Owning a domain is just the first step to going professional. You also need a professional email at your domain for example [email protected]. Mostly your domain provider will charge you to host your custom domain which seems discouraging but that should stop you from getting one. Did you know you could get a free custom domain hosting. Which should help your business look more professional.
Today, I'll show you some of email service provider that gives this for free. Let's get started
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Importance Of Having A Custom Email Domain
- Professionalism: A custom email domain conveys a more professional image, making your business or personal brand appear more credible and established.
- Branding: It reinforces your brand identity every time you send an email, as recipients see your domain name.
- Trust: Custom domains can increase trust with your recipients, as they are less likely to be associated with spam or phishing attempts.Consistency: It provides a consistent point of contact for communication, which is beneficial for marketing and customer service.
- Control: You have greater control over your email addresses and can create multiple addresses for different purposes (e.g., [email protected], [email protected]).
- Deliverability: Emails from custom domains are less likely to be flagged as spam, ensuring better deliverability rates.
- Scalability: As your business grows, you can easily manage and add more email accounts without changing your primary domain.
Mail Servers Offering Free Custom Domain
1.Zoho Mail
Taking about free custom emails mail servers, Zoho Mail usually comes to mind. Zoho is ad free mail service with top tier privacy features that offers upto five free custom emails.
Pros of Zoho Mail
- Ad free : zoho mail provides an ad free user interface even on the free plan. This makes it more friendly since users are not disturbed by intrusive ads
- Free Plan : Zoho mail offers 5GB limit per user and it is free for lifetime. 5GB limit is perfect for small business.
- Free custom Emails : In the free plan you can get upto 5 free custom domains.
- Collaboration Tools: Integrates with Zoho’s suite of applications, providing tools for document management, CRM, project management, and more.
- Security: Provides robust security features including two-factor authentication, encryption, and spam filtering.
- Privacy: Zoho Mail emphasizes privacy, ensuring that user data is not mined for advertising purposes.
- Mobile apps : zoho has a mobile app for both Android and Ios users to ensure accessibility even on the go.
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Cons
- Storage limit : The 5GB limit per user might not be suitable for business with heavy email usage.
- Advanced Features: Some advanced features are only available on higher-tier plans.
- Learning Curve: Integrating and using all the tools in Zoho’s ecosystem can have a learning curve for new users.
- Custom Domain Setup: The setup process for custom domains can be complex for users without technical expertise.
- limited Support for Free Plan: Customer support for the free plan is limited, which can be challenging if issues arise.
- Spam Filter: Some users find the spam filter to be either too aggressive or too lenient, requiring manual adjustments.
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2.Yandex Mail
Yandex mail is a popular mail service for those seeking free custom domains. It has it's own set of pros and cons.
Pros of Yandex Mail
- Unlimited Storage: Offers unlimited email storage for users which may be suitable for business with heavy email usage.
- Free Custom Domains: Allows users to set up custom domains for free, making it attractive for small businesses and individuals.
- Security: Provides strong security features, including two-factor authentication and encryption.
- Mobile Apps: Available on both iOS and Android, ensuring access on the go.
- Integrated Services: Integrates well with other Yandex services such as Yandex Disk (cloud storage), Yandex Calendar, and Yandex Metrica (analytics).
- User Interface: Features a clean and user-friendly interface with customizable themes.Spam Protection: Robust spam filtering helps keep your inbox clean.
- Language Support: Available in multiple languages, catering to a global audience.
Cons
- Privacy Concerns: As a Russian company, some users may have concerns about data privacy and government surveillance.
- Limited Customer Support: Customer support options are limited, especially for free users.
- Advertising: Free accounts may see ads within the email interface, which can be distracting.
- Learning Curve: Users new to Yandex's ecosystem may experience a learning curve when integrating with other Yandex services.
- Email Deliverability: Emails sent from Yandex Mail accounts may sometimes be flagged as spam by other providers, affecting deliverability.
Data Privacy Concerns in Russia
- Yarovaya Law (2016): Requires telecom operators and internet service providers to store users' communications data for six months and metadata for three years. Internet companies, including email providers, must store metadata for one year.
- Surveillance: Russian authorities have broad surveillance capabilities, and companies operating in Russia are required to provide the government with access to data if requested.
- SORM: The System for Operative Investigative Activities (SORM) allows the Russian government to monitor and intercept internet traffic and communications.
- Encryption: Companies are required to assist the government in decrypting user communications if necessary.
Implication on users
- Privacy Concerns: Due to these regulations, users might be concerned about the confidentiality and privacy of their data when using services based in Russia.
- International Standards: Russian data privacy practices can differ significantly from those in the EU (GDPR) or the US, which may be seen as less protective of user privacy.
3. Mail.com
Mail.com is another mail service that offers free custom domains but is more limited compared to orhers but it worth giving it a short.
Pros of Mail.com
- Multiple Domain Choices: Offers a variety of domain choices (e.g., @mail.com, @email.com, @consultant.com), allowing for personalized email addresses. You can also create a custom domian(e.g [email protected])
- Storage: Provides 2GB of storage for free accounts, which can be increased with premium plans.
- User Interface: Features an easy-to-use and intuitive interface.
- Security: Includes antivirus protection and spam filtering to help keep your inbox safe.
- Mobile Access: Has mobile apps available for iOS and Android, ensuring you can access your email on the go.
- Calendars and Cloud Storage: Integrates with online calendars and provides cloud storage options, enhancing productivity.
- No Time Limits: Free accounts do not expire due to inactivity, unlike some other free email services.
Cons
- Ads in Free Version: The free version includes ads, which can be intrusive and distracting.
- Limited Storage for Free Accounts: The 2GB storage limit for free accounts might not be sufficient for heavy email users.
- Limited Support: Customer support options are limited for free users, with premium support available only to paying customers.
- Advanced Features: Some advanced features, such as larger attachment limits and more storage, are only available with premium plans.
4. Mailgun
Mailgun offers a free tier that allows users to get started with their email delivery service without initial costs. The free tier includes custom domains.
Pros of Mailgun
- Emails per Month: Up to 5,000 emails per month for the first three months.
- Email APIs: Access to Mailgun's powerful email APIs for sending, receiving, and tracking emails.
- Custom Domains: Ability to use custom domains for sending emails.
- Email Analytics: Basic analytics to track email delivery, opens, and clicks.
- Spam Filtering: Basic spam filtering to help ensure deliverability.
- Documentation and Support: Access to extensive documentation, tutorials, and community support.
Cons
- Usage Limit: The 5,000 emails per month limit is only for the first three months. After that, usage may be limited or require a paid plan.
- Limited Support: Limited customer support options. Priority or dedicated support is available only on higher-tier paid plans.
- Features: Some advanced features, such as higher email sending limits, detailed analytics, and priority support, are reserved for paid plans.
- Mailing List Size: They have limitations on the size of mailing lists and the number of mailing lists that can be managed.
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5. Infinityfree
Lastly we have infinityfree. Just as the name suggests, Infinityfree offers a free web hosting as well free custom email domains. But I'll just be focusing on emails.
Pros of Infinityfree
- Free custom email domains: infinityfree allows you to create emails using your custom domain ( e.g [email protected])
- Email Forwarding : It includes email forwarding which allows to redirect emails from your custom domain to another email address
- User interface: The user interface is quite friendly and easy to understand.
Cons
- Limited Email Features: The email features on the free plan are quite basic. For example, you might have limited storage and fewer options compared to dedicated email services like Zoho Mail or Mailgun.
- No Webmail Interface: InfinityFree doesn’t provide a built-in webmail interface for accessing emails. You may need to use third-party email clients or services to manage your emails.
- Advertisements: While the hosting service is free, there are advertising on the platform unless you upgrade to a premium plan.
- Limited Support: Limited customer support for free users, with more extensive support options available for premium users.
- Performance: Being a free service, the performance and reliability may not be as high as paid hosting services, especially if you're going to have heavy email usage.
How to Set Up Custom Emails.
Setting custom emails may include add email records to your Domain Nameservers. Different email servers have different ways of setting them. Most of them have a well documentation and guide on how to setup one. Some have even Support contacts to help you through if you're stuck.
Final thoughts
Free custom domains may be good for small business or individuals with small email usage. It is also a great way to test your email audience with no upfront costs. For large business with heavy email usage, free tiers may not be suitable due to limited features and support. It worth considering to upgrading to premium plans
