There are many detailed comparisons of the best email providers on the web, but the same can’t be said about the best UK-based email providers.
We’ve created this guide to help those who prefer to keep their messages on British soil. After much research and hands-on testing, we’ve narrowed down the top 3 UK email providers that offer exceptional service.
Why Choose an Email Provider
Based in the United Kingdom?
With global giants like Google, Microsoft, and Zoho dominating the email service market, you might wonder: Why limit yourself to UK-based providers? There are several compelling reasons, and if you’re reading this article, chances are at least one of them has already crossed your mind:
- Aligned business hours: One of the most practical benefits is customer support that operates on UK time. When you need assistance, you won’t be struggling with time zone differences.
- Regulatory compliance: UK-based email providers are well-versed in local regulations, such as the Data Protection Act 2018 and the UK GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation).
- Local economy support: By choosing a UK-based provider, you’re supporting the local tech industry and economy. If you have a business of your own, then a UK email provider can help you maintain a fully British supply chain, which can be an excellent marketing point for your customers.
➡️ That said, the top UK email providers recommended below would be worth considering even if you didn’t specifically need a British-based service because they offer robust features, excellent security, and competitive pricing.
MailJerry’s Top 3 Best UK Email Providers
The UK is home to several excellent email providers, each with its own strengths.
➡️ Let’s start with the one we at MailJerry like the most:
Email Provider 01:
Hosting UK
Website: https://hostinguk.net/email
TrustPilot Rating: 4.8 out of 5 based on 1,845 reviews
Pricing: Starts at £1.66/month per mailbox
Hosting UK is our favorite UK email provider because it provides excellent standard and Microsoft Exchange plans at affordable prices.
The affordable Standard Mail plan provides an attractive option for small businesses or those with basic email needs. The plan is based on the SmarterMail platform, which means it supports all standard email features, including aliases, forwarding, auto responders, spam filtering, and so on. Included with the plan is 25 GB of email storage space – enough for most regular users.
For companies requiring more storage space and advanced features, the Microsoft Exchange plans are a great alternative. They start at 50 GB of email storage space and benefit from Microsoft’s industry-leading platform, whose features include advanced security and mobile email support with ActiveSync.
If you currently rely on a different email provider, then you can use our MailJerry email migration tool to effortlessly migrate your messages to Hosting UK.
What we liked:
✅ Competitive pricing for both standard and Exchange email plans
✅ Microsoft Gold Partner certification
✅ Email storage space starts at 25 GB
✅ Compliance ready email solutions
What we didn’t like:
– Nothing –
Best for:
Just about anyone who is looking for a reliable UK email provider, including regular home users, web designers, advertising agencies, entrepreneurs, and businesses.
Email Provider 02:
20i
Website: https://www.20i.com/email-hosting
TrustPilot Rating: 4.7 out of 5 based on 1,772 reviews
Pricing: Free with web hosting plans, starting at £0/month
Like most web hosting companies, 20i includes email hosting as part of its web hosting packages. Although this is a major downside if you’re only looking for email hosting, it can be of great value if you need both web and email hosting services. But the main reason why we recommend 20i in particular is its free web hosting plan (available if you purchase a domain from 20i), which lets you create up to 100 mailboxes.
Each mailbox comes with 10 GB of storage. If you need more space, you can increase your mailbox size in 10 GB increments for an additional fee. To provide excellent deliverability, 20i maintains relationships with major email service providers and automatically implements SPF (Sender Policy Framework) and DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) to improve email authentication and thus reduce the chances of your messages being marked as spam.
While 20i doesn’t offer as many advanced features as some dedicated email providers, their service covers all the basics that most businesses need. The webmail interface is user-friendly, and IMAP support means you can easily sync your emails across all your devices.
➡️ As a business owner, you might wonder if it’s a good idea to use a free email hosting solution for your company. To find out what’s suitable for your situation, read our latest article.
What we liked:
✅ Free web hosting plan available
✅ Unlimited mailboxes with most hosting plans
✅ Email stored separately from web hosting for better performance
✅ IMAP support for syncing across devices
✅ Excellent customer support available 24/7
What we didn’t like:
⛔️ Email hosting not available as a standalone service
Best for:
Those who also need to host a website, such as people who are starting businesses, freelancers, or small to medium-sized companies looking for an all-in-one hosting solution.
Email Provider 03:
UK2
Website: https://www.uk2.net/email-hosting/
TrustPilot Rating: 4 out of 5 based on 4,031 reviews
Pricing: Starts at £0.50/month
Funded in 1998, UK2 is a veteran in the UK hosting industry. As part of the larger THG Ingenuity Cloud Services, UK2 has evolved from a simple hosting provider to offer a wide range of internet services, including domain registration, web hosting, and email hosting.
UK2’s email hosting service is designed to be straightforward and affordable. Their Personal Email plan, starting at just £0.50 per month for the first year, is very limited in terms of email storage space (2 GB) and maximum attachment size (10 MB), but the Professional Email plan is significantly more competitive with its 10 GB of storage space and 25 MB attachments.
Both plans come with features you would expect from a professional email service, including support for your own domain, synchronization across devices, and a webmail client. Unfortunately, some users have reported a decline in the quality of customer support in recent years. For example, one long-time customer mentioned experiencing delays in response to urgent tickets and issues with email reliability.
What we liked:
✅ Very affordable pricing, especially for the first year
✅ Option to have up to 100 mailboxes
✅ 30-day money-back guarantee
What we didn’t like:
⛔️ Limited storage compared to competitors
⛔️ Relatively small attachment size limits
⛔️ Some users report declining customer support quality in recent years
Best for:
Small businesses or individuals looking for a budget-friendly UK-based email solution with basic features.
Summary:
Top 3 UK Email Provider
Here is our summary of our top 3 email provider in the UK:
| Aspect | Hosting UK | 20i | UK2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | From £1.66/month | Free with hosting (from £0/month) | From £0.50/month |
| Storage | 25 GB (Standard), 50-100 GB (Exchange) | 10 GB (expandable) | 2 GB (Personal), 10 GB (Professional) |
| Standalone Email Service | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
| TrustPilot Rating | 4.8/5 | 4.7/5 | 4/5 |
| Best For | All types of users, from individuals to large businesses | Those needing both web and email hosting | Budget-conscious small businesses and individuals |
What would MailJerry choose?
If MailJerry was in the market for a UK-based email provider, we would most likely choose Hosting UK and go with one of its Microsoft Exchange plans. That way, we would get the support of a local company while enjoying access to a world-class email platform.
That said, both 20i and UK2 have their strengths and could be excellent choices depending on specific needs.
