Business email address for freelancers and the self-employed
Why a free address works against you as a self-employed person
When you work for yourself, you are your own calling card. Every email you send is a little bit of advertising. A free address with the name of a big service in it mainly tells a client that you haven't committed to anything yet. An address with your own business name tells the opposite: that you're serious about what you do and that you'll still be here tomorrow.
The pitfall is that switching often gets put off. You've had that free address for years, it's on your invoices, and moving it feels like hassle. But the longer you wait, the more places you'll have to update later. So starting early is cheaper than it sounds.
From firstname@yourbusiness.com to one clear image
The nice thing about your own domain is that you choose how you're named in the mailbox. For a self-employed person, a personal address usually works best: firstname@yourbusiness.com. It's warm, recognisable and fits the fact that the client is doing business with you, not with a department.
Later, if you were to grow, you can easily add an info@ or hello@ alongside it. Unsure about how to structure your address? Then read choosing your professional email address. Want to understand first what a mailbox on your own domain actually is? Then a professional mailbox with your own domain explains it calmly.
What you really need as a solo entrepreneur
You don't need a heavy package. What you need is for your mail to simply work, to be secure and not to get in your way. Concretely:
- One mailbox that works everywhere. Via webmail in the browser and via your trusted mail program on your phone and laptop, without installation hassle.
- Protection without having to think about it. Antivirus, anti-spam and anti-malware are included by default, plus filtering against phishing.
- Automatic backups, so a wrong click doesn't instantly cost you years of correspondence.
- Optional two-factor authentication, so one leaked password doesn't immediately open your whole mailbox.
- 20 free aliases, handy for having
invoices@, say, arrive in your own mailbox without paying for a second account. - A predictable price. You pay for email, not for a full office suite with tools you as a sole trader never open.
Why Mailflux fits the self-employed
Mailflux is professional email on your own domain, hosted in Europe and GDPR-compliant. For a self-employed person that's exactly the right size: everything you need, nothing you don't use. You start with the Basic plan for €4.99 per mailbox per month (billed annually, excluding the domain name), with 8 GB of storage and standard anti-malware. Want a calendar and task list you can sync alongside it? Then Pro at €6.99 is a good fit.
You don't need any technical knowledge for this. Bring your own domain if you already have one, or let Mailflux register and manage one for you. And if you get stuck, you get real, personal service instead of a maze of forms. Wim, business owner, chose Mailflux for exactly that reason: no hassle, no unnecessary bells and whistles.
If you've only just started working for yourself, also take a look at email for start-ups. If you see yourself mainly as a freelancer, that page fits better. You'll find an overview of all target groups on who Mailflux is for.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
As a freelancer, do I need my own domain for a business email address?
Yes, an address like firstname@yourbusiness.com requires your own domain. You bring an existing domain if you already have one, or Mailflux registers and manages one for you. After that you create your mailbox.
Is one mailbox enough if I work alone?
For most self-employed people, yes. You work from one personal address and use the 20 free aliases to have, say, invoices@ or info@ arrive in that same mailbox, without paying for an extra account.
What does a business email address cost for a self-employed person?
The Basic plan costs €4.99 per mailbox per month, billed annually and excluding the domain name. Want a syncable calendar and task list alongside it? Then Pro is €6.99. You only pay for email, not for a whole office suite.