A lot has changed in the world of social media, but email – still – remains to be one of the most professional hubs for large and small enterprises. It is a superior platform for business operations because it gives enough storage space to share and archive essential files.
The marketplace has a lot to offer for email hosting space services, and there are many free versions out there. Still, it is crucial to take time and assess the kind of features required for your business to increase productivity and smooth out inter-group and intra-group communications.
Investing in a revenue driver like email hosting helps businesses grow faster with the best possible user experience. That is why it is advised for both small and large enterprises to go with professional email hosting services. The added benefits of upgrading to an expert plan help businesses build up their online presence.
Email hosting can be a primary mode of communication for some users and companies, so it is paramount for the teams to select the right service provider.
Before pitching the top email providers against one another, let’s first discuss some of the key factors that influence an email hosting provider’s overall functionality and evaluate the best way to host your business emails.
Why Pick a Premium Email Hosting Service for your Business?
There are several reasons for doing so, most important ones are detailed as follows:
- A professional service provider respects your privacy and security, and always tries to eliminate/minimize email fraud and spam.
A paid hosting service solves this issue by providing a personalized domain name. This makes it easy for the rest of the company to know who they are dealing with and how genuine they will be in the future. - Extra storage space is always handy for many reasons. The most important one is that there is no need to delete any existing files to make room for new ones.
- To add more firewalls and security measures to your company’s email server. Premium email hosting services provide robust antivirus software to clear out all the viruses, and usually also include spam filters. These filters make it easy to prioritize a list of emails that are being exchanged daily on the server.
- One of the most underrated benefits of almost every email hosting plan is the disaster recovery solution.
When there are network issues or something unusual is happening with the email server, the host can always retrieve their files and messages from the data center. The recovery solution also helps businesses to keep up with the latest cyber threats. - Premium services don’t necessarily mean spending an excess amount of money because, in email hosting services, many businesses are actually cutting their costs.
This type of cost reduction takes place when the maintenance and management tasks are externally handled. So you are getting insane value with professional email hosting service providers and also, you won’t need too much time for managing onsite and other hardware resources. - Some providers offer certain unique features, like email authentication schemes, contact management, autoresponders, and large attachments.
To adhere to business objectives and meet daily requirements, it is necessary for the management – or a user – to consider different aspects of email service providers. Here we explain each factor linked to email hosting service providers in detail.
What Features to Consider While Choosing an Email Hosting Service?
1. Safety and Security
The number one concern for all major corporations is keeping their email content secure. A hosting email service should always come with advanced tools that facilitate users to prevent data loss.
To ensure a safe hosting environment, the service provider should have 24*7 support available. Business owners should pay close attention to this one crucial feature called disaster recovery plan. This is a plan made specially to form counter-attacks against malware and other cyber threats.
2. Dedicated Solutions
If you are part of a large enterprise with multiple accounts to manage, you should consider adding dedicated email hosting solutions to your checklist.
Dedicated email hosting adds an extra layer of protection by enhancing email-related features. It makes the transition from web to smartphone smooth because it is integrated with automatic synchronization.
3. Simplicity and Productivity
That is how email hosting should work in any business. A simple user interface helps in navigation and gives you control to make necessary changes to the email settings.
If you are going with a more sophisticated approach, then you should also be aware of the advanced tools they provide. The first option should always be a simple-to-use email service with reliable customer support.
4. Proper Email Protocols
Nowadays, we all are able to access emails from any device with the help of a reliable Internet connection. So it is important to enforce certain rules and protocols to keep the email data secure.
The two most used protocols by many service providers are POP and IMAP. POP helps in transferring mails from the primary data center or server to one’s personal computer and the copy present on the server is forever deleted. In the case of IMAP, clients are allowed to access emails from any location.
5. Compatibility
This is a significant issue with many service providers that have to be addressed when looking for an email service provider. In terms of compatibility, a hosting service should have the ability to work on different operating systems and mobile devices.
Business representatives should also check on the flexibility aspect of email hosting services. As they travel to new places frequently, they should be able to access their contacts, calendar, and emails on all major browsers on any device.
6. Storage
Enhanced storage is given when it comes to professional email service providers. With paid plans, no one needs to worry about space anymore, but it is not guaranteed that every provider will give a continuous backup to your email data.
An organized mailbox should be preferred, as it is a crucial part of optimizing any business operations through email. To mark emails as important and move them to the archive, service providers should give extra space, especially for that particular category.
Now that you have a clear understanding of what factors to look for, let us dive straight into our list of the top service providers in the email hosting space.
10 Best Email Hosting Services
1. Hostinger
Hostinger is an excellent pick that offers a wide variety of hosting services. It comes with both bundled hosting and dedicated email service hosting. When put to different speed stress tests, Hostinger received the best benchmarks among all those on this list.
The server speed checker of Hostinger is proprietary, and the best one available in the entire marketplace. If you take the uptime guarantee seriously, then you will love the fact that Hostinger offers a 5% fee back, given that your site experienced a downtime dip.
Pros:
- The case manager is very responsive with minimal load times.
- Extremely helpful support staff with experts onboard.
- Reasonable starting plans.
- Advanced features to help with your speed and performance.
- Easy to use and customizable dashboard.
- All protocols, including IMAP and POP, are available with Webmail.
Cons:
- The daily backup feature is not available.
Sign Up: Here
2. G Suite
As mentioned earlier, simplicity wins over everything when it comes to choosing email hosting. G Suite is an incredible email hosting provider that tracks everything with the help of the cloud.
G Suite deploys many cloud-based tools, so if your organization is already habituated to the cloud environment, then the email hosting server will make communication between multiple team channels more smooth.
Pros:
- Provides an entire set of workplace tools, such as Hangouts, Google Drive, Slides, Google Docs, and Google Sheets.
- Easy-to-use interface.
- The business plans offer the most value at a reasonable price point.
- HIPAA compliant.
- Includes spam filters and an anti-phishing engine.
Cons:
- Doesn’t work on the Microsoft Exchange protocol.
- External servers are not reliable at every location.
- Safety concerns with encrypted emails.
Sign Up: Here
3. Office 365
This one is for all the Microsoft fans out there, and there is no argument about it being one of the top email service providers in the whole world. Office 365 is considered one of the most efficient service providers that combine all the Microsoft apps and deliver premium email hosting servers.
Microsoft also offers many free applications like Yammer or Teams apps for employees to increase workflow and engage in collaborations. Each member of the organization is given access to these tools. They can collaborate at any given time by simply launching the video conferencing or instant messaging application.
Pros:
- Best overall record and perform with the business operatives.
- Excellent pricing model.
- Unlimited features and tools for communication and collaboration.
- The apps are cloud-hosted, so IT teams can relax while Office 365 handles both installation and troubleshooting of the application.
- Future-proof email hosting.
Cons:
- Cloud storage can increase the level of risk making the entire system vulnerable compared to peers.
- Online applications have limitations.
Sign Up: Here
4. Zoho Workplace
Zoho email services come with a modern take on social media and other networking platforms, so users will find it engaging in collaborating with fellow team members. The team chat and cloud storage have several email administration tools, and they even set up a step-by-step instruction guide to excel on their platform.
This workplace for email hosting is best suited for businesses having less headcount. It can allow up to five users on a single domain with zero advertising on the side panels.
Pros:
- Active synchronization and smart inbox search are available.
- Monthly analytics and advanced reporting features.
- Unlimited team channels and forwarders.
- Very convenient to collaborate with remote groups.
- Cloud-only integration.
Cons:
- No desktop support.
- Average performance on the speed stress test.
Sign Up: Here
5. Scala Email Hosting
Scala Hosting is regarded as one of the most generous service providers offering extreme storage capacities that all competitors are trying to match. It also has innovative spam blocking that claims to block 99% of spam emails.
Scala Hosting takes customer safety and data security seriously, so they incorporated SSL protocols into their email servers. The business plans are relatively affordable, starting at just $2.95 per month.
Pros:
- Inexpensive subscriptions.
- Good uptime guarantee.
- No limitations to the traffic that your website can get.
- Anti-spam filters and protection.
- User-friendly control panel.
- Even without optimization, the Scala Hosting servers are delivering fast load times.
Cons:
- Limited locations.
- Renewal rates can go up steeply.
Sign Up: Here
6. IceWarp
IceWarp’s specialty lies in generating email accounts for large organizations and businesses. After creating email accounts, IceWarp provides the required tools to manage a vast number of accounts simultaneously. One exciting feature that can help in branding is white labeling.
IceWarp allows clients to use webmail and customize it as per their brand needs. The tools given to the employees are mainly related to video calling, instant messaging, and file editing. The email hosting provider also packs in its own suite of collaboration tools, such as custom spreadsheets and presentation editors.
Pros:
- Budget-friendly and high-value pricing model.
- Stable platform with reliable customer support.
- The user interface is easy to navigate.
- A wide variety of collaboration tools are available.
Cons:
- There is still room for improvement, and it can be made more scalable.
- Outlook plug-in makes it an average deployment model.
Sign Up: Here
7. GoDaddy
GoDaddy is a reputable brand in the field of web and email hosting. The subscription cost is very low and it offers professional employees as well as big organizations. GoDaddy is unique for its robust email service that comes with Office 365 and many other communication tools.
It is an excellent productivity platform and it empowers team members with custom or personalized domain names. If you are running an in-house business enterprise, then GoDaddy should be your first option because it has a strong in-house email service with several other packages.
Pros:
- Optional HIPAA Compliance.
- Sync feature available across multiple devices.
- Technical experts will be available 24*7.
- Business plans are very favorable.
- Quite generous with storage.
Cons:
- Lack of versatility and custom features.
- Backup is not included in normal plans.
- GoDaddy’s uptime is below the 99.05% standard.
- 256-bit algorithm encryption.
Sign Up: Here
8. GreenGeeks
One of the most unique players in the field of email hosting is GreenGeeks. It is one of the very few eco-friendly web hosting providers, as they return energy to the power grid. GreenGeeks have great business features, like built-in spam filtering, malware scanning software, and server monitoring.
They also do have optimization tools to increase speed and performance. The dashboard controls and server panels are easy-to-use, and they are externally handled.
Pros:
- The uptime guarantee is reliable at 99.9%.
- Provides access to install third-party applications.
- Shared and reseller hosting is available.
Cons:
- Limited storage.
- No expert web and mobile support.
Sign Up: Here
9. Namecheap
Namecheap has earned its spot on the list because it meets every business requirement without compromising performance. Namecheap has flexible email hosting service plans that meet the demands put forth by both small and large enterprises.
It is also compatible with different operating systems, including Android, Windows, and iOS. The specialties of Namecheap are highlighted with their domain-based emails, spam filters, and IMAP access. They even offer a two-month free trial to test out all the advanced features and collaboration tools as a bonus.
Pros:
- Reasonable pricing models.
- Makes domain registration and renewal easy.
- Immediate customer service response.
- Two-factor authentication.
Cons:
- Complicated dashboard layout.
- Outdated web interface.
Sign Up: Here
10. Rackspace
Rackspace is another affordable email hosting service provider that works exceptionally well for small teams. They have advanced filtering techniques to reduce malicious activities and sway away from spam.
Rackspace also has ties with Azure that grants users access to their collaboration tools and network support. There is no limit to group lists, aliases, and forwarders.
Pros:
- Webmail is available.
- Reliable migration services.
- Customer support keeps you updated with changes in services.
- Monitoring services are accurate in sending alerts and notifications.
Cons:
- The web interface and login are not completely optimized.
- The control panel doesn’t provide easy navigation tools.
Sign Up: Here
Conclusion
By now, you should be able to distinguish one email hosting provider from another. Compare your findings with the features you would like to incorporate into your business. You’ll get the best options for you.
There are distinct email hosting service providers. While some have flawless overall functionality, some others aim to outperform the competition in one specific area like advanced features or collaboration tools.
There are services that best fit small businesses like Bluehost and Hostinger, but there are also a few providers who mainly focus on large corporations.
The user interface, safety protocols, and stellar uptime are a few main areas to prioritize while opting for an email hosting service. It also depends on the organization’s – or a user’s – requirements and budget. The two best budget-friendly email hosting providers are Scala Hosting and G Suite.
P.S. -> While you are looking at different options, it is also recommended to go over various email marketing creation tools to improve your brand’s communication systems.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Which email hosting service is the best?
Google Workspace or Microsoft 365, depending on whether you’re more attached to the Google or Microsoft ecosystem. Both are the best email hosting services that provide excellent customer support. Available at a monthly starting price of $6 per user, Google Workspace offers 30GB, 2TB, and 5TB storage space per user.
2. How much does it cost for email hosting?
For individual users, who use their email for personal matters only, free email hosting services offered by Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo, or AOL are enough. As far as paid email hosting service providers are concerned, there are two types – cheap email hosting service providers and expensive email hosting service providers. You can opt for any of the paid service providers depending on the features offered and your requirements.
3. Is Gmail an email hosting service?
Gmail is a web hosting service provider that allows its users to send and receive emails at no charge, usually through webmail or POP clients and email or IMAP clients. Gmail email hosting service is more suitable for personal or individual use.
4. What is meant by email hosting?
Email hosting is a service in which your email messages and associated files are all stored on a server. When you receive an email to your website’s domain address, the email is routed across the Internet and stored on the recipient server.
5. Is GoDaddy a good email host?
GoDaddy is a web hosting service that offers well-integrated Microsoft Office email features and excellent customer service support. However, it lacks cloud hosting and has a short default email.
6. Can I host my own email?
Yes, you can host your own email server in less than an hour. It is not that difficult. However, most people are preferring hosted email services only as it is easy to manage, and less widely supported by hosting providers. Also, most people will get more value out of using a hosted mail service.
7. Can I have email without hosting?
You can create a professional email address without the need for a website, and you can do it with or without web hosting. However, if you want to get email hosting, you need to have a domain name. Once you get your domain name, you need to connect it to your web or email hosting.
8. What is the difference between web hosting and email hosting?
In web hosting, website files are stored on one or more servers, or computers, whereas email hosting refers solely to storing email data. The comparison can get confusing when a company offers both plans and mixes up the naming conventions.
People are also reading: