When it comes to marketing your small business, having the right email host is invaluable. Email is the primary way you’ll communicate with your team and with fellow professionals and business owners in your industry. But it’s also much more: your email can provide storage for your files and tools to boost your team’s productivity, and even help build your business website.
The best email hosting for small businesses has useful features like those aforementioned, plus reliable servers and security, easy-to-use interfaces, and more—all at affordable, small business-friendly pricing. The good news is that there are many hosting services to choose from, based on your business’s priorities. Here, we’ll have a look at the best email hosting providers your small business can choose from and their best features and pricing:
- Best email hosting for small businesses overall: Google Workspace
- Most advanced email features: Microsoft Outlook
- Best privacy and security features: IONOS
- Best for free email hosting: Zoho Mail
- Best email hosting for multiple email aliases: Bluehost
- Best bundled email and website hosting: DreamHost
Best Email Hosting for Small Businesses at a Glance
Email Hosting Services | Starting Cost (Billed Annually) | Base Tier Storage | Rating | Learn More |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | $6 monthly | 30GB | 4.88 out of 5 | or |
 | $6 monthly | 1TB | 4.77 out of 5 | or |
 | $1 monthly | 2GB | 4.30 out of 5 | or |
 | Free | 5GB | 4.17 out of 5 | or |
 | $14.99 yearly | 25GB | 4.14 out of 5 | or |
 | $1.67 monthly | 25GB | 3.99 out of 5 | or |
*Billed annually; some providers also offer monthly billing at a higher cost. | ||||
Google Workspace: Best Email Hosting for Small Businesses Overall
Pros
- Beginner-friendly interface
- Includes Google Workspace productivity suite (Google Docs, Sheets, etc.)
- 30GB storage on the starting plan
- Real-time team collaboration and auto-save to cloud
Cons
- Higher starting cost than other providers like IONOS or Zoho Mail
- Multiple users only available on the custom-priced Enterprise plan
- Doesn’t automatically encrypt emails
Google Workspace has many email web hosting, collaboration, and productivity tools—in fact, they’re some of the most used worldwide. It also offers video conferencing, shared calendars, cloud storage, content tools, and security features in the same plan.
Here are Google Workspace’s best features:
- Email hosting with a custom email address for your business (when you purchase a domain)
- Cloud storage
- Security and management tools like two-factor authentication and group protection controls
- Access to the Google Workspace productivity suite, including Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides
- Real-time team collaboration, shared calendars, and chat messaging
- 5,000-plus app integrations plus the ability to develop your own app
- 24/7 customer service across email, phone, and chat
Business Starter | Business Standard | Business Plus | |
|---|---|---|---|
Cost Per User* | $6 | $12 | $18 |
Cloud Storage | 30GB | 2TB | 5TB |
Google Workspace Productivity Suite (Docs, Sheets, etc.) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Security | Standard | Standard | Advanced |
Video Conferencing Participant Limit | 100 | 150 | 500 |
Web and Mobile Apps | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
*Billed annually, or pay a higher cost month-to-month. Enterprise plans are available with custom pricing. | |||
Google Workspace (formerly known as G Suite) is the professional version of Gmail for businesses. It’s also our best email hosting for small businesses overall for many reasons: it has an extremely user-friendly interface that even total beginners can set up easily. Plus, it also comes with the entire Google productivity suite, with Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Meet, which are helpful tools for any business.
Google also has email security and cloud storage on every plan, with up to 30GB of storage on the starter plan. Starting at $6, it’s still affordable enough for many small businesses, although there are cheaper options, like Zoho Mail, whose plans start at $1.
An example of Google’s Gmail interface (Source: Google)
Another drawback with Google Workspace is it doesn’t have plans for multiple users, except on the custom Enterprise plan. However, it does have 24/7 customer service via live chat, phone, and email, which is a big plus especially if you’re a new user. But overall, when it comes to features, usability, and affordability, there’s no topping Google Workspace—there’s a reason it’s the platform of choice for many businesses around the world.
User Reviews
- 4.6 out of 5 on G2: Users like the easy-to-use tools and collaboration features. However, some still find its apps lacking features, especially compared to Microsoft Outlook.
- 4.7 out of 5 on Capterra: Users also love its user-friendliness and how it helps their productivity. However, some also find its features and storage space lacking.
Our Expert Opinion
While Google Workspace isn’t the most affordable email hosting service provider on the market, its cost is well worth it if user-friendliness and reliability are what you’re after. Google is the biggest email provider in the industry, and its tools are used by the biggest businesses in the world, so you can’t go wrong with it. Check it out today to get started with a free trial.
Learn more about Google Workspace: Find out how to set up Gmail for your business in five steps. Plus, read our expert Google Workspace review.
Microsoft Outlook: Most Advanced Email Features
Pros
- Access to Microsoft’s productivity suite on all plans
- 1TB cloud storage per user on all paid plans
- Also has appointment-booking, user management, webinar hosting
Cons
- No month-to-month contracts
- Not very user-friendly interface
- No multiuser plans
Microsoft Outlook is one of the oldest email hosting providers around—it hosted emails before email hosting was a widespread practice—so you can bet on its trustworthiness and security. But it also stands out for its high user limits, cloud storage, and plentiful features.
Here are the features you’ll get with Microsoft Outlook:
- Email hosting with a custom domain
- Cloud storage for each user
- Microsoft 365 productivity suite (Word, PowerPoint, etc.)
- Webinar hosting
- Appointment booking and management tools
- Security tools, including access management, antivirus software, and cyberthreat protection
- Team management
Basic | Standard | |
|---|---|---|
Monthly Cost* | $6 | $12.50 |
Number of Users | 300 | 300 |
Cloud Storage (OneDrive) | 1TB | 1TB |
Custom Email Domain | ✓ | ✓ |
Microsoft Productivity Suite (Word, Excel, etc.) | Web and mobile | Web, mobile, and desktop |
Antispam and Malware | ✓ | ✓ |
Webinar Hosting | ✕ | ✓ |
Collaborative Workspaces and Video Editing Tools | ✕ | ✓ |
*Billed annually | ||
You’ve probably heard of Microsoft Outlook before—it’s one of the oldest players in email and web hosting. It’s still an industry leader in email hosting, especially if you want your platform to come with more features than the basics; for instance, webinar hosting and video editing. Outlook’s plans also come with the Microsoft 365 productivity suite, including Microsoft Word, Excel, and its cohorts, so it’s also a good option if you’re already familiar with those tools.
Outlook’s many features are its biggest advantage, but they can make its interfaces confusing and complicated, which can be a significant drawback especially if you’re a first-time user. Another disadvantage is that there are no month-to-month contracts, only annual plans.
Here’s a look inside Microsoft Outlook.
Still, if you’re willing to take the time to learn how to use its tools, Outlook can be well worth the investment, especially if you plan to scale up your business in the long run.
User Reviews
- 4.5 out of 5 on G2: Users like how easy it is to send and organize emails on Outlook and that it has many useful features. However, some also report that it can sometimes be slow and that it tends to crash.
- 4.5 out of 5 on Capterra: Users also like how easy Outlook is to use and navigate across multiple devices. However, some also say connection and server issues can be frequent.
Our Expert Opinion
Microsoft Outlook is one of the oldest players in the game, and therefore one of the most trustworthy. It stands out for its advanced features and substantial cloud storage, so we recommend it as the best email hosting service for small businesses that plan to scale up in the near future and want more tools than the basics. There’s also a free one-month trial so you can see if it’s a good fit for your business.
Find out more about Microsoft Outlook and if it has the right features for your business in our in-depth Microsoft Outlook review. Or, find out how to set up Outlook email in four steps.
IONOS: Best Privacy & Security Features
Pros
- Enterprise-level security on all plans
- Plans start at $1 monthly with a custom domain
- Beginner-friendly email interface
Cons
- Low storage limits (although you can expand at an extra cost)
- No productivity suite or video conferencing
- Team collaboration and multiple users only on the highest plan
Like Bluehost, IONOS is a top web domain name registrar and web host well-regarded for its advanced security. However, it also offers standalone business email web hosting plans at affordable prices (starting at $1), all of which come with all the essentials you need.
Here are the features you get with IONOS:
- Email hosting with a custom domain
- Enterprise-level antivirus and antispam tools
- Cloud storage (plus the ability to expand on every plan)
- Email synchronization across devices
- Shared calendars, contacts, and tasks
Mail Basic 1 | Mail Basic 1+ | Mail Business | |
|---|---|---|---|
Monthly Cost* | $1 | $4 | $5 |
Storage | 2GB | 12GB | 50GB |
Free Domain | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Antivirus and Spam Filter | Standard | Standard | Premium |
Real-time Data Sync Across Devices | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ |
Shared Calendar, Contacts, and Tasks | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ |
*Billed annually, or pay a higher cost month-to-month. | |||
All prices listed are for one user. You can also add more users (up to 10) at an additional cost. The same applies to storage limits—they’re also expandable for an extra cost. Find out more in IONOS’s full pricing guide.
IONOS has long been revered for its advanced security measures, whether for hosting emails or full-scale websites. Therefore, it’s the best email hosting for small businesses that prioritize privacy and security above all else. With IONOS, you get advanced antivirus and antispam protection on all plans, and you can even upgrade to premium security on the highest plan.
A look inside the IONOS webmail platform (Source: IONOS)
Aside from its security, IONOS also has cloud storage on every plan, which you can also expand at an additional cost. Its main shortcoming is that it doesn’t offer productivity tools like documents and spreadsheets unlike Google Workspace and Microsoft Outlook above. And, you can only have multiple users (and team collaboration tools) on the highest plans.
User Reviews
- 4.3 out of 5 on G2: Users like IONOS’ advanced security measures more than anything, and found their support staff easy to communicate with. However, some found its features lacking.
- 4.5 out of 5 on Trustpilot: Many positive reviews praise IONOS’ efficient customer service and reliable servers. However, many users were also dissatisfied with the platform’s pricing scheme.
Our Expert Opinion
IONOS takes security seriously, and its privacy and security features are some of the strongest in the market, especially in such an affordable service. It offers free antivirus protection and spam filters on all plans, plus the essential custom domain and cloud storage. If your business deals with sensitive data, or if you simply prioritize security above all else, IONOS is the best and most affordable option.
Zoho Mail: Best for Free Email Hosting
Pros
- Free-forever plan available with 5GB storage and up to five users
- Affordable and flexible plans ($3 monthly at most)
- Tasks, notes, and shared calendars on all plans
Cons
- Documents, spreadsheets, and presentations only on the highest plans
- No month-to-month billing on paid plans
- No email antispam or anti-phishing measures (only passcode-protected emails)
Zoho offers email hosting on your own domain even on a free plan. But if you upgrade to a higher plan, you also get shared calendars, tasks, notes, and even documents and presentations on the highest plans.
Here are the features you get with Zoho Mail:
- Email hosting on your domain, plus multiple domains on higher plans
- Cloud storage
- Multiple email aliases
- Shared tasks, notes, and bookmarks
- Documents, presentations, and spreadsheets (highest plan)
- Video conferencing
- Email recall
- Password-protected emails
- Integrations with Zoho apps
Free Plan | Mail Lite | Mail Premium | Workplace | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Monthly Cost Per User* | Free (up to five users) | $1 | $4 | $3 |
Custom Domains | 1 | Multiple | Multiple | Multiple |
Cloud Storage | 5GB | 5GB** | 50GB | 50GB |
Shared Calendars, Tasks, and Bookmarks | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Email Recall, Offline Access | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Email Backup | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
Email Encryption | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
Documents, Spreadsheets, and Presentations | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
*Billed annually **Expandable | ||||
Zoho is well-known among workplaces for its marketing and customer relationship management (CRM) features. One of those is its Zoho Mail email hosting tool, which is available completely free of charge and you can even use your domain for up to five users. However, the free plan doesn’t offer domain aliases, shared calendars, or collaboration tools—for these, you’ll need to upgrade to the higher plan starting at just $1 a month.
Zoho Mail is one of the most affordable email platforms overall, so it’s the best business email hosting service if you’re on a tight budget but want all the essentials. At just $3 monthly, you can access all Zoho Mail’s features, along with its productivity tools.
A look inside Zoho Mail’s interface (Source: Zoho Mail)
However, Zoho Mail falls short in its security measures, as it only offers password-protected emails, unless you upgrade to its highest plan. If account security is more important to you than affordability, IONOS or Microsoft Outlook are better options. But when it comes to free email hosting, Zoho Mail’s features are unparalleled.
User Reviews
- 4.4 out of 5 on G2: Many users praise its affordability, user-friendliness, and helpful features that support productivity. Negative reviews mentioned its fewer app integrations compared to other email hosts.
- 4.5 out of 5 on Capterra: Many users liked Zoho Mail’s easy-to-navigate interface, especially when connecting with a custom domain. However, some users had issues with servers and connections.
Our Expert Opinion
Zoho Mail’s free plan and affordable paid plans make it a good option if you need tools similar to Google Workspace’s but at a fraction of the cost. We recommend getting started with the free-forever plan to get a feel of the platform, and then upgrade to its paid plans for more features. Learn more about how to set up Zoho for your business, and visit its website to get started.
Bluehost: Best Email Hosting for Multiple Email Aliases
Pros
- Create up to 25 email aliases on the first plan
- Security measures include spam filters, antivirus, and anti-phishing
- Also has documents, spreadsheets, and presentations
Cons
- No free plan
- No month-to-month contracts
- Lower email storage than others (highest is only up to 80GB)
Bluehost’s primary service is web hosting, but it also offers business email hosting with a custom domain, particularly if you want multiple email aliases. It also has email security and team productivity tools.
Here are Bluehost’s email hosting features:
- Email hosting with a custom domain
- Multiple email aliases
- Cloud storage
- Email security (spam filter, antivirus, anti-phishing)
- Email forwarding and recall
- Documents, spreadsheets, and presentations
- Shared team calendar, contacts, and tasks
It’s worth noting that email hosting isn’t the only service you can get on Bluehost. It also offers web hosting, domains, and even a no-code WordPress website builder, among others.
Professional Email | Professional Email Plus | |
|---|---|---|
Annual Cost | $14.99 | $24.99 |
Email Aliases | 25 | 50 |
Email Storage | 25GB | 80GB |
Documents, Spreadsheets, and Presentations | ✓ | ✓ |
Shared Calendar, Contacts, and Tasks | ✓ | ✓ |
Spam Filter, Antivirus, Anti-phishing | ✓ | ✓ |
Email and File Encryption | ✕ | ✓ |
Bluehost is an industry-leading online hosting service provider and WordPress website builder. While most known for its website hosting, it also has business email hosting plans, which stand out especially for their multiple email aliases (aka having several email addresses leading to one inbox), which is something not always present in other email hosting services for small businesses. Its starter plan offers up to 25 aliases while the higher plan has up to 50.
Aside from multiple email aliases, Bluehost also has all the email hosting essentials, including cloud storage (25GB and 80GB), a custom email domain that matches your business website, email recall, and security measures like spam filters, antivirus, and anti-phishing. It also has productivity tools for creating documents, spreadsheets, and presentations, and team collaboration.
An example of Bluehost’s email interface (Source: Bluehost)
The main downside with Bluehost is it has no free plan or free trial, and all its plans are costlier than other email hosting providers. Still, if you’re looking for an email host with a good track record to build multiple email aliases with, Bluehost is the best email hosting small businesses can have.
User Reviews
- 3.5 out of 5 on G2: Users like Bluehost’s low-cost web hosting and that it offers many services in one platform. However, many also complain about server downtimes and high renewal costs.
- 3.9 out of 5 on Capterra: Users praise Bluehost’s reliability and seamless integration with WordPress. Negative reviews mention high costs and inefficient customer service.
Our Expert Opinion
While Bluehost may be costlier than other services, it’s still one of the most trusted, being an industry leader in web hosting. It also has all the essentials you need to build your business email, making it one of the best email hosting for small businesses overall, especially if you need multiple email aliases. If you don’t mind paying a higher price for quality and trust, it’s well worth a shot. Learn more about how to use Bluehost and visit it below to get started.
DreamHost: Best Bundled Email & Website Hosting
Pros
- Affordable, value-packed bundles for email and WordPress websites
- Unlimited websites, emails, and traffic starting at $2.95
- Emails have antispam, antivirus, and anti-phishing measures
Cons
- Only up to 25GB storage on all plans
- No productivity features (documents, spreadsheets, etc.)
- No email recall
DreamHost offers some of the best value in its bundled plans: alongside websites and email, you also get cloud storage, custom domains, and more.
Here are the features you can get with DreamHost:
- Email hosting as a standalone or in bundled web hosting plans
- WordPress website builder and installer
- Spam, virus, and phishing filters
- SSL Certificate
- Cloud storage
- Unlimited email addresses on the highest plan
- Extensive knowledge base
- 100% uptime guarantee
- Daily website backups and automatic updates
Standalone Email Hosting Plan | Shared (Unlimited) Plan | |
|---|---|---|
Monthly Cost* | $1.67 per user | $2.95 |
Email Addresses | 1 | Unlimited |
WordPress Hosting and Site Builder | ✕ | ✓ |
Free Domain | ✕ | ✓ |
SSL Certificate | ✕ | ✓ |
Spam, Phishing, and Virus Protection | ✓ | ✓ |
Email Storage | 25GB | 25GB |
*Billed annually, or pay a higher cost month-to-month. Renewal rates may also vary. | ||
While DreamHost offers standalone email hosting, we recommend it best for its website and email hosting bundles, i.e., if you want an all-around platform for your email and your website. That’s because DreamHost’s Shared Unlimited plans offer some of the best value: starting at $2.95 monthly (on annual billing), you get unlimited emails on a custom domain, and unlimited websites you can build in the platform (DreamHost’s also one of our top small business website builders).
Get started with DreamHost Webmail via DreamHost’s website.
DreamHost’s email plans also offer custom domains that match your site and cloud storage—however, at 25GB maximum, it’s far lower than most providers. Also, DreamHost doesn’t offer productivity or collaboration tools like documents and spreadsheets. Its defining feature is its WordPress website builder platform, so it’s only the best option for that particular use case.
User Reviews
- 4.0 out of 5 on G2: Many users noted DreamHost’s easy WordPress migration process and prompt customer service. However, some found difficulties with formatting emails.
- 4.7 out of 5 on Trustpilot: Nearly all positive reviews revolved around efficient customer support. Many negative reviews were about DreamHost’s pricing scheme.
Our Expert Opinion
While DreamHost offers independent email hosting with a custom domain, it’s more notable for its website and email bundles, which offer all the essentials any small business needs to build an online presence at affordable pricing. If your priority is an affordable platform that hits two birds with one stone (email and websites), DreamHost is one of the best you can get.
Learn more about DreamHost and how it stacks up against other platforms:
- Find out if DreamHost or GoDaddy is the better option for building your small business website.
- Finally, read our expert DreamHost review for an in-depth look at its features and capabilities.
How We Evaluated the Best Email Hosting Services
Researching the best email hosting providers can be time-consuming and challenging, especially when you want affordable solutions without sacrificing features. That’s why we narrowed down the dozens available to the ones that would benefit your small business the most, based on factors like cost, features, support, and more. Find more about them below:
25% of Overall Score
Affordability is key for small businesses with limited budgets, so all the platforms above only cost $6 or less per month, at least to start. We also considered any free plans or trials so that you can thoroughly test them out before committing.
25% of Overall Score
Each platform should have all the essentials you need to host your business email. This includes hosting multiple custom email addresses, sizable cloud storage, a free domain name, a mobile app, and advanced security tools and email encryption. All of the above have most of these.
20% of Overall Score
The best email hosting for small businesses offer more than just the basics. Many also include productivity, collaboration, and email marketing features, plus video conferencing tools and spam filters—all of which were considered in our ranking.
10% of Overall Score
Quality customer support is one of the most helpful features a hosting service can have for business owners. Therefore, we considered each host’s customer service features, including their service hours, avenues for customer support (live chat, phone, ticketing system, etc.), and whether or not they had a help center for troubleshooting.
20% of Overall Score
Listing each service’s capabilities and features is one thing, how they measure up to real-world scenarios is another. Therefore, we used our first-hand experience with each to evaluate the quality of their features, their value for money, and their ease of use.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The overall best email provider for small businesses is Google Workspace. It’s beginner-friendly, has all the features small businesses need (including ample cloud storage, a custom domain, email security, and productivity and team collaboration tools), all at decently affordable pricing. When it comes to features, ease-of-use, security, and value for money, Google Workspace checks all the boxes.
Yes, Office 365 (now known as Microsoft 365) includes email hosting in all its plans. They also come with a custom email domain, cloud storage, user management, and access to the Microsoft Office Suite with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and more. Overall, Microsoft Outlook has some of the most advanced tools, and it’s the best email hosting for small businesses that plan to expand in the future.
The best email address for businesses is one with a custom domain rather than a generic one (e.g., name@yourbusiness.com rather than name@gmail.com). This is because having a custom email domain boosts your credibility and your brand recall, which are essential to helping your business grow. You can have a custom email address for your business email by purchasing a custom email domain from an email hosting service.
Bottom Line
The best email hosting for small businesses are affordable, have sizable storage, and have all the tools you need to grow your small business. So far, the best provider that covers all these benefits is Google Workspace. It’s reliable and packed with essential and extra features, all while being one of the easiest platforms available. Starting at $6, it’s also budget-friendly—and well worth the investment. Check it out today to see if it’s a good fit for your small business.
