With email marketing remaining a crucial marketing tool, choosing the right email service is extremely important. It’s quite simple: no matter how brilliant your message is, it will only impact potential customers if it arrives in their inboxes.
Read on to learn everything you need to know about different email providers and how you can choose one for your business needs.
Email Service Provider: Definition and Types
An Email Service Provider (ESP) is a company that provides email services and solutions for its clients, enabling email correspondence and marketing campaigns. ESPs store customers’ email addresses and facilitate sending marketing emails to subscribers.
- Email marketing automation
- Adding tracking pixels
- Customizing email format
- Segmenting your subscribers’ list
- Integrating your email with your website
- A/B testing for your email content
- Here are the main types of email services:
Email Clients. Email clients are stationary desktop applications that allow you to operate single or multiple email addresses. This email service type can help you perform various operations, such as creating, sending, and receiving emails. One example of an email client is Microsoft Outlook.
Webmail. Another type of email service is webmail. Unlike email clients, you can access webmail via a web browser. You are most likely familiar with popular email websites like Gmail, Yahoo, and Outlook.com.
B2C Email Providers. As a B2C business owner, you may know how effective highly personalized email marketing campaigns are. B2C email providers like Braze or Drip can help you launch customer-centric email marketing campaigns.
B2B Email Providers. If you need data-driven emails for serious businesses, consider using popular email service providers like Hubspot, Phonexa, or Marketo.
Read more about how to sign off B2B and B2C emails to satisfy your customers.
How Can You Benefit From an Email Provider?
There are many practical benefits of using email service providers:
| Deliverability | Increased deliverability leads to increased revenue. You may be surprised that every dollar spent on email marketing will result in 42$ earned by a company. It makes perfect sense to start using top email providers to make more. |
| Customer Engagement | Keeping your customers enticed can be challenging. However, your chances of engaging your audience increase if you provide them with dynamic content. The best way to achieve this is to use advanced ESP functionality. |
| Campaign Monitoring | In the ever-changing marketing world, it is vital to measure your marketing campaign effectiveness and react promptly to any shortcomings detected. ESPs allow you to analyze and report the data about the success of your marketing strategy. So, you will be able to modify your emails to increase their impact on your customers. |
| Cross-Channel Marketing Campaigns | The increase in the influence of social media on customers’ buying choices forces businesses to consider multi-channel marketing campaigns. Luckily, many ESPs facilitate the integration of social media elements into traditional email marketing strategies. |
What Should You Consider When Choosing Email Providers?
Choosing the wrong provider can become a deal-breaker for your email marketing campaign. You should understand your business requirements and the criteria a potential ESPr should meet.
Here are the factors you should consider when choosing an email service provider:
| User-Friendliness | Look for an ESP that offers a simple and intuitive email account navigation and reporting system. Plus, consider if any special training is required to use the platform correctly. |
| Reputation | How well-known and reputable your ESP is influences whether customers will be eager to open your emails. One way to check your provider’s reputation is by looking at its domain score. Check more on how to improve your email deliverability. |
| Automation | Marketing automation tools can become quite a game-changer. Check if your ESP can create quick and easy marketing strategies, such as shopping cart abandonment reminders. |
| API | Make sure your company can use the platform to integrate your internal CRMs, shopping carts, and purchase systems with your email service provider. |
| Cross-Channel Integration | Your email providers should be able to integrate with social media platforms so you can boost your social media presence and collect relevant customer data. Also, don’t forget about visual styles and graphic designs. An email service provider with great visual representation on different devices will boost your conversion rates quickly. Check how social media influencers can increase the success of your marketing campaign. |
| Security | Ensure your ESP uses firewalls, password protection policies, and encryption safeguards. Do not take cybersecurity lightly. For instance, if your email account is hacked, there’s little you can do to recover from damage caused by data leaks. |
| Customer Support | Ensure your ESP can help you if you face unexpected bugs, deliverability problems, or other difficulties. Price Make sure you are financially capable of covering email service costs. If you are not ready to allocate extra funds, consider using free email providers. Fortunately, many popular email providers offer free email servers. |
How Do You Choose the Optimal Email Provider For Your Business?
Selecting a proper provider is easier if you define how email service functionality will complement your marketing goals. Set clear marketing goals, understand the processes behind email marketing, and know how to use ESP tools.
To learn more about an email service provider:
- Check feedback from other ESP clients
- Ask for feedback about the ESP from businesses that operate similarly
- Create a final list of several email service providers and sign in for a trial period with each of them to get first-hand experience and make an informed decision.
The 16 Best Email Services of 2024
First, it’s worth noting that even though free email providers offer decent services, they may occasionally have some limitations or ads. But then again, small businesses can benefit immensely from using free email providers.
ProtonMail
| Integrations | Interface | Free storage | Privacy | Encryption | Pricing |
| Apple Mail, Outlook, Thunderbird | Intuitive navigation | 1 GB | 100% privacy; personal info is not needed to open an account | End-to-end data encryption | Starts at $4 per month |
ProtonMail is one of the top email providers, known for advanced privacy and security. It offers intuitive navigation and a variety of tools, such as:
- Two-factor authentication
- Proton VPN access
- Proton’s cloud storage (500MB for free users)
To start a free email account with ProtonMail, just sign in with a username and a password.
However, keep in mind that the storage space is quite limited in the free version.
Zoho Mail
| Integrations | Interface | Free email storage | Privacy | Data encryption | Pricing |
| Zoho CRM and cloud-based file managers | Professional and clean | 1 GB | 100% privacy from advertisers | Sensitive information is secured with encryption | Starts at $1 per month |
Zoho is a reliable email service provider, offering its comprehensive Office Suite as the central product. Even though Gmail and Outlook are still the big fish in the pond for businesses, Zoho is quickly catching up. It offers a free custom domain to create free email addresses for up to five users, plus an ability to customize its name.
Depending on the plan, Zoho lets you have domain aliases, email hosting, offline access, email recall, and even attachments up to 1 GB. So, if you’re searching for the best email service packed to the gills with features, Zoho is a safe bet.
Gmail
| Daily email limit for free accounts | Interface | Free email storage | Antivirus protection | Pricing |
| 500 | Google Smart Compass | 15 GB | 99.9 % protection from spam and suspicious emails | Starts at $.6 per user per month |
Gmail is one of the most popular email providers worldwide, offering 15 GB of storage space and robust anti-phishing and anti-spam protection. Gmail works in a tight connection with Google Drive, Meet, Calendar, Docs, and other Google services, making it the best email provider out of the other email services.
The interface is intuitive and easy to use, with Google Smart Compass’ suggestions simplifying the email designing process. Gmail also has an offline functionality, making it possible to write emails even if you can’t get online.
However, larger-scale business organizations may require additional email services. Gmail covers them with Google Workspace, which supports custom domain names and email addresses and offers storage of 30GB to 5TB.
Microsoft Outlook
| Integrations | Interface | Free email storage | Antivirus protection | Data encryption | Pricing |
| Add-ins to access Microsoft apps like Skype and Trello | Easy navigation | 15 GB | 99.9 % protection from spam and suspicious emails | Basic for free users | Starts at 7$ per month |
Microsoft Outlook is another excellent free email service provider, offering 15 GB of inbox storage and 5 GB of OneDrive cloud storage. In addition, it provides access to online and mobile versions of Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
Business email users can benefit from the Focused Inbox feature, which segments emails and helps avoid distractions. Surprisingly, Outlook allows you to add polls directly to emails.
Unfortunately, Outlook’s free email services have basic message encryption. If you need more advanced security features, consider a prepaid plan.
For a monthly charge of 7$, you will get 5 GB of mail storage, 5 TB of cloud storage, Teams video calling, and desktop versions of Microsoft Office. The price may seem higher than other popular email domains, but the benefits are great.
Yahoo
| Integrations | Interface | Free email storage | Data encryption | Pricing |
| Yahoo Calendar and Grammarly GO | Easy to navigate | 1 TB | Sensitive information is secured with encryption | $5 per month |
With Yahoo! Mail, you can jazz up your inbox with custom themes and quickly dig up key info right from your inbox due to their sorting and filtering tools. It also makes it a breeze to find every photo, video, and document you’ve ever sent or received, all neatly organized in tabs on the sidebar.
iCloud
| Integrations | Interface | Free email storage | Privacy | Data encryption | Pricing |
| Seamlessly integrated with Apple products and services | Easy and simple to navigate | 5 GB | 100% privacy | Sensitive information is secured with encryption | Starts at $1 per month for 50 GB of storage and $10 a month for up to 2 TB |
If you’re an Apple aficionado, iCloud Mail is probably on your radar since an iCloud email address is often par for the course with Apple tools.
The free account comes with 5 GB of storage that you can use to sync photos, files, and emails. However, it’s worth keeping in mind that this storage is shared across all your apps and devices, so it’s easy to gobble up your email storage in no time.
Tuta
| Integrations | Interface | Free email storage | Privacy | Data encryption | Pricing |
| Seamlessly integrates with Apple products and services | Easy and simple to navigate | 1 GB | 100% privacy | Quantum-safe encryption | Starts at €3 per month |
Tuta is a solid pick for those on the hunt for the best free email provider. They pull out all the stops on security, boasting end-to-end encryption for emails, calendars, and contacts, all shielded by quantum-safe encryption. Plus, they stay true to their word of not scanning or tracking your emails — evidenced by the absence of ads on the platform.
Additional security features include two-factor authentication (2FA), session handling, and phishing protection. However, while you can attach images or documents, this email service isn’t geared for sending image-heavy or flashy graphic emails.
AOL
| Integrations | Interface | Free email storage | Protection and Privacy | Data encryption | Pricing |
| Built-in spellchecker | Easy and simple to navigate | 1 TB | Shields you from suspicious and spam emails | Sensitive information is secured with encryption | $5 per month |
America Online (AOL)—that nostalgic name brings back memories of the early days of email service in the U.S. Despite the changing times, AOL has kept up with the times, quietly maintaining its status as one of the best email providers out there.
Now a part of Yahoo! Inc., AOL delivers your emails right from its classic, news-driven homepage, along with up-to-date spam filters and virus protection you’d expect from a modern email provider.
Plus, you can easily import contacts from CSV, TXT, or LDIF files, so there’s no need to painstakingly rebuild your “friends list” from scratch.
Neo Space
| Integrations | Interface | Antivirus protection/ Privacy | Data encryption | AI features | Pricing |
| Inbuilt calendar | Professional interface, ensuring a hassle-free user experience | Shields you from suspicious and spam emails | Two-factor authentication; Anti-virus protection; Custom DKIM | AI-powered site builder | Starts at $2 per month |
Neo Space is a business email service provider that’s just the ticket for solopreneurs, freelancers, and small businesses eager to make a splash with their customers, vendors, and partners.
If you’re flying solo without a domain, Neo throws in a custom email address with a free domain name and a one-page website. It helps you carve out a distinct online presence. For those already armed with a domain, there’s a 30-day free trial to test the waters and see if Neo fits the bill.
Additionally, Neo offers a suite of features: custom email addresses, a handy one-page website builder, the ability to schedule emails with a “send later” option, email templates to save time, automatic follow-up reminders, a priority inbox that separates the wheat from the chaff, and appointment scheduling. Looking ahead, Neo is gearing up to add email marketing capabilities to its toolkit.
Mail.com
| Integrations | Interface | Free email storage | Protection and Privacy | Data encryption | Pricing |
| Built-in spellchecker | Easy and simple to navigate | 65 GB | Two-factor authentication; Ad-free premium plans;Anti-virus and spam protection | Sensitive information is secured with encryption | Starts at $10 for 3 months |
Mail.com might not be the first name that comes to mind, but it’s got plenty of the same bells and whistles. It lets you add attachments up to 30 MB. Plus, this email service provider offers over 100 custom domain options to choose from.
Mail.com is perfect for small businesses or entrepreneurs looking to jazz up their email addresses with a custom domain without breaking the bank.
Additionally, you can create up to 10 alias addresses per account (think help@ or support@), a generous amount of storage, and access to a calendar and online office tools like word processing and spreadsheets.
But what really sets Mail.com apart from the pack? The standout feature is the ability to choose from over 100 custom domains. These options can give your email a polished and professional touch, unlike the usual Gmail or Outlook addresses, while still being short and memorable.
Mozilla Thunderbird
| Integrations | Interface | Free email storage | Antivirus protection/ privacy | Data encryption | Pricing |
| Integration with your Google Calendar | Simple, easy-to-use user interface. | 1 GB | Privacy is a top priority | Sensitive information is secured with encryption. | Free |
Mozilla Thunderbird, the best free email service, boasts its smart organization that sorts emails neatly into folders and browser-like tabs for juggling multiple emails simultaneously. Additionally, due to its vast extension library, you can tweak and personalize your experience with various apps and services.
However, keep in mind that it’s not a free ticket to create an email address on this platform. If you need a new email address, Thunderbird lets you create one via Mailfence or Gandi, but it’ll cost you a few bucks.
10 Minute Mail
| Integrations | Interface | Data encryption | Pricing |
| Only basic features of receiving emails | Easy and simple to navigate | Personal information is secure as it’s temporary | Free |
Ever found yourself needing to give something a whirl on your website or snag a deal from a sketchy site? Or maybe you’ve been itching to sneak a peek at a competitor’s game plan without leaving a trace. That’s where 10 Minute Mail comes into play. It keeps your main inbox spick and span while safeguarding your personal info when you’re filling out forms.
Titan Email
| Integrations | Interface | Free email storage | Antivirus protection/ Privacy | Data encryption |
| Only basic features of receiving emails | Easy and simple to navigate | 1 GB | Antivirus check and advanced antispam | Sensitive information is secured with encryption |
With handy built-in tools like email templates, scheduled sends, follow-up reminders, and more, Titan helps you cut through the clutter and boost your productivity. Its calendar, contact list, and storage keep everything running like a well-oiled machine, all from right inside your inbox.
This email service provider plays nice with Webhosts, Domain Registrars, and Website Builders, offering a one-stop-shop solution. You can get Titan Email on Webmail, iOS, and Android devices. It works best for: professionals or small businesses who want an all-in-one email suite that helps them get closer to their customers.
Mailfence
| Integrations | Interface | Free email storage | Antivirus protection/ Privacy | Data encryption | Pricing |
| Integrated calendar, contacts, and document storage | Clean, user-friendly interface | 50 GB | Privacy protection; legal protection; no tracking | End-to-end encryption and digital signatures; OpenPGP encryption | €2.50 per month |
Mailfence comes loaded with all the bells and whistles: Messaging, Contacts, Calendars, Groups, and Document storage. It wraps your data in a security blanket with top-notch OpenPGP encryption and digital signatures to lock down your info and verify your messages. Thanks to its support for protocols like SMTP, POP, and IMAP, Mailfence plays nicely with a slew of popular desktop and mobile email clients.
Fastmail
| Integrations | Interface | Free email storage | Antivirus protection / Privacy | Data encryption | Pricing |
| Basic calendar | Minimalistic modern interface | 2 GB | No ads; highly customizable spam filters; anti-spam filters; Two-factor authentication | No end-to-end encryption or digital signatures | Starts at $3.00 per month |
Fastmail might not be the first name that rolls off the tongue when you think of hosted email, but it’s got a pretty solid setup. It doesn’t come with the whole nine yards of productivity tools like the big hitters—Google Workspace Business Standard or Microsoft 365 Business Premium.
However, it does offer email with 30GB of archive space per user and basic calendaring. This email service is also a breeze to manage and really shines when it comes to juggling emails across multiple domains.
Skiff
| Integrations | Interface | Free email storage | Antivirus protection/ Privacy | Data encryption | Pricing |
| Basic calendar | Easy-to-use interface | 10 GB | No ads; highly customizable spam filters; anti-spam filters; two-factor authentication | Advanced security; end-to-end encryption and digital signatures; | Starts at $3 per month |
Skiff Mail is setting its sights on being the encrypted answer to Gmail—and it’s got even bigger fish to fry down the line. How, you ask? By shifting towards a decentralized email model that doesn’t leave your email’s fate tied to some faceless corporation. Skiff uses top-notch security with public key authenticated encryption via Curve25519 and secret-key encryption using xsalsa20-poly1305.
As one of the freshest faces in the private email scene, this email service covers all the basics in a way that’ll feel like second nature to you. Plus, it’s part of a private suite of free apps, which sweetens the pot if you’re after more than just email.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Gmail the best free email service provider?
Each business requires its own ESP type. Gmail is the most popular ESP nowadays. However, you should not stick to the popularity but to the functionality of a specific ESP. Consider the needs of your business when selecting the best email service to suit your marketing strategy.
Should I pay for an ESP?
It depends. Consider your business requirements and the scale on which your company operates. If your subscriber list exceeds 50,000, you most likely will have to pay service providers.
What is the average price for an email service provider?
The price of email services depends on the email list size. it ranges from 0-99$ per month for a list of 5,000 subscribers. However, if you have more than 50,000 subscribers, be ready to pay up to 270$.
How to find a good ESP?
A simple Google search will help you compare the core features of different ESPs and make an informed decision. Alternatively, you can hire a marketing consultant to help you choose the best email provider.
