Using Google Workspace with your domain

If you'd rather use Google Workspace (Gmail's business product) for email instead of our hosting-based email, you can. Your domain stays with us; email routes to Google.

Setup at a glance

1. Sign up for Google Workspace — pick a plan, set up your account.
2. Verify domain ownership — Google asks for a TXT record on your domain. Add it via Domains → DNS.
3. Replace MX records — point your domain's MX records at Google's servers (we'll show what to do below).
4. Update SPF and DKIM — to authenticate Google's outgoing mail.
5. Wait for DNS propagation — typically a few minutes to a few hours.
6. Test sending and receiving — make sure the new setup works.

After this, all email to you@yourdomain.com goes to Google Workspace, and you use Gmail's interface (or any IMAP client connected to Google).

MX records

Google Workspace requires these MX records on your domain. Edit DNS in Domains → click your domain → DNS:

Replace any existing MX records (typically pointing at our mail.yourdomain.com) with the Google ones. Don't keep both — that splits delivery.

SPF (sender authentication)

Update your existing SPF TXT record to include Google. The new value:

v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all

If you also send mail from other services (Mailchimp, SendGrid), include those too:

v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com include:sendgrid.net ~all

DKIM (signing)

Google generates DKIM keys per-domain. To set up:

1. In Google Admin Console → Apps → Google Workspace → Gmail → Authenticate email.
2. Select your domain → click "Generate new record."
3. Google shows you a TXT record value.
4. Add the TXT record in our Domains → DNS.
5. Back in Google Admin, click "Start authentication."

DKIM is now active. Outgoing Gmail messages from your domain will be signed.

DMARC (optional but recommended)

After SPF and DKIM are working for a few weeks, add a DMARC record to enforce authentication:

Name: _dmarc
Type: TXT
Value: v=DMARC1; p=quarantine; rua=mailto:dmarc@yourdomain.com

p=quarantine means failed authentication goes to spam. Tighten to p=reject for stricter enforcement.

What happens to existing email accounts on our hosting?

When you switch to Google Workspace, your hosting-based email accounts (@yourdomain.com accounts with our servers) stop receiving new mail because MX records now point at Google.

Options:

• Migrate existing messages. Use Google's "Data migration service" to import old IMAP messages into Google Workspace. Or use a third-party tool. Time-consuming for big mailboxes.
• Leave the old accounts in place for archive access. The old mailboxes still exist on our servers; you can log into webmail to access historical mail. Just no new mail arrives there.
• Delete the old accounts if you don't need the archives.

DNS cutover with minimal downtime

To minimize email loss during the switch:

1. Set up Google Workspace fully — domain verified, accounts created, ready to receive.
2. Lower the TTL on existing MX records to 5 minutes, 24 hours before the switch.
3. Switch MX records to Google.
4. New mail starts flowing to Google within minutes.
5. Use Google's import tool to pull recent messages from the old hosting mailboxes (catches anything that arrived during the transition).

Some providers offer a "split delivery" pattern (some addresses to Google, others to hosting) — possible but complex. We don't recommend it for normal use.

Pricing

Google Workspace plans start around $7/user/month. Comparable to bigger Microsoft 365 plans.

Our hosting-based email is included with hosting (no extra charge). So switching to Google adds the per-user fee but gives you Gmail's interface, calendar, Drive, etc.

Why people switch (and why some don't)

Reasons to switch to Google Workspace:

• Familiar Gmail interface.
• Better spam filtering than most hosting-based mail servers.
• Calendar, Drive, Docs, Meet integrated.
• Stronger uptime SLA than typical shared hosting email.
• Mobile push notifications work flawlessly.

Reasons to stick with hosting-based email:

• Free with hosting.
• No per-user fees as your team grows.
• Self-contained — one company managing both web hosting and email.
• Smaller-scale needs where Gmail's overhead isn't worth it.

For most small businesses, hosting-based email is fine. For teams of 10+ where email is critical, Google Workspace pays back its cost in saved configuration time and better tools.

Reverting

If you switch and want to come back, the process reverses:

1. Delete or update MX records back to mail.yourdomain.com.
2. Update SPF to remove Google.
3. Re-create email accounts on hosting if you'd deleted them.
4. Migrate messages from Google back to your hosting (using IMAP sync or Google Takeout).

Plan for it like you planned the move out — DNS TTL changes, gradual cutover, message migration.