Email hosting

[Newchodge]

I wish to find someone to host my existing email domain. Any suggestions?

 

[martin_shl]

What features are important to you?
There are some standalone email providers in addition to the most well known (i.e. Google Workspace, Microsoft) but the features they offer may well vary.

 

[Newchodge]

What features are important to you?
There are some standalone email providers in addition to the most well known (i.e. Google Workspace, Microsoft) but the features they offer may well vary.

I just want to access my email, preferably using outlook.

 

[Paul Kelly ICHYB]

Look at getting a free ZohoMail account. You can use your domain and has a good push app.

If you connect to Outlook, you will not notice a difference.

Whoever does your website (did you ever sort that out?) should also be able to offer email.

 

[EnterprisePro]

I just want to access my email, preferably using outlook.

Is it completely new or do you have historical emails to be moved? There are lots of different solutions out there and its always beneficial to look at the broader requirements of the business. It can sometimes be disruptive (but not always) to migrate later if broader requirements are required later on and missing from any current solutions.

 

[Newchodge]

Look at getting a free ZohoMail account. You can use your domain and has a good push app.

If you connect to Outlook, you will not notice a difference.

Whoever does your website (did you ever sort that out?) should also be able to offer email.

I never sorted out the website. I have had email for a number of years, but I have been using hi Hosting who have been very awkward the last couple of years. I already have my old emails, I jusy want somewhere to host for the future. I'll have a look at ZohoMail, thanks.

 

[Newchodge]

Is it completely new or do you have historical emails to be moved? There are lots of different solutions out there and its always beneficial to look at the broader requirements of the business. It can sometimes be disruptive (but not always) to migrate later if broader requirements are required later on and missing from any current solutions.

Nothing to migrate, just a host for an existing email domain.

 

[Paul Kelly ICHYB]

historical emails to be moved

Assuming Outlook is local, probably no emails need moving, although that is very assumptive!

 

[Paul Kelly ICHYB]

I'll have a look at ZohoMail,

Happy to setup for you!

 

[ctrlbrk]

+1 for Zoho Mail.

 

[EnterprisePro]

What about ProtonMail?

 

[Ozzy]

What about ProtonMail?

ProtonMail is listed on a lot of anti-spam and anti-fraud databases as a source of fraud, phishing, counterfeit services etc.
So any email recipients who sign up to these anti-fraud databases, such as I do, will have emails from ProtonMail servers blocked. I would always recommend avoiding ProtonMail for any legitimate business needs for that purpose.

 

[EnterprisePro]

ProtonMail is listed on a lot of anti-spam and anti-fraud databases as a source of fraud, phishing, counterfeit services etc.
So any email recipients who sign up to these anti-fraud databases, such as I do, will have emails from ProtonMail servers blocked. I would always recommend avoiding ProtonMail for any legitimate business needs for that purpose.

I wasn't aware of that. Good to know. How about when mapped with domains? I'm just curious as I get asked a lot about different providers and I'm not really on the pulse with it these days. We're in a bit of a 'vendor lock-in' situation with Microsoft as we use all the device management, Entra, SharePoint etc. They should call it MS Entrap.

 

[Ozzy]

How about when mapped with domains?

It is my understanding (insert caveat not an expert) that it is the mail servers that get flagged. Logically though, I would assume it is the ProtonMail throw-away nature of service with their email addresses (anonymous) that makes them suspicious. If someone uses their own domain that doesn't seem as dodgy, but nonetheless the emails will still come via the same servers (and to buy a domain name to appear legit isn't expensive).

So I'd still choose to avoid for a business use.

 

[NickGrogan]

-1 for Zohomail.

Why use anything apart from Microsoft if you're happy using Outlook?

 

[Paul Kelly ICHYB]

1 for Zohomail

Why?

It is.a reliable, powerful service!

 

[Nico Albrecht]

It is.a reliable, powerful service!

Reliable? Maybe. Powerful? Not really.

Zoho Mail is fairly basic, and when you compare its pricing per user with Microsoft Exchange or Google Workspace, it ends up being quite expensive for what it offers. Features and specially storage Zoho mail is light years behind. Using Zoho products and some are very good value for money but I would not go near zoho mail.

With Microsoft Exchange, you're looking at roughly £30 per year for a business plan, with access to enterprise-grade features if and when you need them. Overall, it provides significantly better value, a much richer feature set, and integrates far better with the rest of the Microsoft ecosystem.

 

[NickGrogan]

Why?

It is.a reliable, powerful service!

Limited storage, web only access on the free tier, slower response rate, poor support.

 

[Paul Kelly ICHYB]

I've never had an issue with it and as @Newchodge will be using Outlook, I would assume that the emails will be downloaded via POP3!

UPDATE - I have just seen that POP3, IMAP & SMTP are now not included in the free level. This doesn't affect me (I use their app and webmail), but would if you want to use an email client. However, it looks like they are supplied with their paid services, which start from under £1 a month!

 

[ctrlbrk]

poor support.

I had to call them only once in 3 years, and the support staff I spoke to were very helpful.

I wasn't even supposed to call because I'm not on a paid plan. I said I'd be happy to pay for support but they helped me out free of charge anyway.

What kind of poor support did you receive?

 

[NickGrogan]

email support, several days to answer. Maybe I should have called.

 

[EnterprisePro]

It is my understanding (insert caveat not an expert) that it is the mail servers that get flagged. Logically though, I would assume it is the ProtonMail throw-away nature of service with their email addresses (anonymous) that makes them suspicious. If someone uses their own domain that doesn't seem as dodgy, but nonetheless the emails will still come via the same servers (and to buy a domain name to appear legit isn't expensive).

So I'd still choose to avoid for a business use.

Yeah, that makes sense. Will keep that in mind

I would assume that the emails will be downloaded via POP3!

I have not heard anyone talk about POP3 since Quake / Warcraft II days (computer games). I would assume that @Newchodge might want to be able to access mail from mobile devices, vehicle(?), desktop, laptop, etc., so how mail is left on the server might need to be thought about.

---

On another note, I looked into British alternatives to Google Workspace and MS 365. Turns out they don't exist. Anyone want to co-found a trillion-pound tech giant this afternoon? (Extremely rhetorical question).

 

[ctrlbrk]

On another note, I looked into British alternatives to Google Workspace and MS 365. Turns out they don't exist. Anyone want to co-found a trillion-pound tech giant this afternoon? (Extremely rhetorical question).

Don't want to go off-topic, but the issue is that Europe as a whole has been over-reliant on the US for a lot of stuff.

Things are changing but it'll take time.

 

[EnterprisePro]

Don't want to go off-topic, but the issue is that Europe as a whole has been over-reliant on the US for a lot of stuff.

Things are changing but it'll take time.

Yes indeed I agree. I actually strongly believe we have a lot of talent here in Britain, but you're right, I'll supress my tendency spin-off another topic in someone else's thread (I have a bad habit and you don't want to get me started).

 

[gpietersz]

I know people who use Proton Mail without problems.

If you just want email there are lots, and lots of suppliers. Some domain registrars and web hosts offer email (often thrown in with web hosting by the latter).

There are lots of smaller alternatives. One of my favourite UK based web hosting companies, Mythic Beasts offers a very cheap email only service and you can move up to hosting packages for more storage. MX route is American but small with a good reputation. They are close to the top of the list if I ever stop self-hosting my email.