
Want a professional email address like `yourname@YourCoolDomain.com` without paying for Google Workspace or Microsoft 365, or some other email host or reseller?
In this guide, I'll show you how to set up free email forwarding using your custom domain name—without spending a dime on email hosting.
My name is Chris. Creater of Diary Of A Detailer and owner of Bright Trust Car Wash And Mobile Detail Solutions of Seattle. And this is the solution that our company currently uses. It took me maybe 20 minutes to setup and i do log into ImprovMX a few times per week and run a couple of manual forwards just to ensure no unforseen issues have occured to stop our Clients from communicating with us. Thus far I am happy with it. Definitely worth saving the $30 or $40 dollars per month some of the email hosts charge!
So Why Use Email Forwarding Instead of Paid Hosting?
Professional email addresses build credibility, but paid email hosting can cost $6+/month per address. With email message forwarding:
- You keep using your existing Gmail (or other free email)
- All email messages sent from anywhere on the internet to `@YourCoolDomain.com` forward to your main free inbox (gmail).
- You can create up to 25 aliases (like `support@`, `sales@`, etc.)
- It's completely free forever!
Step-by-Step Setup Using ImprovMX
We'll use [ImprovMX](https://improvmx.com), a free email forwarding service that allows:
✅ 25 email aliases
✅ Unlimited email forwarding
✅ Free forever plan
1. Sign Up for a Free ImprovMX Account
Go to [ImprovMX.com](https://improvmx.com) and create a free account. No credit card required.
2. Add Your Domain
After signing in:
1. Click "Add Domain"
2. Enter your domain name (e.g., `YourCoolDomain.com`)
3. Select the free plan
3. Configure DNS Records
This is the technical part, but ImprovMX provides clear instructions. You'll need to add these DNS records to your domain registrar (like GoDaddy, Namecheap, or Cloudflare):
- **MX Records** (Directs email traffic to ImprovMX)
- **TXT Record** (Verifies domain ownership)
Example records:
```
MX @ mx1.improvmx.com 10
MX @ mx2.improvmx.com 20
TXT @ v=spf1 include:spf.improvmx.com ~all
```
Note: DNS changes can take up to 24 hours to propagate. Although most likely this will complete for you within 5 or 10 minutes.
4. Set Up Email Forwarding
Once DNS propagates:
1. Go to "Aliases" in ImprovMX
2. Add email aliases (e.g., `info@YourCoolDomain.com`, `yourname@YourCoolDomain.com`)
3. Set the destination to your existing Gmail address
And that's it. But - just be aware that while this setup does allow your customers and associates to send email to YourCoolDomain.com (which does promote trust), it will not allow you to respond or reply back to the sender using your @YourCoolDomain.com address.
Remember, the email messages that are sent to your domain are simply forwarded to your free email/gmail account. Thus when you do respond back to the sender they will see it as coming from your current free.email@gmail com.
So you might want to be transparently upfront before this occurs (which could confuse the people on the reply chain.
Or....
You could re-configure your gmail Send As and Outgoing SMTP settings so that your replies actually appear to be coming from @YourCoolDomain.com address as expected;
And here is the configuration process for that - and the final bit to complete this DIY Life Hack which has the ability to save your business anywhere from $5.00 to $70.00 per month:
5. Optional: Send Replies from Your Domain in Gmail
While incoming emails will forward to Gmail, you can also send replies from `@YourCoolDomain.com`:
1. In Gmail, go to Settings → "Accounts and Import"
2. Add `yourname@YourCoolDomain.com` as a SEND-AS address
3. Use ImprovMX's SMTP settings when prompted:
- SMTP server: `smtp.improvmx.com`
- Port: `587`
- SSL: Yes
Important: Ignore Google Workspace Nags
So one last thing.....After setting this up, you might see prompts from Google Workspace trying to get you to set up a paid account for your domain. Ignore these!
- When visiting `admin.google.com`, you may see a prompt to "Set up Google Workspace"—click "Skip for now"
- Google may email you about "finishing setup"—you don't need to
- Your free forwarding will keep working regardless
RECAP
Benefits of This Setup:
- Professional appearance: Use `you@YourCoolDomain.com` instead of `yourname@gmail.com`
- Multiple aliases : Create `support@`, `billing@`, etc.
- No inbox management : All emails arrive in your existing Gmail
- Free forever : No hidden costs or trials
Limitations to Know
- **No inbox storage**: Since emails forward to Gmail, you're limited to Gmail's 15GB free storage
- **Sending limits**: ImprovMX's free plan has a 50/day send limit
- **No calendars/contacts**: This is email-only (unlike paid Workspace)
My Final Thoughts:
For solopreneurs, small businesses, or anyone wanting a professional email without ongoing costs, free email forwarding is a perfect solution. It takes about 15 minutes to set up and works indefinitely.
Have questions? Drop them to me at whateveryouwish@brighttrustdetail.com
Disclaimer: ImprovMX's free plan terms may change. Always check their latest policies. And its a great idea to check and test that this still works as you designed it a few times per week.