Email is still the ultimate connection point between companies and their customers.
89% of businesses say they use email as their primary channel for getting leads, and 72% of consumers say they prefer to use email as their primary channel of brand communication . Email is also a crucial part of running a successful business, providing an easy way to connect with colleagues, track shared information and files, and even complement customer service.
For businesses looking to make an impact online, an email hosting provider is a crucial upfront investment. The question is, which hosting provider should you choose?
There are many providers ready to provide you with your own domain for email communication, access to shared calendars and much more. It can be difficult to determine which option is the best at first glance.
That’s why we’ve put together this list of some of the best vendors in 2022.
Email hosting options
The first step in purchasing an email hosting provider is determining how you will host your email. The main options include:
- Shared web and email hosting: Shared web and email hosting means you get your email hosting as part of your web hosting package. Most website hosting options available today also offer email hosting as standard.
- Self-hosted email: If you have your own servers, you can host your email on them instead of working with a third party. While you get more customization and control this way, there are drawbacks too, like having to manage your own server and preventing your messages from being marked as spam.
- Third-party email hosting: If you need more features than a web host can provide, look into third-party hosted email providers. These hosts help reduce self-hosting costs. Subscribing to a hosted email service often comes with shared calendars and contacts, integrated team chat, and more.
Crucially, it is important to note that an email hosting provider and an email client are not the same thing. An email host allows you to receive and send messages from emailsages. An email client (or app) is what you would use to read and write your emails.
What to Look for in an Email Hosting Service
Before you start looking for the best email hosting provider, you need to decide what kind of features you need. Generally, most of the email hosting options included with web hosting are pretty basic, and if you choose to host your email yourself, you can create your own features on (provided you have developer knowledge). This means that the most important decisions are often made when looking for a third-party hosting provider.
There is no one size fits all when it comes to choosing the best email service, but generally you can expect at least some of the following features:
- A custom domain: This is an essential item for your email hosting solution. You need a custom domain in your email so you can create a professional image for yourself or your business. The domain will ensure that instead of sending messages to you at @gmail.com, your customers can contact you @businessname.com.
- Support: This is something you can get from an email hosting solution that matches your web hosting service . However, you are likely to get a higher level of support from a specialized third-party host. Support will include all kinds of guidance from a team of professionals, including initial setup instructions and professional technical help if you have issues with your email performance.
- Team Resources: Many of the top email hosting options come with various tools to keep teams connected on the back end of the business. After all, most companies involve more than one person. An email host with team capabilities can offer things like integrated team chat, conferencing, and shared calendars on the backend of your software.
- Bonus Tools: Some email hosting providers even offer bonus features to improve your business performance. For example, solutions like G-Suite and Office 365 come with a host of productivity tools to keep your team working at their best. There are also solutions that offer integrations with the tools your employees use every day, like Microsoft Teams or Salesforce for CRM management .
- Security features: You can route all your emails through apps that help protect against things like filters and spam. However, most companies prefer to use tools with these features already built in. The right email provider should be able to give you peace of mind that your emails will stay safe. You can also use filtering to prevent you from clicking on an email or downloading a virus attachment.
- Storage: Mailbox storage is a feature commonly sought after by many email hosting providers. If your employees are communicating with customers and clients via email, you will need to be able to securely store some of these messagessages for compliance and auditing purposes. Make sure your hosting provider offers enough storage space.
- Sending limits: Each provider will allow you to send a certain number of files and attachments, according to your individual needs. Many come with file sharing tools that can also help you if you want to upload much larger documents for whatever reason.
The Best Email Hosting Providers for 2022
Now that we have seen the types of email hosting providers you can choose from and you have a good idea of ​​the type of features you want to look for, we can start looking at some of the best hosting providers available in 2022. We have chosen these hosting solutions thanks to its wide selection of features, accessibility and ease of use.
1. Google Workspace (G-Suite)
Pros:
- Excellent AI features for better productivity
- Security and administration features are great
- Guaranteed uptime for peace of mind
- 24/7 customer support
- Plenty of cloud storage with updates available
Cons:
- Not ideal for offline work
- Limited folder management
Better known as G-Suite to many people , Google Workspace is one of the most popular productivity tools in the world. The environment is home to a variety of tools aimed at making businesses more efficient and productive, including cloud-based documents and spreadsheets, Google Meet for conversations, and even Gmail for email communication.
Google Workspace offers a range of fantastic features for businesses of all sizes, and it also has the benefit of being a familiar choice for many users. Many people already use Google tools to organize their daily lives. So, adapting to Google workspace is a pretty straightforward process. Business Email Hosting with Google provides secure, ad-free email management in a clean and effective environment.
You get your own domain so you can tag all your emails, and there are a number of robust integrations to explore too, like Google Chat or external apps. You can even access smart technology like AI-infused smart response and compositing features designed to help you stay on top of your workload.
main features
- 99.9% uptime guaranteed
- Simple migration services included
- Integrations with Outlook, Apple and Thunderbird
- Integrated security and virus protection
- Smarts composes and responds to suggestions
- Integration with the rest of Google Workspace
- Shared calendars and secure internal messages
- Custom email addresses
- 30 GB of cloud storage
Google Workspace Pricing
Pricing starts at about $6 per user per month for the Basic Business Starter plan, and there is 24/7 support available to help you whenever you have issues with deliverability.
2. Zoho Mail
Pros:
- Great for email attachments
- Email hosting with your own domain
- Tasks and bookmarks included
- Lots of tech support for paid plans
- Affordable prices
Cons:
- Limited in terms of advanced features
- Not the best for cloud storage
Similar to Google Workspace, Zoho Mail is a component of a larger digital workspace – the Zoho Workspace. This environment may not be as well-known as G-Suite, but it is an excellent tool for small businesses. Designed for businesses operating on a tight budget, Zoho comes with access to things like free mobile apps, pricing as low as $1 a month, and a variety of productivity options.
Zoho Mail is safe and simple, with a control panel that lets you manage all your configuration and customization requirements. You can track all your communications in one place and get a fantastic 99.9% uptime guarantee. Zoho also offers excellent security with powerful encryption.
main features
- 25 MB of email attachments
- 5GB of storage
- Email hosting for multiple domains
- Email callback
- Tasks and Favorites
- free mobile apps
- 24/7 technical support
- Business calendars and appointment scheduling
Zoho Mail is a good choice if you’re a small business owner or solo entrepreneur looking for a way to unlock great email features with minimal upfront expenses.
Zoho Mail Prices
Pricing starts as low as $1 per user per month if you just want email. If you want access to Zoho workspace, you can start at a price of $3 per user per month. With email retrieval and archiving capabilities and access to a variety of tools to bring your employees together, Zoho is an affordable and attractive option for small businesses.
3. Bluehost Email Hosting
Pros:
- All in one website and email hosting
- Excellent integrations with Microsoft
- Plenty of storage and attachment space
- Domain name email
- Technical support available
- 99.9% uptime guarantee
Cons:
- Can be a little more expensive when combined with web hosting
- Some limitations on cheaper plans
Unlike other email hosting providers that offer a combination of email and productivity tools, Bluehost is a solution that combines web hosting for your website with email functionality. Bluehost is among the most popular website hosting providers in the world and also has one of the best file attachment limits for email at around 50MB per email.
Unlike most email hosting providers, Bluehost also offers the peace of mind that comes with world-class disaster recovery protection and security. Technical support is always on hand to help you if something goes wrong. More expensive plans come with extra storage and features.
If you are already using Bluehost as your hosting provider for your website, it definitely makes sense to check your email functionality as well. The service is amazing and you can also enjoy fantastic disaster recovery.
main features
- Mailbox and calendar integration
- Mailbox up to 50 GB
- Outlook web access
- nail domain email
- World-class security and disaster recovery
- 1 TB of cloud storage and file sharing support
- Access to Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, and other Microsoft 365 desktop or online tools, depending on your plan.
- Appointment Scheduling
- Multiple device access options per user
Bluehost Email Hosting Prices
Perfect for smaller businesses on a budget, Bluehost is surprisingly affordable for web hosting and email. You can get an Exchange Online mailbox and calendar with up to 15GB of storage for just $4.99 a month. There is also access to your own domain name for your email address and 24/7 technical support.
4. HubSpot Email Hosting
Pros:
- User friendly design
- Powerful marketing and sales features
- Leading customer support and 24/7 phone support with paid plans
- shared inbox
- scheduling of meetings
Cons:
- Expensive paid plans
- Steep initial learning curve
HubSpot Email Hosting is a tool within your Marketing Hub software. Email hosting makes it easy for teams to manage contacts, nurture leads using CRM data insights, and create highly personalized emails, all for free.
The platform is great for small teams as it offers a number of time-saving features. The drag-and-drop editor lets you quickly create professional-looking emails, while advanced data collection makes it simple to customize each communication by audience segment.
Connected to the rest of HubSpot, email hosting uses CRM data to segment, personalize and track each email campaign for a more effective email management strategy.
main features
- Drag and drop editing
- ready models
- Email segmentation and tracking
- Integration with Salesforce
- live chat
- CRM data embedding
- Personalization Tokens
- Email open rate, click-through and click-through rate tracking
- 2,000 free emails per month, with options for more with paid plans
HubSpot email hosting is a good choice if your sales or marketing team wants email hosting for lead nurturing and customer relationship management.
HubSpot Email Hosting Pricing
HubSpota’s email hosting is part of HubSpot’s Marketing Hub, which provides features like landing pages and social ad management. You can take advantage of these features for free and send 2000 free emails per month if you are on a budget and limited requirements.
For those looking to take full advantage of HubSpot Marketing’s features, the paid entry tier is $45 per month, while at the highest tier, the Enterprise tier is offered for $3,200 per month. With the latter, you get a lot of powerful marketing features like multi-touch revenue attribution or SEO tools.
5. GoDaddy Email Hosting
Pros:
- Excellent email and calendar sync
- Plenty of space for mailbox storage
- Fantastic search function included
- Access to available Microsoft 365 apps
- Advanced security and backup available
Cons:
- Microsoft, backup and security come at an extra cost
- The best deals require a 3-year commitment
similarly to Bluehost, Go Daddy is a web hosting provider with an email solution available for a small additional price. If you’re already running your website through GoDaddy, the email hosting solution has many benefits to offer, including top-notch security and privacy protection and an email address that matches your domain.
To compete with other leading email hosting providers, GoDaddy offers up to 50GB of storage per user, giving you enough space to store all the content you need for your business. There’s also a wonderful search function, which makes it much easier to sort through your emails and find the information you need quickly. You can even buy a version of GoDaddy email hosting that comes with all your favorite Microsoft 365 apps.
main features
- Up to 50 GB of storage
- Contacts and calendar sync
- Domain-based email address
- Syncing across all devices
- Up to 400 email aliases
- Desktop version of available Microsoft 365 Apps
- Enhanced security and privacy protection
- Email Backup (as an add-on)
GoDaddy Email Hosting Pricing
GoDaddy comes with many features to ensure you go beyond the standard email hosting experience. However, these features will be limited to the more expensive plans.
Sync is available to keep your inbox up to date wherever you go, and there’s the added benefit of knowing that you’re also promised 99.9% uptime from GoDaddy. Pricing starts at $1.99 per user per month, making this service a very affordable option for smaller brands. However, you will need to commit to a three-year term to get the best savings. If you also want access to Microsoft Office 365 as part of the package, you will already have to shell out $7.99/user/month.
6. Microsoft 365 email
Pros:
- Excellent as part of a comprehensive productivity package
- Plenty of file storage for every user
- Convenient integrations with useful everyday tools
- Affordable packages for any need
- Integrated data loss prevention
Cons:
- Some limitations on cheaper plans
- Annual commitments are mandatory
Just as Google has G-Suite (Google Workspace) to deliver the world of productivity and email management, Microsoft has Office 365. Office 365 combines everything you need to keep your business running smoothly, including things like Word, Excel and Microsoft PowerPoint. You’ll also have access to Microsoft collaboration tools like Teams.
The Microsoft 365 hosting solution is “Exchange†or “Exchange Onlineâ€. The solution comes with things like email hosting and custom email domain addresses, a maximum file attachment size of 20MB, 50GB of storage per user, and automatic syncing between devices. You can even access smart email suggestions and other unique features to make your team more productive.
main features
- 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
- 1 TB of OneDrive storage
- 50 GB mailbox per user
- Unlimited storage
- hosted voicemail
- Data loss prevention
- 1 TB of file storage per person
- shared calendars
- Automatic sync across all devices
- Easy creation and management of email addresses.
Microsoft Office 365 email pricing
If you get the full package from Microsoft, you’ll also have access to online and desktop versions of Office applications like Excel, video conferencing, file sharing, and more.
You can access this feature as part of the Microsoft 365 experience, starting at about $12.50 a month, or you can purchase it as a standalone solution, which is ideal if you already have other productivity features to use. Switching on its own is just $4 a month, but it’s definitely worth looking at the full package if you plan on using other Microsoft tools. Features include:
7. Rackspace
Pros:
- Plenty of space for mailbox storage
- Excellent service and customer support
- Integrations with leading productivity tools
- 30 GB of file storage
- Spam and virus protection as standard
Cons:
- Prices may increase with extra add-ons
- Tech support can be hit and miss with some issues
Ideal if you’re looking for email hosting and nothing else, Rackspace is an affordable email solution that offers secure support for a variety of business types. One of Rackspace’s biggest benefits is its approach to customer service and support. Support is available 24/7, year-round at Racksapce, and you even have access to easy migrations from older email hosts.
You can use Rackspace alongside Outlook and mobile apps, and it comes with features like premium spam and virus protection to protect you from potential issues. The more you’re willing to spend, the more you can access in terms of archived email storage, Active Sync for when you’re away from your computer, and even push access to email.
main features
- Expert support available year-round for any issue
- Free and simple migrations
- Outlook and mobile app support
- Spam and virus protection
- 25 GB mailbox storage
- Unlimited email aliases
- webmail support
- 30 GB of file storage
- mobile sync
- Shared calendar and contacts
- Microsoft Office Integration
- Instant messages
Rackspace pricing
Rackspace also offers a hosted version of Microsoft Exchange if you want the experience of running Exchange on your servers without the headaches of managing the technology yourself. Rackspace prices start pretty low, around $4.70 per month, and range up to $9.90 per month if you want to add storage for archived email (all plans billed annually).
Another good thing to note about Rackspace is that you don’t have to commit to a long-term contract to get involved. You can start with a fourteen-year free trial and cancel your subscription whenever you want once you join a paid plan.
8. Intermedia Exchange Email
Pros:
- Intermedia Exchange Email Tools
- Excellent support, service and migration
- Securi Backup and Email Sharing
- Email encryption and archiving included
- Video conferencing and collaboration
Cons:
- Very expensive compared to some alternatives
- A learning curve for beginners
Intermedia, a leading cloud communications and collaboration company, offers email hosting through a hosted Microsoft Exchange email server. Intermedia stands out as the largest independent provider of hosted Microsoft Exchange functionality. Instead of just providing a convenient email hosting solution, Intermedia offers packages full of useful tools.
Along with an unlimited mailbox storage solution on all plans, you also get leading email protection to defend against phishing and spam, an amazing backend control panel, and active syncing for mobile devices. Intermedia’s solution also comes with access to video conferencing, email encryption and a variety of other tools.
main features
- Exchange email access
- Unlimited mailbox storage
- Intermediate email protection
- Hostpilot Control Panel
- Active sync for mobile devices
- Free expert migration
- Intermediate videoconferencing
- single sign-on
- Backup and file sharing
- Email encryption and archiving
- Optional access to Microsoft 365
Intermedia’s Exchange email solution is ideal if you are nervous about migrating your company’s existing email to a new location. The product uses Microsoft Exchange, so you can expect great basic features like shared calendars and contacts, and you also get amazing built-in security.
Intermediate prices
Unlike other email hosting solutions, which generally only offer top-notch customer service for more expensive packages, every Intermedia email plan comes with 24/7 phone support and a free specialized migration experience. While prices can be a little higher than some alternatives, starting at $7.49 per user per month you get a lot of functionality.
Best Email Hosting Providers – Summary
Ultimately, the best email hosting provider is the one you feel comfortable using for your business. The top options available on the market today generally fall into one of two categories: email hosting offered as part of a productivity toolkit, or hosting offered alongside web hosting services.
If you’re looking for an email solution and you already have a website, a solution like Microsoft 365 or G-Suite can give you access to extra productivity tools to increase business efficiency, along with your own email domain. mail.
If you already have a contract with a website hosting organization like GoDaddy or BlueHost, it’s worth checking out the available email deals. Being able to manage your website and email hosting in the same place is often a convenient option for most businesses.
Good luck finding the right email hosting service.