3 Free Email Providers with a Custom Domain

Business Benefits of a Custom Domain

In the competitive business landscape, the little things can make or break your brand. Your email address is one such detail that’s easy to overlook but carries serious weight. Sure, free email services like Gmail or Yahoo are quick to set up, but a custom domain email brings a whole different level of value to the table.

Here are some of the top benefits of a custom email domain:

Increases Brand Visibility

Every email you send is a chance to flex your brand. With a custom domain, your company’s name is instilled in the recipient’s mind. Compare that to something like [email protected], where your identity gets buried behind someone else’s domain.

Build Credibility

An email from a branded domain instantly signals legitimacy in a way a free account can’t. Clients, partners, even vendors, are more likely to open, read, and respond to an email that looks like it’s coming from a serious operation.

Ensures Consistency

Imagine your team all using different email providers – Jane’s on Hotmail, Mike’s on Gmail, and you’re on Yahoo. It’s a mess, right? A custom domain email ties everything together with a consistent, professional look (e.g., [email protected], [email protected]).

Provide Marketing Advantages

Branded email is like a marketing tool that doesn’t feel like an “ad.” Every time you hit send, you’re putting your company’s name in front of someone – clients, suppliers, prospects, you name it. And if you’re smart about it, you can toss in a slick email signature with your website link, a social media plug, or even a quick call-to-action for your latest offer.

cPanel vs Unmanaged Mail Servers

cPanel-managed server hosting includes a functioning mail server by default. And it’s easy to migrate email between cPanel servers. Just transfer a server backup or drag-and-drop using Thunderbird. Unmanaged Linux server hosting is a bare operating system, though. So if you want email while using an unmanaged Linux server, you’ll need to make an important decision between the following two options:

• Configure a mail server within that unmanaged server to host your email
• Use a paid or free email provider (preferably with the option to use a custom email domain)

If you choose the latter option, you must research your options wisely for some key features.

Key Features to Consider in a Custom Email Provider

Security and Privacy

Think of how much information you share in email communications that could be valuable to a cyber attacker. Since you wouldn’t be securing that data yourself, read about the email provider’s history of cyberattacks and how they responded to them.

Read their setup guide and check if they provide Sender Policy Framework (SPF) and Domain Keys Identified Mail (DKIM) DNS records for email authentication.

Major kudos to your email provider if they offer Domain-based Message Authentication and Conformance (DMARC).

And don’t forget to read their terms of service for how they might be using your data and compliance with General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). 

Even if you’re not in the European Union (EU) or California, many companies extend those features to all customers because it’s easier on their internal infrastructure.

High-Availability (HA)

You don’t want an email provider that consistently can’t let you log in or fetch new emails quickly. Check Reddit and other reputable forums for comments about reports of constant downtime.

Ease of Use

Everyone has preferences for optimal user experience (UX). Many prefer a dark contrast mode for working night shifts. Some need larger text for better web accessibility. Others may just want the email interface to be responsive enough to still be usable in half of a screen space. In summary, look for screenshots and video tutorials.

IMAP and POP3 Access

Some free email providers disallow remote access for managing email. This prevents seamless offline email drafting, making it a hard pass for many. It also means you may need to migrate contact lists, calendar (CalDav) schedules, and to-do lists elsewhere to adjust your workflow. 

Customer Support

If you need help, would you be able to contact someone directly or have to browse support guides and forums? More importantly, are whatever support options available for the email provider sufficient for the issues you anticipate and your level of urgency? Quick way to test this: ask their support team a question.

Return on Investment (ROI)

Everything above equates to how valuable a free email provider will be for you. You don’t want to end up with a bad product. And, you don’t want to sign up for a service with the mantra of “If you don’t pay for the product, you are the product.”

Many paid email providers allow you to use custom email domains. 

Notable examples include ProtonMail and Mailfence. If you’re paying for an email provider, everything above matters that much more. Ensure you understand the email provider’s cancellation and renewal policies.

Below, we’ll cover some reputable, free email providers that allow you to use a custom email domain.

• Gmail
• Zoho
• Your Linux Server Hosting

Free Custom Email Provider Comparison Table

Feature	Gmail	Zoho Mail	Linux Server Hosting
Company Reputation	Well-known, trusted	Reputable, mature	Self-managed, depends on the setup
Ease of Setup	Easy but requires MX record changes	Guided setup with security checks	Complex, requires Linux expertise
Security & Privacy	High security but data privacy concerns	Strong security with SPF, DKIM, DMARC	Full control, but must secure it yourself
Uptime	Excellent	High	Depends on your server maintenance
Integration	Seamless with Google apps	Integrated with Zoho CRM & apps	Can be customized with various software
Spam Protection	Excellent	Good	Depends on the setup and filters used
Access Methods	IMAP, POP3, Webmail	Webmail (IMAP & POP3 for paid plans)	IMAP, POP3, Webmail (depends on configuration)
Cost	Free with limitations, paid for business use	Free with limited features, paid plans available	Potentially free but requires server resources
Customization	Limited to Google’s features	Moderate, integrated with Zoho services	Highly customizable but requires technical skills

Gmail

Google Workspace (formerly G Suite) is a popular choice for small and medium sized businesses without the resources to develop their own infrastructure. But it requires a monthly payment. So, many instead opt for the free Google account, point MX records to Gmail, and forward email there. This is easier with cPanel-managed server hosting because you have to create an email account with that custom domain elsewhere first.

There are requirements to set up a custom Gmail address with your domain.

Pros:

• Well-known company
• Thorough documentation for common issues and use cases
• Seamless integration with other Google applications
• Many people, including Android users, already have an account and experience with Google
• Great uptime
• Great spam protection
• Will likely be the first email provider to integrate Brand Indicators for Message Identification (BIMI) for visual email authentication
• POP3 and IMAP access

Cons:

• There are concerns about what Google does with user information
• High security lulls many into a false sense of online and mobile security against cyber attacks

Gmail is ideal for:

• Small to medium businesses that need a reliable email solution with minimal setup.
• Entrepreneurs and freelancers who want seamless integration with Google services.
• Companies that already use Google Workspace for collaboration.
• Android users who prefer Gmail’s built-in ecosystem.

Zoho

Zoho is well known as an alternative customer relationship management (CRM) suite to Google. A lesser known feature of the Zoho CRM is the ability to use a custom domain for external email hosting. All you need to do is create a Zoho account and follow the setup process which includes DKIM, SPF, and DMARC records for email security against spoofing and spam. 

Pros:

• Reputable, mature company 
• Easy setup process with checks to ensure security, DNS records added to your server are correct and propagated
• High uptime
• The interface is easy to learn
• Grants access to a large array of CRM and collaborative applications
• Responsive customer service via email

Cons: 

• The free plan doesn’t allow IMAP or POP3 access

Zoho is ideal for:

• Small to medium businesses looking for an affordable email solution with CRM and collaboration tools.
• Startups that need professional email hosting with basic security features.
• Businesses that don’t require IMAP/POP3 access in the free plan.
• Organizations are looking for an alternative to Google and Microsoft services.

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Your Linux Server Hosting as a Free Email Provider

Lastly, you could consolidate your data by doubling your Linux web server as a mail server. You’ll need the following types of applications to host your mail server:

• Mail Transfer Agent (MTA), or outgoing mail server, uses Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) to communicate with other mail servers (Postfix, Exim, or Sendmail)
• Mail Delivery Agent (MDA), or Local Delivery Agent (LDA), uses IMAP or POP3 to pull mail from the MTA and to a mailbox (usually Dovecot or Courier)
• Mail User Agent (MUA) manages email from a local machine (e.g. Thunderbird email client) or directly on the web server (Roundcube, Horde, etc.)
• SSL certificate manager to encrypt email communications (e.g. Certbot for free Let’s Encrypt SSLs)

Pros:

• Data stored on your server
• Limits to data and custom email domains are determined by your server hosting plan
• You’ll only have the software and protocols available that you explicitly installed
• You may be able to find free hosting

Cons:

• It may be difficult for less-experienced Linux terminal users
• You must protect your mail server with at least a web application firewall (WAF), antivirus (AV) scanner, and a backup plan
• Must stay up-to-date on recent mail server attacks

Linux web server email is ideal for:

• Developers managing multiple clients who need full control over email infrastructure.
• Businesses that require a high level of privacy and data ownership.
• Tech-savvy individuals who are comfortable managing mail servers and security.
• Organizations that want to avoid recurring SaaS email costs by hosting their solution.

Get started with your custom email

Ready to set up a custom domain? Here’s how to make it happen, tailored to the options we’ve covered. Each path has different setup processes, and if you’re switching from another provider, we’ve got migration tips to keep things smooth.

Gmail with your custom domain

• Step 1: Secure your domain (if you don’t already have one) through a registrar like Google Domains or here at InMotion Hosting.
• Step 2: Sign up for a free Google account, then point your domain’s MX records to Google’s mail servers. You’ll need to create an email account with your domain elsewhere first (e.g., via cPanel hosting) and forward it to Gmail. Alternatively, opt for Google Workspace for full integration ($6/month per user).
• Step 3: Update your DNS settings with Google’s MX records (detailed in their guide).

Pro Tip: If switching providers, use Gmail’s “Import Mail and Contacts” tool under Settings to pull in old emails and contacts.

Zoho Mail with your custom domain

• Step 1: Register for a free Zoho Mail account at zoho.com/mail.
• Step 2: Verify your domain ownership by adding a TXT record (Zoho walks you through this). Then configure MX, SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records for security. Zoho’s setup wizard makes it straightforward.
• Step 3: Create your custom email addresses and start sending.

Pro Tip: Switching from another provider? Use Zoho’s built-in migration tool (under Control Panel > Mail Migration) to transfer emails, contacts, and calendars via IMAP. Free plan users may need to upgrade for this feature.

Your Linux server hosting

• Step 1: Ensure your unmanaged Linux server (e.g., VPS or bare metal) is set up with a domain and static IP. Install a Mail Transfer Agent (MTA) like Postfix, a Mail Delivery Agent (MDA) like Dovecot, and a webmail client like Roundcube.
• Step 2: Secure it with an SSL certificate (try Certbot for free Let’s Encrypt SSLs) and configure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records in your DNS.
• Step 3: Test your setup with a client like Thunderbird to confirm IMAP/POP3 access.

Pro Tip: Moving from another provider? Export your emails as an .mbox file from your old client (e.g., Thunderbird), then import them into your new server’s mail client. Back up everything first – this is a hands-on process.

Pro Tip 2: Before you commit, test your chosen provider’s support – send a quick question to their team. It’s a fast way to gauge responsiveness. If you’re migrating, always backup your existing emails and contacts to avoid any hiccups. Pick the option that fits your budget and tech comfort level, and your company will have a custom email in no time.

Learn more about email server security from our VPS security ebook.

Many older listicles include Yandex and Migadu. As of 2021, Yandex only allows custom domains with Yandex.Mail for Business or Yandex.Connect (in select countries). Migadu is a great, but is now a paid email provider with a free trial.

Are there any free email providers with the ability to use custom email domains that we missed? Let us know in the comments below.

An alternate option to consider

While there are great free email options (ideal for businesses just getting started), InMotion Hosting provides an excellent custom email with all of our hosting packages.  Our custom email hosting removes the limitations and privacy concerns of free alternatives. Our email hosting has unlimited addresses, robust security features, and simple integration with your website.

Whether you choose to go the free or professional route, you should now be able to make an informed decision about the pros and cons of each. Best of luck on your custom email journey!