Customers are understandably cautious when conducting business through email. Cybercrime continues to rise and phishing is a serious concern. Businesses using free Outlook or Gmail accounts lose credibility in those cases. A small investment in a business email address recovers that credibility and provides extra controls to businesses.
How To Set Up a Business Email Address Step-by-Step
Most web hosts and website builders offer some sort of business email package options. While each varies in final setup steps, there are five basic steps to take before the final mailbox account setup. These five steps to set up a business email address will help you get the best deal, a good domain name and plan a format for your email addresses.
1. Choose an Email Host
Start by picking a business email host. While it is technically possible to create a self-hosted business email account on your personal or business servers, the process can be time-consuming, and delivery delays are common.
For most businesses, using an established email host is the better option. An email host is like a web host, except it specializes in email delivery. Many of the best web hosts also offer this service, and there are some email hosts that are part of other business software packages such as Google Workspace (Gmail for businesses) and Microsoft 365.
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2. Pick a Plan
Once you’ve chosen a provider, it’s time to settle on a plan. The email plan may be included as part of web hosting, or it could be an add-on or stand-alone plan.
When choosing a plan, look for:
- Security features
- Mailbox storage size
- Number of mailboxes
- Number of email aliases allowed per mailbox
- Plan cost
- If you can connect the email to a management system such as Outlook or if it can only be accessed on the web
3. Register a Domain Name
Your email domain name is usually the same as the domain for your website. If you already have a custom domain, you won’t need to register a new one. However, while some hosts will accept subdomains for email, not all will, so check terms to be sure. For example, Google Workspace doesn’t work with free subdomains from website builders and also rejects less common domain extensions such as .site domains.
Domains generally average between $10 and $35 per year, with prices varying greatly based on the domain name, domain extension (the part after the dot) and the domain registrar. High-demand domain names can cost millions. However, there are plenty of low-cost options and free domains are also available.
Most web hosts offer a free one-year domain, or you can purchase one separately through the domain registrar of your choice.
4. Decide on Your Email Address Format
The part of the email address before the @ is completely up to you. However, using a standard username format such as [email protected] will make it easier to add new addresses as your company grows.
5. Set Up Mailboxes and Passwords
The final setup process for mailboxes varies by email host, but the general process for most providers will be:
- Activate your plan
- Enter your domain name or register a new domain
- Verify domain ownership if you use a current domain
- Enter the address you want to use for your mailbox
- Set a strong password for the mailbox
- Enter any email aliases that will be forwarded to your mailbox such as [email protected] or [email protected]
- Connect your email to any desktop readers you might be using such as Thunderbird
How Much Does a Business Email Address Cost?
Business email addresses from the best email hosts usually cost under $10 per month per user for entry-level plans. Differences in the number of mailboxes, storage space, POP/IMAP email client access (desktop email readers) and number of aliases can slightly inflate per user cost.
However, where the biggest extra costs come in is usually extra apps. For example, some Google Workspace pricing plans add in video conferencing, eSignatures on PDFs and docs, and even AI-generated video tools.
| Email Host Service | Starting Paid Cost | Free Plan or Trial |
|---|---|---|
| Google Workspace | $8.40 per user per month | 14-day free trial |
| Microsoft 365 | $7.20 per user per month | One-month free trial |
| DreamHost Webmail | $1.99 per mailbox per month | No |
| Zoho Mail | $12.00 per user per year | Free plan and 15-day free trial |
| Proton Mail | $4.99 per user per month | Free plan |
Bottom Line: Setting Up a Business Email Address is Quick and Painless
With the proliferation of Gmail, having a business email address may seem pointless at first, but having a professionally branded email address secures your business email and boosts your business’s brand recognition and credibility. Plus, a business email plan is a relatively low-cost investment for most small businesses. After following these five simple steps, you’ll be able to start interacting with customers and vendors in no time.
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