Is a free email address a scarecrow with prospects?

There are 8 replies in this Thread which has previously been viewed 1,673 times. The latest Post (December 31, 2025 at 9:46 PM) was by serafina.

1st Official Post
    • Official Post

    On a translation mailing lists we are debating whether a free email address (@gmail @hotmail @yahoo) could be perceived as less professional.

    Some say that, indeed, since we are talking about freelancers, there is nothing wrong with it and could be perceived as a no-frills business (hence, better prices). Some says it is like a business suit - it makes a different impression.

    So I thought we should ask 'the people'. Have you ever hired a freelancer with a free email address? Did it weigh in when you were browsing for one?

    I have been trying to figure out if this news can help me solve my issue.

    As the story goes, my first gmail address was a dumb one. It was just something that popped up in my mind when I was asked to pick a name. The internet felt like unchartered territory, where it was better to stay anonymous. Then it became clear that it was more than that, and I created the classic Gmail address with my real name and last name.

    Most of my subscriptions are under the first email address, which remained my main Google email throughout the years: Google maps are there, contacts are there, Google Voice is associated to that address etc.

    Then I created a spoof email address for shady newsletter or less serious stuff. And then one for my anonymous blog. Plus one for archiving email that no longer fits in other accounts.

    Throw in 3-4 email addresses that are associated with a private domains that I have been using for work... now I have about a dozen of email accounts. My dream is to have one for work and one for personal use. Will I ever achieve that?

    Quote from serafina

    I have been trying to figure out if this news can help me solve my issue.

    I do not see much reason. If you want to start sending email with a different gmail address, It is just as easy to create a new gmail account, and then in your original gmail choose the setting that is approximately called: “send mail using the other gmail account name”. Not exactly the same as this new feature, but fine enough. I have no issues using many gmail accounts. The first was, and still is, for personal. The second is a spam catcher that I alway use for any account signups. The third is a full name for business. Fourth and so-on are several Domain names I own for business or whatever, which I have Google hosting only the email through their Gmail workspace interface.

    Google lets you keep 8 or so Gmail accounts logged into the same browser at the same time, and is simple to juggle between them.

    Quote from aficionado

    which I have Google hosting only the email through their Gmail workspace interface.

    Can you please expand a little on this? I buy my domain on NameCheap and I manage my 2 professional email accounts using (paid) Gmail Workspace. Would it be more convenient to by both the domains and the email from Google?

    Quote from serafina

    Can you please expand a little on this? I buy my domain on NameCheap and I manage my 2 professional email accounts using (paid) Gmail Workspace. Would it be more convenient to by both the domains and the email from Google?

    I do similar as you. My domains are purchased from a separate domain register. gandi.net from France. Then I configure my DNS records to let Gmail process email, which is similar to you. There is no $ deal if you register and also host from Google. What is different is that my domains are "grandfathered" in for the free Google workspace from many years ago. That is not an option anymore.

    You are probably doing the best. For ad free privacy some people talk of moving to Proton Mail. Or You might get a free email hosting on Zoho, or others, if you limit to one email address per domain, no aliases. I do not remember what i learned last time I researched.

    I do have one email through Zoho from when it was free. My mistake was advertising different domains over the years, depending on the market I was targeting to. Some of these email addresses are on institutional websites and I’d rather not rock the boat, although I feel my ranking value on Google is somehow diluted this way.