How do I get a professional email address?
You need a domain first; your email address lives on it. Then you choose who runs the mailboxes: your hosting company (often included), Google Workspace, or Microsoft 365. All give you you@yourbusiness.co.uk; they differ in price and polish.
Step 1: the domain
A professional address is just email on your own domain. If you have a website, you already have the domain. If not, registering one costs a few pounds a year, and you can use it for email alone.
Step 2: pick who hosts the mailboxes
- Your hosting company. Most website hosting includes email mailboxes at no extra cost. Perfectly fine for light use. The webmail is usually basic, and mailbox sizes are smaller.
- Google Workspace. Gmail’s interface on your own domain, with Drive, Docs and Calendar. Roughly £5 to £10 per user per month. The most familiar option for most people.
- Microsoft 365. Outlook on your own domain plus Word, Excel and Teams. Similar pricing to Google. The natural choice if you live in Office.
- Independent email hosts (Fastmail, Zoho and similar). Good, cheap mailboxes, some with free tiers, if you want neither giant.
Rough monthly cost per person
Which should you choose?
Solo trade doing email from a phone: the free mailboxes with your hosting are honestly fine. Growing business living in email all day: Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 are worth the fiver for reliability, storage and calendars that just work.
Why bother at all?
bobsplumbing@gmail.com works, but you@yourbusiness.co.uk quietly says "established business" on every quote, invoice and van door. It also means your address advertises your website every time you send an email.
The takeaway
- You need a domain; then any provider can host mailboxes on it.
- Free (with hosting) to about £10 a month per person for Google or Microsoft.
- A domain address builds trust on every email you send.
Want it handled instead of explained?
Everything in this article is included and looked after in every site I build. One monthly plan, no jargon, no surprises.
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