Why I use Outlook.com Instead of Gmail (even for my custom domains)

Summary

The author prefers using Outlook.com over Gmail for managing emails, including custom domains, due to its flexibility in changing email addresses and adding aliases, and concerns about Google's control over accounts.

Abstract

The author has historically encountered difficulties when changing personal domains and managing associated email boxes. The introduction of free Google Apps accounts initially resolved these issues by allowing multiple domains and aliases, but Google's decision to discontinue free accounts and limitations on these grandfathered accounts led the author to seek alternatives. Despite considering a regular Gmail account, the inability to change the Gmail address without creating a new account was a significant drawback. Outlook.com emerged as a preferred solution, offering free email hosting with the ability to change email addresses and add aliases, thus decoupling the email address from the mailbox. The author uses email forwarding from Cloudflare or Porkbun for the custom domain lindblom.dev and recommends Sendinblue for sending emails from custom domains.

Opinions

Google's discontinuation of free Google Apps accounts and potential to disable accounts without warning is concerning.
Google's limitations on features for grandfathered free accounts are unsatisfactory.
The inability to change a Gmail address without creating a new account is a significant inconvenience.
Outlook.com is praised for allowing users to change their email address and add aliases, providing greater flexibility and control.
The author values the integrity of Microsoft over Google when it comes to managing email services.
The author endorses using Cloudflare or Porkbun for email forwarding and Sendinblue for sending emails from custom domains.
The author encourages readers to engage with their content by following them and showing support if they found the information useful.

Free google apps era

Then google entered the picture, with their free google apps accounts. They used to be free for up to 5 users. In the apps accounts, one could add extra domains, and aliases for your aliases for your mail box. This solved the issue, until google stopped offering these free accounts. Sure, Google grandfathers these accounts, which means I could continue using it, if I wanted to. I did for a couple of years, until i stopped. I stopped this because of two reasons:

Google cripples these accounts, some features were not available in these accounts.

I was no longer a company, and thus Google could bring the hammer and wack my account at any time. Killing all my photos and emails, without warning. 😱

Time for a regular gmail account?

Since I didn't have any issues with gmail, the first thing i did was to create a new google account together with a gmail address. As soon as the account was created, I realized that I wasn’t happy with the email I’ve chosen. Here the problem starts, I couldn't change the gmail, I need to create another account. With my rabbit brain, i could see a problem ahead. I could be possible that I want to change my email in the future without creating a new mailbox. Or, I might just want to create another google account, I don’t want my google account connected to my mail box. The mailbox should be connected to as little as possible.

Enter Outlook.com

Outlook.com also offers free email hosting, with one big difference. You can change email and add email aliases to your mail box. With an email that I created at outlook.com I created a google account (click the “use my current email instead” at sign up). When it comes to integrity, Microsoft is a stronger brand than Google.

What about custom domains?

I have an email address for my lindblom.dev that I use. Email forwarding is used for this, from Cloudflare (currently in beta, my dns provider) or Porkbun (my domain registrar).

Should you also want to send email from your custom domain, you can use a free account from sendinblue (up to 300 email per day).

I hope that you got some take aways from this, if you did please give a fellow nerd a clap or two 🤓. If you are a person building stuff online, feel free to follow me, I write about related stuff. Sharing is caring, I plan to care a lot ❤️.

Why I use Outlook.com Instead of Gmail (even for my custom domains)

Disconnect your mailbox from your mail address.

Free google apps era

Time for a regular gmail account?

Enter Outlook.com

What about custom domains?