Zoho Mail Free Plan Limits: What to Do After 5 Users

Step 4: Configure DNS and email authentication

When the destination is ready, prepare the required DNS changes with your email administrator.

• MX records: Direct incoming email to the designated mail servers.
• SPF: Publishes which sending servers are authorised to send email for your domain.
• DKIM: Uses a cryptographic signature to help receiving systems verify message integrity and domain association.
• DMARC: Specifies how receiving systems should handle messages that fail DMARC evaluation and enables reporting.

Follow the exact DNS values supplied by the destination provider. Do not copy generic MX or DKIM records from an unrelated configuration.

Where possible, validate SPF, DKIM, and DMARC alignment before and after the cutover. Review all legitimate sending services, including website forms and transactional email systems, before changing SPF.

Step 5: Test email delivery before closing Zoho

Test incoming and outgoing messages, attachments, aliases, group addresses, mobile access, and any application that sends mail through SMTP.

Remember that SMTP is the protocol used to send and relay email; IMAP and POP are commonly used to access stored messages. Changing email hosting may therefore require changes to both mailbox access settings and the SMTP configuration of applications.

Keep the old service available during a planned transition, where possible, and verify that users can access the historical email they need before cancelling the old subscription.

Key takeaway: Treat migration as a controlled transition, not a single DNS edit. Inventory, data transfer, authentication, testing, and rollback planning all matter.

Why Email Security Matters as Your Startup Grows

Adding employees increases the number of accounts, devices, and people who can access business information. A growing startup should therefore review email security alongside its email hosting plan rather than treating security as a problem for much larger organisations.