Apologies if this forum is only for self-maintained mail on a linode...

I am on a linode 512, and I would prefer not to use resources (both my linodes and my own time) to manage email, so I am looking for hosted email.

I want to be able to have email coming in for at least 3 different domains (1 email box per domain as long as there are aliases to forward other addresses at those domains). Google Apps Standard should work in theory, but I am having a heck of a time getting it to behave properly (long delivery delays coming in and going out).

I am considering rackspace and zoho. Rackspace seems clunky and requires at least 5 mailboxes (at $2/mo. each), but it has positive brand image in my mind (though I am open to changing my mind). I might need that many in the future, but not right now. Zoho seems a lot faster and doesn't seem to require a minimum number of mailboxes (still $2/mo each). Thoughts on either? Or another provider entirely?

Thanks!

C

Google Apps shouldn't have long delays if it's set up properly. I have one domain on Google Apps, and email gets delivered instantly just like Gmail. Did you verify domain ownership, set up the MX records, and wait a couple of days for things to settle down?

Never heard of Zoho, but I've used fastmail.fm for hosted email, and it's been fantastic. FastMail is to email what Linode is to VPS. They're strictly no-bullshit and the control panel is awesome. But it's a bit expensive. Personal plans with the option to use your own domains are $39/year, and business plans with multiple email accounts cost $15/year base charge plus $15-$60 per year for each email account depending on mailbox size. But if you're the only person who will be checking all those email accounts on all those domains, the personal plan can use 50 domains and 500 aliases, so it might be cheaper than setting up each domain elsewhere at $2/mo. Even if you need a business plan with multiple accounts, if you select the small mailbox it comes out cheaper than $2/mo.

I am using Rackspace right now - mainly because of the discount I got back when I was a slice user, using 1 mailbox I'm paying $3/month. I haven't had any problems, can't complain.

I hadn't heard of Zoho either, which is weird because apparently their headquarters is just down the street from me. But they do look impressive, I might give them a try.

Ended up going with fastmail.

Zoho didn't seem to have enough control for forwarding emails out to other addresses based on the domain they were sent to.

Rackspace was too expensive.

Don't want to go with the free Google Apps, and the paid is also too expensive.


Fastmail is relatively cheap, and the mail filtering is impressive.


Thanks all.

Why?

I am curious too. Why?

I have been using Google Apps (free) for well over 3 years now and I am extremely satisfied. I control 5 accounts and can send with numerous aliases.

Now that you can purchase additional storage at really reasonable prices for your Google Apps account, I am sticking with it for good.

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W: niden.net
T: nikosdimopoulos

Primarily due to frustration with Google's lack of support. As I said in my first post, I have had problems with odd, random delays in sending and receiving mail. Forwarding out of that account to my primary email account using filters was even worse.

Even when I was trialing a business account a while back they were less than helpful when I stopped being able to access email. It took multiple emails stating that I could access my control panel but not my email before they stopped trying to help me access my control panel.

After they finally understood what my issue was, I was told that my mx records were wrong despite the fact that they were copied and pasted directly from Google. They never got back to me when I asked them to tell me where the error was.

I don't see anything like that in the control panel. Can you point to documentation about that?

I don't believe it's supported for mail, but only for some of the other services, like Picasa, where individual Google Apps accounts can now request the extra space themselves like a normal personal account.

-- David

Citadel and done.