How to create a business email address: step-by-step guide

Having a business email is an absolute necessity for any company, but you can’t just use any old address. A business email address, with your company name after the @ symbol, will always give a more professional impression when contacting your customers, versus using a standard Gmail or Hotmail account.

Taking the time to select a well-chosen business email address can result in a higher email open rate, better ROI for your marketing campaigns, and strengthened customer trust.

We’ll take you through how to create a business email address in four easy steps. To do so, we’ll focus on setting up a business email address with Google Workspace – this is a simple, trusted platform from one of the biggest names around, and it’s as easy to use as a personal Gmail address. There’s a charge involved – from £5 per user, per month. You will typically have to pay for a business email address, though if you’re determined to get one for free, we will also explain ways of doing so in this guide, further down.

Cost of a Google Workspace account and email address

Unlike a personal Google account that you’d use for an @gmail.com email address, you’ll need to pay for a Google Workspace account and the business email address you wish to connect it to.

Fortunately, the fees are minimal, starting from £5 per user, per month.

Google Workspace gives you a choice of four subscriptions: Business Starter, Business Standard, Business Plus, and Enterprise. Here’s a closeup on each one to help you choose:

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CHEAPEST PLAN
Business Starter	Business Standard	Business Plus	Enterprise
Cost £5 per user, per month for a one-year commitment	Cost £10 per user, per month for a one-year commitment	Cost £15 per user, per month for a one-year commitment	Cost Contact sales
Features Custom and secure business email 100-participant video meetings 30GB storage per user Security and management controls	Features Custom and secure business email 150-participant video meetings and recording 2TB of storage per user Security and management controls	Features Ediscovery and retention 500 participant video meetings and attendance tracking 5TB storage per user Advanced endpoint management	Features S/MIME encryption As much storage as needed Advanced security, management and compliance controls Noise cancellation and in-domain live streaming

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Can you have multiple business emails?

The quick answer is yes, you can have multiple business emails set up with Google Workspace. This is also the case if you are a sole trader who wishes to have more than one email account for their business.

Creating alias addresses

One user can have several email addresses by creating email aliases. For example, you could have a your.name@yourbusinessname.com address, a contact@yourbusinessname.com address, and a sales@yourbusinessname.com address. All of these will be accessible through the same Google account, but grouped into different inboxes.

You can add up to 30 email aliases for each user. Each alias can be set up to ensure that different departments have their own inbox.

Adding accounts for your team members

You can also add multiple users to your Google Workspace so that all your employees have access to their own email accounts. You can add up to 300 users to your Google Workspace (or more on the Enterprise plan).

Here are the steps to follow to add users:

1. Make sure you’re signed in on an administrator account (this will typically be the first account you create)
2. In the Admin console, go to Menu > Directory > Users
3. On the left, under All organisations, select the organisational unit to which you want to add the user to
4. At the top, click Add new users
5. Add account information, like how the email will be set up with their first and last name
6. Click Add New User
7. To send account information to the user, click Preview and Send
8. Click Done

Buying Guide: why do you need a business email?

Having a business email is having like a digital mailbox. Not only does it create a single organised place where customers can reach out to you, but it gives you an extra degree of legitimacy as they can tell your company is registered and established. Essentially, having a business email should be a no-brainer. Here are a few reasons why you need one:

• Gives you more control: a single business email makes it easier to keep track of all your communications. It also gives you admin control through which you can create new staff accounts, remove old ones, and set up email forwarding.
• Establishes credibility: when customers have a place to reach you through an official company email address, it shows you’ve done the work to register and set up your business.
• Better security than a personal account: providers like Google Workspace are set up with enhanced security features that keep your internal and external communications safe (safer than a personal email, for sure!)

What email is best for a business email?

Some of the best platforms to use for business email addresses are Google Workspace (Gmail), Verizon Email, and Microsoft Outlook.

Are business emails free?

There are a few different website hosting providers and email platforms that allow you to set up a business email account as a free add-on, but only if you purchase a website hosting or server hosting plan. Our top choices are BlueHost and Inmotion Hosting.

Is Gmail free?

Gmail is only free for personal users. You can access a business email through Gmail if you purchase a Google Workspace plan. Prices start at £5 per user, per month, and it will also let you use your company’s domain name.

Can you get a business email for free?

The real answer is that, although you can technically get a business email for free, you’ll end up paying for other costs along the way.

For instance, you’ll have to pay for domain hosting to get a free email included when using Bluehost or HostGator. We explain the process in our video, below:

With most webmail providers, you can’t have a business domain address unless you pay. With Google Workspace, you’ll pay a yearly amount to host your domain as well as a Google Workspace Subscription, which can be as cheap as £5 per user, per month.

If you want to set up your hosting separately, rather than going through Google, then you’ll first need to choose your web hosting setup. This can either be a shared, VPS, or dedicated hosting plan, depending on the scale of your website and its likely traffic.

After this, you’ll need to register your domain name. If you choose one that’s already been taken, the registrar will show you alternatives that are closely related. Once you’ve chosen your domain name, you can fill in your payment information and get started.

At this point, you may be able to add on a business email address ‘for free’. But, with the hosting and domain costs included, it certainly isn’t a free process from beginning to end.

Learn more in our complete guide on How to Create a Business Email Address for Free

Conclusion

Having a business email address is vital to building your business’s trust and authority. After all, would you trust a business that doesn’t have their own domain name in their email? Having a recognisable domain email will make it easier for your customers to reach out, drive successful email campaigns, and, generally, ensure you’re on people’s radar.

Although there are plenty of options out there, the easiest, most affordable and – for Gmail users – most familiar way of setting up a business email is via Google Workspace. You’ll have access to a user-friendly platform that’s integrated with a host of other apps that will make it easier for you and your team to stay in contact.