It is really important to get an email domain for your business instead of using a generic Yahoo, Gmail, or Hotmail email address. Not only will having your own email domain look more professional, but it will also help your messages avoid being sent to junk folders.
In this guide, we will show you a few different ways to easily get a free email domain for your business.
What is an Email Domain? (Definition)
An email domain is the web address that comes after the @ symbol in an email address. For example, in an email like [email protected], “companyname.com” is the email domain.
Email domains allow you to set up an email address with a @company name using your own business/brand name.
You can either buy an email domain, or you can get a free email domain for your business when you create a website.
Since there are multiple ways to get a free email domain for your business, we have covered the best options in this guide:
Ready? Let’s get started.
Method 1. Get a Free Email Domain with Bluehost
Typically, a custom domain name would cost you $14.99 per year, and email hosting services start from $9.88 per month (usually paid annually).
This is a significant amount of money especially when you are first starting a business website.
Luckily, our friends at Bluehost have agreed to offer WPBeginner users free email domain with discounted hosting packages.
Basically, you will get a free email domain with a shared hosting plan and a free SSL certificate for $2.75 per month.
Each hosting account includes webmail, email forwarding, spam filter protection, and the ability to use any email client on your mobile phone or desktop to send or receive emails.
Here is how to get your free email domain with Bluehost.
Step 1. Set up your free email domain
First, you need to visit the Bluehost website and click on the Get Started button.
Next, you will see the pricing page where you’ll be asked to select a plan. Basic and Plus plans are popular among businesses looking for an email domain.
Click to select a plan, and you will be taken to the next step. From here, you will choose a free email domain name.
After that, click on the Next button to continue.
Bluehost will now check the availability of the domain name you entered. If the domain name is unavailable, then it will show you some alternative options to choose from, or you can just enter a new domain name.
For tips on choosing a domain name, see our article on how to choose a domain name for your business.
After you have selected the domain name, you’ll need to enter your account information and finalize the plan details.
You’ll notice some optional extras on this page. You can safely uncheck them to keep your costs down.
Lastly, you need to enter your payment information to complete the purchase.
You will now receive an email with details on logging in to your account control panel. This is where you manage everything, including email accounts and other settings.
Step 2. Adding email accounts to your domain
Once you log in to your account dashboard, click on the Email & Office tab and then click ‘Manage’ under the Bluehost Email box.
This will bring you to an email account management area.
From here you need to click on the ‘Create’ button to add a new email account.
Next, you need to enter the email address you want to use and then enter a password.
Optionally, you can choose how much email storage space you want to allow.
After that, click on the Create button to save your new email account.
Bluehost will now create your email account, and you will see a success message.
Step 3. Using your custom domain email with Bluehost
Now that you have created your first account on your email domain. Let’s start using it.
There are multiple ways to use your new email account.
1. Webmail
Bluehost provides a neat interface to manage your email under your account using your browser.
Simply go to the Bluehost account dashboard and click on the Advanced page.
This will open the cPanel (web hosting account control panel).
From here, click on the ‘Email Accounts’ icon under the Email section.
This will bring you to the email accounts page, where you’ll see all your created email accounts.
Go ahead, and click on the ‘Check Email’ next to your email account.
You’ll be asked to select a default webmail app. They all work the same, but Roundcube has a cleaner interface.
2. Other Devices and Apps
You can also send/receive email using any email app on your phone or computer like Outlook, Thunderbird, or another mail app.
Head over to the Advanced page and click the ‘Email Accounts’ icon. From here, you need to click on the ‘Connect Devices’ link next to your email account.
On the next page, you’ll see a list of all popular email apps and devices.
Click on the app you want to connect to, and you’ll see step-by-step instructions to connect with your email client.’
Below the list, you’ll also find manual IMAP settings to connect any other device or app not already listed.
You can also use these outgoing server settings in WP Mail SMTP plugin to send WordPress emails using an SMTP server.
3. Use it with Gmail
Gmail allows you to send and receive emails from your Google account, and you can also use it as a full-fledged email client to get all your email in one place.
You can send emails using your custom domain email directly from your free Gmail.com account or the mobile app.
Simply log in to your Gmail account and click on the Gear icon at the top and then click ‘See all settings’ button.
From here, switch to the Accounts and Import tab and scroll down to the ‘Check mail from other accounts’ section.
Click on the ‘Add a mail account’ link to continue.
This will bring up a popup where you’ll be asked to add the email account you want to add.
Fill in the custom domain email address you created with Bluehost earlier.
Click on the Next button to continue.
The wizard will now ask how you would like to import your emails. POP3 is the only option available for Bluehost mail servers so it will be automatically selected for you.
Click on the Next button to move on.
After that, you will be asked to provide your account details.
Your username and password will be the complete email address you created earlier and its password. The POP server value will be your domain name with a mail prefix.
You must select the ‘Always use a secure connection (SSL)…’ option and then change the port value to 995.
Click on the Add Account button to save your settings.
Next, Gmail will ask you if you would want to use that account to send emails. Select ‘Yes’ and then click on the Next button.
After that, you will be asked to provide a sender name. You can also choose to use this account as an alias.
Basically, an alias is useful when you own two email addresses. For example, an individual’s company email account.
Uncheck the alias box if you want to keep the ownership of this account separate.
For example, if it is your business’s departmental address like [email protected] or [email protected].
Click on the ‘Next Step’ button to continue.
Now, you will need to provide your server’s SMTP information. SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) is the industry standard to securely send emails.
Your SMTP outgoing server will be mail.yourdomain.com (replace yourdomain.com with your actual email domain).
After that, use your complete email address as the username and enter the email account’s password.
Click on the ‘Add account’ button to continue.
Gmail will now send a verification code to the email address. Since you have already added that email address, you will get the email directly in your Gmail inbox.
Copy the code and enter it to complete the SMTP setup.
That’s all. You can now use your Gmail account to send and receive emails using your custom domain.
Method 2. Get a Free Email Domain with Hostinger
Hostinger is another popular WordPress hosting company that offers domain, web hosting, and business email accounts.
You can use Hostinger’s free domain to get an email domain for your business. Simply follow the instructions below to set it up.
1. Getting Your Free Email Domain with Hostinger
The folks at Hostinger are offering WPBeginner users an exclusive 81% off with a free domain name and free business email accounts.
You can get started for $2.69 per month.
Simply go to the Hostinger website and click on the Start Now button.
This will take you to the signup page.
First, you need to choose a hosting period. We recommend 12 12-month period as it gives you the most savings.
After that, you can create your account and complete the purchase by entering your payment information.
Once you have signed up, you’ll receive an email with instructions to log in to your Hostinger account dashboard.
They call it the hPanel and this is where you will manage your domain name, website hosting, and email accounts.
Next, you will be asked to set up your hosting plan. Click on the Set up button to continue.
After that, you will be prompted to create a new website or migrate an existing website.
For the sake of this tutorial, you can simply click on the ‘Skip, create an empty website’. Don’t worry. You can always create a website or migrate your existing website later.
Next, you need to click on the ‘Select’ button under the ‘Claim a Free Domain’ section.
Simply enter the domain name you want to use for your business email domain and click Continue.
If the domain name is available for registration, Hostinger will register it for you and add it to your account.
Step 2. Setting up an Email Account in Hostinger
Now that your domain name is ready, you can use it to create your professional email address.
Go to your Hostinger account dashboard and navigate to the Emails » Email Accounts page.
On the next screen, you will be asked to choose the domain.
You need to click Manage next to the domain you claimed in the earlier step.
This will take you to the email management area for your domain.
Click on Create a New Email Account to create your first email account.
After that, you will be asked to choose a username (the part that comes before the @ in an email address) and a password.
Below that, don’t forget to add a password recovery email address.
Click on the Create new account button, and Hostinger will set up your email account.
Step 3. Using your custom domain email with Hostinger
There are multiple ways to use your newly created custom domain email account.
1. Web Mail
You can access your email account using the webmail feature. Simply go to the email management area and click on the webmail button.
2. Use it with other email apps and devices
You can use any third-party email app on desktop or mobile devices to use your custom domain email address.
This is the information you’ll need to add your email account into third-party email apps.
IMAP (Incoming Server):
Host: imap.hostinger.com
Port: 993
SMTP (Outgoing server):
Host: smtp.hostinger.com
Port:465
Pop (Incoming Server):
Host: pop.hostinger.com
Port: 995
3. Use your custom domain email in Gmail
Lastly, you can also use your custom domain email within your Gmail account.
Simply log in to your Gmail account and click on the settings button. After that switch to the ‘Accounts and forwarding’ tab and click on ‘Add a mail account link’ next to the ‘Check mail from other accounts’ option.
This will bring up a popup, where you need to follow the on-screen instructions to add your account.
Method 3. Get a Free Email Domain with HostGator
Another easy way to get a free email domain is by signing up for HostGator’s hosting plan. They are one of the top web hosting providers in the world and offer excellent plans for startups and small businesses.
We use HostGator to host several of our smaller websites.
HostGator is offering WPBeginner users an exclusive discount on WordPress hosting + a free domain name. Basically, you’ll be able to get started for just $2.64 per month.
You get free unlimited custom domain email addresses with your account. It also includes webmail, email forwarding, and support to send/receive emails using any email client of your choice.
Step 1. Sign up for a HostGator account
First, you need to visit the HostGator website and click on the ‘Get Started Now’ button.
Next, you will be asked to select a plan. Hatchling and Baby plans are the most popular among beginners and small businesses.
Click to select a plan and continue.
After that, you will be asked to select a domain name.
Simply enter the domain you want to register to see if it is available.
If the domain name is available, then you can click to select it.
Scroll down a little to enter your personal and billing information. After that, you’ll reach the additional services section. We don’t recommend choosing them at this point, and you can add them later if you really need them.
