Many business owners assume that email, domains, and websites are all the same thing, but they aren’t. Understanding the difference is crucial for ensuring your business communication is professional, secure, and reliable.
In this article, we’ll break down the essentials of domain hosting and email hosting, explain how email works on your own domain, and explore the benefits of professional business email. We’ll also look at common hosting options and pricing considerations, giving you the knowledge to make informed decisions.
What Is Domain Hosting?
A domain is your business’s unique address on the internet. In simpler terms, it is the name people type into their browser to find your website, such as yourcompany.co.za. Domain hosting is the service that registers this name and manages the technical records that make it work, ensuring your domain points to the correct online services.
It’s important to understand that domain hosting does not automatically provide email addresses on that domain. To send and receive emails like [email protected], you need a separate email hosting service.
Some providers bundle domain hosting, website hosting, and email into a single package, which can limit flexibility for customers who don’t need all three services. Many users simply want a professional email address linked to their domain without the cost of building or hosting a website.
At 1-grid, email hosting is available as a standalone service, allowing customers to set up domain-based email without being forced into a website hosting bundle. This approach gives businesses greater control over costs while still maintaining a professional online presence.
What Is a Website and Website Hosting?
A website is the content people interact with online, including pages, images, and information about your business. Website hosting is the service that stores these files on a server and makes them accessible to visitors. It ensures your website loads properly, performs reliably, and remains available to users whenever they visit your site.
What Is Email Hosting?
Email hosting is a service that allows you to send, receive, and store emails using your own domain name, such as [email protected]. Instead of relying on free email platforms, your emails are handled by dedicated mail servers designed for reliability and security.
Behind the scenes, an email hosting service manages the infrastructure that makes email work. This includes mail servers that process messages, storage for your mailboxes, systems that ensure messages are delivered correctly, and security measures that protect against spam, malware, and unauthorised access.
Business email hosting differs from free email accounts in both purpose and capability. It is built to support professional communication, offering greater control, improved security, and features that scale as your business grows, rather than serving individual or personal use.
Can You Host Email and Website Separately?
Yes, you can host your email and website separately, even while using the same domain name. This is a common setup and allows businesses to choose different providers for each service based on their specific needs.
The main advantage of separating them is flexibility. You can select a specialised email hosting provider while keeping your website with a different web host, or move one service without affecting the other. However, this approach can also add complexity. Managing multiple providers means handling separate support teams, billing, and technical settings such as DNS records.
Ultimately, a bundled solution is simpler to manage and is therefore often advisable.
How Email Works on Your Own Domain
Hosting email on your own domain means connecting your domain name to an email hosting service that can handle your messages. While the setup sounds technical, the underlying idea is simple: your domain needs to know where to send and receive email.
This connection is managed through DNS records, which act like signposts for internet services. When someone sends an email to your domain, these records tell the internet which mail servers are responsible for accepting and delivering that message. Similarly, they help confirm that outgoing emails are legitimate and authorised.
Once the correct records are in place, your email hosting service takes over (storing messages, delivering them to the right inboxes, and applying security and spam protection) all without you needing to manage the technical details day to day.
Benefits of Business Email Hosting
Business email hosting does more than just give you an email address. It supports how your business presents itself, protects communication, and adapts as your team and operations grow. Below are some of the key benefits.
- Professional credibility: an email address like [email protected] creates a strong first impression. It signals professionalism and builds trust with customers, suppliers, and partners, while reinforcing your brand in everyday communication.
- Better security and spam protection: business email hosting includes advanced security features such as spam filtering, virus scanning, and protection against phishing attempts. These measures help keep sensitive information safe and reduce inbox clutter.
- Reliability and ongoing support: unlike free email platforms, professional email services are built for consistent uptime and business use. Reliable access and dedicated support ensure communication remains uninterrupted when it matters most.
- Scalability for growing teams: email hosting services for small businesses are designed to scale. As your team expands, you can easily add new mailboxes, increase storage, and manage access without changing providers.
Common Email Hosting Options Explained
Businesses looking for email hosting have a variety of options, ranging from local providers to large international platforms. Local providers often offer the advantage of hands-on support, familiar billing structures, and solutions tailored to South African businesses. This can be particularly useful for smaller companies that value quick, accessible assistance when setting up or troubleshooting email services.
International providers, such as Google domain email hosting and Microsoft Exchange, offer globally recognised platforms with advanced features. Google Workspace, for example, integrates email with productivity tools, while Microsoft Exchange provides robust business email capabilities alongside familiar Office applications.
Both local and international providers can cater to different business sizes and requirements. Some focus on simplicity and affordability for small teams, while others prioritise enterprise-level security, storage, and scalability. Choosing the right option depends on your business’s technical capacity, support preferences, and growth plans, ensuring email remains reliable and professional as your organisation evolves.
Understanding Email Hosting Pricing
The cost of email hosting can vary widely depending on the features and level of service your business needs. Several factors typically influence email hosting price.
- Storage is a major consideration. More storage allows for larger mailboxes and the retention of older emails, which is essential for businesses that rely heavily on email communication.
- Number of mailboxes also affects pricing. Each user or department often requires a separate mailbox, so costs increase as your team grows.
- Security features such as spam filtering, malware protection, encryption, and backup solutions add value but can also impact the price.
- Support is another factor. Providers offering dedicated, local support or 24/7 assistance may charge more, but this can save time and prevent costly email downtime.
At 1-grid, we offer flexible email hosting plans to suit a variety of needs, with the added benefit that email hosting can be ordered on its own. Customers are not required to purchase website hosting alongside it, making this a cost-effective and practical solution for businesses that only need professional, domain-based email.
Email Basic: R65 per email account/month
- 10GB storage
- Custom domain email
- Secure webmail access
- Mobile and desktop sync
- Ad-free inbox
- Compatible with Windows, Linux, macOS, iOS, and Android
Email Pro: R95 per email account/month
- Everything in Email Basic
- 25GB storage
- Tasks, calendar & contact sharing
- Instant messaging, team workspaces, and video conferencing
Choosing reliable email hosting is an investment in your business’s professional image, security, and efficiency. With clear pricing and robust features, 1‑grid makes it simple to get the right plan for your needs.
Why Many Businesses Choose 1-grid for Email Hosting
At 1‑grid, we understand that email is a cornerstone of professional communication and you shouldn’t have to choose between simplicity, reliability, and local support. That’s why our email hosting is designed with South African businesses in mind, combining easy setup, clear pricing, and tools that grow with you.
We offer local support from our Cape Town‑based team, so when you have a question or need help, you’re talking to people who understand your market and are ready to assist. Our platform lets you create custom email addresses on your domain quickly, with intuitive controls and seamless integration with your other services.
Our pricing is competitive and transparent, with options built for flexibility, whether you need a single mailbox or multiple accounts for a growing team. We also include essential features like secure webmail access, mobile syncing, and ad‑free inboxes, helping you keep your communication professional and secure.
If you’re ready to simplify your email setup and support your business with dependable, locally focused hosting, explore 1‑grid’s email hosting plans today.