Creating a Gmail Account for Business

Many business users will be keen to keep using Gmail for their workplace communication, as they are used to its features and interface which undoubtedly offer much value. Most users will have come to Gmail through the free version, which offers an email address such as example @gmail.com, and many companies will be wondering how they can transition to a business account. 

Before businesses take the plunge, they will want to know what the benefits are to upgrading. When you have previously been using Gmail for free, you will be curious about the value that Gmail for business offers, especially compared to other options such as Microsoft Outlook or Zoho Mail. 

There are several Gmail for business plans available which you’ll want to select according to your needs. Prices begin from $6 per person, making Gmail accessible to even smaller businesses who are interested in taking their email to a more professional level. 

Businesses access Gmail through Google Workspace which also gives them the opportunity to use Google’s other apps. 

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What is Gmail for business? 

Gmail for business is part of Google Workspace, which is Google’s suite of productivity and collaboration apps for business, and which benefit from powerful integrations. When you sign up to Google Workspace (which can also be used as a personal account with more limited features and storage) you have access to Google’s cloud-based collection of tools. 

Having a business Gmail account means you sign up to Google Workspace using your own domain name, so instead of an address like example @gmail.com you use an address such as example @company.com. You can also add extra users to your existing domain such as your coworkers or employees. 

Gmail for business looks far more professional than using a personal email account, and you will be able to manage your users centrally from the admin console. Upgrading to Gmail for business through Google Workspace makes sense if you are a growing company with an expanding employee base. 

Many companies find it easier to transition with the apps they are already familiar with since they know they are already effective. 

Can you create a free business email with Gmail?

Unfortunately it is not free to create a business email account with Gmail. If you want to use a free business email, you can purchase one through another provider and then add it to Gmail as an alias. You will be able to send and receive email as your business account but you will not have access to the premium features of Google Workspace. 

If you want to use a business email with your own customized domain name then you will have to pay at some point, whether that’s with Google or another service provider. Most businesses are willing to pay to get that professional look, without which you may struggle to gain trust with your clients or customers.  

Gmail is always free for personal email accounts, however, so you can either start or keep using Google for normal correspondence. 

Creating a Gmail account for business

When setting up Gmail for business it helps to have a domain in mind before starting the setup. This can either be a domain you have already purchased or one that you plan to obtain through Google, since you will definitely need one in order to set up your account. 

Here are the steps to follow in order to create your Google Workspace account for business: 

• Visit the Google Workspace website (https://workspace.google.com/) in order to set up your account. 
• Fill in basic information about your company such as number of employees and country you are located in. 
• Then, enter your contact information and the email address you will use to login and verify the account. 
• When Google asks if your business has a domain, either select “Yes, I have one I can use” or “no, I need one” and follow the steps to either add your domain name or create a new one. 
• Next, verify the domain according to the setup instructions. You may be required to add a TXT record of your host or a meta tag to the header of your website. 
• Set up your new email account with Google by entering your name, username and password which you will then use to access all Google services. 

You will now be set up with your new business Gmail account, so you can start sending and receiving email with your new domain. 

Benefits of Gmail for business 

Gmail offers a lot of benefits for users who are running businesses. 

• Enhanced security features – when you upgrade to Gmail for business you have access to Google’s encryption software as well as two-factor authentication. 
• Extra storage – free users are only entitled to 15GB of storage which must be shared between all your Google apps, whereas Gmail for business benefits from 30GB of storage and up. This can be used as both email storage space and Google Drive space. 
• Larger meetings – when using Google Meet you are limited to a certain number of participants but with Google Workspace for business you can hold meetings with 100 participants and above. 
• Group email addresses – with Gmail for business, you can create group email addresses shared by multiple people such as support @company.com. 
• Centralized admin and access control – add and remove users via the admin console to control who has access to Google Workspace. 
• 24/7 Google customer support – benefit from Google’s support package when you upgrade to Google Workspace.
• Business email address – since you sign up to Google Workspace with your own domain you get to have a business email address.  

Is Gmail good for business email?

Due to the centralized access management capabilities, anytime an employee leaves the company you can revoke their access. This is not the case with free email accounts and you will struggle to maintain control of your assets if you fail to upgrade. Ultimately, Gmail is very good for email when you take the leap and pay for your subscription. 

When compared with other providers like Microsoft Outlook, Gmail provides good value for money and offers a user-friendly interface with strong collaboration options. Not only do you have access to Gmail, but you benefit from Google’s entire suite of services that you can use for productivity, communication and collaboration. 

Another advantage of Gmail for business is you can add or remove users according to the needs of your business, scaling your subscription up or down as necessary. You can cancel your subscription at any time, since you only pay on a month-by-month basis. 

Many businesses prefer to stay with Gmail because they know their employees are already familiar with it and enjoy the experience of using it. 

Is Gmail for business free?

Gmail for business is not free and you have to access it through one of Google’s subscription plans. 

Here is a breakdown of the pricing for Google Workspace for business: 

• Business Starter – $6 per user per month
• Business Standard – $12 per user per month
• Business Plus – $18 per user per month
• Enterprise – custom pricing

Depending on your needs, you can subscribe to Google Workspace for as little as $6 per month with room for your company to grow in the future. 

What is the difference between personal and business Gmail?

The difference between personal and business Gmail lies in the benefits outlined in a previous section. With business Gmail, you get access to more storage, enhanced security and premium features that are not available in the free version. Personal Gmail is a powerful app but it has been designed for individual users rather than teams who are working together. 

Perhaps the biggest difference with business Gmail is that you will be working with your own custom domain rather than the standard @gmail.com. Companies wishing to work with Gmail for business must pay for the privilege but the end result is a far better impression on customers and business associates. 

Companies notice the difference when they have the administrative account which can control settings for other users. 

How do I create a free Gmail account for my business?

If you want to create a free Gmail account for your business you have to go the normal way. Follow these steps to create a Gmail account: 

• Go to the Google Account creation page (https://accounts.google.com/SignUp).
• Follow the steps on the screen to set up your account.
• Use the account you created to sign in to Gmail.

Once you have signed up for Gmail, you will be able to access Google Workspace apps including Google Drive and Google Calendar. 

Should I create a separate Gmail account for my business?

You should definitely create a separate Gmail account for your business because you want to keep business communication distinct from personal emails. You are likely to need the premium features of Google Workspace for your business operations so it benefits you to keep your accounts separate, only paying for what you need. 

Businesses often collaborate with other Gmail users who need to be on the same workspace as the admin, which is another great reason to create a separate email account. All of these users can then be on the same domain, with email addresses such as sarah @company.com which makes for a much more professional experience for clients and customers. 

Having multiple Gmail accounts is handled by Google by allowing you to switch between them easily, without having to re-enter your details each time. 

Can I use a regular Gmail account for business?

It’s certainly possible to use a regular Gmail account for business but not advisable. If you use a regular Gmail account you will soon run into limitations so it’s better to start with Gmail for business right away. There’s nothing to stop you using an email address like company @gmail.com but it might not create the right level of trust with your customers when they see you haven’t bothered to pay for a domain. 

Regular Gmail accounts make it nearly impossible to collaborate with other users so they are only a good option if you are a solopreneur or freelancer. So ultimately, while you can choose to opt for a regular Gmail account, it’s always better to choose the professional option when in the market for an email provider. 

They also lack vital features such as adding or removing users so you won’t be able to control who has access to your company’s email. 

Can I create another Gmail account for business?

You can certainly create another Gmail account for your business as long as you have another domain you can use to set it up. You need one domain per Google Workspace account to enable you to have access to all of Google’s features. 

So if you have more than one business you will be able to create separate Google Workspace accounts for each of your businesses, and Google will allow you to toggle between them when accessing its tools. 

It’s more than likely that Google Workspace users will have access to multiple workspaces, so it benefits Google to allow users to change between them. You have separate usernames and passwords for each of your accounts and all of your data is kept separate. 

Can I create a Gmail for my business?

It’s certainly possible to create a Gmail account for your business, as long as you follow the steps outlined in one of the earlier sections. All you’ll need is your own domain and a credit card, which Google requires when signing up for a paid plan. 

Domains are also available through Google when you sign up, so make sure you know how you want your business to be presented when sending email. Most businesses with their own website will already have a domain so this step shouldn’t be too difficult. 

The whole idea behind choosing Gmail for business is to make sure it doesn’t look like you are using Gmail when corresponding with recipients. Gmail.com accounts are great for personal use but businesses tend to require a higher level of professionalism, as we have already mentioned. 

How do I change my Gmail account from personal to business?

It’s not possible to change your personal Gmail account to a business account because Gmail for business requires a company-owned domain to proceed. You will need to create a whole new account in order to access Gmail for business, but Gmail makes it easy to import emails from other accounts once you have your new inbox. 

Wrapping up

Businesses who opt for Gmail are certainly making a good choice when they upgrade to one of the Google Workspace business plans. As well as offering a plethora of features that make running your company a whole lot smoother, Gmail also includes plenty of integrations such as our very own Keeping. You can not only use Gmail for your business correspondence, but turn it into a customer service help desk for managing support tickets. 

Gmail can be adapted to suit the needs of your business, and you can use features such as automatic replies and request send receipts to streamline sending and receiving email. Since email is such a critical way for modern businesses to communicate, you don’t want to cut corners when it comes to investing in your tools. 

Gmail has been specifically developed for businesses to enhance their communication and facilitate collaboration. 

If you’re already using Gmail for personal email, now is a great time to upgrade to Gmail for business. You can choose a plan depending on your unique needs and pay for the exact number of users that you require. Subscriptions can be scaled up or down, or even canceled depending on your requirements at the time.