The Best Email Hosting Providers in 2024

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The best email hosting providers can ensure a smooth hosting experience for you and your team, whatever scale you’re working at, and they’ll provide all the accounts, storage, and security features you need. Of course, having a custom business email conveys professionalism and is essential for anyone selling goods or services.

With increasing demands for email hosting functionality, many internet hosting companies now offer web hosting services and email hosting as a package. In this comprehensive guide, I’ll cover the best email server hosting services and all the information you need to find the best product for your requirements.

The Best Email Hosts Tested by Our Experts

DreamHost – Best Email Hosting Provider for Versatility

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Domain.com – Best Domain Email Hosting for Google Integration

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Bluehost – Best Email Hosting for Small Teams

30-Day Money-Back Guarantee
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Liquid Web – Top Email and Web Hosting for Growing Businesses

30-Day Money-Back Guarantee
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A2 Hosting – Most Beginner-Friendly Email Hosting Service

30-Day Money-Back Guarantee
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InterServer – Most Secure Email Hosting Service

30-Day Money-Back Guarantee
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IONOS – Best Cheap Email Hosting

30-Day Money-Back Guarantee
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Namecheap – Most Affordable Email Hosting Service

60-day free trial
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HostPapa – Best Affordable Email Hosting for Teams

30-Day Money-Back Guarantee
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Name.com – Email Hosting Service with Advanced Features

30-Day Money-Back Guarantee
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The Top 10 Email Hosting Providers Ranked

  1. DreamHost – Best email hosting provider for versatility
  2. Domain.com – Best domain email hosting for Google integration
  3. Bluehost – Best email hosting for small teams
  4. Liquid Web – Top email and website hosting for growing businesses
  5. A2 Hosting – Most beginner-friendly email hosting service
  6. InterServer – Most secure email hosting service
  7. IONOS – Best cheap email hosting and best for Microsoft Office email hosting
  8. Namecheap – Most affordable email hosting service
  9. HostPapa – Best affordable email hosting for teams and corporations
  10. Name.com – Email hosting service with the most advanced features

Best Email Providers Reviewed

In this section of my guide, I’ll provide in-depth reviews of what each industry-leading email hosting provider offers and what they’re best suited for. I’ll provide everything you need to find the top email hosting providers for your needs, whether in business or personal email hosting.
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1. DreamHost – Best Email Hosting Provider For Versatility

DreamHost hosting logo

Starting Price $1.67/month
Key Features Mobile App, Customizable Email Hosting, 25GB Storage
Email Storage 25GB
Mobile App
Anti-Spam
Why We Picked It

The DreamHost email hosting package is the best service for individuals, businesses, and organizations when it comes to versatility.

It allows users to personalize their email by implementing custom settings and personal branding, and its affordable price will appeal to everyone.

Features
  • Storage and Attachments – DreamHost’s plan offers 25 GB of storage and an impressive 30 MB attachment limit. Additionally, you will find a built-in spam filter designed to safeguard your inbox against a wide range of threats, including malware and annoying junk.
  • Filtering – If the provider’s offered filtering feature doesn’t suit your needs, you can implement a third-party filtering service of your liking.
  • Email Clients and Apps – Whether you prefer IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) or POP-compatible (Post Office Protocol) email clients, DreamHost supports both options. This allows you to conveniently retrieve or synchronize emails across compatible devices. This flexibility provides users with a wide range of choices for managing their email correspondence according to their preferences and needs. Plus, an intuitive mobile app enables users to stay up-to-date even when on the go.
  • SMTP Limit – It’s important to note that the SMTP limit of 100 recipients per hour via regular SMTP authentication (webmail or your own email app) may seem somewhat restrictive, but the subscription price makes it worth it.
Pricing

DreamHost offers one package that you can pay for monthly or annually:

Plan Monthly subscription  Yearly subscription 
Email $1.99/month $1.67/month
Who It's Best For

DreamHost offers affordable, flexible plans for both businesses and individuals – and it’s one of the most versatile solutions on the market.

Pros

  • 25GB storage space per mailbox
  • Top-notch anti-spam feature
  • Easy to use
  • Great email hosting for business and personal use
  • 30-day money-back guarantee

Cons

  • Only supports 100 recipients/h
  • No free phone support
DreamHost
9.7
Review

2. Domain.com – Best Email Service Provider for Google Integration

Domain.com hosting logo

Starting Price $3/month
Key Features Easy To Use, High Uptime, Strong Customer Support
Email Storage 30GB
Mobile App
Anti-Spam
Why We Picked It

Domain.com offers the best email hosting solution for businesses that prefer Google email services. As it’s powered by Google Workspace, the provider grants access to a suite of Google-based applications seamlessly integrated with Gmail, including Google Calendar and Google Docs, among others.

Features
  • Domain + Email – This provider works simply. Once you buy a custom domain from Domain.com, you can opt for professional business email services that utilize your personalized Google-powered domain. Unlike simply registering for Google, buying a domain through Domain.com gives you a 50% discount for the first year, making it an excellent option for hosting business email for the first time.
  • Google Drive – A standout feature of the service is the ability to access your files from anywhere, regardless of the device you’re using. You can conveniently access your documents and attachments through Google Drive and Cloud Search.
  • Storage – What’s also important is that you receive up to 30GB of storage per user, which should be plenty enough for regular business needs.
  • Customer Support – Lastly, Domain.com offers 24/7 customer support via live chat, a knowledge base, and a blog, so any issue should be resolved in a timely manner.
Pricing

Domain.com offers three Google Workspace options for you to choose from, depending on your company’s needs:

Plan Cheapest price
Business Starter $3/user
Business Standard $6/user
Business Plus $9/user
Who It's Best For

Domain.com is an excellent domain email service for anyone who wants to make use of the extensive Google Workspace suite, and the email hosting solution is fast and simple to use on mobile.

The provider offers one of the best domain and email hosting services around and will appear in any list of the top 10 email hosting providers.

Pros

  • Large number of domain extensions available
  • Integrates with numerous Google apps
  • Top-notch applications for mobile devices
  • Cheap introductory price

Cons

  • Works with Google workspace only
  • Higher renewal prices
Domain.com
9.7
Review

3. Bluehost – Best Email Domain Hosting Provider for Small Businesses

Bluehost hosting logo

Starting Price $2.08/month
Key Features Easy Set-Up, 24/7 Customer Support, 25GB Storage
Email Storage 25GB
Mobile App
Anti-Spam
Why We Picked It

If you’re only starting with your business but email is a key channel, then Bluehost may very well be the best email hosting service for you.

It’s one of the most feature-rich domain hosting services and provides both Google Workspace and business-oriented email hosting plans.

Features
  • Storage and Accounts – You can expect at least 25GB of storage and 25 email aliases that will redirect all emails to the same email box. The host also supports different email protocols, like POP3 and IMAP. Security measures, like spam filters, antivirus tools, and real-time anti-phishing features to help you spot fraud are also included.
  • Google Workspace – You can also opt for a Bluehost-powered Google Workspace. Three subscription plans are available with varying cloud storage sizes, ranging from 30GB to 5TB. By subscribing to this service, you will receive an email that matches your domain, access to various Google apps, and shareable Google Drive storage that can improve workflow within your team. Given all the tools available, it’s also great for creating accessible emails.
  • Customer Support – Bluehost prioritizes helping its customers. Thus, there are multiple customer support options, including 24/7 live chat and phone support, a knowledge base, and FAQs.
Pricing

There are two subscription plans that you can choose from.

Plan Cheapest price
Professional Email $24.99/year
Professional Email Plus $44.99/year

In addition to its two native plans, Bluehost also offers three Google Workspace options starting at $6/month.

Who It's Best For

Bluehost offers tons of features and flexibility, making it a great option for small businesses. The starting plan is very affordable, as well, but you can also scale up to store massive amounts of data.

Pros

  • 25 email aliases
  • Custom domain addresses
  • Affordable pricing
  • Includes Real-Time Anti-Phishing feature

Cons

  • No monthly billing option
  • Attachment size is unclear
Bluehost
9.4
Review

4. Liquid Web – Most Scalable Email Hosting Service for Growing Businesses

Liquid Web hosting logo

Starting Price $2.25/mailbox
Key Features Scalable, 25GB Storage, 50MB Attachments
Email Storage 25GB
Mobile App
Anti-Spam
Why We Picked It

Liquid Web is the best web hosting provider for businesses that are rapidly growing and are looking for a scalable email hosting service. The platform ensures high uptime and performance with intuitive infrastructure and proactive monitoring.

Features
  • Flexibility and Mailbox – With Liquid Web, users can access their emails from anywhere using IMAP, POP3, or webmail clients. The mailbox capacity matches DreamHost, and attachments are capped at 50MB, which is enough to accommodate a 1,000-page Microsoft Word document or approximately 500 JPEG images.
  • Customer Support – If you’re a small business owner, it’s also important to get help at all times. Therefore, Liquid Web offers customer support 24/7 via live chat, email, and even phone calls. Additionally, you can look for quick information in the provider’s knowledge base and blog.
  • Add-On Service – It’s worth noting that Liquid Web’s email hosting isn’t a standalone service. It’s only accessible as an add-on to an existing hosting subscription. However, if you need a powerful web hosting service, Liquid Web is an ideal solution.
Pricing

There are two subscription plans you can use:

Plan Cheapest price
Standard $2.25/mailbox
Plus $4/mailbox

Users can add on email archiving for an extra $4/month per mailbox.

Who It's Best For

Liquid Web is a great pick for scaling firms as an add-on for web hosting plans – and it comes with first-rate customer support.

Pros

  • Extraordinary 24/7 customer support
  • Large mailbox storage
  • Scalable email hosting service
  • Advanced security measures

Cons

  • Email hosting is an add-on
  • Only 50MB per allowed attachment
Liquid Web
9.0
Review

5. A2 Hosting – Top Email Server Provider for Small Teams and Beginners

A2 Hosting logo

Starting Price $1.59/mailbox
Key Features Professional Emails, Follow-Up Reminders, 24/7 Support
Email Storage 10GB
Mobile App
Anti-Spam
Why We Picked It

Starting and sustaining a business can be challenging, which is why beginner-friendly email hosting services like A2 Hosting are priceless. A2 Hosting offers a great balance of affordability and functionality, making it a top choice for beginners and small business owners.

Features
  • Storage – Whether you opt for a more modest plan with 10GB per account or a subscription with 30GB per account, A2 Hosting provides scalable solutions to meet your evolving business needs.
  • Email Features – With both plans, you receive an advanced anti-scam and anti-virus checker, webmail, multi-email account admin tools, a rich signature builder, and a limit of 200-300 emails/hour. Best of all, you can sync your email account to your calendar seamlessly.
  • Protocols and Apps – In addition to the webmail email hosting server type, the provider supports IMAP and POP3 protocols and offers functional Android and iOS mobile apps. An easily accessible desktop app is also available.
  • Customer Support – Customer support is accessible 24/7, every day of the year, ensuring assistance is available whenever needed. You can contact them via phone, email, or live chat for prompt responses.
Pricing

There are two subscription plans – Professional and Pro Plus. Here’s how the two compare in terms of price:

Plan Cheapest price
Professional $1.59/mailbox
Pro Plus $2.59/mailbox
Who It's Best For

A2 Hosting is great for beginners. The provider makes it very easy to get started, and it comes with robust customer support if you get stuck.

Pros

  • Scalable subscription plans
  • Many additional features
  • User-friendly email migration
  • Anytime money-back guarantee

Cons

  • Cap of 200-300 emails per hour
  • Gets more expensive with higher tier plans
A2 Hosting
9.0
Review

6. InterServer – Most Secure Email Hosting Service

InterServer hosting logo

Starting Price $2.50/month
Key Features Server Protection, Antivirus, User Privacy
Email Storage 25GB
Mobile App
Anti-Spam
Why We Picked It

If you want professional and private email hosting, InterServer is a top choice. The email hosting provider applies end-to-end encryption to all your emails, and it doesn’t keep logs associated with your IP, ensuring complete anonymity.

Features
  • Security Features – This open-source email hosting service prioritizes online security, offering users access to the code for transparency and trust. With robust Brute-Force and spam protection features, it minimizes the risk of data leaks, ensuring your information stays safe and secure.
  • Choice of Email Providers – Another addition to InterServer’s secure email hosting is the possibility of using your professional email with any other email provider, such as Google or Yahoo. This way, you can enjoy regular email services with enhanced protection.
  • Storage – Each user receives unlimited email service and 25GB of email storage per mailbox, giving plenty of space for important files.
  • Customer Support – InterServer offers multiple customer support channels, including 24/7 email, phone calls, live chats, and even Messenger, ensuring you get assistance whenever you need it.
  • Add-On Service – One thing to note is that InterServer does not offer email hosting as a separate service. This comes as a part of the web hosting package. However, considering all the security features you get, this is a one-of-a-kind deal.
Pricing

InterServer’s subscriptions start at $2.50/month for its shared hosting. While there’s no option to separately purchase hosted email services, the shared hosting plan allows you to host unlimited email accounts and even includes spam filtering.

Who It's Best For

InterServer provides multiple layers of security for your emails, making it one of the safest email hosting options. There’s also solid support and substantial storage space for your messages.

Pros

  • Advanced security measures
  • No-logging policy for complete privacy
  • Unlimited email service

Cons

  • Email hosting is an additional service
  • Only basic email clients
InterServer
8.9
Review

7. IONOS – Most Versatile Email Hosting Provider

IONOS hosting logo

Starting Price $1/month
Key Features 70MB Email Attachments, Scalable, Affordable Small Business Plans
Email Storage 2GB+
Mobile App
Anti-Spam
Why We Picked It

While less widely recognized than other providers, IONOS offers the largest variety of email hosting options, and you can pair your plan with the Microsoft Office suite. The affordable pricing also makes the provider very budget-friendly.

Features
  • Email Features – For just $1/month, you get a free domain, scalable mailboxes, and additional features tailored for professional email needs. The given mailbox size varies depending on your subscription plan, ranging from 2 to 50GB or 10,000 to 50,000 emails.
  • Large Attachments – Users can also attach files of up to 70MB per email using the service, which is 20MB more than what Liquid Web offers.
  • IMAP Support – IONOS’ email hosting service offers comprehensive support for IMAP, ensuring that users can access their emails from anywhere, whether they prefer email clients that support IMAP or to access their emails directly via the web.
  • Security Features – Additionally, it provides ad-free webmail, advanced spam filters, and virus protection, allowing you to manage your emails risk-free.
  • Microsoft Exchange Integration – If you’re seeking more than email hosting, IONOS provides the option to combine professional email with the Microsoft Office suite, known as Microsoft Exchange. This enables you to work seamlessly through Outlook while benefiting from encrypted emails and virus-prevention measures.
Pricing

You can choose from three different plans based on their features.

Plan Cheapest price
Mail Basic 1 $1/month
Mail Basic 1+ $4/month
Mail Business $5/month

It’s important to note that the price will increase on the Mail Business plan based on the number of users you need (the starting price is for one user).

Who It's Best For

IONOS is the most versatile email host I’ve seen on the market, with plans to cover a wide range of needs. The provider offers some of the cheapest prices on the market and is ideal for integrating with the Microsoft Office suite.

Pros

  • Prices start from as low as $1/month
  • Scalable mailboxes
  • Integrates with Microsoft Office suite

Cons

  • Customer support could be improved
  • Microsoft Exchange plans are pricy
IONOS
8.7
Review

8. Namecheap – Best Cheap Email Hosting Provider

Namecheap hosting logo

Starting Price $0.99/month
Key Features Affordable, Scalable, Wide-Ranging Plans
Email Storage 25GB+
Mobile App
Anti-Spam
Why We Picked It

With prices starting from as little as $0.99/month and abundant features, Namecheap is the most affordable email hosting service on the list. The provider offers all the essential features for secure hosting, making it a great option for personal and business use.

Features
  • Scalability and Flexibility – Namecheap is highly flexible in terms of scalability, allowing users to add as many mailboxes as they see fit. Plus, support for SMTP, IMAP, and POP3 protocols makes this provider a perfect fit for small businesses that seek to work from various devices and email clients.
  • Storage and Plans – Namecheap offers three subscription plans with varying email storage capacities ranging from 25 to 75GB. Even with the most affordable plan, you’ll benefit from essential features like Jellyfish Anti-Spam Protection, 2-factor authentication, and secure webmail access.
  • Higher-Tier Features – Opting for higher-tier plans brings additional perks such as complete mobile email hosting support, collaboration tools, creating online presentations, and more.
  • Customer Support – Unlike many other hosting services, Namecheap doesn’t offer phone or email customer support channels. Nonetheless, you can still contact the support via the 24/7 live chat or ticketing system. Moreover, there is an extensive knowledge base.
Pricing

There are three subscription plans for users to choose from:

Plan Cheapest price
Starter $0.99/month
Pro $2.49/month
Ultimate $3.66/month

Additional mailboxes cost extra but are significantly cheaper to set up. Bigger businesses that need over fifty mailboxes or private emails for more than twenty domains can contact NameCheap directly for a bespoke quote.

There is also a 60-day free trial that businesses, especially small businesses, can use to ensure the product is the perfect fit.

Who It's Best For

With a wide range of features and an even-cheaper starting price than IONOS, Namecheap is the most affordable email host I’ve seen.

Pros

  • Cheapest email hosting on the market
  • Excellent features for teamwork
  • 60-day money-back guarantee

Cons

  • All plans are annual
  • Customer support can be slow

9. HostPapa – Best Affordable Business Email Hosting Services

HostPapa hosting logo

Starting Price $1/month
Key Features Affordable, Accessible Interface, Excellent Security
Email Storage 1GB+
Mobile App
Anti-Spam
Why We Picked It

HostPapa offers a wide range of subscription plans, making it ideal for self-employed individuals, small businesses, and even larger enterprises. It’s also great for businesses looking for affordable, scalable plans.

Features
  • Flexibility – This email hosting provider has two delivery options: POP3 and IMAP4. This means that you receive options for single-device and email client use as well as for multiple devices and email clients.
  • Storage – HostPapa’s basic plans offer either 1 or 5GB mailbox storage, while packages including Google and Microsoft suites provide 30 and 50GB per mailbox. Moreover, you can have as much as 1TB of file storage on the side.
  • Security Protection – HostPapa’s email hosting service goes beyond just providing email accounts. It also includes robust spam and virus protection, actively safeguarding users’ inboxes from unwanted emails and cyber threats.
  • Uptime Guarantee – The provider offers excellent performance, backed by a 99.9% uptime guarantee, ensuring your email communication remains uninterrupted and always reliable.
  • Customer Support – Overall, HostPapa offers user-friendly email hosting plans with intuitive management tools. Their reliable customer support, which you can reach out to through a live chat, phone call, a ticketing system, or a fax 24/7, ensures a seamless experience.
Pricing

There are several plans for you to choose from, depending on your needs – and HostPapa offers some of the most affordable business email hosting services around.

Plan Cheapest price
HostPapa Basic Email $1/month
HostPapa Advanced Email $2/month
Google Workspace $5.99/month
Microsoft 365 $7.99/month
Who It's Best For

HostPapa offers tons of features with its plans and is a first-class, affordable option for businesses that can steadily support you as you grow.

Pros

  • Integrates with Google Workspace and Microsoft 365
  • Unlimited IMAP connections
  • 30-day money-back guarantee

Cons

  • Basic plan offers limited storage
  • Outdated account management panel

10. Name.com – Most Feature-Packed Email Server Provider

Name.com hosting logo

Starting Price $2/month
Key Features Varied Plans, DNS Management, Great App Integration
Email Storage 10GB+
Mobile App
Anti-Spam
Why We Picked It

Name.com may be a less well-known provider, but it offers one of the most feature-rich email hosting services. With a wide range of features and tools, Name.com helps users maintain a professional email presence and improve their brand image.

Features
  • Storage – Name.com provides six different email hosting plans, with mailbox storage ranging from 10GB per account to unlimited. The daily email-sending limit ranges from a few hundred to several thousand emails.
  • Email Protocol Support – Name.com supports both IMAP and POP3 protocols, allowing you to access your emails on one or multiple devices, depending on your preference.
  • Writing Features and Storage – In addition to the standard email features, you can also benefit from the AI Email Writing feature, the Presentation Builder, the possibility to share your storage and files online, and message your team securely.
  • Privacy and Security – Name.com prioritizes user privacy by implementing robust email encryption, providing advanced protection against spam and viruses, and supporting custom DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail). If any issue arises, you can contact them via a live chat and ticketing system or check the Help Center section.
Pricing

There are two different categories of independent email hosting available – Titan email and Google Workspace. Each category has several email hosting packages to choose from.

Titan email is a subscription plan for established businesses.

Plan Cheapest price
Business Pro $2/month
Business Premium $2.59/month
Business Ultra $6.99/month

Google Workspace is a service that’s more suited to small businesses and self-employed people.

Plan Cheapest price
Business Starter $3/mailbox
Business Standard $8/mailbox
Who It's Best For

Name.com’s plans are packed with features and cover everything from automating email writing to file sharing and secure messaging. If you’re looking for advanced communication options, it’s perfect.

Pros

  • Many subscription plans to choose from
  • Additional features, like AI Email Writing tool
  • Decent subscription renewal prices

Cons

  • Many features only available in higher-tier plans
  • No 24/7 customer support channels

Best Email Hosting Services Compared

Here’s a comparison table of the best email hosting services from my shortlist. It provides a concise overview of the key attributes that each company brings to the table.

Email Hosting Provider Starting Price Uptime Email Storage Free Domain Top Features Money-Back Guarantee
DreamHost $1.67/month 100% 25GB Mobile App, Customizable Email Hosting, 25GB Storage
Domain.com $3/user 99.9% 30GB Easy To Use, High Uptime Guarantee, Strong Customer Support
Bluehost $2.08/month 99.99% 25GB+ Easy Set-Up, 24/7 Customer Support, 25GB Storage
Liquid Web $2.25/mailbox 100% 25GB Scalable, 25GB Storage, 50MB Attachments
A2 Hosting $1.59/account 99.9% 10GB+ Professional Emails, Follow-Up Reminders, 24/7 Support
InterServer $2.50/month 100% 25GB Server Protection, Antivirus, User Privacy
IONOS $1/account 99.9% 2GB+ 70MB Email Attachments, Scalable, Affordable Small Business Plans
Namecheap $0.99/month 100% 25GB+ Free email domain with website domain Affordable, Scalable, Wide-Ranging Business Plans
HostPapa $1/mailbox 99.9% 1GB+ Affordable, Accessible Interface, Excellent Security Settings
Name.com $2/month 99.99% 10GB+ Varied Plans, DNS Management, Great App Integration
Methodology

How We Review And Test Hosting Providers

15 Providers Tested

20 Data Points Measured

300+ Hours Testing

500+ User Reviews Read

To be able to offer our readers factual information and only the best web hosting solutions, we evaluate and test the most popular hosts in the market. Here are the main factors we focus on:

  • Features: We ensure the provider includes basic features like a custom domain, an SSL, generous storage and bandwidth, and email accounts, as well as advanced tools like domain protection, staging, automated backups, and more.
  • Ease of use: It’s important that, regardless of their experience managing a site, all users can quickly and easily navigate the hosting provider’s dashboard. All providers on our list either offer an easy-to-navigate custom panel or a widely used cPanel.
  • Performance: We ensure the provider offers at least a 99.9% uptime guarantee and uses up-to-date and functional servers. We test this by setting up a site with each provider, testing site loading speed and traffic handling capabilities, and monitoring the uptime.
  • Customer Support: We ensure that users can reach customer support 24/7 via various support channels. We also contact them to test whether the support agents are knowledgeable and efficient.
  • Value for Money: We evaluate the features within the package and the price point it retails for. We only recommend plans that offer the best value for money.

How Does Email Hosting Work?

Email hosting provides all the resources needed for hosting email accounts. It doesn’t have to be tied to website hosting or a website.

Often, email hosting is used by businesses or individuals looking to run extensive email campaigns. The service enables users to send large quantities of emails and comes with dedicated storage.

A professionally hosted email service allows you to customize your email address however you want. So instead of having to use [email protected], for example, you can use a [email protected] address.

What’s the Difference Between Email Hosting Providers and Web Hosting?

Web hosting and email hosting are two different web-based services:

  • Web hosting gives users space on a remote server to store files and information for a website, which can be accessed via the internet. Website storage and bandwidth are key for web hosting.
  • Email hosting enables full management of emails and everything associated with them. For example, hosted email services allow you to send and receive messages from custom domains rather than generic ones, which you might get with a free email account.

Email hosting also logs information like recipient information and the time and date that messages were sent.

Different Types of Email Hosting

There are several types of email hosting available, each with its own set of features and levels of control. Every business unit has unique ways of using and accessing emails, and the approach determines the best type of email hosting to be used.

Here are some common types:

IMAPPOP3Cloud emailSMTPWebmail

IMAP: Internet Message Access Protocol is a standard Internet protocol for accessing email messages. Instead of downloading and storing messages locally, this protocol allows users to organize email data directly on the server.

Messages can be accessed and managed from multiple devices without downloading them individually.

POP3: Post Office Protocol is another protocol for receiving email from a server or a client device. Unlike IMAP, POP3 downloads emails to the client and removes them from the server.

Actions taken by the client won’t be reflected on the server or other devices, making it more suitable for users accessing email from a single device.

Cloud email: This email hosting type hosts email accounts in the cloud. It offers scalability, flexibility, and duplication, ensuring high performance and reliability of email services. It’s a great match for businesses of all sizes, especially those with distributed teams or with many remote employees.

SMTP: The Simple Mail Transfer Protocol is an industry standard designed to handle the sending, receiving, and relaying of email messages between email clients and receiving mail servers.

It quickly processes and forwards emails to their destinations, ensuring efficient and reliable transmission.

Webmail: Web-based email is a service that allows users to manage their email accounts through a web interface provided by their hosting service. Unlike traditional email clients, users don’t need to install any software to use webmail.

Your Email Hosting Options

Email hosting is offered in various formats, which you can pick from depending on your needs and the features that are useful to you. There are three main hosted service options to choose from:

Shared Web and Email Hosting

Shared Web and Email Hosting

While this is easy to set up and cost-effective, using the same space for your website and email hosting can eat away at your website storage space, which may not be ideal for medium to large businesses.

By having web hosting with email on the same servers, you increase the slight possibility of a complete blackout or shutdown.

Self-Hosted Email

Self-Hosted Email

This is an email service that runs on your own email server or hardware. This could be a server in a physical location or a virtual server in the cloud.

The advantage of this approach is that only you can access your data, and you can decide what features you need. It could be an unreliable service with a lot of downtime, though, and will require a commitment of time and money to ensure it’s functioning correctly.

Third-Party Email Hosting

Third-Party Email Hosting

This service is the most reliable way to add professional email hosting to your business. For a small monthly fee, a third party takes care of maintenance, back-ups, and other time-consuming activities. If your data is backed up on multiple servers, your information will be safe even if one fails.

Most third-party email hosting companies offer features like virus, spam, and malware protection, which you would have to set up and pay for yourself if you self-hosted.

Overall, implementing third-party email hosting solutions is an excellent choice for businesses as you get a great service that protects your information for a small monthly fee.

This guide explores the best third-party email hosting services on the market and what they have to offer.

Email Hosting Client Types

An email client allows you to manage and send emails via a user interface. Many integrate features such as calendars, task management, and contact management. The email client is accessed via the user’s device and allows you to send messages to the email server, where they’re processed and delivered.

Many providers offer both personal and business solutions. This includes the web-based Gmail email client and Microsoft Outlook, a Microsoft 365 application.

Other popular products include the Mac-default Apple Mail, the web-based ProtonMail email client, the Zoho Mail business solution, and Microsoft’s Exchange Online for business, formerly known as Email Exchange hosting.

Key Factors to Consider When Comparing Email Hosts

Choosing the right email hosting service is crucial for your success. When searching for the best email hosting provider for your needs, consider these factors:

ScalabilityFeaturesPlan CapsEase of UseSecurityCustomer SupportBudget

Scalability – This will determine a lot about what you need from your email hosting provider. With a small business, you may not be worried about storage capacity, email attachment size, or hourly email caps, but this may make a big difference for a large business.

You should also consider whether it’s easy to scale up if you need to. By keeping your requirements in mind, you can ensure the mail server service provider you select is right for you.

Features – Any email hosting comparison should start with the functionality you need with your email hosting plan. Features like analytics and reporting, automation, and app integrations will help to make email management less time-consuming.

You might also consider if you want tools like a website builder or web hosting to run alongside email hosting.

Plan Caps – Some email server hosting services have caps on metrics like the number of emails you can send in an hour, the size of email attachments, and the storage capacity available for your emails, or only allowing you to add up to five users, for example.

Before committing to web hosting plans, make sure they include sufficient resources for your needs.

Ease of Use – Before committing to an email server hosting provider, make sure that it’s easy to use and navigate. If the interface is hard to use, it will slow you down.

Security – Another vital feature of any mail server service provider is the level of security provided with your email hosting service. If your business works with sensitive or confidential information, then a higher level of protection, like email hosting with InterServer, may be sensible.

Customer Support – Customer support is a vital part of email hosting. Make sure that the host offers support 24/7 via channels like live chat, phone, and email.

Budget – Allocate a budget for email hosting and assess whether you can get a good email hosting service with the features you need for that amount. The key to getting good value for money is to ensure you have all the features you need.

Are Free Email Hosts Worth It?

While it’s not ideal, a free email service may be suitable for less financially established businesses.

Companies like Gmail and Microsoft offer popular free email services and have large numbers of subscribers. Free email hosting services typically have more restrictions than paid solutions, though, such as limited storage and attachments and run advertising.

When paying for hosted business email with a dedicated email service, you can decide exactly what features you need, including the size of email attachments and how messages are sent – and most private email hosting services are fairly inexpensive to purchase.

While a free email hosting service can work on a short-term basis, there are many reasons why investing in a private email hosting provider is a better option.

Conclusion – What’s the Best Email Hosting Solution? DreamHost

Getting solid email hosting in place for your business is essential. The best providers will offer all the accounts you need alongside ample storage, security solutions, and functionality that can scale with your organization.

Based on my research and testing, I rate DreamHost as the top provider on the market. It’s a highly flexible solution and comes with a wide range of options for customization. It’s also very affordable, has a great mobile app, and comes with lots of room for you to scale – and it offers an impressive money-back guarantee, meaning you can test it without taking any risks.

DreamHost
9.7
Review

FAQs

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References

  1. Creating Accessible Emails (Harvard University – Digital Accessibility)
  2. Seven tips to help identify a fraudulent ‘phishing’ email (Purdue University – Purdue Today)
Ryan Clancy
Technology Writer
Ryan Clancy
Technology Writer

Ryan Clancy is an engineering and tech freelance writer and blogger, with 5+ years of mechanical engineering experience and 10+ years of writing experience. He's passionate about all things engineering and tech, especially mechanical engineering, and bringing engineering down to a level that everyone can understand. Ryan lives in New York City, and writes about mechanical and all other types of engineering and tech, at sites such as Engineering360, Electronics360, All About Cookies, EngineeringClicks, Clinked, Bricsys, FinanceBuzz, Mechanical Engineering HQ, and many more.

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