Email hosting explained

Most web hosting packages include email hosting. But what exactly is it and why is it important for your business?

What is email hosting?

Email hosting is a service that allows you to create email accounts on your own domain name. Instead of info@gmail.com you can use info@yourbusiness.com.

Why professional email is important

Credibility

Email from your own domain looks more professional than free services like Gmail or Hotmail.

Brand recognition

Every email you send reinforces your brand name.

Trust

Customers trust info@company.com more than john123@gmail.com.

Privacy

Your data is on your own hosting, not with big tech companies.

What do you get with email hosting?

Email accounts

• Number of accounts (often 10-100+)
• Own choice of names (info@, sales@, support@)
• Forwarding to personal email possible

Storage space

• Typically 1-10 GB per mailbox
• Often shared pool (e.g. 50 GB total)

Webmail access

• Login via browser (like Gmail)
• Access your mail everywhere

IMAP/POP3/SMTP

• Use in mail apps (Outlook, Thunderbird, Apple Mail)
• Also on your phone

Spam & virus protection

• Automatic filtering
• Malware protection

Email protocols explained

IMAP (recommended)

• Mail stays on server
• Synchronizes between devices
• Safer than POP3

POP3

• Downloads mail locally
• Removes from server (optional)
• Older technology

SMTP

• For sending mail
• Works with IMAP/POP3

What does email hosting cost?

With web hosting, email is usually free included!

If you only want email (without website):

• Basic email hosting: €1-5 per month
• Google Workspace: €5.75-17 per user/month
• Microsoft 365: €5-21 per user/month

Limitations of free email hosting

Watch out for these things:

Sending limitations

Many hosts limit emails per hour (e.g. 100-500/hour) to prevent spam.

Storage space

Often limited to 1-5 GB per mailbox.

Support

With cheap hosting often less good email support.

Deliverability

Shared IPs can have blacklist problems.

Setting up email accounts

Most hosting providers offer:

1. AutoConfig/AutoDiscover - Automatic setup in Outlook/Thunderbird
2. Step-by-step guides per mail client
3. Webmail as backup option

You need:

• Incoming server: mail.yourdomain.com (IMAP/POP3)
• Outgoing server: mail.yourdomain.com (SMTP)
• Username: Often your full email address
• Password: Chosen during creation

Google Workspace vs hosting email

Benefits Google Workspace

✅ Professional Gmail interface ✅ 30 GB+ storage ✅ Google Drive, Docs, Calendar ✅ Excellent deliverability ✅ Powerful spam filtering

Benefits hosting email

✅ Free with web hosting ✅ Unlimited aliases ✅ No per-user costs ✅ Privacy (not with Google)

Advice: For small websites hosting email is fine. For teams of 5+ people Google Workspace is often better.

Tips for email security

1. Use strong passwords - Minimum 16 characters
2. Enable 2FA if possible
3. Use SSL/TLS always (port 993/465)
4. Update regularly your passwords
5. Backup your email locally or externally

SPF, DKIM & DMARC

These are DNS records that make your email safer and more reliable:

• SPF: Which servers can send email on behalf of your domain
• DKIM: Digital signature for your emails
• DMARC: Policy for rejecting fake emails

Most hosting providers help set these up.

Popular email clients

Desktop

• Microsoft Outlook - Windows/Mac
• Apple Mail - Mac
• Thunderbird - Free, all platforms

Mobile

• Gmail app - Also works with IMAP accounts
• Outlook app - Good for business
• Apple Mail - iPhone/iPad
• BlueMail - Cross-platform

Email aliases vs accounts

Account: Real mailbox with storage and login credentials Alias: Forward address without own mailbox

Example:

• info@company.com (alias) → forwards to john@company.com (account)
• sales@company.com (alias) → forwards to john@company.com (account)

This way you have multiple addresses with 1 mailbox!

Frequently asked questions

Q: Can I continue using my Gmail? A: Yes! Forward email to your Gmail, or receive in Gmail via IMAP.

Q: What if I need more storage? A: Upgrade your hosting, or switch to Google Workspace.

Q: Will I lose my email when changing hosting? A: No, if you first download them locally (IMAP) or export.

Q: How many email accounts do I get? A: Depends on your package, often 10-100+ accounts.

Compare email hosting

Want to know which hosting providers offer the best email capabilities? View our hosting comparison where we also compare email features.