Setup guide
How to Make a Business Email Address
Here's how to make a business email: buy a domain, sign up with a provider such as Google Workspace or Microsoft 365, add the DNS records it gives you, then create a user for each person. Paid plans start at $7 per user per month, and there are free options for very small teams.
Your new address
- 1Domain northwind.io
- 2Provider: Google Workspace
- 3MX, SPF, DKIM records
- 4DMARC record
Step by step
How to make a business email in 5 steps
A business email is an address on your own domain, like [email protected], hosted by an email provider. Whichever provider you pick, the steps are the same.
Step 1
Buy a domain
The part after the @. Short, easy to spell, ideally .com.
Step 2
Pick a provider
Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Zoho Mail or your host.
Step 3
Add DNS records
Verify the domain, then MX, SPF, DKIM and DMARC.
Step 4
Create users
One mailbox per person; aliases for role addresses.
Step 5
Connect
Phone, desktop client and the tools you send from.
1. Buy a domain
If you have a website, you already own a domain and can use it. If not, buy one from any registrar. Pick something short and easy to spell over the phone, and avoid hyphens and numbers. You pay for it yearly, separately from the email service. If you plan to send cold email, buy separate domains for outreach so your main domain's reputation is never at risk; our guide to cold email domains covers how many you need.
2. Pick an email provider
The provider hosts the mailboxes and gives you webmail, apps and an admin console. Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 cover most businesses; Zoho Mail is the budget choice. The full cost comparison is in the next section.
3. Verify the domain and add DNS records
The provider asks you to prove you own the domain, usually with a TXT record. Then you add the records that route and authenticate your mail: MX, SPF, DKIM and DMARC. You add them at your DNS host, which is normally your registrar.
4. Create users
Add a user for each person who needs their own inbox. Role addresses like info@ or support@ don't need a paid user: make them aliases or groups that deliver to real people.
5. Connect your devices and tools
Sign in on the provider's mobile app or webmail, or add the account to Outlook or Apple Mail. For other software, use the provider's IMAP and SMTP settings; ours are in Gmail and Outlook SMTP settings. Send a test to an outside address and check it lands in the inbox.
Providers
Business email providers and what they cost
US prices per user per month, checked October 2026. Microsoft 365 prices are for an annual commitment and include Microsoft's July 1, 2026 increase.
| Option | Price per user / month | Storage | Own domain | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google Workspace Business Starter | $7 annual, $8.40 flexible | 30 GB pooled | Yes | Most small businesses; the Gmail interface |
| Microsoft 365 Business Basic | $7 | 100 GB mailbox, 1 TB OneDrive | Yes | Teams on Outlook; web and mobile Office apps |
| Microsoft 365 Business Standard | $14 | 100 GB mailbox, 1 TB OneDrive | Yes | Needs desktop Word, Excel and PowerPoint |
| Zoho Mail Forever Free | $0, up to 5 users | 5 GB per user | One domain | Tiny teams; web and mobile apps only |
| Zoho Mail Lite | About $1, billed annually* | 5 GB per user (10 GB tier) | Yes | Cheapest paid mailbox |
| Email from your web host | Included with hosting | Varies by host | Yes | Low volume on a site you already host |
| Email forwarding | Free (e.g. Cloudflare) | No mailbox | Receive only | Forwarding to an inbox you already have |
*Zoho shows prices by region and didn't render a USD price when we checked; the Mail Lite figure is from third-party listings (Capterra). Zoho says Mail Lite is billed annually only.
Monthly cost for a 5-person team
US list prices, October 2026. Annual plans unless marked flexible.
| Zoho Free | $0 |
|---|---|
| Google Starter | $35 |
| M365 Basic | $35 |
| Google Starter flexible | $42 |
| M365 Standard | $70 |
| Google Standard | $70 |
Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 now cost the same at entry level, so choose by the apps your team uses: Gmail, Docs and Sheets in the browser, or Outlook, Word and Excel. Every Google plan is broken down in Google Workspace pricing, and the two suites go head to head in Google Workspace vs Microsoft 365.
Free options
Free email address with a custom domain: your options
You can get an address on your own domain without paying for mailboxes. Both free routes have limits worth knowing before you print business cards.
Zoho Mail Forever Free
Zoho's free plan hosts email for one domain with up to 5 users and 5 GB of storage each. The catch: IMAP, POP and ActiveSync aren't included, so you read mail in Zoho's webmail and apps rather than Outlook or Apple Mail, and the plan is only offered in some of Zoho's data-center regions.
Forwarding to an inbox you already have
Many registrars, and Cloudflare's free Email Routing, forward mail sent to [email protected] on to an existing inbox such as your personal Gmail. That handles incoming mail only. Replies still go out from your personal address unless you set up sending through another service, which brings back the cost you were avoiding.
Free is fine for receiving, not for selling
DNS
The DNS records that make business email work
Your provider gives you the exact values. This is what each record does and where it goes.
The four DNS records behind a business email
Example for Google Workspace. Microsoft 365 uses its own values and two CNAMEs for DKIM.
Example: Google Workspace records for northwind.io
Type Host Value
TXT @ google-site-verification=… (domain verification)
MX @ 1 smtp.google.com
TXT @ v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all
TXT google._domainkey v=DKIM1; k=rsa; p=… (generated in the Admin console)
TXT _dmarc v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:[email protected]- MX tells other servers where to deliver your mail. Google Workspace uses one record, smtp.google.com at priority 1; see Google Workspace MX records.
- SPF lists the servers allowed to send as your domain. Keep one SPF record and add every sending service to it; see Google Workspace SPF record.
- DKIM signs each message so receivers can check it came from you and wasn't changed. Generate the key in your provider, publish it, then turn signing on; see the DKIM setup guide.
- DMARC tells receivers what to do when SPF and DKIM fail and where to send reports. Start at p=none and tighten it later; build one with the DMARC checker and generator.
On Microsoft 365, the admin center shows the MX host to use for your domain, SPF uses include:spf.protection.outlook.com and DKIM is two CNAME records (selector1 and selector2). Changes can take up to 72 hours to spread, though most appear much sooner.
Google Workspace
Setting up Google business email accounts
Google Workspace is the most common choice, so here are its steps in detail. Microsoft 365 follows the same order in its admin center.
- Go to the Google Workspace site, start the 14-day trial and enter the domain you own.
- Create your admin account. This becomes your first mailbox, so use your real name, not admin@.
- Verify the domain by adding the google-site-verification TXT record at your DNS host.
- Add the MX record smtp.google.com (priority 1), remove any old MX records, then click Activate Gmail in the Admin console.
- Add the SPF record, generate a DKIM key under Apps > Google Workspace > Gmail > Authenticate email, publish it and start authentication.
- Add a DMARC record at _dmarc once SPF and DKIM pass.
- Create users under Directory > Users, and add aliases or groups for shared addresses.
- Pick a plan and billing type before the trial ends.
Business Starter is $7 per user per month on an annual plan or $8.40 on Flexible. If you need many Google mailboxes for outreach rather than a few for staff, Jetmail sets up Google Workspace business email on separate domains with every DNS record above published for you.
Setting up business email for outreach?
Jetmail creates Google and Microsoft mailboxes on your domains and publishes MX, SPF, DKIM and DMARC for every one of them, so you skip the steps above.
Hosting
Cheap business email hosting: what to watch
The lowest price per user isn't always the cheapest choice once you count storage, support and the time spent fixing delivery problems.
Business email with web hosting
Hosting plans that bundle email are tempting because the mailboxes cost nothing extra. They're fine for a contact address on a small site. The trade-offs: mailboxes are often small, spam filtering is basic, your mail shares a server and IP address with other customers' websites, and moving hosts means moving email too. If email is how you win business, keep it with a dedicated provider and let the host just serve the website.
What to check before you buy
- Price on the billing term you'll actually use: annual plans are cheaper, monthly ones easier to cancel.
- Storage per user, and whether it is pooled or per mailbox.
- IMAP and SMTP access if you want to use other mail apps or sending tools.
- Support for SPF, DKIM and DMARC on your domain; every major provider does this.
- How you get your data out if you switch.
Sending cold email as well? Keep it off your main domain and away from bundled hosting mail. Jetmail's cold email infrastructure gives you Google and Microsoft mailboxes on separate domains, with domains at $15 a year, connected to your sending tool in one click.
Sources (checked October 2026): Google: Workspace plan prices · Microsoft: 2026 pricing update · Microsoft 365 business plans · Microsoft: Exchange Online limits · Zoho Mail pricing · Capterra: Zoho Mail pricing · Cloudflare Email Routing · Google: set up MX records · Google: email sender guidelines
Get the business email setup checklist
Tell us where to send it. We'll reply with mailbox, domain and DNS recommendations for your sending volume — or start right away and have mailboxes live in minutes.
Where should we send it?
Or see pricing →Frequently asked questions
How do I make a business email address?
Buy a domain, sign up with an email provider (Google Workspace, Microsoft 365 or Zoho Mail), verify the domain, add the MX, SPF, DKIM and DMARC records the provider gives you at your DNS host, then create a user for each person. DNS changes can take up to 72 hours to take effect, though most appear much sooner.
Can I get a free email address with a custom domain?
Yes. Zoho Mail's Forever Free plan hosts one domain for up to 5 users with 5 GB each, but only in the web and mobile apps (no IMAP or POP) and only in some regions. Free forwarding services like Cloudflare Email Routing pass mail on to an inbox you already have, but don't give you a mailbox to send from.
What is the cheapest business email hosting?
Zoho Mail's free plan, then its Mail Lite plan, listed by third parties at about $1 per user per month billed annually. Among the mainstream suites, Google Workspace Business Starter and Microsoft 365 Business Basic both cost $7 per user per month on an annual plan.
Can I use my web hosting for business email?
Usually, yes: many hosting plans include mailboxes on your domain. It works for low volume, but mailbox size, spam filtering and deliverability vary by host, and your email goes down with your website if the server has problems. Most growing businesses move email to a dedicated provider.
How do I create Google business email accounts?
Sign up for Google Workspace with your domain, verify it with a TXT record, add the MX record smtp.google.com, then create users in the Admin console under Directory > Users. Each user is a paid licence; aliases and groups like sales@ are free.
Can I make a business email with Gmail?
Not with free Gmail on its own: it only gives you a @gmail.com address. You can add another address to Gmail with 'Send mail as', but that address still needs a mailbox or forwarding somewhere. For a proper mailbox on your domain, use Google Workspace.
Do I need SPF, DKIM and DMARC for a business email?
Yes. Google requires every sender to personal Gmail accounts to have SPF or DKIM set up, and bulk senders need SPF, DKIM and DMARC. Without them, more of your mail lands in spam or is rejected.