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How Greatmail Compares to Popular Email Hosting Providers

Provider Price/Mailbox Monthly Billing Phone Support
Greatmail $1.95/month ✓ Yes ✓ Yes
Fastmail $4.00/month ✓ Yes ✗ Email only
Google Workspace $6.00/month ✓ Yes ✗ Chat only

*5-mailbox minimum ($9.75/month total). Best value for small teams needing professional email with US-based phone support.

Ready to switch to a more reliable and secure email hosting solution?

Check out our email transition guide

email hosting

Email Hosting

Dependable cloud based email hosting with spam filtering, antivirus protection, generous storage and webmail. Compatible with Outlook and all other POP3/IMAP clients.

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SMTP hosting

SMTP Hosting

High volume SMTP service for responsible senders. Outbound relay service for transactional messages, email marketing campaigns, newsletters and other applications.

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email servers

Email Servers

Dedicated email servers, clustering and multiple IP load balancing for high volume senders. Fixed monthly cost with unlimited sending and reputation monitoring.

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About Greatmail

Greatmail is an email service provider (ESP) specializing in business class email hosting, SMTP hosting and email servers. For ISPs, application programmers and cloud developers, we also provide custom solutions including dedicated IP servers and process specific, load balanced configurations with multiple servers. From enterprise level antispam and virus protection to inbox deliverability consulting for email marketers, we have the firsthand experience to consistently deliver cost effective solutions for you and your clients.

Read more about Greatmail

In the Media

Hosting Advice Developer's Choice

Greatmail is a featured email hosting provider at Hosting Advice. For more information and to read what Sean Garrity at Hosting Advice had to say about Greatmail, please visit the Hosting Advice Developer's Choice article.

Using Sender Authentication to Safeguard Your Messages

Sender authentications like SPF, DKIM and DMARC are increasingly a requirement for emails to deliver succesfully. If you are having problems with your emails not delivering or messages bouncing back due to authentication failure, please read on to learn more about the importance of implementing sender authentication protocols for your domain with your email hosting service.

Getting Your SPF Records Right

Not having a valid SPF record or having an incorrect SPF record can be detrimental and may mean your messages are not hitting inboxes as frequently as they should.

Setting up SPF Records

GDPR Compliance

The EU GDPR has a significant impact on personal data protection for individuals in the EU. As a US based email hosting provider with global clients, we've taken steps to be GDPR compliant for our EU customers.

Read our GDPR Statement

email articles

Mail Records Lookup

Check your MX, SPF, DMARC, and DKIM records

email case studies

Case Studies

Learn how our clients are using Greatmail.

email case studies

Two-Factor Authentication

Learn how to enable 2FA in your webmail.

Email Hosting Questions and Answers

What is the difference between IMAP, POP3, and SMTP?

IMAP, POP3 and SMTP are different protocols that enable you to use your mailboxes in email clients like Microsoft Outlook and on mobile devices. Specifically, IMAP and POP3 are used to retrieve incoming mail from your mail server while SMTP allows you to send outgoing mail messages to recipient addresses.

Think of these protocols like connectors allowing your email client or mobile device to communicate with your mailbox on the server. Instead of having to go to a webmail application or use a special mobile app to use your mailbox, IMAP, POP3 and SMTP let you use desktop email clients (Outlook, Thunderbird, Apple Mail etc.) and the built-in mail applications on Android and iOS mobile devices.

To use these protocols in your email client or on your device, you will at least need to know your email address and password to be able to connect to your mailbox. Depending on the client or device you are trying to use, you may also need some more information like your server host name, port numbers and encryption settings. However, many email providers have autodiscovery services that attempt to manage the configuration settings automatically using just your email address and password.

Email clients and mobile devices will use either IMAP or POP3 for your incoming mail but not both. Which protocol you decide to use for incoming mail will depend on your personal preference. IMAP synchronizes mail with the server allowing you to have a unified experience on multiple devices while POP3 downloads messages from the server letting you decide to delete them right away or after a specified period of time.

If my domain's MX record is pointed to one provider, how am I able to access my mailboxes at another provider?

This is a common source of confusion during transition from one email service provider to another. The hosting of your domain's mailboxes and the pointing of your domain's MX record are distinct. The MX record in your domain's DNS specifies where incoming mail to mailboxes at your domain is routed. However, it is possible to have your mailboxes set up with different hosting providers simultaneously which is commonly done when you move your email hosting from one service to another. During this transition period, you can access your email at both the old and new hosts. This makes it possible to test connections to the new host before switching your MX record to their servers. It also enables you to migrate mailbox data before, during or after the MX record update since both the old and new hosts can be accessed via IMAP or other protocols.

Can I use my own domain with Greatmail email hosting?

Yes, Greatmail specializes in custom domain email hosting. You can use your existing domain name to create professional email addresses like yourname@yourbusiness.com. We support multiple domains on a single account and provide DNS guidance to help you configure your domain's MX records to point to our email servers. Our team provides migration assistance to help you transition from your current email provider while maintaining your custom domain.

Does Greatmail support DKIM, SPF, and DMARC authentication?

Yes, Greatmail fully supports modern email authentication protocols including SPF (Sender Policy Framework), DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail), and DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance). These authentication methods are essential for email deliverability and security. We provide DNS configuration guidance and can assist with implementing these records for your domain to ensure your emails are properly authenticated and reach recipient inboxes reliably.

Is there a minimum number of users required for Greatmail email hosting?

Yes, Greatmail requires a minimum of 5 mailboxes to set up an account. This minimum is designed for small teams and businesses, making our pricing very cost-effective at $1.95 per mailbox per month ($9.75 total monthly). This team-focused approach allows us to provide better support and maintain our US-based infrastructure while offering significant savings compared to per-user productivity suites like Google Workspace.

Can I migrate from Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 to Greatmail?

Yes, we provide expert migration assistance to help you transition from Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, or any other email provider to Greatmail. Our migration process includes importing your existing emails, contacts, and calendar data (where applicable). We guide you through DNS changes and provide step-by-step instructions to ensure a smooth transition with minimal downtime. Many businesses migrate to Greatmail to reduce costs while maintaining professional email functionality without paying for productivity suite features they don't use.

Read more email hosting questions and answers

Recent Blog Articles

Mailbox.org vs Greatmail: European Privacy-First vs US Infrastructure – Which Email Strategy Wins in 2025? / August 8, 2025

When privacy advocates debate email hosting, the conversation often centers on a fundamental question: Do you trust policies or do you trust borders? This comparison between Germany’s Mailbox.org and Texas-based Greatmail perfectly illustrates this strategic divide – and why the answer matters more than ever for businesses navigating an increasingly complex data governance landscape. Executive ... Read more

Rackspace Email vs Greatmail: An Insider’s Perspective on Two Decades of Email Hosting / August 3, 2025

Greatmail and Rackspace Email share more history than most realize. Both platforms trace their roots back to the early 2000s – Rackspace through their acquisition of Pat Matthews’ Webmail.us (later rebranded as MailTrust, then Rackspace Email), and Greatmail as an independent email hosting pioneer. After Rackspace’s acquisition, Greatmail became a reseller partner, allowing us to ... Read more

Privacy-Focused vs Business-Optimized Email: Proton Mail vs Greatmail Comparison / July 31, 2025

Email hosting decisions often come down to a fundamental question: Do you prioritize comprehensive privacy protection or streamlined business functionality? Two excellent providers—Proton Mail and Greatmail—represent distinctly different philosophies in email hosting, each excelling in their respective domains. Understanding the Core Difference The choice between Proton Mail and Greatmail reflects a deeper philosophical divide in ... Read more

Greatmail vs Zoho Mail: The Complete 2025 Comparison Guide / July 22, 2025

When choosing an email hosting solution for your business, you’ll often encounter two fundamentally different philosophies: email-first providers who excel at one thing, and productivity suite companies that bundle email with dozens of other tools. Today, we’re comparing Greatmail and Zoho Mail—two providers that represent these distinct approaches to business email hosting. Why This Comparison ... Read more

Google Workspace vs Greatmail: The Complete 2025 Comparison Guide / July 17, 2025

Last updated: July 2025 When businesses evaluate email solutions, the choice often comes down to comprehensive productivity suites versus focused, professional email hosting. This detailed comparison examines Google Workspace against Greatmail across every dimension that matters to your business. Executive Summary This comparison targets small business owners, IT consultants, and agencies deciding between a full ... Read more

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