In this piece, we're looking specifically at email hosting provider features and not always at the features of their built-in email clients. For example, you can send and receive emails hosted through Google Workspace or Microsoft Outlook via a variety of desktop, web, and mobile apps. Your email host and client do not have to be the same. An email client (or email app) is the application you use to write and read emails. An email host is what lets you send and receive email across networks.

Plus, a subscription to a hosted email service often comes with other tools you need to run your business: shared contacts and calendars, built-in video conferencing, team chat, and more.įinally, it's important to understand the difference between an email hosting provider and an email client. A third-party email host lets you avoid the costs of self-hosting. If you need more features than what your web host provides, look into hosted email providers. The added costs of email servers and systems admins to maintain them, along with the challenge of keeping your email from being marked as spam, often makes third-party hosting the better option. While self-hosting provides more control and customizability, it has its disadvantages. Self-hosted email: If you have your own servers, you can host your own email instead of going through a third-party provider. Often, email hosting is included with your web hosting subscription for free. For example, if you host your website through a provider like InMotion, you can host your email there as well.

Most web hosting providers also offer mail hosting. When shopping for email hosting, the first decision you need to make is how you'll host your email.

List of free email providers