Email Hosting vs. Google Workspace / Microsoft 365¶
If you want business email on your own domain — you@yourbusiness.com — the two main choices are a dedicated email hosting provider (like our Email Hosting) or a big-name suite like Google Workspace (Gmail) or Microsoft 365 (Outlook). Here's how they compare so you can pick what suits your business.
The core difference¶
- Email Hosting — a focused email service. You get professional email on your domain, with webmail, connection to your phone/computer, calendar, and contacts. No extra apps you don't need.
- Google Workspace / Microsoft 365 — a full cloud office suite. Those include email plus a whole bundle of apps: documents, spreadsheets, cloud storage, video meetings, and more, per user per month.
So the real question is: do you just need email, or do you need the whole office suite too?
A simple comparison¶
| Email Hosting | Google Workspace / Microsoft 365 | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Email-only — you already have your own apps | Teams that need shared docs, storage, and meetings |
| Email on your domain | ✅ | ✅ |
| Webmail | ✅ | ✅ |
| Phone & computer access | ✅ (IMAP/SMTP) | ✅ (its own apps) |
| Documents / spreadsheets | Not included | ✅ Included |
| Video meetings | Not included | ✅ Included |
| Cloud storage | Email storage | ✅ Shared drives |
| Cost | Per mailbox, focused | Per user per month, includes the whole suite |
| Setup complexity | Simple — point email at us | More to configure (workspace setup, verification) |
Which should you choose?¶
Choose Email Hosting if: - You already use Google or Microsoft apps for documents (or don't need them). - You want just email — clean, focused, and easy to manage. - You run a small business or site and just need a trustworthy mailbox on your domain. - You prefer email on your own hosting, not tied to a big-name subscription.
Choose Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 if: - Your team needs shared documents, spreadsheets, and cloud storage. - You rely on video meetings (Meet/Teams) and a tight app ecosystem. - You're happy to per-user subscription for the whole suite.
A common middle ground¶
Many businesses do exactly this: use a dedicated email host for their domain email, and keep free (or separate) Google/Microsoft accounts for the apps they already use. That way your domain email feels like yours, and you don't pay for apps you don't need.
Why people like email on their own hosting¶
- Yours truly. The mailbox belongs to your domain and your provider — not a third-party subscription you can lose.
- Focused. No bloat; just a reliable, business-grade mailbox.
- Simple setup. Point your domain's mail to us and you're done — see Get started with Email Hosting.
Thinking it through? See What is Email Hosting? for what you get, and if you'd like a recommendation, contact support.