Short answer: Zoho Mail Free costs $0 for up to five users on one custom domain, with 5 GB each, but it leaves out IMAP, POP and ActiveSync access. On a yearly bill, the cheapest paid plan for five mailboxes is Zoho Mail Lite at $60 a year, or $1 a user a month. Google Workspace Business Starter costs $420 a year for the same five, seven times what Zoho Mail Lite charges.
Eight providers priced for five mailboxes on a custom domain, billed yearly, with prices checked on vendor pages in October 2026.
For five mailboxes on your own domain, billed yearly, the cheapest option in October 2026 is Zoho Mail Free, which covers up to five users on one domain. If you need IMAP access, Zoho Mail Lite is the cheapest paid plan for five, verified on Zoho's own pricing page. Google Workspace Business Starter costs seven times as much for the same team.
Most people asking this question are buying a mailbox for a small team, not a full office suite, so this guide prices one scenario and sorts every provider by what it costs at that size. The answer changes at two points. The free plan ends at the sixth user, and two providers, Hostinger and IONOS, sell their lowest rates only on multi-year terms.
Toolradar data: 43% of the 182 email tools we track are paid only, while 55% carry a free or freemium tier (18 free, 83 freemium). Our count covers every tool in the email category, not business mailboxes alone, so the five-mailbox scenario below narrows it to providers that sell a mailbox on a company domain.
Methodology: five mailboxes on one custom domain, billed yearly, in US dollars at each vendor's list price. Every figure comes from the vendor's own pricing page, read in October 2026 and linked in the footnote under the table. The ranking is set by cost at this scenario, and the fit-based view is in the best business email providers guide. Dupple sends its own newsletters on Beehiiv, which is not one of the providers ranked here.
Top Picks
Picked by editorial review, informed by G2 and Capterra review volume and rating and by media mentions, the signals behind our category rankings. How we rate
The lowest cost for five mailboxes, free while the team stays at five users on one domain.
Starting price
Free to 5 users, then $1/user/mo
4.5 (1,794 reviews)
Best for
Teams of five or fewer that need a custom domain and can live without IMAP on the free plan.
A plain mailbox on any domain, at a flat rate per mailbox with no yearly discount.
Starting price
From $4.99 /mo per mailbox, Standard
3.7 (16 reviews)
Best for
Small teams that want a mailbox on a domain registered elsewhere and do not need storage beyond 10 GB.
A private mailbox with 60 GB per user and custom business addresses on your domain.
Starting price
From $5 /user/mo, Standard, billed yearly
4.5 (28 reviews)
Best for
Teams that want a private inbox on a custom domain with 60 GB per user.
| Tool | Starting price | Rating | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zoho Mail | Free to 5 users, then $1/user/mo | 4.5 1,794 reviews | Teams of five or fewer that need a custom domain and can live without IMAP on the free plan. |
| Gandi | From $4.99/mo per mailbox, Standard | 3.7 16 reviews | Small teams that want a mailbox on a domain registered elsewhere and do not need storage beyond 10 GB. |
| Fastmail | From $5/user/mo, Standard, billed yearly | 4.5 28 reviews | Teams that want a private inbox on a custom domain with 60 GB per user. |
| StartMail | From $6.99/mo, Business, billed annually | 4.3 67 reviews | Privacy-minded teams with several domains that accept a per-account discount structure. |
| Proton Mail | $6.99/user/mo, Essentials, yearly | 3.3 1,495 reviews | Teams with a privacy requirement that stay within three custom domains. |
| Google Workspace | From $7/user/mo, one-year term | 4.0 66,052 reviews | Teams that already run on Gmail and want video meetings and mail on one bill. |
| Hostinger | From $0.39/mo, 48-month upfront | 4.4 1,487 reviews | Buyers who will commit to 48 months and pay the full term at once. |
| IONOS | $1.10/mo, one 2 GB mailbox, 3 years | n/a | A solo founder who wants one mailbox and accepts a three-year term. |
- Starting price
- Free to 5 users, then $1/user/mo
- Free plan
- Yes
- Rating
- 4.5 (1,794 reviews)
Best for: Teams of five or fewer that need a custom domain and can live without IMAP on the free plan.
- Pro: The free plan covers up to five users on one custom domain with 5 GB each, at no cost.
- Pro: Mail Lite at $1 a user a month billed yearly costs $60 a year for five mailboxes, the cheapest yearly-billed paid plan in this table.
- Pro: Workplace Standard at $3 a user a month adds 100 GB of shared team storage for three to ten users.
- Con: The free plan leaves out IMAP, POP and ActiveSync, so a desktop or phone mail app that needs those protocols cannot connect to it.
- Con: Mail Lite is billed yearly only, with no monthly option to test the fit first.
Zoho Mail is the best-value business email on the market, period.
Watch out
The free plan excludes IMAP/POP/ActiveSync, you cannot use Apple Mail, Outlook desktop, Thunderbird, or any third-party email client. You are locked into Zoho's webmail and mobile app
- Starting price
- From $4.99/mo per mailbox, Standard
- Free plan
- No
- Rating
- 3.7 (16 reviews)
Best for: Small teams that want a mailbox on a domain registered elsewhere and do not need storage beyond 10 GB.
- Pro: Standard is $4.99 a month per mailbox, or $59.88 a year, with 10 GB of storage per mailbox.
- Pro: The mailboxes work with a domain registered with Gandi or with another registrar.
- Pro: Pricing is per mailbox, so five mailboxes cost $299.40 a year, or $59.88 each.
- Con: Yearly billing costs the same as twelve monthly payments, so a year-long commitment saves nothing.
- Con: The plan description lists mailbox features only, so the price buys mail rather than a suite.
This pricing structure is best for individuals and businesses looking for transparent domain registration with added value.
- Starting price
- From $5/user/mo, Standard, billed yearly
- Free plan
- No
- Rating
- 4.5 (28 reviews)
Best for: Teams that want a private inbox on a custom domain with 60 GB per user.
- Pro: Standard is $5 a user a month billed yearly and includes custom business addresses on a domain.
- Pro: Each user gets 60 GB total, with 50 GB for mail and 10 GB for files.
- Pro: A 30-day free trial is offered on every plan before the first payment.
- Con: Monthly billing costs $6 a user, which is $12 more per user each year.
- Con: The plan descriptions cover mail, contacts and calendars, with no office suite named.
Fastmail's pricing is fair, especially for the 'Standard' tier at $5/user/month offering 100GB storage.
StartMail
An encrypted mailbox with unlimited custom domains, priced per first account plus discounted seats.
- 4.3 on SourceForge (67 reviews)
- Starting price
- From $6.99/mo, Business, billed annually
- Free plan
- No
- Rating
- 4.3 (67 reviews)
Best for: Privacy-minded teams with several domains that accept a per-account discount structure.
- Pro: Business is $83.88 a year for the first account, with 30 GB storage and unlimited custom domains.
- Pro: Additional accounts on the subscription get 25% off, so five accounts cost less than five separate Business subscriptions.
- Pro: Shared aliases on a custom domain come with the group subscription.
- Con: Five accounts come to $335.52 a year, about $36 more than Fastmail's $300 for the same five.
- Con: The free trial lasts 7 days, shorter than the 14-day trials at Proton and Google.
StartMail's pricing is fair for its secure email service, especially considering the unlimited aliases.
Watch out
Additional accounts are 25% off, not free.
Proton Mail
An encrypted mailbox with 15 GB per user and three custom domains included.
- 2.2 on Trustpilot (1,000 reviews)
- 4.6 on G2 (495 reviews)
- Starting price
- $6.99/user/mo, Essentials, yearly
- Free plan
- Yes
- Rating
- 3.3 (1,495 reviews)
Best for: Teams with a privacy requirement that stay within three custom domains.
- Pro: Mail Essentials is $6.99 a user a month on yearly billing, and the yearly option is 13% off the monthly rate.
- Pro: Each user gets 15 GB of storage and up to 10 email addresses.
- Pro: A 14-day free trial is offered before the first bill.
- Con: Five users cost $419.40 a year, slightly under the Google Workspace list price for the same team.
- Con: Three custom domains is the cap on Essentials, so a company with a fourth brand needs a different plan.
ProtonMail's pricing is fair, offering a generous free tier and competitive paid options.
Watch out
Storage upgrades not explicitly priced
Google Workspace
A full Google suite with custom email and video meetings for up to 100 people.
- 4.6 on G2 (48,206 reviews)
- 4.7 on Capterra (17,703 reviews)
- 1.4 on Trustpilot (143 reviews)
- Starting price
- From $7/user/mo, one-year term
- Free plan
- No
- Rating
- 4.0 (66,052 reviews)
Best for: Teams that already run on Gmail and want video meetings and mail on one bill.
- Pro: Business Starter is $7 a user a month on a one-year commitment, with custom business email on your domain.
- Pro: Video meetings for up to 100 participants and the Gemini assistant in Gmail are included at this tier.
- Pro: Storage is 30 GB per person, pooled across the whole organization rather than split per mailbox.
- Con: The Starter rate needs a one-year commitment billed monthly, so five users are locked in for twelve months.
- Con: Business Standard costs $14 a user a month, or $840 a year for five, for 2 TB of pooled storage.
Google Workspace offers fair to generous pricing, especially with Gemini AI included across all tiers.
Watch out
Storage overages not explicitly detailed
- Starting price
- From $0.39/mo, 48-month upfront
- Free plan
- No
- Rating
- 4.4 (1,487 reviews)
Best for: Buyers who will commit to 48 months and pay the full term at once.
- Pro: Starter is $0.39 a month per mailbox with 5 GB of storage, the lowest per-mailbox rate in this table.
- Pro: Standard is $0.99 a month per mailbox with 20 GB of storage on the same 48-month term.
- Pro: Plans come with forwarding rules and email aliases included.
- Con: The plan is paid upfront for 48 months, so five Starter mailboxes take $93.60 on day one.
- Con: Renewal rises to $1.59 a month for Starter and $2.79 for Standard, per mailbox, after the term.
However, these prices require a significant 4-year commitment, which might be a barrier for some.
- Starting price
- $1.10/mo, one 2 GB mailbox, 3 years
- Free plan
- No
Best for: A solo founder who wants one mailbox and accepts a three-year term.
- Pro: One 2 GB mailbox is $1.10 a month on the three-year term, against a list rate of $4.
- Pro: The plan includes a personalized email address and access from anywhere.
- Pro: The term price is fixed for three years before the renewal rate applies.
- Con: The rate renews at $2 a month after the term, so five mailboxes cost $10 a month from year four.
- Con: At 2 GB per mailbox, IONOS has the thinnest storage in this table.
This pricing is aggressively competitive, especially for beginners.
Other Email tools worth considering
More published tools from our Email category, ordered by our category ranking. They are not part of the editorial picks above.
What a cheap business mailbox actually gets you
A business mailbox is an address on your own domain, such as [email protected], managed from an admin console where you add and remove users. It is different from a free webmail account, and different again from a suite that adds documents, a shared drive and video calls. The cheapest plans here sell the mailbox alone. The rest bundle more, and the price moves with the bundle.
Two details move the bill more than the headline rate. The first is how many domains a plan allows. Proton Mail Essentials covers three custom domains, while StartMail Business allows unlimited domains. The second is how storage is counted. Google Workspace pools 30 GB per user across the organization, while Zoho Mail gives each user 5 GB on its cheapest paid tier.
Why the cheapest plan can cost more by year two
Most figures in the table are twelve-month prices, but two providers here sell their lowest rates only on multi-year terms. Hostinger's Starter plan is $0.39 a month per mailbox on a 48-month term paid upfront, and it renews at $1.59 a month. IONOS's single mailbox is $1.10 a month on a three-year term and renews at $2 a month. Those rates look lowest on the page, which is why they sit below the yearly ranking rather than inside it.
Zoho's free plan covers a team of five and no more. From the sixth user, every user moves to a paid plan, so the team's bill jumps rather than the new seat alone. Mail Lite at six users is $72 a year, so the free tier is worth a careful count before the team grows.
Key Features to Look For
Custom domain on every paid plan (Essential)
Each paid plan in this table puts mail on your own domain. Proton caps Essentials at three custom domains, which is the constraint to check first if the company runs several brands.
Annual-only and commitment pricing (Important)
Zoho Mail Lite has no monthly option. Gandi's yearly price equals twelve monthly payments, so paying yearly saves nothing there. Google's Starter rate requires a one-year commitment billed monthly.
Bundled apps versus mailbox only (Nice to have)
Google Workspace bundles video meetings for up to 100 participants with its mail at the entry price. Zoho Workplace Standard adds 100 GB of shared team storage for three to ten users. The other plans here are priced for the mailbox itself.
What to check before you subscribe
-
Count the mailboxes first. Zoho Mail Free stops at five users, and a sixth user puts the whole team on Mail Lite at $72 a year.
-
Read the term length. Hostinger sells its lowest rates on a 48-month upfront term, and IONOS on a three-year term, so neither is a yearly bill.
-
Check the storage wording. Zoho Mail Lite gives 5 GB per user, Proton Mail Essentials gives 15 GB per user, and Google Workspace Business Starter gives 30 GB pooled across the organization.
-
Test the mail client. Zoho's free plan does not include IMAP, POP or ActiveSync, so a desktop or phone mail app that needs those protocols cannot connect to it.
-
Count the domains. Proton Essentials allows three custom domains, and a company with a fourth brand needs a plan with more.
Evaluation Checklist
Count the mailboxes you need in the next twelve months, since a sixth user ends Zoho's free plan for the whole team.
Test IMAP or ActiveSync on the plan you pick before moving the team, because the free plan does not support them.
Ask for the renewal price on any multi-year term before you sign, since Hostinger and IONOS both renew higher.
Pricing Overview
Free for five users
Zoho Mail Free for a team of five or fewer that needs one domain and does not need IMAP, POP or ActiveSync on the free plan.
$0
Cheapest yearly-billed mailbox
Zoho Mail Lite with 5 GB per user for a light team that is happy to commit for a year, since it has no monthly option.
$1/user/mo, billed yearly
Mailbox with a shared drive
Zoho Workplace Standard for a team of three to ten that wants 100 GB of shared storage next to its mail.
$3/user/mo, billed yearly
Independent mailbox
Gandi Standard with a domain from any registrar at 10 GB per mailbox, or Fastmail Standard with 60 GB per user.
$4.99 to $5/user/mo
Full suite
Google Workspace Business Starter for a team that already runs on Gmail and wants video meetings for up to 100 people.
$7/user/mo, one-year commitment
Pricing Comparison
| Provider and plan | Entry price | Cost at 5 mailboxes a year | Free plan or trial | Billing basis | Hidden costs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Zoho Mail Free | $0 | $0 | Up to 5 users on one domain, 5 GB each | Free forever | No IMAP, POP or ActiveSync; the sixth user moves everyone to a paid plan |
Zoho Mail Lite, 5 GB | $1/user/mo | $60 | None | Yearly only, no monthly plan | The 10 GB tier is $1.25/user/mo, or $75 a year for five |
Zoho Workplace Standard | $3/user/mo | $180 | None | Yearly | 100 GB shared team storage for 3 to 10 users |
Gandi Standard | $4.99/mo per mailbox | $299.40 | None | Yearly is $59.88 per mailbox, the same as twelve months | 10 GB per mailbox |
Fastmail Standard | $5/user/mo | $300 | 30-day trial | Yearly; monthly is $6/user | Monthly billing adds $60 a year for five |
StartMail Business | $6.99/mo, first account | $335.52 | 7-day trial | Yearly, $83.88 for the first account | Four added accounts at 25% off, $62.91 each |
Proton Mail Essentials | $6.99/user/mo | $419.40 | 14-day trial | Yearly, 13% off the monthly rate | 15 GB per user; three custom domains |
Google Workspace Business Starter | $7/user/mo | $420 | 14-day trial | One-year commitment, billed monthly | Standard at $14/user/mo for 2 TB pooled |
Hostinger Starter (48-month term) | $0.39/mo per mailbox | $93.60 for five over 48 months | None | Paid upfront for 48 months; renews at $1.59/mo | 5 GB per mailbox |
IONOS single account (3-year term) | $1.10/mo | $5.50/mo for five, three-year term | None | Three-year term; renews at $2/mo | 2 GB per mailbox |
Verified 10 October 2026 on the vendor pricing pages: Zoho Mail pricing, Gandi email, Fastmail pricing, StartMail pricing, Proton Mail for Business pricing, Google Workspace pricing, Hostinger email hosting and IONOS email hosting. Costs assume five mailboxes billed yearly, in USD, before tax, except Hostinger and IONOS, which show their multi-year terms.
Mistakes to Avoid
- ×
Comparing a 48-month upfront rate with a yearly bill, which hides a four-year commitment.
- ×
Assuming the free plan covers a sixth user, when Zoho moves every user onto the paid plan.
- ×
Choosing the lowest price without checking whether the plan supports the mail app the team already uses.
Expert Tips
- →
Start with Zoho Mail Free for a team of five or fewer, and move to Mail Lite once the team needs IMAP or a sixth seat.
- →
If storage is the constraint, Zoho Workplace Standard at $180 a year for five includes 100 GB of shared team storage.
- →
Read the renewal price before the intro rate on any multi-year plan, because the renewal is the number that applies once the first term ends.
Red Flags to Watch For
-
A headline per-mailbox rate with no term length attached, since the lowest rates here apply to 36 or 48 months.
-
A free plan that does not say how many users it covers, since Zoho's limit is five users on one domain.
-
A storage figure that does not say per user or pooled.
The Bottom Line
For five mailboxes on your own domain, billed yearly, Zoho Mail Free is the cheapest option while the team stays at five users, and Zoho Mail Lite is the cheapest paid plan. Zoho Workplace Standard is the next step up for a shared drive, and Gandi, Fastmail and StartMail follow between $299 and $336 a year. Proton Mail Essentials and Google Workspace Business Starter close the list at about $420, which is seven times what Zoho Mail Lite charges for the same five.
Hostinger and IONOS quote their lowest per-mailbox rates only on multi-year terms, so this guide prices them below the ranking with their terms stated. For alternatives to Zoho Mail, see Zoho Mail alternatives, and for Google's, see Google Workspace alternatives. The scenario is five users on one domain, billed yearly, in USD, with every price read on the vendor's own page in October 2026. Cite this: Toolradar, "Cheapest business email in 2026", October 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cheapest business email for five people in 2026?
Zoho Mail Free is the cheapest, at no cost, while it covers five users on one custom domain, with 5 GB per user and no IMAP, POP or ActiveSync access. If you need IMAP, Zoho Mail Lite is the cheapest paid plan on a yearly bill, at $60 a year for five. Both prices were read on Zoho's pricing page in October 2026.
Is there a free business email on my own domain?
Zoho Mail Free is the only free plan in this comparison that puts mail on your own domain. It covers up to five users on one domain. From the sixth user, every user moves to a paid plan, and Zoho Mail Lite costs $72 a year for six people.
How much does business email cost per user?
On a yearly bill, the lowest paid rate is Zoho Mail Lite, billed per user. Gandi Standard starts at $4.99 a month per mailbox, Fastmail Standard is $5 a user a month billed yearly, and Google Workspace Business Starter is priced per user on a one-year commitment. Hostinger's lowest per-mailbox rates apply only to a 48-month upfront term.
How much does Google Workspace cost for five users?
Business Starter costs $7 a user a month on a one-year commitment, billed monthly, so five users come to $420 a year. Business Standard costs $14 a user a month for 2 TB of pooled storage, which is $840 a year for five. Google's prices are in USD and exclude tax.
Does the cheapest option stay cheapest at 20 mailboxes?
On a yearly bill, Zoho Mail Lite still leads. At 20 mailboxes it costs $240 a year, against $1,197.60 for Gandi Standard, $1,200 for Fastmail Standard and $1,680 for Google Workspace Business Starter. Zoho Workplace Standard, at $720 a year for 20, is second cheapest and adds a shared drive.
Are Hostinger and IONOS cheaper than Zoho for one year?
Not on a one-year term. Hostinger Starter is $0.39 a month per mailbox on a 48-month upfront term, and IONOS's single mailbox is $1.10 a month on a three-year term, just above Zoho Mail Lite's $1. Both renew higher, at $1.59 a month for Hostinger Starter and $2 a month for IONOS, so the yearly plans in this table are the fair comparison for a one-year budget.
Cite this page: Toolradar, "Cheapest Business Email in 2026 for Five Mailboxes", updated October 2026, https://toolradar.com/guides/cheapest-business-email
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