How we make this list: we compare pricing pages, product documentation and public user reviews. Ratings come from G2, Capterra or Trustpilot, with the date we checked them.
Key takeaways
- Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 lead for businesses that want email plus documents, storage, and video calls in one plan.
- Zoho Mail is the cheapest serious business option, starting near one dollar per user per month on annual billing.
- Proton Mail and Fastmail suit buyers who put privacy and clean inboxes ahead of bundled office apps.
- Storage, spam filtering, and migration help matter more than headline price, since a painful move costs more than a few dollars a month.
- Always check whether your plan includes custom domain support, since free consumer plans usually do not.
Quick comparison
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The best email hosting services
Starting price$7 per user per month
Free planNo
Google Workspace is the default choice for small and mid-size businesses that want Gmail on a custom domain plus Drive storage, Docs, Sheets, and Meet video calls in one plan. The Business Starter plan starts at 7 dollars per user per month on annual billing and includes 30 GB of pooled storage per user. Migration tools move mail from most older providers, and the admin console handles user accounts, groups, and security rules.
The trade-offs are price and lock-in. Costs rise as you add users and move to higher tiers, and storage is shared across Gmail and Drive, so heavy Drive users can hit limits sooner than expected. Admin controls are powerful but take time to learn. Even so, Google Workspace suits teams that already live in Gmail and Google Docs and want one vendor for email and collaboration.
What we like- Gmail interface everyone knows
- Includes Drive, Docs, and Meet
- Strong spam filtering and uptime
Watch out for- Price rises with each tier
- Storage is shared across apps
- Admin controls take time to learn
#2Microsoft 365
Best for: Office and Teams users4.6/5 on
G2 (5,872 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit microsoft.com
Starting price$6 per user per month
Free planNo
Microsoft 365 Business Basic starts at 6 dollars per user per month on annual billing and gives you Outlook email on a custom domain with a 50 GB mailbox, plus web versions of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint and Teams chat and calls. Higher plans add desktop Office apps and 1 TB of OneDrive storage. For companies that already use Windows and Office, this is the natural fit, and the admin tools cover compliance, retention, and multi-factor authentication.
The limits are complexity and cost. The admin center has many settings, and full desktop Office requires a higher plan. Some small teams find Outlook heavier than Gmail. Even so, Microsoft 365 suits businesses that run on Office documents and Teams and want email, storage, and compliance in one subscription.
What we like- Outlook plus Word, Excel, and Teams
- Strong admin and security controls
- 50 GB mailbox on basic plan
Watch out for- Interface can feel heavy
- Full Office apps cost more
- Setup takes longer than simpler hosts
Starting price$1 per user per month
Free planYes
Zoho Mail is the budget pick for businesses that want professional email without paying for a full office suite. Paid plans start near 1 dollar per user per month on annual billing, and a free plan covers up to five users with webmail access. The interface is clean, spam filtering is solid, and Zoho offers mail, calendar, contacts, and notes in one place, plus optional add-ons for documents and chat.
The trade-offs are ecosystem and support. Zoho's office apps are less widely used than Google Docs or Microsoft Office, so sharing files with outside clients can take an extra step. Support on the cheapest plans is slower. Even so, Zoho Mail suits startups and small teams that need reliable domain email at the lowest serious price.
What we like- Cheapest business email from a major vendor
- Clean webmail
- Free plan for small teams
Watch out for- Smaller ecosystem than Google or Microsoft
- Some features need higher tiers
- Support is slower on cheap plans
Starting price$5 per user per month
Free planNo
Fastmail is an independent email provider known for speed, reliability, and a privacy-first approach that avoids advertising and data mining. Plans start at 5 dollars per user per month and include generous storage, custom domains, masked email addresses for sign-ups, and powerful filtering rules. Its webmail and mobile apps are fast and well designed, and support has a strong reputation among long-term users.
The limits are scope and scale. Fastmail does not bundle office documents or video calls, so teams that want an all-in-one suite need separate tools. Calendar sharing is more basic than Google or Microsoft. Even so, Fastmail suits individuals and small teams that want excellent email, privacy, and support without a big-suite price tag.
What we like- Very fast webmail and apps
- Strong privacy stance
- Excellent filtering and custom rules
Watch out for- No bundled office suite
- Smaller brand than Google or Microsoft
- Calendar sharing is basic
Starting priceSee website
Free planYes
Proton Mail is built around privacy, with end-to-end encryption for mail between Proton users and a Swiss base that keeps it outside US and EU data-sharing regimes. A free plan covers basic personal use, and paid plans add custom domains, more storage, and business admin features. Proton also offers VPN, calendar, and Drive services that pair with mail for privacy-minded users.
The trade-offs are convenience and cost. Encrypted search is more limited than Gmail search, and business plans cost more than Zoho or Rackspace. Some integrations that Gmail users take for granted are missing. Even so, Proton Mail suits journalists, lawyers, doctors, and anyone whose email privacy matters more than bundled office apps.
What we like- End-to-end encryption
- Based in Switzerland
- No ads or tracking
- Free plan available
Watch out for- Search is limited inside encrypted mail
- Business plans cost more
- Some features lag Gmail
Starting price$2.99 per user per month
Free planNo
Rackspace Email is a plain, low-cost business email host that starts near 2.99 dollars per user per month and includes 25 GB mailboxes, spam and virus filtering, and migration assistance. Setup is simple, which suits small businesses that want domain email without learning a large admin console. Rackspace also offers a higher tier with Microsoft Exchange features for teams that need shared calendars and contacts.
The limits are features and interface. Webmail is basic compared with Gmail or Fastmail, and there is no bundled document suite. Admin controls cover the essentials but not advanced compliance tools. Even so, Rackspace Email suits small businesses that want reliable, cheap domain email and a human support team behind it.
What we like- Simple setup
- Low price
- 25 GB mailboxes
- Migration help included
Watch out for- No office suite
- Webmail is basic
- Fewer advanced admin features
Starting price$1.99 per user per month
Free planNo
DreamHost offers professional email as a low-cost add-on for its web hosting customers, starting near 1.99 dollars per mailbox per month. It suits website owners who already host with DreamHost and want matching domain email without a separate vendor. Storage is generous on some plans, and mailboxes are managed from the same control panel as the website.
The limits are scope and value outside hosting. If you do not host with DreamHost, the price advantage shrinks, and webmail is more basic than Gmail or Fastmail. Support quality varies by plan. Even so, DreamHost email is a sensible pick for small sites that want one bill for hosting and email.
What we like- Cheap add-on for DreamHost hosting customers
- Unlimited-ish storage on some plans
- Simple management
Watch out for- Best value only with DreamHost hosting
- Webmail is basic
- Support varies by plan
Starting price$14.88 per year
Free planNo
Namecheap Private Email starts near 14.88 dollars per mailbox per year, which makes it one of the cheapest ways to get a professional address on a domain you register with Namecheap. Setup is quick when domain and email sit with the same vendor, and the webmail covers the basics with spam filtering and mobile access.
The limits are storage and features. The cheapest plan has limited storage, and there is no bundled office suite or advanced admin console. Higher tiers add storage and features but narrow the price gap with Zoho and Rackspace. Even so, Namecheap Private Email suits domain owners who want the cheapest credible business address and do not need collaboration tools.
What we like- Very low yearly price
- Easy pairing with Namecheap domains
- Simple webmail
Watch out for- Storage is limited on the cheapest plan
- No office suite
- Advanced features need higher tiers
How we chose
We compared business email hosts on custom domain support, spam filtering, storage, uptime reputation, migration help, and admin controls, favoring services with published pricing and a track record of reliable delivery. We excluded free consumer mail that cannot use a custom domain and hosts with no business support. Prices shown are starting prices for the cheapest business plan, and where a price could not be confirmed from the vendor, we wrote See website rather than guessing.
Buying guide
Start by listing how many mailboxes you need and how much storage each person uses, since storage limits drive upgrades more than user counts. A team that sends large attachments needs more than a basic 5 GB or 10 GB mailbox, while a team that lives in chat may need less. Next, check migration help, since moving years of mail, contacts, and calendars is where most switches go wrong. Ask whether the host offers a migration tool or assisted migration, and test it with one mailbox before moving everyone.
Then weigh bundled apps against price. Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 cost more per user but replace separate document and meeting tools, while Zoho, Fastmail, and Rackspace are cheaper because they focus on email. Finally, check security basics: two-factor authentication, spam and phishing filtering, and admin controls for removing staff quickly when someone leaves. Those controls matter more than a small monthly saving.
Frequently asked questions
What is email hosting?
Email hosting is a paid service that runs email on your own domain, such as you@yourcompany.com, with storage, spam filtering, and admin controls. It replaces free consumer mail for business use.
How much does business email hosting cost?
Cheap business plans start near 1 to 3 dollars per user per month, while Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 start near 6 to 7 dollars per user per month and add office apps, storage, and meetings.
Can I keep my email address when I switch hosts?
Yes, if you own the domain. You point your domain mail records to the new host and migrate old messages, so your address stays the same even when the provider changes.
Do I need Google Workspace or Microsoft 365?
Only if you want bundled documents, storage, and video calls. If you only need reliable email, Zoho Mail, Fastmail, or Rackspace cost less and do the core job well.
Is Proton Mail better for privacy?
Proton Mail offers end-to-end encryption and a Swiss base, which suits privacy-sensitive users. The trade-off is more limited search and fewer integrations than Gmail or Outlook.
Sources we checked (0)
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
Shihab Mia · Founder, Rankite
Shihab has 5+ years in B2B and SaaS SEO. He writes Rankite's software buying guides from pricing pages, documentation and public user reviews. More about Shihab.
Google Workspace
Zoho Mail
Fastmail
Proton Mail
Rackspace Email
DreamHost Email
Namecheap Private Email