Email Forwarding vs. Hosted Mailbox: What's Best for Your Business?

You need a professional email address for your business. But what's the best way to get one? You have two main options: email forwarding or a hosted mailbox. Each works differently and has different benefits.

What is Email Forwarding?

Email forwarding means that emails sent to your professional address (like info@yourbusiness.com) are automatically sent on to another email account you already use, such as a personal Gmail or Outlook address.

Think of it like mail forwarding for your physical mail. Letters sent to your old address are re-sent to your new one. You don't get a new mailbox; the mail just gets redirected.

With email forwarding, you can send emails from your professional address, but usually through the service you're forwarding to. For instance, if you forward to Gmail, you might configure Gmail to send as info@yourbusiness.com. When someone replies, it still comes back to your professional address and then forwards to your personal inbox.

The main benefit of email forwarding is that it's often free or very low cost, especially if it comes bundled with your domain name registration. It's a simple way to look professional without needing a separate email service.

What is a Hosted Mailbox?

A hosted mailbox is a dedicated email account that lives on a server. When you sign up for a professional email service, you are typically getting a hosted mailbox. This means you have a separate inbox, outbox, and storage for your info@yourbusiness.com emails.

You access a hosted mailbox through a web browser (webmail) or an email program on your computer or phone. It works just like a personal email account from a popular provider, but it uses your business domain name.

With a hosted mailbox, all your business emails are stored separately from your personal emails. You have dedicated storage space, and you get features like spam filtering, calendars, and contacts that are all tied to your business account. You also typically get better security and reliability.

Key Differences and When to Choose Each

The choice between email forwarding and a hosted mailbox depends on your business needs and how you use email.

Cost:

• Email Forwarding: Often free or included with domain registration.
• Hosted Mailbox: Usually comes with a monthly or annual fee per mailbox.

Storage:

• Email Forwarding: No dedicated storage. Emails are stored in the account they are forwarded to.
• Hosted Mailbox: Dedicated storage space for your business emails.

Sending Mail:

• Email Forwarding: Can often send as your professional address, but it's usually done through the forwarding destination's server. This can sometimes lead to emails being marked as spam by recipients.
• Hosted Mailbox: Sends directly from your professional email server. This generally improves deliverability and looks more authentic.

Reliability & Features:

• Email Forwarding: Basic. Relies on the reliability of the forwarding destination.
• Hosted Mailbox: More reliable with dedicated servers, better spam filtering, larger storage, and often includes calendars, contact management, and team collaboration features.

Security:

• Email Forwarding: Security depends on your personal email provider.
• Hosted Mailbox: Professional services offer enhanced security features specifically for business use.

Privacy:

• Email Forwarding: Your business emails mix with your personal emails.
• Hosted Mailbox: Keeps business communications separate and private.

When to choose email forwarding:

• You're just starting out and have a very tight budget.
• You receive very few emails to your professional address.
• You don't mind mixing business and personal emails.
• You primarily use email for outbound communication.

When to choose a hosted mailbox:

• You want a truly professional and dedicated email solution.
• You need robust email storage and features.
• You handle sensitive business communications.
• You want to separate personal and business life completely.
• You plan to have multiple team members with their own professional email addresses.

Takeaways

• Email forwarding redirects emails to an existing personal account.
• A hosted mailbox is a dedicated, separate email account for your business.
• Forwarding is cheaper, but a hosted mailbox offers more features, storage, and reliability.
• A hosted mailbox ensures your business emails are truly separate and professional.
• Choose based on budget, volume of email, and need for dedicated features.

For most growing businesses, a professional hosted mailbox is the better long-term solution. It provides a more professional image, better security, and dedicated features that support your business as it expands.

If you're ready to set up professional email, you'll need to register a domain name first. Many domain registrars also offer professional email services, making it easy to set up your hosted mailbox with your new domain.