Free Email
In today’s business environment, email is the backbone of every company. Email enables easy internal communication among colleagues as well as external communication with partners and clients. While it may be tempting to choose an email service based solely on popularity, it is important to carefully consider the available options before deciding which email service you and your team will use.
Email providers not only allow you to send and receive messages using a custom domain, but also offer additional tools such as shared contacts and calendars for business use. To help you choose the most suitable email service for your needs, below is an overview of email service options along with their advantages and disadvantages.
Why Use Professional Email Services When Free Email Like Gmail Exists?
Companies that still rely on free email services often appear unprofessional, which can lead others to question the legitimacy of the business. People may doubt how serious you are about running your company or even assume that the business will not last long. Additionally, companies using free email services are more vulnerable to cyberattacks.
For these reasons, instead of using free email services such as Gmail, Outlook, or Yahoo, it is a smart move to switch to a business email service. Below are the key benefits of using a dedicated business email solution.
Building Company Trust
If you want customers or clients to take your business seriously, using free email services will not help. With a business email, customers know your company is trustworthy. Even if your team is still small, you can create a professional structure by having different email addresses for billing, sales, support, and careers.
Professional Image
Email is often the primary channel of communication with clients. When potential clients or customers open an email from your company, a business email address immediately creates a professional impression.
Protecting Company Data
Free email services are more vulnerable to malware and spam. Their security features are often limited, and you do not have full control over your email system. When running a business, you must protect both company data and customer data. Using free email services increases the risk of cyber threats that could compromise your organization.
Three Options for Business Email
When choosing a business email solution, the first decision you need to make is how the email will be hosted. There are three main options:
1. Shared Web and Email Hosting
Most web hosting providers also offer email hosting. For example, if your website is hosted with a provider such as InMotion, your email can often be hosted there as well. In many cases, email hosting is included free of charge in web hosting subscription packages.
2. Self-Hosted Email
If you have your own server, you can host your email system internally instead of relying on a third party. While this option offers greater control, it also comes with drawbacks, such as additional server and system administration costs. You must also continuously ensure that your email is not flagged as spam, which often makes third-party hosting a better choice.
3. Third-Party Email Hosting
If you need more features than what standard web hosting offers, you can choose a dedicated email hosting provider. Third-party email hosting helps you avoid the costs and complexity of self-hosting. Subscription packages often include useful tools such as shared contacts, calendars, built-in video conferencing, team chat, and more. Indonesian Cloud provides Zimbra Mail Services to support business email and collaboration needs.
It is also important to distinguish between an email host and an email client. An email host enables you to send and receive emails across networks, while an email client is the application you use to read and write emails. These do not have to be the same. For example, you can host your email with Google Workspace while using Microsoft Outlook as your email client.
What Features Should You Look for in a Business Email Service?
When email is bundled with web hosting, most essential features are already included. The challenge arises when selecting a third-party email hosting provider, as many features must be evaluated to ensure they meet your business needs.
For example, companies in healthcare or banking must comply with strict regulations, resulting in different requirements compared to marketing agencies. Rather than evaluating each feature individually, below are key features suitable for most businesses:
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Custom Domain: All email hosts allow you to create email accounts using your company’s domain name.
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24/7 Support: If you do not have a system administrator, you do not need to hire one. Email providers typically offer round-the-clock support to assist with any issues.
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Security: While third-party tools can be used for spam and virus filtering, it is generally better to choose an email host with built-in security features.
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Mailbox Storage: Employees who communicate with clients or make business decisions via email require sufficient storage to archive messages. Most providers offer at least 2 GB of storage per user.
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Attachment Size Limits: Most providers allow email attachments up to 25 MB. Some also offer file-sharing or FTP tools for sending larger files.
Six Popular Email Hosting Providers
Based on the criteria above, here are six popular email hosting providers with strong features:
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Zimbra Mail – Affordable pricing with collaboration features
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Office 365 – Ideal for companies using Microsoft applications
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Google Workspace (G Suite) – The business version of Gmail with full cloud storage
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Zoho Workplace – Email hosting and collaboration tools for budget-conscious businesses
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Rackspace – Suitable for companies that only need email hosting
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Intermedia Exchange Email – Ideal for companies requiring migration assistance
Now, the choice is yours to determine which email hosting service best fits your business needs. Most email hosting providers already include tools such as file sharing, group video calls, team chat, and screen sharing—making team collaboration more efficient and effective.
That concludes our explanation. To read more technology-related articles or learn more about Indonesian Cloud products, please visit Indonesiancloud.com and our VPS website cloudhostingaja.com. See you in our next article.