Quick answer
How to set up Zoho Mail free with a custom domain?
Create a Zoho Mail Free account, add your domain in the admin console, verify it with the TXT record Zoho shows, then point three MX records at Zoho: mx.zoho.com at priority 10, mx2.zoho.com at 20, mx3.zoho.com at 50. The free plan covers 1 domain and 5 users. Postelva has a one-click Zoho template.
Zoho Mail Free limits and DNS values
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Price | 0 for Mail Free |
| Custom domains | 1 |
| Users | Up to 5, with 5 GB of mail storage each |
| IMAP, POP, ActiveSync | Not included on the free plan |
| MX 1 | mx.zoho.com, priority 10 |
| MX 2 | mx2.zoho.com, priority 20 |
| MX 3 | mx3.zoho.com, priority 50 |
| Verification, SPF, DKIM | Shown in the admin console for your domain |
Steps, from sign-up to a working address
Register the domain
Buy it in the Postelva client area. Zoho has one-click verification only for GoDaddy and 1&1, so with another registrar you verify by hand.
Create the free account
Choose Mail Free, which is available only in some data centers, and add your domain in the admin console.
Verify ownership
Publish the TXT record that Zoho displays and press the verification button.
Replace the MX records
Delete the existing MX records, then add the three Zoho hosts. Apply the Zoho template in the DNS editor to do it in one click.
Add SPF and DKIM from the console
Copy both from the admin console and publish them. Keep a single SPF record on the domain.
Send a test message
Write from an outside account to your new address and back, and look at the headers if anything fails.
What does Zoho Mail Free really include?
It includes 1 custom domain, up to 5 users and 5 GB of mail storage per user, and it leaves out IMAP, POP and Exchange ActiveSync. The missing protocols mean you read mail in Zoho's web app or its own apps, not in a standard mail client. Zoho adds that the free plan exists only in certain data centers, and that a sixth user moves everyone to a paid plan. File storage is not included.
The paid Mail Lite and Mail Premium plans are billed annually; their prices were blank on the page Postelva read, so none is quoted here. For the wider picture of what a domain brings you, see what is a custom email domain.
Which MX records does Zoho use?
Three: mx.zoho.com at priority 10, mx2.zoho.com at 20 and mx3.zoho.com at 50. Those are the generic .com values on Zoho's help page, and the page warns that the values differ by data center (EU, RU, CN). Open Tools and Configurations in the admin console and copy the set shown for your account if your data center is not the default one.
List only these three on the domain, because other MX records compete for your mail. The trailing dot is optional, depending on your DNS host, and Zoho advises the lowest TTL available. A domain checker confirms it: see how to check MX, SPF, DKIM and DMARC records.
Where do I find Zoho's SPF and DKIM values?
In the admin console, because Postelva could not confirm them from an official Zoho page. A commonly quoted SPF is v=spf1 include:zoho.com ~all, but regional data centers can differ and it is not verified, so use the console. The DKIM record is a TXT generated per domain, and the DMARC value is also yours to write. Remember that an SPF record is limited to 10 DNS lookups under RFC 7208, a limit explained in how to create an SPF record.
If the mail does not arrive after publishing, the troubleshooting table in why is email not arriving at my custom domain covers old MX records, caching and typos.
Why pair Zoho Free with a Postelva domain?
Because the free mailbox is only as portable as the domain you attach to it. A .com at Postelva costs $12.49/year a year, the same price every renewal, and the domain stays in your name when you outgrow the free plan. According to Postelva's count of 12 November 2026, Zoho Mail Free is the only free plan among the 7 providers in these setup guides that accepts a custom domain, so total yearly cost is the domain alone.
Postelva includes one-click DNS templates for Proton Mail, Fastmail, Zoho Mail, Google Workspace and Microsoft 365, plus an SPF + DMARC template and a "no email" template for a domain that sends nothing; Zoho is on that list. The editor offers free DNS hosting with A, AAAA, CNAME, ALIAS, MX, TXT, NS, SRV and CAA records, DNSSEC, and your own nameservers if you prefer (2 to 13), usually within minutes of the top-up being credited, and email replies within 12 hours, 7 days a week, including help with MX, SPF, DKIM and DMARC records. Zoho Mail Free is a zero-cost way to test a domain: the free plan covers 1 domain and 5 users, and the address you build there moves with you.
Questions about Zoho Mail Free and custom domains
Can I use Outlook or Thunderbird with Zoho Mail Free?
Not through IMAP or POP, which the free plan excludes. Use the web app or Zoho's mobile apps.
What happens with a sixth user?
Zoho moves all users to a paid plan from the sixth user on. Plan for 5 or fewer on the free tier.
Is Zoho Mail Free available everywhere?
No. Zoho says it is available only in some data centers, so check the sign-up page for your region.
Can I pay for the domain in crypto?
Yes, at Postelva: BTC, USDT, USDC, ETH, SOL, LTC, with a minimum top-up of $25. Zoho's own payment options for paid plans were not verified.
In summary
- Zoho Mail Free: 1 custom domain, up to 5 users, 5 GB each, no IMAP or POP.
- MX: mx.zoho.com (10), mx2.zoho.com (20), mx3.zoho.com (50).
- MX values differ by data center: check the admin console.
- Verification, SPF and DKIM come from the console.
- A sixth user pushes everyone to a paid plan.
- Postelva has a one-click Zoho template; a .com is $12.49/year every year.
Sources (3)
- Zoho Mail pricing — Zoho (read 2026-11-12)
- Zoho - Configure email delivery (MX records) — Zoho (read 2026-11-12)
- RFC 7208 - SPF, section 4.6.4 — RFC Editor (read 2026-11-12)