Overview
This article answers frequently asked questions about DreamHost email, covering account access and setup, DNS requirements, storage and sending limits, and mailing lists.
General
What DreamHost hosting plans include bundled email?
All DreamHost web hosting plans include a free trial of Professional Email on your domain, with the number of mailboxes varying by plan. DreamPress, Managed VPS, and Dedicated plans include unlimited email at no additional cost.
How do I access Webmail?
By default, the URL for Webmail is https://webmail.dreamhost.com. See this article for further details.
Will email still work if my domain registration expires?
Unfortunately, emails will not work if your registration expires. If a message was sent to you and your domain expired, the sender will receive a bounce notification that the message was undelivered. The domain registration must be active and have updated DNS records to use email.
Do I need an active hosting plan to host email at DreamHost?
No. If your hosting plan does not include email, DreamHost offers Professional Email as a standalone, email-only plan.
Do I need a domain name?
Yes. You'll need at least one domain, registered with DreamHost or another registrar. If the domain is registered elsewhere, DNS records must be set up to enable email; if it's registered with DreamHost, this is configured automatically. A domain can also be registered directly with DreamHost if you don't already have one.
What's the difference between Professional Email and Google Workspace?
Professional Email is a straightforward, ad-free inbox at your own domain, with 25GB of storage per mailbox. Professional Email Plus includes everything in Professional Email, with 100GB of storage per mailbox — upgrade to Plus at any time from the panel. Google Workspace adds Google's collaboration tools (Docs, Drive, Meet, and Gemini AI) alongside email, for accounts that want a full workspace suite rather than email alone.
How do I set up my address on a mail client?
See this article, which walks you through how to configure an email client.
Where is email stored?
Email is stored on a mail server that is completely separate from your web server. You can access the mail server only by using a mail client.
Does DreamHost back up my email?
Yes. Every mailbox is backed up automatically, with regular snapshots that allow messages to be restored from a range of dates and times. See How do I restore my email? for restore instructions.
I'm getting too much spam — Can I control this in the panel?
DreamHost offers anti-spam services you can use to filter spam. You can also create custom message filters to block specific messages.
How can I transfer my email to DreamHost?
There are several ways to do this. See this article for further details.
Can I create an alias for my email address?
Yes. DreamHost email accounts allow the use of disposable or on-the-fly email address aliases, where you can instantly generate a unique email address based on an existing mailbox. For more information on how to create and use an on-the-fly email address, see this article.
Is my email private?
Yes. DreamHost does not sell email or personal data to third parties, and messages are not used to train third-party advertising algorithms.
DNS
How can I change my MX records?
You can change these records in your panel. See this article for further details.
Can I access mail via an IP address?
No. You must always use a URL address. PTR records are not supported.
Limits
How many email addresses can I create?
If you have a Managed VPS or Dedicated plan, you can create as many email addresses as you like.
If you have a Professional Email plan, you can only create as many email addresses as you've signed up for.
Is there a limit on how much disk space an address can use?
For addresses not on a paid Professional Email plan, yes — this can be set anywhere from 1GB to 25GB, with 25GB as the default. DreamHost recommends raising this limit if you're expecting to store a lot of mail through that address and leave it on DreamHost's servers (as opposed to downloading it off the server using a POP3 connection).
Addresses on a Professional Email plan have a fixed storage limit instead — 25GB on Professional Email, or 100GB on Professional Email Plus.
Are there limits on how large an attachment I can send?
Yes. The limits depend on whether you're sending via Webmail, a mail client, or from your domain's web server. More information on sending limits can be found in this article.
Can I use my email address to send mass messages?
No. View the SMTP quota article for limitations and options for mass messaging.
