What to look for in an email hosting plan?

Checklist to choose an email hosting plan

Choosing the right provider becomes easier when you know what to look for in an email hosting plan. Below is a practical checklist with email hosting tips for business owners that covers the best email hosting features every business should evaluate.

1. Custom domain

Custom domain support is one of the best email hosting features you should prioritize. Any trustworthy email hosting guide will tell you that custom domain email is non-negotiable. Your hosting plan must allow you to create branded email addresses using your business domain. The hosting plan that is offered to you needs to give you custom domain emails.

This is one of the basic offerings an email hosting platform should give. Make sure your hosting plan supports custom domain setup, so you can create branded emails that help build trust with customers. Check how many custom domain emails you can create in your plan. The more in your plan, the better it is for your team.

2. Security

Security is one of the most critical aspects when deciding what to look for in an email hosting plan. Your emails will contain sensitive information. It can have payment details, business information, client data, and internal communications. Without security, there can be fraud breaches, phishing, and more such threats to your brand via email. Here are some of the security protections your email hosting platform must provide.

• 2FA: Two-factor authentication adds an extra layer of security with a one-time password or a security question.

• Spam protection: The spam filters block unwanted emails and potential phishing attempts.

• Encryption features: For sensitive emails, email encryption will ensure that only the intended recipient can read your messages.

3. Storage

Once you have a business email, there will be a flow of emails in your inbox and also in your outbox. As your business grows, your inbox and sent folder will grow too. Storage capacity is one of the best email hosting features that directly impacts daily operations. You need to have an email hosting platform that comes with a good amount of storage and the option to categorize emails.

• Storage: Look for plans that give you plenty of storage to avoid the constant need for clean-ups.

• Archiving option: Make sure old emails can be archived easily so they’re still accessible when needed.

• Storage that can be increased: As your business grows, you want a hosting plan that can scale with your storage needs.

4. Team collaboration

A complete email hosting guide always includes collaboration as a key factor. Collaboration tools are a part of the best email hosting features for growing teams. Giving your email credentials may cause a security breach. If you have a team, you will need features that help everyone stay on the same page. You need to choose an email hosting platform that comes with the team collaboration feature, so you can manage access with your team.

• Shared inbox: Pick an email hosting platform that allows multiple team members to access and manage emails from the same inbox, especially useful for customer support or sales

• Role-specific emails: The platform should allow you to name your email addresses your way. You should have an option to have emails like info, support, hr, and more.

• Team integration: Syncing your email with calendars and task management tools makes scheduling and follow-ups a breeze.

5. Customer support

While reviewing what to look for in an email hosting plan, customer support should never be ignored. When you have your account on an email hosting platform, you may need initial support or handy support at all times. You need to pick a provider who is available 24/7 to assist you. If you want to have a good support experience, make sure the platform provides the following.

• 24/7 assistance: You never know when an issue might pop up, so having round-the-clock support is essential.

• Multi-channel support: Look for a provider that offers live chat, phone support, and email support.

• Ticketing system: Choose a platform that creates tickets and regularly updates the status of your issue or query.

• Helpful resources: you cannot always wait for the customer support team to get back to you. See if the platform has good resources and a knowledge base with articles, FAQs, and troubleshooting tips, which can save you a lot of time.

6. Tool integration

Integration is one of the best email hosting features for operational efficiency. Your email needs to work well with the other tools you use every day. Choose a platform that allows multiple tool integration or comes with an all-in-one built-in system to make it easy for you to work on. See if the integration features have the following.

• CRM integration: Make sure your email system works well with your CRM software, or choose a platform that comes with its own CRM software.

• Tool integration: There are many campaign tools and analytics tools you need to integrate with your email system. Make sure the email hosting platform allows the integration.

• Calendar integration: Syncing your email with your calendar is crucial for scheduling meetings and deadlines.

• File-sharing integrations: Being able to share files directly from your email using integrations from a drive or a space will save time and make collaboration easier.

7. Backup options

Loss of important information or data can happen to anyone at any time. This can happen to your emails, too. It can happen because of a glitch, a mistake, or a system failure. Choose a system that will help you recover important emails when needed.

• Automatic backups: Choose a provider that backs up your emails regularly, so you don’t lose anything important.

• Restore options: Make sure the plan lets you easily restore old emails and folders if necessary.

8. Pricing

Pricing is a crucial part of selecting an email hosting provider. An email hosting pricing comparison helps you see which plans offer real value and which ones charge too much for basic features. Not every expensive plan offers the best email hosting features. The market has genuine providers who have fair quotes. It also has providers who charge you too much. One of the most practical email hosting tips for business is to compare at least three providers side by side before committing. Look for the following in your pricing plan.

• Transparent pricing: Make sure you know exactly what you're paying for and that there are no hidden fees.

• Flexibility options: Your email needs might grow over time, so look for a hosting plan that allows you to scale without any hassle.

• Free trial or a demo: This gives you a chance to test out the service before making a long-term commitment.

Choose WEMASY’s Email Hosting

When it comes to email hosting, you do not have to settle for just any provider. WEMASY offers everything you need to manage your business emails seamlessly. With a focus on security, ease of use, and scalability, WEMASY is designed to grow with your business without the complexity. An email hosting pricing comparison will show you that WEMASY gives you custom domains, strong security, collaboration tools, and support in one plan. Choose us and simplify your email management with an all-in-one solution tailored to your needs.

For more on keeping your emails safe, read our blog on email storage and security tips. To understand how business emails build your brand, check out business vs free email for branding. You can also read about how to build a website that supports your business goals.

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