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How to Create a Business Email for Free: A Step-by-Step Guide

Written by Leeron Hoory      Reviewed by Noa Kaufman
Last Update: November 2024

A professional email for your business is essential for effectively communicating with customers, building trust, improving credibility, and reinforcing your brand. For small businesses, establishing a professional email presence not only enhances customer perception but also creates a solid foundation for growth. While you can set one up for free with the right tools, investing a small fee might be worthwhile to fully meet your business goals and expand your reach.

Why a Professional Business Email is Essential

Would you think twice if a brand you trust told you to email them at shoestore88@gmail.com? Today, most people expect businesses to have a professional email, such as support@domainname.com or hello@domainname.com. Reputation and meeting customer expectations are just one reason a professional email address is essential. 

One survey found that 63% of business professionals prefer to communicate by email over any other tool. Even if you’re just starting your business, separating all your business communications from your personal emails also helps you keep track of all your professional correspondence. When you use a separate email address for your business, you’ll also be able to create a brand tagline in your email signature, an opportunity to reinforce your brand. 

A professional email address is also helpful because it allows you to scale your business as you go. For example, you can create separate email accounts for customer support and scheduling questions, which helps your team be more effective if these roles are different.


Zoho Email

How to Create a Free Business Email: Step-by-Step Guide

The difference between a professional email and a personal email is a custom domain name. For example, if your business name is Blue Shoes, your business email would be hello@blueshoes.com (and not blueshoes@gmail.com.) 

  • Step 1: Choose a Free Business Email Provider

    Zoho Mail offers a forever free plan for a single domain with up to five users. Zoho offers an ad-free interface and storage of up to 5 GB per user. Gmail via Google Workspace is another option. Most people are familiar with Gmail, and it’s easy to set up. Keep in mind that with Gmail, you do need to pay for the custom domain email. Another option is Microsoft outlook, though it requires a subscription fee as well for a custom domain email. Over 3.4 million companies use Microsoft Outlook for email management and nearly 3 million companies are using Gmail.

  • Step 2: Register a Domain

If you don’t already have a domain name, you’ll need to register one. A domain name is the URL for your website, for example: www.yourbusinessname.com. Registering a domain name is an essential part of getting your website online. The process is simple and can be done with an affordable domain provider like Bluehost or Namecheap. 

Of course, if you already have a domain name, you can use that one. 

  • Step 3: Link Your Domain with Your Chosen Provider

    Once you register your domain name, the next step is to set it up with your chosen email provider. The email provider will ask you to verify ownership of your domain name. You can do this by adding a TXT record to your DNS settings.

  • Step 4: Set Up and Test the Business Email

You can now finalize your email setup, make sure everything is working properly and link it to an email client like Outlook or Gmail for easier management. The best way to do this is by sending emails to test if they are working properly.

Comparison of Free Business Email Providers

Here is a brief comparison of the three popular business email providers. Zoho Mail is the only option that provides a custom email domain for free. 

Over the long term, you’ll likely find that you want to upgrade to a paid hosting service for your business, but these options can be a good place to start. 

FeatureZoho MailGmail (Google Workspace)Outlook (Microsoft 365)
Free user limitUp to 5 usersNot available for free custom fomainNot available for free custom domain
Storage5 GB/User15 GB15 GB
Ad-freeYesYesYes
Integration Zoho appsGoogle appsMicrosoft Office apps
Security featuresStrongStrongGood
Custom domainYes (free)Yes (paid only)Yes (paid only)
Upgrade optionspaid plans availablePaid plans availablePaid plans available 

Common Mistakes to Avoid

There are a few common mistakes to avoid when you’re setting up a business email:

  • Using a free personal email: Using a personal email is not professional and can be harmful to your business’s brand.

  • Skipping security measures: Neglecting security features like 2-factor authentication (2FA) can leave your business vulnerable to security breaches.

  • Not verifying your domain: Failing to verify your domain correctly will lead to technical issues in receiving correspondence from your customers. 

  • Not using an email signature: An email signature is an excellent way to reinforce your brand and establish a professional appearance. Your email signature should include your name, website, social profiles and anything else you think would be of interest to potential customers.

The best way to avoid these common mistakes is to ensure you are using a business email from the beginning and verify it is connected to your domain name properly. If you are unsure, you can always reach out to your web host provider for support. Additionally, set up your email signature from the start and know that you can always return to it and make updates. As long as you take care of email setup properly, you’ll be in a good place to ensure your business email is set up to best support your business. 

Your Business Email is an Important Business Communication Tool 

Setting up your business email is a simple yet essential part of setting up a business. If you choose the right hosting service, you can also set up a free business email address. There are many ways to set up your business email so that it’s supportive to your business, including creating an email signature and separate emails for correspondence and customer support. 

About Leeron Hoory: Tech and Finance Specialist


Leeron, based in New York City, writes about technology and finance for top publications like Forbes Advisor, Quartz, and Popular Mechanics. With her expertise, Leeron simplifies complex subjects, guiding you through the latest trends and strategies to boost your business.


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