What a business email really costs
Updated
"Cheap professional email" can mean four different things: free Gmail, your own domain with a mail service, Microsoft 365, or a ready-made short address. They cost different amounts and you get different things. Here is the comparison, with prices checked against the providers on October 1, 2026.
The comparison
| Option | Monthly | Per year | Setup | What you own |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free Gmail | $0 | $0 | Minutes | Nothing. The address belongs to the provider's account system. |
| Own domain plus Google Workspace Business Starter | $7 per user, plus domain | $84 per user, plus domain | Longer: buy the domain, verify it, add DNS records | The domain |
| Own domain plus Microsoft 365 Business Basic | $7 per user, plus domain | $84 per user, plus domain | Longer: same steps | The domain |
| City .co address from us (personal name) | $19 | $190 | About five minutes, no DNS | Your mail and contacts. We own the domain. |
Where the numbers come from
- Google Workspace: Google's pricing page lists Business Starter at $7.00 per user per month on an annual commitment, and shows a flexible option as well. The page notes limited-time introductory discounts, which we leave out because they end. Flexible billing costs more per month than the annual commitment, and we have not quoted a figure.
- Microsoft 365: Microsoft's pricing update notice lists Business Basic at $7.00 per user per month effective July 1, 2026, up from $6.00, with a premium for monthly billing. The $84 per year figure is that price times twelve on annual billing.
- Our prices: $19 a month or $190 a year for a personal name in every city.
We have left out a figure for the domain registration fee. It varies by registrar and by ending (.com, .net, .co and so on), and renews yearly, so look at the registrar's current price before you count it in.
What the table does not show
Trade and category names
Names such as plumber@ or realtor@ cost 3x the city base: $147, $207 or $297 a month, depending on the city. There is only one of each per city. That is a different product from a $19 personal name, and a different decision.
Per-seat math
Google and Microsoft charge per user. One user is $84 a year plus your domain. Five users is five times that. Ours is built for one person or a small business, so if you need many staff addresses on one brand, the per-user model on your own domain is the better fit, and it gets relatively cheaper as you grow.
What those suites include
Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 are not just email. They come with calendars, shared documents, video meetings and storage. If you will use those, the price is not only for the mailbox. Our product is a mailbox, so compare it to the email part only.
Price protection
Our price is locked for 2 years from signup. Microsoft's own $6 to $7 change shows that list prices move, so check the current number when you buy.
What you own, and why it matters
This is the biggest difference and it is not about dollars.
- Own domain: you own yourcompany.com. Change email provider whenever you like and your address stays the same. That is the right long-term foundation for a brand.
- Free Gmail: you have an address, but you are tied to that provider.
- Ours: you rent the address. If you cancel, the name is held for 90 days and then released. Your mail is yours: here is how to export it.
How to choose
- Almost nobody emails you: stay on free Gmail.
- You want a short, local, memorable address for yourself or a tiny business, today: a city .co address fits. See the home page to check a name, or the email address ideas tool for patterns.
- You want your own brand domain, or several staff seats: buy your own domain and use Google Workspace or Microsoft 365. It is the better choice, and we would tell you the same if you asked.
Cost of the first year, side by side
For one person, the first year on a city .co personal name is $190. On your own domain with Google Workspace or Microsoft 365, it is $84 plus the yearly domain fee. The own-domain route is lower on mailbox price for a single seat. What you pay for with a city address is the short, local name and the missing setup. Whether that is worth the difference depends on how much a name like [email protected] is worth to you, which only you can say.
Related reading
Deciding between Gmail and a business address? Gmail or a business email address. Want a no-domain route? A professional email address without buying a domain.