Best Hosted Email Providers

As more people use social media platforms to send and receive messages, you might think that email is dying. But nothing could be further from the truth. In 2023, the number of email users worldwide reached 4.37 billion, a 2.7% increase from 2022. By 2025, the number of email users is set to hit 4.6 billion. Email isn’t going the way of the dodo or BetaMax any time soon.

If you run a business, a dedicated email hosting service can help you better manage your mailboxes and keep your data secure. But which hosting provider should you choose? In this guide, we’ll discuss the best hosted email providers in 2023, so you can make the best decision for your team.

Our Top Picks For Best Hosted Email Providers

Best Hosted Email Providers Reviews

Why we chose it: Zoho Mail has affordable plans for businesses of all sizes. Its basic plan is free for up to five users, and its paid plans start at $1 per user per month, making it a good option if you’re on a budget.

Zoho Mail Lite is the lowest-priced plan at $1 per user per month and offers 5GB of email storage per user, offline access, Microsoft compatibility and email hosting across multiple domains. There’s a lot to like here, especially for the price.

For $4 per user per month, you can get Zoho Mail Premium. That plan comes with everything in Mail Lite and other features, such as email backup and restoration, archival and eDiscovery functions, 50GB storage per user and white labeling. You can also opt for the Zoho workplace plan for $3 per user per month. That plan gives you access to secure business email, a file manager, a word processor, a spreadsheet creator, presentation tools, instant chat, meeting software and collaboration tools.

Zoho Mail provides several features and tools to help you manage your email more efficiently. You can customize your email address with your domain name and use features like email scheduling, forwarding, and signatures. There’s also a built-in calendar and task manager, which can help you stay organized and productive.

Considering Zoho Mail’s affordability, you might worry that it skimps on security features. But Zoho Mail offers two-factor authentication to prevent unauthorized access by hackers and cybercriminals and spam filtering to block unwanted or malicious emails. It also encrypts all email data in transit and at rest to ensure your messages are secure.

If you need customer support, Zoho Mail provides a user forum, email support and email documentation. Users in the paid plans also get access to live chat support, so you can ask questions and get answers quickly. Depending on your chosen plan, you can access additional resources like phone support or dedicated account managers.

Why we chose it: Microsoft 365 Business Premium comes bundled with popular collaboration tools, including Microsoft Teams, Microsoft Planner, Microsoft Whiteboard, SharePoint Online and OneDrive for Business.

At $22 per user per month on an annual commitment, Microsoft 365 Business Premium is one of the most expensive services on this list. But if your team needs top-tier collaboration tools, it might be well worth the price. Microsoft 365 Business Premium lets you access Word, PowerPoint, Excel and Outlook. It also includes Microsoft Teams, SharePoint and OneDrive, which allow your team to easily work together on documents and share files. Microsoft 365 Business Premium is compatible with the best website builders, including Wix, Squarespace and WordPress.

The service comes with Microsoft Defender for 365, which provides antivirus and malware protection to your data and endpoints. You can also access Microsoft Azure Information Protection, which is a content classification app that lets you tag documents and assign different levels of protection based on those tags. Two-factor authentication, data encryption and access controls are also included.

Microsoft 365 Business Premium subscribers can access 24/7 phone support, online chat support and a comprehensive knowledge base with helpful articles and guides.

Why we chose it: IceWarp offers a ton of storage space, making it a great option for businesses that need unlimited email accounts.

IceWarp offers a myriad of plans with varying price points, depending on whether you’re a startup, a larger corporation, or even in the education sector. For a minimum of 10 users, the IceWarp Business plan is $3.50 per user per month. It comes with 200GB of email storage plus 1 TB of FileSync Cloud storage. Other key features in this plan include basic voice/video conferencing, team chat, and collaborative document editing. If you need more desktop functionality, IceWarp also offers a Desktop Plan for $7.00 per user per month.  Thanks to IceWarp’s cloud-based architecture, it can handle an unlimited number of users with no limit on the number of email accounts.

IceWarp also has document-sharing and collaboration features. These features, combined with the service’s conferencing tools, are why IceWarp is a favorite of remote workers. There is also a TeamChat feature similar to Microsoft Teams for daily casual conversations and a suite of productivity tools, including a word processor, spreadsheet editor and presentation builder.

IceWarp doesn’t compromise on security. All data transmitted between the user and IceWarp’s servers are encrypted using SSL technology, which ensures that third parties can’t intercept sensitive information. The platform uses advanced firewall technology to protect against unauthorized access and prevent attacks such as DDoS and brute-force attacks. IceWarp doesn’t rely on third-parties as it has several US-based data centers, which is a big plus if you are extra conscious about security.

IceWarp offers comprehensive customer support to its users, with a range of options to help you get the most out of the platform. The support team is available 24/7 to assist with any issues or questions. The platform includes a support ticket system you can use to submit support requests and track their progress. IceWarp also provides an online knowledge base with detailed documentation and tutorials, plus a community forum where users can share best practices, tips and advice. Users needing personalized assistance can access premium support options, including on-site training, dedicated account managers and custom development services.

Why we chose it: Google Workplace is a great choice if you’re prioritizing storage space. Its Business Plus plan comes with 5 TB of secure cloud storage per user, and its Enterprise plan offers as much storage as you need.

Google Workspace is one of the most popular hosted email providers in the world. Its Business Starter plan starts at $6 per user per month and includes 30 GB of storage per user. The Business Standard plan starts at $12 per user per month and offers 2 TB of storage per user. If you need even more storage, the Business Plus plan, which starts at $18 per user per month, includes 5TB of storage per user.

Google Workspace offers many fantastic features for organizations of all sizes. You get access to Google’s entire set of collaboration and workplace communication tools, including Meet for voice/video conferencing, Chat for messaging, Keep for note-taking and Google Drive for storage, as well as real-time collaboration tools like Google Docs, Slides and Sheets. Other key features include simple migration services, smart compose and reply suggestions, shared calendars and effective integrations.

Google Workplace’s security features and spam filtering are robust. The platform uses AI to block phishing emails, spam and malware. It thoroughly scans all attachments for viruses using Google’s machine-learning algorithms and blocks files that pose security risks. It will also prevent you from downloading or sending attachments that contain a virus. Other security features worth mentioning include two-factor authentication, data encryption and role-based access controls.

Google Workspace has several ways to access customer support, including the Google Workspace status dashboard, the help center and Google Workspace community. Google Workspace administrators can also contact Google directly for support and set priority levels for their issues.

Why we chose it: A2 Hosting is a feature-loaded email hosting service that offers lots of security features, ranging from SSL certificates and firewalls to two-factor authentication and DDoS protection.

A2 Hosting is a solid choice if you want an email hosting service that prioritizes speed and security. A2’s most affordable plan is the Startup plan. Here is what you can expect to pay:

• $11.99 month by month
• $2.99 per month for a one-year plan
• $4.99 per month for a three-year plan

If you want more speed, A2 Hosting also offers Turbo Boost and Turbo Max options, which the company claims are 20 times faster than the basic plan. However, that extra speed will cost you. Turbo Boost costs $19.99 per month if you commit to a monthly plan, but the price drops to $6.99 per month if you sign up for a one-year plan.

While most of A2’s features are available through other providers, its plans still offer good value. You’ll get domain-based email addresses. You’ll also get webmail access, which lets you access your email accounts from any device with an internet connection. Other useful features include email backups, email migration services and email filtering.

But what makes A2 Hosting stand out are its security features. The hosting service comes with a free SSL certificate that can be automatically updated. It also offers reinforced DDoS protection to protect you from malicious attacks and suspicious activities. All of A2 Hosting’s plans include a dual firewall: Config Server Firewall (CSF) and ModSecurity. CSF protects against attacks and improves server security, while ModSecurity monitors, filters and blocks inbound/outbound traffic. All these features, combined with automatic backups and two-factor authentication, make A2 Hosting a leader in security protection.

A2 Hosting provides 24/7 support to its customers, so they can resolve any issues with email hosting quickly and efficiently.

Other Hosted Email Providers We Considered

We evaluated hosted email providers based on pricing, features and tools, security measures, and customer support. While the following companies have great offerings, they aren’t one of our top picks for one reason or another. However, they are still worth looking into if you’re researching hosted email solutions.

Runbox

Runbox is a dependable email hosting service with customizable domains and plenty of storage space. It offers a clean user interface that’s easy to navigate. It also provides spam filtering and virus protection to safeguard sensitive business data.

Why Runbox didn’t make the cut: It lacks some common features offered by other email hosting providers, such as customer relationship management integration, marketing automation, document collaboration and shared task lists.

Amazon WorkMail

Amazon Workmail is a secure, cloud-based email service that offers advanced security features such as antivirus and spam protection, multi-factor authentication, data protection and access management. Because it’s hosted on Amazon Web Services (AWS), you can integrate it with other AWS services to build a rich, customized infrastructure.

Why Amazon WorkMail didn’t make the cut: This email hosting provider is probably not a great fit for small businesses. If you’re only looking to set up a few email boxes, AWS can be challenging to learn and navigate.

Hostinger Email Hosting

Hostinger email hosting service comes with a variety of business-friendly features at an affordable price. The Business plan offers 10GB of storage, a 30 MB attachment size limit — which is higher than average— antivirus and antispam checking and two filters, all for as low as $0.99 per mailbox per month. The Enterprise email plan raises these limits to 30GB of storage space and unlimited mail filters for $2.99 per mailbox per month.

Why Hostinger didn’t make the cut: The provider has a limit of 500 outgoing emails daily. This is a problem for businesses that have long customer or contact lists.

Hosted Email Providers Guide

We’ve put together this email provider guide to help you understand what a hosted email provider is, how they work and the critical factors to consider when choosing one.

What Is A Hosted Email Provider?

Hosted email providers offer email hosting services for businesses and individuals. They provide the infrastructure to store and manage emails, allowing your business to have a professional email address with a custom domain. Hosted email providers also usually offer security tools and other services, such as spam filtering, virus protection and backup solutions. The features you get will depend on the provider and plan you choose.

How Do Hosted Email Providers Work?

Once you choose your hosted email provider, you’ll create a unique username and password for your email account. You’ll then be able to access your email account through a web-based email interface or an email client such as Apple Mail, Thunderbird or Microsoft Outlook.

Hosted email providers store all your email messages and files on a server. Whenever someone sends an email to your domain address, the email goes to the provider’s server. The email is then checked for spam, and the server will make sure you haven’t blocked the sender. Most hosted email servers also have security features, such as encryption protocols and firewalls, to ensure data transfers are secure. Your provider will also take care of email storage, backups and data migration.

Hosted email providers focus on making sure users have reliable access to their services. Minimizing downtime can help businesses avoid costly communication errors and send emails quickly. Making sure you choose a hosted email provider that can provide maximum uptime is especially important if your business relies on email to connect with customers.

Important Factors To Consider When Choosing A Hosted Email Provider

All hosted email providers are not created equal. There are five factors you should consider when choosing a provider.

Prices

Choosing a hosted email provider based on price alone isn’t a good idea. As obvious as might sound, you’ll need to find a balance between features and price. If you’re on a budget, take some time to think about which features you need now, which features you’ll need in the short term, and which features you and your team can live without. Most providers have several plans, so you might be able to upgrade your plan if you need more storage or other features later on.

Email Features

This is probably the most important factor to consider. The best hosted email providers offer intuitive interfaces that are easy to learn. Security should also be a top priority. Spam filtering and spam protection are essential. Even if your business is small, encryption and other security protocols can provide much-needed additional layers of security. Your business’s needs will also influence which features are must-haves and which ones you can do without. For example, if you frequently collaborate with team members, you’ll want a provider that offers collaboration tools like shared calendars, instant messaging, video conferencing and file sharing.

Bandwidth And Uptime

A good hosted email provider should be able to provide you with enough bandwidth to comfortably meet your day-to-day needs. You’ll also want to research how much uptime different services have been able to provide their users to minimize the potential for disruptions.

Layers Of Security

Think of how much confidential information is in your business emails. Ignoring email security can result in unauthorized access and data breaches, hurting your business and your customers. That’s why security should be a top priority when selecting a hosted email provider. Some key security features to consider are spam filtering, virus protection, email encryption and multi-factor authentication.

Mailbox Storage

Few things are as frustrating as getting that ‘mailbox full’ message when you log into your office mailbox. It can be time-consuming to sort through messages and delete the ones you don’t need to free up space. Choose a provider that offers a decent amount of email storage so that all your users can avoid full inboxes.

How We Choose The Best Hosted Email Providers

To create this guide on the best hosted email providers, we evaluated the following factors:

• Pricing: How much does an email service provider charge in relation to what they’re offering?

• Features: What features does the email hosting service have? And how do those features contribute to a team’s communication and productivity?

• Security: What security measures does the email hosting provider have in place to protect users from potential threats like spamming, hacking or phishing attacks?

• Customer Support: What customer support options does a provider offer, and what’s their response time to support requests or inquiries?

Summary of Digg’s Best-Hosted Email Providers