Alibaba Cloud Enterprise Email Tutorial: Setup, Pricing, and Complete Review [2025]

Want to use your own domain for company email? Like [email protected].

Alibaba Cloud Enterprise Email is an option, and there's a free version.

But is it really right for you? This article will give you a complete review and setup tutorial.

What is Alibaba Cloud Enterprise Email?

Alibaba Cloud Enterprise Email is an enterprise-grade email service provided by Alibaba.

It lets you send and receive emails using your own domain.

For example: change [email protected] to [email protected].

Key Features

• Custom domain: Use your company domain for a more professional look
• DingTalk integration: If you use DingTalk, integration is seamless
• Free version available: Small teams can start at zero cost
• Anti-spam: Built-in spam filtering

Alibaba Cloud Enterprise Email vs Alibaba Cloud

These are two different products.

Alibaba Cloud Enterprise Email is a standalone email service—you don't need to buy Alibaba Cloud servers to use it.

To learn about Alibaba Cloud's complete services, see Alibaba Cloud Complete Guide: From Beginner to Advanced, Essential Reading for International Users [2025].

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Features and Specifications

Alibaba Cloud Enterprise Email comes in three versions:

Free Version

• Account limit: Up to 5
• Storage space: 5GB per account
• Attachment size: Max 50MB
• Feature limitations: Basic send/receive only

Suitable for: Startup small teams, solo studios

Standard Version

• Account limit: Unlimited
• Storage space: 50GB per account
• Attachment size: Max 100MB
• Extra features: Email recall, read receipts, calendar

Price: From ¥600/year (approx. $85 USD)

Suitable for: Small and medium businesses, need more accounts

Premium Version

• Account limit: Unlimited
• Storage space: Unlimited
• Attachment size: Max 200MB
• Extra features: Advanced security, audit logs, VIP support

Price: From ¥1,200/year (approx. $170 USD)

Suitable for: Large enterprises, compliance requirements

Alibaba Cloud Email vs Google Workspace vs Microsoft 365

This is the comparison everyone wants to know.

Comparison	Alibaba Cloud Email	Google Workspace	Microsoft 365
Starting price	Free / ¥600/year	$7.2 USD/month	$6 USD/month
Free version	Yes (5 accounts)	No	No
Storage space	5GB-Unlimited	30GB-5TB	50GB-Unlimited
Collaboration tools	DingTalk	Docs/Sheets/Meet	Word/Excel/Teams
Calendar	Yes	Google Calendar	Outlook Calendar
Video conferencing	DingTalk Meeting	Google Meet	Microsoft Teams
China availability	Best	Limited	Limited
Global deliverability	Average	Excellent	Excellent

Key Difference Analysis

1. Price

Alibaba Cloud has a free version—this is the biggest advantage.

Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 don't have free enterprise versions.

2. Collaboration Tools

Google Workspace's Docs and Sheets collaboration is the strongest.

Microsoft 365 has the complete Office suite.

Alibaba Cloud mainly integrates with DingTalk—great for the China market but less international.

3. Email Deliverability

This is Alibaba Cloud Email's weakness.

When sending emails abroad (especially to Europe and US), there's a higher chance of being marked as spam.

Google and Microsoft have better global reputation.

4. China Market

If your clients are mainly in China, Alibaba Cloud Email has an advantage.

Google and Microsoft services are often blocked in China.

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Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, or Alibaba Cloud Email—which to choose? Schedule a consultation and let us give recommendations based on your needs.

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Setup Tutorial

Assuming you already have an Alibaba Cloud Enterprise Email account, here are the setup steps.

Step 1: Domain Verification

First, prove you own the domain.

1. Log into Alibaba Cloud Enterprise Email admin console
2. Click "Domain Management" → "Add Domain"
3. Enter your domain (e.g., yourcompany.com)
4. The system will give you a TXT record

Step 2: Add TXT Record

Go to your DNS management interface (e.g., Cloudflare, GoDaddy):

Record Type	Host Name	Value
TXT	@	Verification code from Alibaba Cloud

Wait 5-10 minutes after setup, then return to Alibaba Cloud and click "Verify".

Step 3: Configure MX Records

MX records tell the internet "where to deliver emails for this domain."

Add in your DNS management interface:

Record Type	Host Name	Value	Priority
MX	@	mxn.mxhichina.com	5
MX	@	mxw.mxhichina.com	10

Note: Remember to delete existing MX records to avoid conflicts.

For more DNS setup details, see Alibaba Cloud CDN and DNS Tutorial: Acceleration Setup and DDoS Protection Guide.

Step 4: Configure SPF Record

SPF records help reduce the chance of being marked as spam.

Record Type	Host Name	Value
TXT	@	v=spf1 include:spf.mxhichina.com -all

Step 5: Create User Accounts

1. Return to admin console
2. Click "User Management" → "Add User"
3. Fill in name, account name, password
4. Done

Now users can send and receive emails with [email protected].

Pricing Plan Comparison

Choosing enterprise email isn't just about price.

Also consider: features, stability, future scalability.

Annual Cost Calculation

Scenario: 10-person company

Plan	Annual Cost	Notes
Alibaba Cloud Free	$0	Only 5 accounts
Alibaba Cloud Standard	~$85	Unlimited accounts
Google Workspace	~$865	$7.2 x 10 x 12
Microsoft 365	~$720	$6 x 10 x 12

Hidden Costs to Watch

Alibaba Cloud:

• Free version features are very basic
• Upgrading account count costs extra
• Chinese support, but limited international support

Google Workspace:

• Price scales linearly with account count
• But strong collaboration tools may save on other software costs

Microsoft 365:

• Includes Office software licenses
• If you were going to buy Office anyway, the email is essentially free

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How to choose the most cost-effective enterprise email? Price is just one consideration—also look at features, stability, and future scalability. Schedule a free consultation and we'll do a complete evaluation for you.

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Which Businesses is it Suitable For?

Suitable for Alibaba Cloud Enterprise Email

• Budget-limited small teams: Free version is enough
• Main clients in China: Better email deliverability
• Already using DingTalk: Smoothest integration
• Don't need many collaboration features: Just need to send/receive email

Not Suitable for Alibaba Cloud Enterprise Email

• Frequently sending emails abroad: May be marked as spam
• Need powerful collaboration tools: Google Docs, Sheets are better
• Value brand image: Gmail or Outlook have higher international recognition
• Have security compliance requirements: Google, Microsoft certifications are more complete

Honest Recommendation

If your clients are mainly in international markets, we recommend Google Workspace or Microsoft 365.

Although paid, deliverability and professionalism are much better.

If mainly doing China market, or budget is really tight, Alibaba Cloud free version is an acceptable choice.

If you need to pair with a corporate website, see Alibaba Cloud ECS Tutorial: Server Specs, Configuration, and Pricing Guide.

FAQ

Q1: What are the limitations of Alibaba Cloud Enterprise Email free version?

Main limitations:

• Maximum 5 accounts
• Only 5GB space per account
• Max 50MB attachments
• No email recall feature

Q2: Can I migrate from Gmail to Alibaba Cloud Email?

Yes. Alibaba Cloud has email migration tools.

But consider carefully, because:

• Migration process may lose some email formatting
• International deliverability will decrease
• Collaboration features will be weaker

Q3: How is Alibaba Cloud Email customer service?

Chinese support, response speed is okay.

But technical support depth is not as good as Google and Microsoft.

Q4: Can I pay with international credit cards?

Alibaba Cloud International site accepts Visa/Mastercard.

China site requires Alipay.

For account registration, see Alibaba Cloud International Complete Guide: Registration, Services, and Pricing for International Users.

Q5: Will emails be monitored by the government?

Alibaba Cloud Enterprise Email servers are in China.

Under Chinese law, the government has the right to access data.

If this is a concern, we recommend choosing Google or Microsoft.

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Need Enterprise Email Solution Advice?

Choosing enterprise email isn't just about price—also consider:

• Team collaboration needs: File sharing, video conferencing
• Primary client location: China vs International
• Existing tool integration: DingTalk vs Google vs Microsoft
• Future expansion plans: Account count, feature requirements

How CloudInsight Can Help

• Needs analysis: Understand your team size and use cases
• Solution comparison: Google, Microsoft, Alibaba Cloud pros and cons analysis
• Cost calculation: Short-term and long-term total cost of ownership
• Migration planning: If you need to switch platforms, help with smooth transition
• Cloud integration: Pair with Alibaba Cloud OSS for large attachment storage, save mailbox space

Schedule a consultation and we'll give you the most suitable recommendation based on your situation.

Not just email—we look at your overall productivity tool strategy

👉 Schedule now to find the best enterprise email solution for you

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References

1. Alibaba Cloud Enterprise Email Official - https://www.alibabacloud.com/product/enterprise-email
2. Alibaba Cloud Enterprise Email Documentation - https://www.alibabacloud.com/help/enterprise-email
3. Google Workspace Pricing - https://workspace.google.com/pricing
4. Microsoft 365 Business Pricing - https://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-365/business
5. SPF Record Configuration Guide - https://www.alibabacloud.com/help/enterprise-email/spf-settings