Ditch teh @Gmail.com: Why a Custom Email Domain is the Most Empowering Tech Move You Can Make
For the past three years, I’ve seamlessly switched email providers three times – and never once had to change my email address.
how? My email address isn’t tied to a giant tech company. Rather of relying on @gmail.com,@yahoo.com, or a similar provider, I use my own domain - @jarednewman.com – for email. And the best part? I can move it between providers whenever I want.
This is the power of using a custom domain for email, and it’s genuinely one of the most liberating tech decisions I’ve ever made. When Skiff Mail unexpectedly shut down in 2023, I simply migrated to Proton Mail. Later, after encountering limitations with Proton, I effortlessly moved everything over to Fastmail, taking my address and all my messages with me.
I recently shared this setup in a piece about Proton and Fastmail, and the response was overwhelming. Many of you asked for a deeper dive. Let me be upfront: setting this up can seem daunting, but the long-term benefits of controlling a core piece of your online identity are absolutely worth the initial effort.
(Want more tech advice delivered directly to your inbox? Catch-all aliases in Fastmail – a key feature for managing your inbox.
Why You Need a Custom Email Domain
Freedom From Provider Lock-In: Being tied to an email address from a major provider creates a frustrating dependency. Switching providers means the headache of updating your address everywhere and setting up forwarding - a constant trickle of reminders and potential missed messages.
With a custom domain, that obstacle vanishes. Once people are using your @yourdomain.com address,you’re free to switch providers without the disruption.I likely wouldn’t have moved from Proton to Fastmail (which I’m enjoying significantly more) if I’d had to change my address.Take Control of Your Digital Identity: Most online services use your email address as your username. While you might trust Google or Yahoo with this data, why not control it yourself? A custom domain ensures that if you switch email providers – or, heaven forbid, your account is compromised – your logins remain unaffected.you’re not reliant on a third party to access your online life.
Unlock the Power of Email Aliases: Email aliases are a game-changer for inbox management. I use them extensively - for example, I have a dedicated address solely for newsletter subscriptions, automatically filtered into a “Newsletters” folder.
Gmail offers a basic alias system (yourname+newsletters@gmail.com), but it’s limited. With a custom domain, you have far more versatility.
The Problem with Gmail Aliases & Why Custom Domains Win: Marketers are increasingly savvy at identifying and ignoring these ”+” aliases, rendering them less effective. A custom domain allows you to create truly unique and disposable addresses for every service,protecting your primary inbox from spam and tracking.Ready to take control? The initial setup requires a little technical know-how, but the peace of mind and long-term flexibility are invaluable.
(Stay tuned for a follow-up article detailing exactly how to set up a custom email domain. In the meantime, check out
