The biggest names in business email — Google Workspace, Microsoft 365 — charge $6/month and up. For a solo e-commerce seller with thin margins, that's hard to justify. The good news: you don't need to pay that much.
What You Actually Need
Most sellers need:
- 1-3 mailboxes at their domain
- Reliable delivery (not spam folder)
- IMAP/SMTP so they can use their existing email app
- Enough storage for normal business email
You don't need Google Docs, Teams, 1TB OneDrive, or enterprise security compliance. Strip those away and you can pay a lot less.
Best Options Under $5/Month
Branded Inbox — from $1/month
Built for e-commerce sellers. Clean setup, IMAP/SMTP, webmail access, multiple mailbox options. Best value for solo sellers and small teams.
Zoho Mail Free — $0/month
Free for up to 5 users, but limited storage (5GB) and no POP/IMAP on the free plan. Works if you use their webmail exclusively.
Namecheap Private Email — from $1.58/month
Reliable option bundled with domain registration. A step up from free but not as focused on e-commerce workflows.
Migadu — from $4/month
Unlimited domains and users on their entry plan. Great for power users managing multiple stores. Slightly more technical setup.
Our Pick
For a single Shopify, Etsy, eBay, or Amazon store, Branded Inbox at $1/month is the clearest choice. You get everything you need, nothing you don't, and setup is designed specifically for non-technical sellers.