How Much Does a Business Email Cost?

Business email costs between $1 and $13 per user per month in 2026. Email-only providers such as Neo Mail, Zoho Mail and Fastmail cost $1 to $3. Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 cost $7 because they bundle documents, cloud storage and video calls. Proton's encrypted suite costs $12.99.

Neo Mail's research team verified these prices in September 2026, in USD, on annual billing unless stated otherwise.

Key Takeaways

• Most providers charge per mailbox. A 5-person team pays between $60 and $780 a year, depending on the plan.
• Neo Mail is the lowest-priced plan with 15 GB of storage, at $1.25 per mailbox per month on a 4-year plan. It also includes a domain name (yourbusiness.com) and a free AI website.
• Google Workspace Business Starter and Microsoft 365 Business Basic both cost $7 per user per month. Microsoft raised Business Basic from $6 to $7 on July 1, 2026.‍
• While budgeting for business email, many people compare monthly prices only. Annual billing saves 13% to 25%, and a domain adds $10 to $20 a year unless your plan includes one.
• A custom .com domain adds about $10 to $20 a year unless your plan includes one.

Business Email Prices Compared (2026)

Sources: Neo Mail · Fastmail · Google Workspace · Microsoft 365 · Proton

Zoho Mail Lite has the lowest sticker price but only 5 GB of storage. Neo Mail costs 25 cents more and inclues three times the storage, plus a domain and website. At an average email size of about 75 KB, 15 GB holds roughly 200,000 emails. 5 GB holds about 67,000. Neo Mail is rated 4.6 out of 5 on G2.

Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 cost about five times more because you pay for a full office suite, not just email.

How Much Does Business Email Cost for 1, 5 and 10 Users?

Business email cost grows in a straight line with team size, because providers charge for each mailbox. The table shows the yearly cost on annual billing, before domain fees and tax.

Larger companies usually pay more per user than these starting prices. They move to higher tiers for compliance, archiving and advanced security. For example, Microsoft 365 Business Standard costs $14 per user per month and Business Premium costs more. Teams above 300 users need enterprise plans, which are often quoted on request.

What Is Included in the Price?

Two providers can both give you name@yourcompany.com and still charge very different prices. The difference is what comes bundled with the mailbox.

If your team already uses separate tools for documents and meetings, an email-only plan avoids paying for the same features twice.

Monthly vs. Annual Billing: How Much Do You Save?

Annual billing is 13% to 25% cheaper than monthly billing with most providers. Monthly billing costs more but lets you add or remove users without a long commitment.

To estimate your yearly email cost, use this formula:

Price per user per month × number of users × 12 = yearly email cost

Example: 5 users on a $3 plan cost $3 × 5 × 12 = $180 a year.

Choose monthly billing if your team size is likely to change in the next year. Choose annual or multi-year billing if your team is stable and you want the lowest price.

What Else Adds to the Cost of Business Email?

The mailbox price is the largest cost, but not the only one. These extras can raise your total bill:

• Domain: A .com domain costs about $10 to $20 a year. The domain and the email service are separate products. The domain is your address. The email service sends and stores your mail. Every Neo Mail plan includes a free domain if you don't have one, so you can skip this cost at first.
• Extra storage: Some providers charge for more storage once you pass the plan limit.
• Archiving and backup: Legal or compliance archiving is usually only on higher tiers.
• Migration: Moving old emails is often free with self-service tools. Assisted migration can cost extra. One Neo Mail customer on G2 reported moving all their old emails in 20 minutes with help from support.
• Tax: VAT or sales tax is added on top of listed prices in most countries.
• Price increases: Providers raise prices over time. Microsoft raised Business Basic by 17% in July 2026. A prepaid multi-year plan, such as Neo Mail's 4-year Starter plan, fixes your price for the full term. Check the renewal rate after the term ends.

To estimate your full yearly cost, use this formula:

(Price per user per month × users × 12) + domain + add-ons = total yearly cost

Example: 5 users on a $3 plan with a $15 domain cost ($3 × 5 × 12) + $15 = $195 a year.

Is There a Free Business Email?

Yes, but with limits. Zoho Mail offers a free plan for up to 5 users with 5 GB each. It does not include IMAP, POP or ActiveSync, so you cannot use it in Outlook or Apple Mail. It is only available in some regions.

Most providers offer a free trial instead of a free plan:

• Neo Mail: 15 days
• Google Workspace: 14 days
• Proton: 14 days
• Fastmail: 30 days
• Microsoft 365: 1 month

Some web hosting plans include email mailboxes at no extra charge. The cost is built into the hosting price, and these mailboxes often have low storage and fewer features.

How Much Can You Save With Neo Mail?

A 5-person team on Neo Mail pays $75 a year. The same team on Google Workspace Business Starter or Microsoft 365 Business Basic pays $420 a year. That is a saving of $345 a year, or $1,380 over 4 years.

Neo Mail Starter includes:

• 15 GB of storage per mailbox, for $1.25 per mailbox per month on a 4-year plan
• A free domain (yourbusiness.co.site), so you can start without buying a separate domain
• A free AI website on the same domain
• 50 Read Receipts, 1 Email Template and a shareable calendar
• A 15-day free trial

98% of Neo Mail customers use 1 to 5 mailboxes, including boutiques, consultants, online stores and real estate agents (Source: Neo Mail customer data, 2026).

Neo Mail is email-first, with Neo Drive for file storage. If your team needs documents, spreadsheets and video calls in one subscription, Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 is a better fit.

What Customers Say About Neo Mail on G2

Neo Mail has a 4.6 out of 5 rating on G2.

"Affordable and Exceptionally Supported"

Neo is affordable and has excellent support. I pay 50% less for each email account compared to before, which is a big savings for my business. The migration was seamless, moving old emails within 20 minutes, with great customer support guiding me through the process.

Rita A., Advisory Board Member. 5/5 on G2

"Excellent Email Management Solution with Added Bonuses"

I was looking for a technology solution to manage my emails, which were registered under another provider's domain. Fortunately, the desktop tool is incredibly easy to use and comes at an excellent price.

Antoine D., Small Business Owner. 4/5 on G2

Which Business Email Plan Should You Choose?

Before you commit to a long plan, use the free trial. Send test emails to Gmail and Outlook addresses to check they land in the inbox. Check that the provider works with the email apps your team already uses.

FAQs

Is business email charged per user or per mailbox?

Per mailbox. Each person with their own inbox counts as one paid user. Aliases such as sales@ or support@ that forward to an existing inbox are usually free.

How much does business email cost for 5 users?

Between $60 and $780 a year on annual billing. Zoho Mail Lite costs $60, Neo Mail $75, Fastmail $180, Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 $420, and Proton Workspace $779.40.

Does business email include a domain?

Some plans do. Every Neo Mail plan includes a free domain. Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 let you buy a domain during signup at an extra cost. Zoho and Fastmail expect you to bring a domain you already own.

Can I use a domain I already own?

Yes. Every provider in this article supports existing domains. You point your domain's MX records to the new provider during setup.

Is Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace cheaper for email only?

They cost the same. Both start at $7 per user per month on annual billing since Microsoft's July 2026 price increase. Microsoft gives each user a 50 GB mailbox. Google gives 30 GB per user, shared across Gmail and Drive.

Do business email prices go up after the first term?

They can. Providers raise list prices, as Microsoft did in July 2026. Promotional and multi-year prices may renew at the standard rate. A prepaid multi-year plan protects you from increases during the term. Check the renewal price before you pay.