What is the best business email provider for a small business?

Which type of business email provider is right for you?

Before comparing individual providers, it helps to decide what type of service you actually need. A small business that wants email and office software has different requirements from one that simply wants reliable professional email.

There is no single business email provider that is right for every small business. The best option depends on whether email is your main requirement, whether you need wider productivity tools, how you want to manage your domain and how much technical setup you are comfortable with.

Business email providers compared

Once you've identified the type of email service you need, it helps to compare some of the providers and services available to small businesses.

Cost guide: £ = lower-cost option, ££ = mid-range, £££ = higher-cost option. This is a broad guide based on typical UK pricing for the service and a domain. Prices may vary.

Why does domain setup matter?

Many business email providers let you use your own domain, but you may need to register the domain separately and configure it for email yourself. This usually involves changing or adding DNS records following the provider's setup instructions.

A domain-inclusive email service can make this simpler by handling the domain and email together. For example, Absolute-Email includes a domain with the package and configures it for you, so you don't need to buy a domain separately or deal with the technical setup yourself.

Google Workspace: email and Google's business tools

Google Workspace combines professional email using your own domain with Google's wider collection of business and productivity tools. Depending on the plan, these include services such as Gmail, Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, Meet and Calendar.

It can be a good choice if your business already works heavily with Google's applications and you want email, files, documents, meetings and other services managed within one ecosystem.

The main question for a small business is whether you need Google's wider productivity tools or simply require professional email.

Microsoft 365: email and Microsoft's business tools

Microsoft 365 combines business email with Microsoft's wider range of applications and services. Depending on the plan, these can include Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, OneDrive and other business tools.

It can make sense for a business that already relies on Microsoft's software and wants email and other applications managed through the same service.

As with Google Workspace, the important question is whether your business needs the wider collection of tools.

Dedicated business email hosting

Dedicated email hosting is designed primarily around email rather than providing a large suite of office and collaboration applications. Providers such as Zoho Mail and Proton Mail offer business email with features such as custom domains, mailbox storage and security controls.

This type of service can suit a small business that mainly wants professional email on its own domain and does not need the wider range of applications included with Google Workspace or Microsoft 365.

Features and pricing can vary considerably between providers. When comparing dedicated email services, look at the storage included, number of email addresses, security features, support and total cost rather than assuming that all email hosting packages work in the same way. Don't forget to include the cost of buying or renewing a domain when calculating the overall yearly cost of a service.

Dedicated email hosting with a domain included

Some business email providers include the domain as part of the package. This means you do not need to register a domain separately or connect it to an email service before setting up your business email. Both are arranged together from the start.

This can make setup simpler for small businesses because there is no need to choose a registrar, configure DNS records or manage separate renewals and billing.

When comparing providers, check how long the domain remains included. Some include it only for an introductory period, while others include it for as long as the service remains active. The difference can matter when comparing the long-term cost and convenience of different providers.

Email included with web hosting

Many web hosting providers also include email with their website hosting packages. This can be convenient if your business needs a website and email, and you would prefer to manage both services through one provider.

However, you do not need a website simply to have professional business email.

If you are setting up a business website as well as email, web hosting with email can be worth considering. If you mainly need email, compare it with dedicated email hosting before deciding.

What should a small business look for in an email provider?

Once you have narrowed down the type of provider you need, compare the actual packages carefully. A low headline price does not necessarily mean a package is the cheapest or simplest option for your business.

1. A professional domain

   Your business email should ideally use your own domain, such as hello@yourbusiness.com or yourname@yourbusiness.uk. This puts your business name into every email address and gives you greater control over your business email.

   If you are unsure how email domains work, learn more about email domains and how they work.

2. Reliable email delivery

   Business email needs to arrive reliably. Look for a provider that takes spam protection, authentication and email security seriously.

   It is also worth checking whether the provider supports important email authentication technologies such as SPF, DKIM and DMARC, which help protect your domain and support reliable email delivery.

3. Easy account management

   A small business should not need an IT department just to create a new mailbox or change an email password.

   Check how easy it is to add addresses, manage existing accounts and make changes when employees or responsibilities change.

4. Enough email addresses

   Think about whether you need one address or several. You may want individual addresses for members of your team as well as addresses such as sales@, accounts@ or support@.

   If you are unsure how many addresses you need, plan for the addresses you are likely to use now and in the near future rather than choosing a package based only on your current requirements.

5. Enough mailbox storage

   Check how much mailbox storage is included with each account. A small business that mainly sends and receives ordinary messages may not need a huge mailbox, but businesses that keep years of emails or regularly receive large attachments may need more space.

   It is also worth checking whether storage is provided per mailbox or shared across users, particularly if you have several email addresses.

6. Useful extra features

   Some business email providers include useful features beyond basic email hosting. These might include calendars, email signature tools, aliases, shared mailboxes or other tools for managing business communication.

   Check which features are included with the package rather than assuming they are available or that you will need to pay extra for them.

7. Good customer support

   Email is too important to your business to be left without help when something goes wrong. Check how support is provided and whether you can contact someone who understands business email if you need assistance.

8. A clear pricing structure

   Look beyond the headline price and check exactly what is included. Consider whether the advertised price includes the domain, the number of addresses you need, storage and any features or support you would otherwise have to pay extra for.

   For a broader look at business email pricing, see how much a business email address costs.

What is the best business email provider for a small business?

There is no single provider that is best for every small business. The right choice depends on whether you need a complete productivity suite, mainly need email, or want your domain and email service arranged together.

• Choose Google Workspace if your business wants professional email together with Google's wider productivity and collaboration tools.
• Choose Microsoft 365 if your business relies on Outlook, Word, Excel, Teams and Microsoft's wider business ecosystem.
• Choose dedicated email hosting if professional email is your main requirement, you do not need a complete productivity suite and you are happy to set up and manage your domain separately.
• Choose domain-inclusive email if professional email is your main requirement and you want your domain, email hosting and renewals managed together in one package.
• Consider web hosting with email if you also need a website and would prefer to manage your website and email through the same provider.

For many small businesses, the simplest suitable solution is also the most practical. If all you need is a professional email address on your own domain, there may be little benefit in paying for a much larger service than you actually need.

Why choose a business email service instead of a free email account?

Free email services such as Gmail and Outlook can be useful for personal communication, but a free address such as name@gmail.com does not put your business domain into your email address.

A business address such as hello@yourbusiness.com puts your business name directly into every email you send and gives you greater control over your business email addresses.

If you are comparing the costs and benefits of free and paid email for business, see the real cost of using free email for business.

If you are specifically looking for free business email without buying a domain, this guide explains the options and what you need to know.

What about business email without a website?

You do not need to have a website before setting up professional business email. Your email and website can be separate services, and you can have a business email address using your domain even if you don't need a website or your site hasn't been built yet.

Find out how to get business email without a website.

Already have business email and want to change provider?

If you already have business email, choosing a new provider involves more than simply opening a new mailbox. You may need to move existing messages, recreate addresses, update DNS records and make sure incoming email continues to work during the change.

Find out how to switch business email providers without losing your emails.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best email provider for a small business?

The best email provider depends on what your business needs. Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 are suitable when you need email alongside a wider productivity suite. A dedicated business email provider can be a better fit if professional email is your main requirement.

How do I choose a business email provider?

Compare providers based on your required features, domain options, number of addresses, storage, security, support, pricing and overall simplicity. Consider what your business actually needs rather than choosing solely on price or the number of features included.

What is the difference between email hosting and a business email provider?

Email hosting is the service that stores and delivers your business email, while a business email provider is the company supplying that service. Providers may offer email hosting on its own or as part of a wider package that includes productivity tools, a domain or web hosting.

Should a small business use Google Workspace or dedicated email hosting?

It depends on what you need. Google Workspace can suit a business that wants professional email alongside Google's wider productivity and collaboration tools. Dedicated email hosting can be more suitable if professional email is your main requirement and you do not need a complete productivity suite.

Can I have business email without a website?

Yes. A website is not required to use professional email. You can use a business domain for email even if you do not have a website.

Do I need a domain for business email?

If you want a professional email address such as hello@yourbusiness.com, you need a domain. Some business email packages include the domain, so you do not necessarily need to purchase it separately.

Is business email better than Gmail?

If by Gmail you mean a free @gmail.com address, a business email address using your own domain is more appropriate when you want your business name in your email address. Gmail can also be part of Google Workspace, which provides professional email using a custom business domain alongside Google's wider business tools.

How much does business email cost?

Business email prices vary considerably depending on the provider and the features included. The cheapest suitable option is not necessarily the one with the lowest advertised price, so check what is included in the package and whether the domain, additional addresses, storage and support are included.

Choose a business email service that fits your business

The right business email provider depends on what your business actually needs. If you need email alongside a wider collection of business applications, Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 may be suitable. If professional email is your main requirement, dedicated email hosting may be enough.

If you want professional email with your own domain and would prefer the domain and email service to be arranged together, Absolute-Email provides email packages with a domain included for the duration of the package.

See the available business email packages or use the email address finder to check whether your preferred address is available.