[SOLVED] Google Workspace Alternative (Just Custom Email)?

[Appletax]

New Solution: bought Zoho Mail Lite. Works great and it's CHEAP!!!

Old Solution: using my Microsoft 365 Personal subscription to make a custom "personalized" email address using my GoDaddy domain (they do not work with any other domain service). Sadly, it's tied to my Microsoft Account email - the two emails share the same inbox. The only option for separating them is to purchase Microsoft 365 Business, which is quite a bit more expensive. Totally not worth it for me. I will just use it as is.


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Have had Google G Suite since 11/29/2010. I use it for a small amount of emailing and nothing more. Got it for the free custom email address using my own domain.

I am not paying $6 per month for Google Workspace.

I see I can pay $12 per year for Zoho lite mail, which is plenty for me.

Anything else you recommend?

Edit: deleted my G Suite legacy subscription, and then the entire account:

 

[NviGate Systems]

Was G Suite previously free for you? Because $12 is more than 6. Or you prefer to no longer use Google?

You can do Office 365 for I think $5.99 per month, which if memory serves you can setup email too, but my memory is hazy as that was years ago I had it.

And to remind everyone how insanely desperate Microsoft is, as soon as I posted this reply, Windows 10 gave me a slide up reminder that I can get Office 365! I'm giving 10 to one odds that MS will give me another chance when I finish this edit!

 

[Appletax]

Was G Suite previously free for you? Because $12 is more than 6. Or you prefer to no longer use Google?

You can do Office 365 for I think $5.99 per month, which if memory serves you can setup email too, but my memory is hazy as that was years ago I had it.

And to remind everyone how insanely desperate Microsoft is, as soon as I posted this reply, Windows 10 gave me a slide up reminder that I can get Office 365! I'm giving 10 to one odds that MS will give me another chance when I finish this edit!

Holy balls! I have Microsoft 365 Personal and LOVE it. Yay, it has another amazing feature to make the package a more incredible value!

They partnered with GoDaddy to do the custom domain emails. Luckily, my domain is with them!

They made it super easy to create the custom email. They even automatically changed the DNS records for me!

Yippy skippy!

 

[frase]

Yippy skippy!

 

[Sky-Knight]

Yeah... they "automatically" changed the DNS for you... and left out DKIM and DMARC... and put you in a place where you can't even configure the former. Both of which are all but required to not wind up in the spam bins of everyone else.

 

[timeshifter]

Glad you followed up with your solution, but it would be helpful to just make another post. That way we can follow it in chronological order. I'm still not sure what your ultimate solution was, had a little trouble deciphering it.

Stay away from GoDaddy Microsoft 365 offerings!

I've been reading that the free Google for your domain email accounts are being shut down. Has that happened now?

 

[mikeroq]

Glad you followed up with your solution, but it would be helpful to just make another post. That way we can follow it in chronological order. I'm still not sure what your ultimate solution was, had a little trouble deciphering it.

Stay away from GoDaddy Microsoft 365 offerings!

I've been reading that the free Google for your domain email accounts are being shut down. Has that happened now?

June 1st. In May they will transition your account to Workspace and if you want to keep it you have to pay after June 1st. If you are referring to the free g suite from over a decade ago.

 

[Appletax]

Glad you followed up with your solution, but it would be helpful to just make another post. That way we can follow it in chronological order. I'm still not sure what your ultimate solution was, had a little trouble deciphering it.

Stay away from GoDaddy Microsoft 365 offerings!

I've been reading that the free Google for your domain email accounts are being shut down. Has that happened now?

Yes sir! Had Google G Suite (now Workspace) since 2010 and it's been an amazing, free ride lol.

$6 per month just to have a custom email address that gets used a few times per month ain't worth it.

Workspace has a sheet-ton of features. I only need sparse use of 1 feature. So, it's bye-bye Google for my business.

 

[nlinecomputers]

Because you have to manually set them up. And DKIM requires setup on the mail server end as well to setup the signing keys. Not sure the personal versions support that.

 

[Appletax]

Because you have to manually set them up. And DKIM requires setup on the mail server end as well to setup the signing keys. Not sure the personal versions support that.

Some people talked to support and found it's not possible.

Looks like you'd need access to Microsoft 365 Defender to do this. DKIM + DMARC = telling emails you message that you are probably legit and not a POS scammer lol.

Wonder if MS365 Business gives you access to Defender.

How to use DKIM for email in your custom domain - Microsoft Defender for Office 365

Learn how Microsoft 365 uses DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM) to sign outbound mail, and how to configure DKIM signing of outbound mail using custom domains.

docs.microsoft.com

 

[nlinecomputers]

Yes that’s one of the reasons to use it. Business grade tools for business services.

 

[Sky-Knight]

Yep, just set it up this morning. It's in the Security & Compliance admin panel.

Though with how slow the web UI is being, I might have to powershell for the rest of the day... getting tired of waiting on Microsoft.

But yeah, I meant what I said because I know this reality has left you in a place where mission critical features won't work, and cannot work, and the situation is very poor.

And because Microsoft built all that DNS for you, you don't have a clue what it all does. That's another problem, a huge one... that will bite you in the rear later.

 

[cypress]

Yes sir! Had Google G Suite (now Workspace) since 2010 and it's been an amazing, free ride lol.

$6 per month just to have a custom email address that gets used a few times per month ain't worth it.

Workspace has a sheet-ton of features. I only need sparse use of 1 feature. So, it's bye-bye Google for my business.

I don't know man, and I am just being honest here. I got Google Workspace back in 2014 after the free tier ended and I was paying $5 a month and then it went up to $6 a month a couple years ago. It is worth it's weight in gold even if I don't use many features myself. I keep my overehead low for my business but this is one thing I wouldn't skimp out on. You can pay off a year subscription in 1 job, or at least you should be able to do so.

 

[britechguy]

Sadly, it's tied to my Microsoft Account email - the two emails share the same inbox.

I'm coming in on all this very late, but this one bit has caught my attention.

Is there something distinctive about the business mail, versus your personal mail, that could be used to create an Outlook Rule to shuttle one type to a dedicated mailbox upon receipt?

Not that the intended purpose is the same, but I just put out a tutorial on the Office Accessibility Group about doing just this, but with the intent being to ignore messages and send them straight to trash, or delete them entirely, from specific users of a groups.io mailing list. You should be able to apply similar principles.

I had one client who had over 100 folders (no exaggeration) and who had a filtering hierarchy in place managed entirely by rules.

Creating an Outlook Rule to Ignore a Specific User in a Groups.io Group

 

[Appletax]

Paid $12 and got Zoho Mail Lite. Very nice! They helped me set it up automatically. Was able to sign into Outlook without needing to set server info.