliases, so if you have another mailer that supports .org, you can get that email at your Yahoo or Gmail account.
My web-hosted email stopped forwarding to my phone. How do I fix it?
There's not one single answer. It generally depends on your email provider and phone OS. If you use any standard email providers, you can go tothis troubleshooting pagefor iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch andthis troubleshooter for the Google Android email app. Sometimes, you may need to update or reinstall your app.
Are there alternative email hosting services worth considering?
There are a tremendous number of hosting providers on the market. As we said, just about every web hosting provider also offers email. But here are more providers that provide excellent email hosting services and support.
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