Free business email in New Zealand: set up name@yourbusiness.co.nz

New Zealand businesses are small, personal and reputation-driven, which is exactly why the email address matters. A tradie in Hamilton, a Queenstown tour operator or a Wellington consultant with an xtra.co.nz or Gmail address is leaving trust on the table. Here is how to get name@yourbusiness.co.nz running with free mailboxes.

Quick answer

Register a .co.nz or .nz domain with any authorised .nz registrar, create a free OquMail workspace, add the domain, paste four DNS records, create mailboxes. There is no card and no cost for up to 15 mailboxes, so the domain is the only expense.

Domain choice: .co.nz, .nz or .com

The .nz domain is operated by InternetNZ and is open to anyone worldwide, with no residency requirement. Businesses traditionally use .co.nz, and direct .nz names have been available for years. Registrars include Crazy Domains, 1st Domains, Domainz, GoDaddy and Namecheap. A .com is used by exporters and tech companies, but a New Zealand customer expects to see .co.nz.

• .co.nz: the standard business ending; open to anyone; instant
• .nz: shorter; register it alongside .co.nz to protect the name
• .org.nz: charities and community groups
• .com: for businesses selling to Australia and beyond; still recognised locally

Why NZ customers trust a domain address

Trade Me sellers, tradies on Builderscrack, tourism operators taking bookings from overseas, accountants and sole traders with an NZBN all send quotes and invoices that people act on. An invoice from accounts@yourbusiness.co.nz is paid; one from Gmail is queried. Businesses tendering through GETS or working with councils are expected to have a company address, and a domain mailbox stays with the company when staff leave.

Step by step

1. Register yourbusiness.co.nz (and .nz if you like) with an authorised registrar.
2. Create a free OquMail workspace at oqumail.com. No card.
3. Add the domain 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 checks live DNS and points out anything still missing.
6. Create mailboxes: info@, bookings@, and one per person, up to 15.
7. Send a test from webmail and add the account to Outlook, Apple Mail or the phone mail app with the settings below.

The four DNS records OquMail needs

NZ hosts often bundle email and pre-set an MX records (the settings that tell the internet where to deliver email for your domain); remove it before adding OquMail's. If Cloudflare handles your DNS, leave MX and TXT records unproxied.

• 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

The domain is a yearly fee at the registrar. Email hosting is free: OquMail's free plan has no card step and includes 15 mailboxes, 3 domains, 5 GB per mailbox, webmail, IMAP/SMTP, delivery logs and a send API. That compares well with paying per user per month for Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 for a two- or three-person business.

Pitfalls common in New Zealand

• Using an xtra.co.nz, Spark or Vodafone address for the business. It disappears when you change provider.
• Bundled hosting email with no DKIM, so quotes land in junk at Gmail and Outlook.
• Choosing SSL on port 587. It must be STARTTLS.
• Fibre and mobile connections block outbound port 25. Ignore any guide mentioning it.
• Forgetting to update the old address on Trade Me, Google Business Profile and your Bookabach or Airbnb listing once the domain is live.

Common questions

Do I need .co.nz or is .nz enough?

Either works. Most established businesses use .co.nz because customers expect it; if you register the shorter .nz, add both to one OquMail workspace.

Does it work with Outlook and my phone?

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

What are the limits?

15 mailboxes, 3 domains, 5 GB per mailbox, no expiry. If a growing business needs more seats later, the upgrade happens in the dashboard and your domain, DNS and existing mailboxes stay exactly as they are.