Best Budget Business Email Hosting with Custom Domains Support (Updated September 2025)

Custom email should feel professional without being expensive or locking you into a provider that doesn’t play nicely with your favorite mail apps. If you’re running automations, building products, or just setting up a portfolio inbox, the core requirement is the same: support SMTP, POP3, and IMAP so you can send, receive, and sync email everywhere.

Before diving into providers, here’s a quick refresher on the protocols that keep email flowing:

Protocol	What it does	Best for
SMTP	Sends outgoing email from your app or client to the internet.	Any scenario where you need to deliver messages.
POP3	Downloads messages to a single device (often removing them from the server).	People who manage mail on one computer and want offline archives.
IMAP	Keeps mail stored on the server and syncs state across devices.	Most modern workflows phones, tablets, laptops staying in sync.

Every provider below supports SMTP, POP3, and IMAP, so you can plug them into Gmail, Apple Mail, Outlook, or n8n automations without friction.

Quick comparison

Service	Price after trial	Storage	Apps	Notes
Porkbun Email Hosting	$24/year	10 GB	Web only	15-day trial, tight integration with Porkbun domains.
Zoho Mail Mail Lite	$12/year	5 GB	Native iOS & Android apps	15-day trial, deep productivity suite integration.
DreamHost Email	$20.04/year ($1.67/mo billed annually)	25 GB	Webmail + any IMAP client	Outstanding documentation, simple setup.
Hostinger Titan Email	As low as $4.68/year on 12-month promo (renews $19.08/year)	10 GB	Titan web + mobile apps	Coupon `HA10` saves 10%; backend powered by Titan.
Purelymail	$10/year credit-based	Scales with usage	Webmail + any IMAP client	$0.50 trial credit, generous customization, pay-as-you-grow.

Porkbun Email Hosting > the default when you already own the domain

Pricing: Free 15-day trial; $24/year afterwards ($2/month).
Storage: 10 GB per mailbox.
Access: Webmail interface, plus SMTP/POP3/IMAP for external clients.
Why pick it: Instant provisioning inside your domain dashboard. If you bought your domain at Porkbun, you can attach email in minutes and manage DNS without leaving the control panel.
What’s missing: No native mobile apps. You’ll rely on Apple Mail, Gmail, or Outlook for daily usage.

Zoho Mail > productivity suite extras for less

Pricing: $12/year ($1/month) with a 15-day free trial.
Storage: 5 GB per user.
Access: Web, iOS, Android, desktop clients via IMAP/POP3/SMTP.
Why pick it: Same protocol support as Porkbun but bundled with Zoho’s collaboration suite, spam controls, and native mobile apps. It’s literally half the price of Porkbun’s ongoing cost.
Considerations: Storage is smaller, but Zoho’s admin and mobile experience make it ideal for teams that live on multiple devices.

DreamHost Email > bigger mailboxes, excellent docs

Pricing: $1.99/month or $20.04/year ($1.67/month effective when billed annually).
Storage: 25 GB per mailbox.
Access: Webmail plus any IMAP client; thorough setup guides for every platform.
Why pick it: If you value detailed support articles, DreamHost’s knowledge base is gold. Larger storage makes it perfect when you archive attachments or run logging via email.
Considerations: No official mobile apps, but IMAP makes third-party clients easy to configure.

Hostinger Titan Email > the sneaky promo powerhouse

Pricing:
- 12-month plan: $4.68 for the first year ($0.39/month) → renews at $19.08/year.
- 24-month plan: $11.76 for two years ($0.49/month) → renews at $38.16/two years.
- 48-month plan: $28.32 for four years ($0.59/month) → renews at $76.32/four years.
- Coupon HA10 applies 10% off across 12/24/48-month plans.
Storage: 10 GB per mailbox.
Access: Titan webmail plus polished mobile apps; full SMTP/POP3/IMAP integration.
Why pick it: Best headline pricing if you lock in a multi-year deal, and the Titan suite includes calendar + contacts sync. Hostinger clearly knows builders (they even market directly to n8n users).
Considerations: Renewal pricing jumps, so set a reminder before the promo period ends.

Purelymail > pay for what you actually use

Pricing: $10/year credit-based model. Trial includes $0.50 credit without requiring a payment method (phone verification required).
Storage: Effectively usage-based. No strict caps on domains or mailboxes until you outgrow the credit.
Access: Full SMTP/POP3/IMAP, plus a minimalist web interface.
Why pick it: Transparent billing, unlimited domains/users, and granular DNS control. It’s run by one person, which means direct insight and quick feature iteration.
Considerations: Outgoing email is heavily rate-limited during trial mode, so plan to upgrade once you’re confident it fits. Usage beyond the included credit moves you to the advanced plan.

How to pick the right provider

Stay in one dashboard: Choose Porkbun Email Hosting if you prefer managing domains and mail in one place.
Need mobile apps + suite features: Zoho Mail gives you first-party apps and collaboration tools at the lowest annual cost.
Want massive storage without fuss: DreamHost Email brings 25 GB mailboxes and stellar documentation.
Optimize for promotional pricing + pro apps: Hostinger Titan Email offers the lowest intro price, plus Titan’s slick UI.
Prefer usage-based billing or multiple domains: Purelymail is the most flexible option for makers who iterate across projects.

Example setup: connecting Purelymail to your custom domain

Disable Porkbun’s email forwarding to avoid MX conflicts.
In Porkbun’s DNS editor, add the records Purelymail provides: MX, SPF, ownership TXT, DMARC, and the three DKIM entries.
Create your mailbox (e.g., contact@yourdomain.com) in Purelymail’s dashboard.
On iPhone (or any client), add a new account using IMAP:
- Incoming server: Purelymail’s IMAP host, username contact@yourdomain.com, password from Purelymail.
- Outgoing server: Purelymail’s SMTP host, same credentials.
Send a test email to confirm TLS and authentication work as expected.

Final thoughts

Email hosting doesn’t have to be expensive or restrictive. All five services here support the core protocols (SMTP, POP3, IMAP), so the real differentiators are price, storage, ecosystem, and how much you value native apps versus client flexibility. Start with the free trials, wire up DNS once, and keep the provider that matches your daily workflow.