Zoho Mail the best alternative for Google/Microsoft mail for custom domains. Zoho.com is a famous online business, productivity applications service provider. More than 25+ online applications launched by Zoho. One of the application is Zoho Mail, where they offer a lot of features. Zoho Mail service was used by many companies. If you want to set up a good mail service for your domain, then i suggest Zoho Mail.
Before We start the setup process, check why Zoho Mail is the best alternative to Google/Microsft for Custom Domains.
How To Steps :
1. Navigate to Zoho Sign Up page. Here you can see the pricing list of the all the plans in Zoho Mail. At the right side, you can see “LITE Free! & also ad free” plan with 5 users, 5GB /User Mail Storage. Click on the sign-up button under this plan.
2. Now you will be taken to the Domain Setup Page. Enter your domain name in the text box as shown in the screenshot [don’t add www.] and click “Add Domain” button.
3. Now Signup Process. Please enter the details as requested to complete the sign up. Refer Screenshot. Once after filling all the details, hit “Sign Up” button.
4. Now you will get the confirmation on sign up in the next page with instructions as shown in the below screenshot.
5. Next step is to Verify your domain ownership. Click on “Proceed to verify domain ownership” link.
6. Zoho is offering 3 alternative steps to verify domain ownership.
a. CNAME – You can create CNAME record in your domain as mentioned in your account.
b. TXT Method – If your domain allows to create TXT records, then you can verify ownership by creating a TXT record with the values shown for your domain.
c. HTML Method – This is one of the easiest way to verify ownership. I did verification using this step and got verify in a minute.
Both CNAME & TXT records takes maximum of 24 hrs to get update in the DNS. Hence i suggest to go with HTML Method to get verified immediately.
The steps to add CNAME,TXT records and HTML Method are provided in the concerned pages.
After updating with anyone method, Click the “Verify” button to get verified.
7. Next Step is to create administrator email account to manage. Enter the username and click “Create Account”
8. Next step is about Group. You can also create Group Mail. If you don’t want to create any group just skip the process.
9. Next Step is to Update the MX records in your domain. Until you complete this process, you will not receive mails.
You have to add the below MX records to your domain.
MX Records = mx.zohomail.com , Host = @ Priority = 10
MX Records = mx2.zohomail.com , Host = @ Priority = 20
Depending on the domain service provider, updating of MX records will take some time. Please contact your domain service provide for the time to take effect. Then proceed to next step.
10. Once MX records updated, You can also migrate the mails from other service provider and this functionality was limited.
11. Mobile Access : If you want to enable access of email from mobile devices, you can use this service.
If you missed any process and disconnected in-between, no worries once you done the sign-up process you can use all the above settings separately in the CPANEL.
Once all the process completed, proceed to add users via cpanel and if you want to access the mails, navigate to Zoho Mail login with yourname@yourdomain.com and password.
Related : POP3 and IMAP Access Configuration for Zoho Mail.
