Free Custom Email with Cloudflare Email Routing

Did you know you can simply use Cloudflare email routing to get a custom email address for free?

Most people pay $6–12/month for Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 just to have email with their own domain. This setup costs you nothing, except the domain name itself.

What you need

• A domain name ($10–15/year at Namecheap, GoDaddy, etc. — students: free via GitHub Student Pack)
• A Gmail account (free)
• A Cloudflare account (free)

Step 1: Get a domain name

Buy one from Namecheap, Porkbun, or any registrar.

Budget options:

• .xyz, .site, .online (~$2–5/year)

Premium options:

• .com, .io, .ai (~$10–15/year)

Students: free domains via the GitHub Student Pack

Choose something short and memorable for your brand.

Step 2: Add your domain to Cloudflare

1. Sign up at cloudflare.com (the free plan is plenty)
2. Click “Add a site” and enter your domain
3. Cloudflare scans your DNS records
4. Copy the two nameservers provided by Cloudflare
5. Go back to your registrar and replace the nameservers
6. Wait about 5–10 minutes for global DNS propagation

Step 3: Enable email routing

1. In the Cloudflare dashboard, go to Email > Email Routing
2. Click “Get Started” to enable the feature
3. Enter your Gmail address as the destination
4. Check your Gmail for the Cloudflare confirmation link
5. Click it to prove you own that inbox

You can now create custom addresses.

Step 4: Create custom email addresses

1. Click “Create address” in the Email Routing section
2. Type the desired address: hello@, contact@, support@, sales@, hi@, etc.
3. Choose which inbox to forward to (your Gmail)
4. Click Save

Repeat for as many addresses as you want — it’s unlimited and free. They can all point to the same Gmail or different inboxes.

Step 5: Send emails from your custom address (optional)

Gmail setup

1. Open Gmail > Settings > See all settings
2. “Accounts and Import” tab
3. Under “Send mail as”, click “Add another email address”
4. Enter your name and custom address (e.g. hello@yourdomain.com)

SMTP configuration

On the next page:

• SMTP Server: smtp.gmail.com
• Port: 587
• Username: your full Gmail address (e.g. you@gmail.com)
• Password: a Google App Password (NOT your Gmail password)

Create a Google App Password

1. Google Account > Security > 2-Step Verification (enable if needed)
2. App passwords > generate one for “Mail”

Finalization

1. Click “Add Account”
2. Gmail sends a verification email to your custom address
3. Cloudflare forwards it automatically to your Gmail
4. Enter the code or click the validation link

Done — you can now send emails from your custom address directly in Gmail.

Step 6: Verify your DNS records

Cloudflare automatically configures SPF, DKIM and DMARC when you enable email routing. Nothing to add manually.

To verify: Cloudflare > DNS > Records

• MX pointing to Cloudflare
• TXT for SPF and DKIM

If something looks wrong, disable then re-enable email routing.

Note on DKIM

Unlike Google Workspace, plain Gmail does not sign outgoing emails with your custom domain’s DKIM key. Some recipients may flag your emails as suspicious.

For personal or freelance use, Cloudflare’s SPF is usually enough. If deliverability becomes an issue, consider Google Workspace.

Result

• You receive emails at hello@yourdomain.com in your usual Gmail
• You can reply from that address
• You have a professional image
• You pay $0/month (just the annual domain)
• No storage limit since you use Gmail

Important limitations

• Cloudflare only forwards emails — no storage or real mailbox
• Emails sent via Gmail “Send mail as” may land in spam at first
• Gmail limit: 500 emails sent per day from custom addresses
• Not ideal for teams or high volume

Perfect for

• Freelancers
• Side projects
• Personal brands
• Small businesses
• Portfolio sites

Not ideal for

• Large teams
• High-volume commercial email
• Established enterprises

Summary

A professional email with a custom domain for about $10/year instead of $72+/year with Google Workspace. Simple, effective, and free.

It’s an excellent first step to build your personal brand without breaking the bank.