Free Business Email for Startups (1 Mailbox + 2 Aliases)
Early startups do not need six Workspace seats on day one. They need a credible domain address, a way to collect hello@ mail, and room to grow.
MailShrine Free includes 1 mailbox and 2 aliases (for example you@ + hello@ + info@) — real hosted email on your domain, not a temporary trial. See also When Free is enough.
Real-life example: PilotPay
Ada and Ken are two cofounders pre-seed. Investors emailed Ada’s personal Gmail; Ken never saw the threads. They bought pilotpay.app and want branded mail without a burn rate spike.
Plan:
| Address | Type on Free |
|---|---|
ada@pilotpay.app | Mailbox (seat #1) |
hello@pilotpay.app | Alias #1 |
invest@pilotpay.app | Alias #2 |
Ken joins on Solo later with his own mailbox.
Why Free fits pre-seed
| Need | Free covers? |
|---|---|
| Brand on every outbound | Yes |
| Public contact aliases | Yes (2) |
| Separate founder inboxes | No — upgrade when 2nd human needs privacy |
| Docs/Meet suite | Use free consumer tools or buy suite later |
What you need
Domain + DNS + MailShrine Free + 30 minutes.
Step 1: Map seats vs aliases
Pay seats for humans. Use aliases for roles. Written rule for the Free tier.
Step 2: Connect the domain
Domains → DNS → Verified (setup).
Step 3: Create founder mailbox + two aliases
Finish the table above. Don’t create empty mailboxes “just in case” on Free.
Step 4: Shared visibility
If both founders must see hello@, they share one Free mailbox password only temporarily — better: upgrade and use team access when available. Password sharing is a debt.
Step 5: Upgrade triggers
Move to Solo when:
- Second cofounder needs a private mailbox
- Attachments blow past 1GB
- You need unlimited aliases
Pricing overview: /products/business-email/pricing.
PilotPay checklist
- Address map (1 mailbox + 2 aliases)Completed
- DNS verifiedCompleted
- Investor-facing From address liveCompleted
- Ken mailbox on Solo after seedNot completed
Common mistakes
- Buying five Workspace seats for two people.
- Spending both aliases on vanity names you never publish.
- Skipping SPF/DKIM on “we’ll fix later.”
Next steps
Citations & References
- Reference: Google: Email sender guidelines
- Reference: ICANN: What is DNS?
Written by Elena R., Business Email Specialist. Elena advises early-stage startups on tool stacks that stay lean.
