10 Best Free Email Hosting Providers for Official Purpose

Does email seem simple to you as a user? That is because your email hosting provider handles all the complexities on the back end. Your business requires a custom email address representing your brand, and starting with yourbusinessname@gmail.com is not bad. However, as your company grows and you want to give each team member their email account, you must work with a dedicated free email hosting service. 

With a dedicated email hosting service, you will get a custom email domain, like @yourbusinessname.com, and you can make email addresses for your team members in the format name@yourbusinessname.com. 

This way, you can organize your inbox better. Email hosting always comes at a price since you will be using a dedicated email server to send emails quickly and promptly, along with robust features that make email marketing and business communication seamless. However, many providers offer free email hosting for a limited period. 

Best Free Email Hosting Comparison, Our Review, and Ratings

These ratings and reviews reflect each provider's strengths regarding features, usability, and overall service suitability for different business needs.

Top 10 Free Email Hosting Providers

Let's examine the top 10 free email hosting providers, their uses, benefits, and other important aspects below.

1. Neo

Neo provides a customized and cheap email hosting service for small businesses, startups, and entrepreneurs. The platform helps equip these organizations with a professional email address. 

If you do not have a personal domain, you can utilize its .co.site domain with your brand name. Moreover, the platform further adds value by providing a free one-page website. This aims to bolster your brand identity and boost your client's reputation.

Neo’s key features include:

• Hassle-free and rapid setup
• Complimentary one-page website
• ‘Send Later’ option
• Email templates
• Read receipts
• Appointment scheduling, email campaign management, and signature designer
• Email rules and follow-up reminders
• Priority inbox

2. GoogieHost

GoogieHost is another free email hosting provider for small businesses and new startups with less or no budget. The platform offers a custom domain to your email address to give it a professional look. It also provides productive collaborative tools like calendars, contact books, keynotes, and email-related solutions.

GoogieHost has a free hosting ground that offers you basic web resources for your website to scale online efficiently. 

Its additional features include:

• 2 free email addresses
• 99% guaranteed uptime
• Unlimited storage
• Powerful password security

3. ZohoMail

ZohoMail is one of the new generation of free email service providers. The platform offers ad-free business email services at an affordable cost and storage. You get fast and secure email hosting services with ZohoMail. It gives users a professional, encrypted, and user-friendly email service for their respective businesses.

You get a free sign-up for email service on this platform. The email content on this platform is highly encrypted using the latest security technology. 

Its features include:

• MIME message encryption
• Spam filtering
• Antivirus scanning
• 99.90% uptime
• Free custom domain address

4. Google Workspace

It is a collection of Google cloud-based tools such as Gmail, Google Drive, Google Calendar, Google Docs, Google Sheets, Google Slides, Google Meet, and more. These tools help you streamline your business and manage tasks more effectively.

Google Workspace provides features like custom email addresses with your desired TLD, like .edu, unlimited cloud storage, advanced security options, and administrative controls. It's a popular choice for companies looking for cloud-based solutions for their productivity and collaboration needs. 

Its  features include:

• We have personalized email domain names for companies.
• Protection against spam and phishing.
• Security control is used to protect accounts, such as 2FA.

5. PrivateEmail

PrivateEmail offers new business professionals a fast, lightweight, and free email hosting panel. This platform's email services let you manage your email and contacts efficiently. It also secures your private email account with a two-factor authentication feature. 

Moreover, small businesses can also benefit from the 60-day free email service trials available on the platform. PrivateEmail also offers a cloud-based storage solution to share or save your business-related folders.

Its features include:

• Cloud storage solutions for users
• Additional collaboration tools
• Anti-spam and antivirus protection

6. ProtonMail

ProtonMail is a free email hosting provider offering an end-to-end encrypted email service. It ensures your message is encrypted completely, meaning it can be interpreted only by the recipient’s device with the Unique Encryption Key. Users can also easily use ProtonMail's encrypted email services without technical expertise. 

Furthermore, the platform lets the users upgrade or downgrade the premium email services per the business’s requirements.

Here are the features of ProtonMail:

• Free calendar
• Data storage facility on drive
• 1-click unsubscribe feature
• Schedule, undo, or snooze emails
• Allows storage of all files and folders
• 99.99% uptime guarantee

7. Fastmail

FastMail is one of the most secure email hosting providers. It offers unique privacy features that always help keep your data and other information secure. 

It also offers a simple and extremely easy-to-use interface where you can easily sign up for free email hosting services. This ultimately allows users to handle emails and other related features like adding members, spam filtering, etc.

Its features include:

• Production-rich collaborative tools
• Custom email domain name
• Schedule Send and Snooze emails
• Customize mobile swipes to move mail to folders
• Address book for contacts
• 30-day free trial

8. iCloud Mail

iCloud Mail offers you a very easy and free email hosting platform where you can create an Apple ID. Later, you can set up your iCloud mail account for free. You can also receive 5GB of free iCloud storage to store your VIP emails, photos, and multimedia. 

It also offers you a custom domain for your professional email address. This allows you to customize your email service to suit your business needs.

The features of iCloud Mail include:

• Personalized domain name
• Industry-leading anti-spam protection
• Ad-free email services
• Seamless Integration
• Hide My Email

9. GMX

GMX offers every important feature required to ensure a proper communication channel between two email addresses. This may include cloud storage services and extra protection of email-related data. It also provides spam filtering, strong passwords, quick antivirus, and complex encryption. You also get a free sign-in option on the same platform. 

The platform offers the best email hosting storage and other efficient collaboration tools to ensure the business runs effectively. It also has email encryption and two-factor authentication that ensure full security of emails.

Its features include:

• Collaborative tools like the calendar
• Highly encrypted emails
• Cloud storage service
• Free email hosting migration

10. ImprovMX

You can get two months of free email hosting with ImprovMX. It offers a custom domain and a swift message speed. Apart from that, you get a good amount of email security with the help of advanced anti-spam protection and spam filtration mechanisms.

ImprovMX is an email hosting provider offering free accessibility to different tools. Its exceptional user interface ensures all kinds of uninterrupted email communication. The platform is expandable and enables customers to adjust the premium email services to suit their respective needs. 

Its additional features include:

• Add domains of your choosing
• 2-month free trial
• Powerful password protection feature
• Extra integrated applications

How to Set Up Your Email Hosting Account?

Setting up and configuring your email hosting account is an overwhelming process. Yet, it can be reasonably simple if you follow proper instructions. Follow these steps to get your email account up and running:

Step 1. Select Your Hosting Provider.

Select a free email hosting provider that meets your needs and budget. You will already receive instructions on how to set up your email account once you have signed up for an official account. 

Step 2. Create an Email Address.

Creating your email address involves choosing a unique username and password. Then, you select a domain name for your respective email address. A few hosting providers like Neo offer you a free domain name. 

Step 3. Set Up Your Respective Email Client.

This could be from a web-based email like Gmail or an app like Microsoft Outlook. Follow the instructions provided by your respective hosting provider. This will enable you to configure your email client settings. These include incoming and outgoing server information, port numbers, and other security settings.

If you choose Neo, you don’t need to set up an email client because it can seamlessly run on web and mobile devices. 

Step 4. Configure Your Business Email Settings.

After setting up your official email, adjust your settings for optimal performance. This process could include setting up email signatures, enabling spam filters, and creating email rules for your business.

Step 5. Test Your Email.

Make sure to test your email account to ensure everything works correctly before you proceed with other tasks. Send test emails to everyone on the team, including yourself. Once you can receive and send the emails without any issues, you can continue with your activities.

How to Set up Email Hosting with Neo?

Neo makes it easy for business professionals to set up email hosting for business and marketing purposes. Here are the steps to follow: 

Step 1. Choose a Plan

First, you will have to select a plan. Neo currently offers three different business plans with different features. The three plans are Starter, Standard, and Max. Since you are beginning, it is best to go with the Standard plan, which is cost-effective and provides access to Neo’s robust features. Click on the Get Standard Button. 

Step 2. Select Whether You Will Require a Domain Name or Not.

Once you click on the button, you will be directed to the registration page. Firstly, you will have to decide whether you’ll require a domain registration or not. If you already have a website launched, you can use that domain name and move forward. 

However, if you don’t have a domain name, click on I need a new one. Then click on Get a New Domain. 

Step 3. Enter Your Domain Name.

Now, you must enter the domain name related to your brand. You can type in your brand name and click whether the domain name is available. For example, if you have a training institute named Alex Training Classes, your email domain would look like alextrainingclasses.co.site. 

The domain name is free for the first year with the yearly plan, and you can renew it at $7.20/year. Once you have finalized the domain name, click on Get Domain. 

Step 4. Fill in Your Details

Now, enter all your details, like your full name and email address (the one you already use), and set your password. Click on the Create Customer Account button to complete the rest of the process. 

Step 5. Start the Trial Plan

Your free email hosting business email is set up, and you can utilize the functionalities to start business communication.  

Final Thoughts

Email isn't quite the simple service you are usually used to as an individual. This applies specifically when managing the email for an entire team or company. Therefore, the tools you use for your respective business require more thought. This must be done if you want everyone's email accounts to function efficiently.

However, the process may be tough for you, especially if your business is new or you are running a startup with budget constraints. This is where a free email hosting provider comes in. You can quickly set up your account and explore the platform with a free email hosting platform. All you need to do is set up new accounts for your team and import the old data. The platform ensures your team has their emails, contacts, and even calendar appointments whenever needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What do you mean by free email hosting services?

Email hosting provides email servers for various businesses and individuals. Several platforms offer free email hosting services that offer a custom domain name. These services also give your website a more professional appearance and enhanced features customized to business needs.

2. Is there any business email hosting?

Yes, you can find business email hosting on several platforms. These services help meet the email requirements of several businesses. These platforms offer features like larger storage, enhanced security measures, custom domain names, and external support for email clients. It also helps businesses maintain a professional image and manage their email communications efficiently. 

3. What is a professional email hosting service?

A professional email hosting service operates email servers for businesses. It allows users to create custom email addresses and store, send, or receive emails. This ultimately helps ensure reliability, security, and a professional email presence for all businesses. 

4. Which is the best and free email hosting provider?

The best and most free email hosting service for businesses balances reliability, easy-to-use features, and customer support. Providers like Neo, Zoho Mail, ProtonMail, and GMX are highly regarded for their features that are customized to business needs.

6. How do I find out who is hosting my email?

You can use a DNS lookup tool to examine your domain's MX records. This will help you find out who is hosting your email. These records also specify the mail servers that often receive emails on behalf of your domain.