Why your email address matters
First impressions count. When you email a potential client from [email protected], you're telling them something about your business before they've even read your message. A professional email address like [email protected] says you're established, serious, and here to stay.
But it goes beyond vanity. A domain-based email address gives you control over your identity, your deliverability, and your data. If you ever switch email providers, your address stays the same because you own the domain.
The options
There are several ways to get a [email protected] email address. Each has trade-offs in cost, complexity, and what you actually get.
1. Google Workspace
The most popular option for small businesses. You get Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Docs — the full Google suite — with your own domain on it. Plans start at around £5 per user per month.
Good for: Teams already using Google tools who want everything integrated.
The catch: You're paying for a full office suite when you might just want email. If you have 10 employees and only 3 need Drive and Docs, you're still paying for 10 full licences.
2. Microsoft 365
The Outlook equivalent of Google Workspace. You get Outlook, Teams, OneDrive, and the Office apps. Similar pricing, starting around £5 per user per month.
Good for: Businesses tied to the Microsoft ecosystem — Word, Excel, Teams.
The catch: Same as Google — you're buying a suite, not just email. And Outlook's interface is either something you love or something you endure.
3. Your hosting provider's email
Most web hosting companies include email with their hosting packages. It's usually "free" (included in the hosting fee) and runs on the same server as your website.
Good for: Getting started quickly if you already have hosting.
The catch: Deliverability is often poor. Shared hosting servers frequently end up on spam blocklists because one bad user ruins the reputation for everyone. Storage is usually limited. The webmail interface is typically basic. And if your hosting goes down, your email goes down with it.
4. Email forwarding only
The simplest and cheapest option. A forwarder routes all email sent to [email protected] straight to your existing Gmail, Outlook, or any other inbox. There's no separate mailbox — it just redirects.
Good for: Sole traders and freelancers who want a professional address on their business card but are happy reading and replying from their personal email.
The catch: You can't send from your domain easily. Replies will come from your personal address unless you configure "send as" in Gmail (which has its own setup steps and limitations). There's no separate storage — everything lives in your personal inbox.
5. Dedicated mailbox hosting
A full email mailbox on your domain — IMAP, SMTP, the works. You send and receive as [email protected]. Your email lives on dedicated mail servers built specifically for email, separate from your website hosting.
Good for: Businesses that want proper email infrastructure without paying for a full office suite they don't need.
The catch: You need to set up DNS records (MX, SPF, DKIM) for your domain. With a good provider, this is straightforward — some will even do it for you.
The stuff most people don't know about
Regardless of which option you choose, there are three things that determine whether your emails actually reach people's inboxes or end up in spam.
SPF (Sender Policy Framework)
A DNS record that tells the world which mail servers are allowed to send email on behalf of your domain. Without it, receiving servers have no way to verify your email is legitimate.
DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail)
A digital signature attached to every email you send. The receiving server checks this signature against a public key published in your DNS. If it matches, the email hasn't been tampered with and genuinely came from your domain.
DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication)
A policy that tells receiving servers what to do when SPF or DKIM checks fail. It also sends you reports so you can see who's sending email using your domain — including anyone trying to spoof it.
All three of these should be set up for any domain sending email. Most providers handle this for you, but it's worth checking. If your emails are landing in spam, missing or misconfigured SPF, DKIM, or DMARC is almost always the reason.
What should you choose?
| Situation | Best option |
|---|---|
| You just want the address on your business card | Email forwarding |
| You want real email but don't need an office suite | Dedicated mailbox hosting |
| Your team lives in Google Docs and Drive | Google Workspace |
| Your team lives in Word, Excel, and Teams | Microsoft 365 |
| You just need something quick and free | Your hosting provider's email (but check deliverability) |
How we do it
At AI with Ash, we offer both email forwarding and full mailbox hosting as part of our platform. If you have a domain with us, we handle everything — DNS records, SPF, DKIM, DMARC, mail server configuration, and autoconfig so your email client sets itself up automatically.
No office suite tax. No shared hosting spam problems. Just solid, reliable email on your domain.
If you're interested, check out our email hosting or book a call and we'll get you set up.