Free business email in Ireland: set up name@yourbusiness.ie in 2026

Ireland's .ie domain is unusual: you have to prove a connection to Ireland to get one, which is exactly why Irish customers trust it. If you are a sole trader, a tradesperson, a B&B owner or a Dublin startup, here is how to get name@yourbusiness.ie working with free mailboxes and correct DNS.

Quick answer

Register yourbusiness.ie through an accredited registrar (you will need to show a connection to Ireland), create a free OquMail workspace, add the domain, paste four DNS records, create mailboxes. The email side is free with no card, so the domain is the only cost.

Getting a .ie domain

The .ie registry (IE Domain Registry, now branded .IE) requires every registrant to show a connection to Ireland: a CRO company number, a business name registration, a PPS number, a trade licence or a similar document. Registrars such as Blacknight, Register365, LetsHost and Hosting Ireland handle the check, usually within a day. This means a foreign business without an Irish presence cannot simply buy a .ie, which is a feature for trust. A .com is also popular with Irish businesses that sell to the UK and US.

• .ie: requires proof of connection to Ireland; the most trusted ending for Irish customers
• .com: no checks, instant; common for Irish tech and export businesses
• .co.uk: only if you genuinely trade in Northern Ireland or Britain; it confuses Irish customers otherwise
• Register the .ie in the business name, not a personal name, so it survives any restructure

Why Irish customers trust a .ie address

Because the registry checks who owns each .ie, Irish consumers and businesses treat a .ie email as a sign the company is real and registered here. That matters for tradespeople quoting on jobs, for B&Bs and guesthouses taking bookings from abroad, for accountants and solicitors, and for anyone tendering to a public body through eTenders. An eircom.net or gmail.com address on an invoice reads as a hobby, and Irish accounts departments increasingly query it.

Step by step

1. Apply for yourbusiness.ie with an accredited registrar, uploading your CRO number, business name registration or other proof of connection.
2. Once approved, create a free OquMail workspace at oqumail.com. No card is needed.
3. Add the domain in the dashboard and copy the four DNS records.
4. In the registrar’s DNS panel add the MX, SPF, DKIM and DMARC records.
5. Click Verify. OquMail queries live DNS and shows which record is still missing.
6. Create mailboxes: info@, accounts@, bookings@ and one per person, up to 15.
7. Send a test from webmail, then connect Outlook, Apple Mail or the phone mail app with the settings below.

The four DNS records OquMail needs

Irish hosts such as Blacknight and Register365 use cPanel or a custom panel; look for DNS or Zone Editor. Remove any MX records (the settings that tell the internet where to deliver email for your domain) the host pre-set for its own webmail.

• MX — host @, value mail.oqumail.com, priority 10
• SPF (TXT at @) — v=spf1 MX (Mail Exchanger — where incoming email is delivered) a:mail.oqumail.com ~all
• DKIM (TXT at your selector ._domainkey) — v=DKIM1; k=rsa; p=… (the exact key is shown in your OquMail dashboard)
• DMARC (TXT at _dmarc) — v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:dmarc@yourdomain.com

OquMail connection settings

• Incoming (IMAP): mail.oqumail.com, port 993, SSL/TLS
• Outgoing (SMTP): mail.oqumail.com, port 587, STARTTLS
• Username: your full email address (you@yourdomain.com)
• Password: the same password you use for OquMail webmail

What it costs

You pay the registrar for the .ie. The email is free: OquMail's free plan needs no card and includes 15 mailboxes, 3 domains, 5 GB per mailbox, webmail, IMAP/SMTP, delivery logs and a send API. Compared with paying per user per month for Google Workspace or Microsoft 365, that is real money for a business of three or four people.

Pitfalls common in Ireland

• Keeping an eircom.net or eir address on signage and invoices. Change broadband and it is gone.
• Using the free mailboxes that come with a hosting package. No DKIM, shared IP, and quotes go to junk at the corporate clients you most want.
• Selecting SSL on port 587 in Outlook. Choose STARTTLS.
• Mobile networks and many home connections block port 25. Ignore any old guide that mentions it.
• Letting the .ie lapse because the renewal email went to an old address. Put the registrar account on your new domain address and turn on auto-renew.

Common questions

Can I get a .ie as a sole trader without a company?

Yes. A registered business name from the CRO, a PPS number or evidence of trading in Ireland is enough for the connection check.

Does it work with Outlook and my phone?

Yes. Add an IMAP account in Outlook, Apple Mail or the Gmail app using the settings above.

What are the free plan limits?

15 mailboxes, 3 domains, 5 GB per mailbox, no expiry. A typical Sdn Bhd with a director, two sales staff, an accounts clerk and shared info@ and sales@ addresses uses six of the fifteen, and you can add the rest as you hire without touching DNS.