Recently, Zoho Mail has gained significant attention in the digital arena. Following the interest generated by Arattai, Zoho’s messaging app, the email platform is also receiving notice, particularly after reports of high-profile individuals, including Home Minister Amit Shah, making the switch. With its commitment to privacy and smooth integration within the Zoho ecosystem, Zoho Mail is emerging as a formidable alternative to Gmail. If you’re thinking about transitioning, here’s a comprehensive overview of how Zoho Mail differs from Gmail, its notable features, and a guide for transferring your account.
To switch from Gmail to Zoho Mail, first, sign up for Zoho Mail by visiting the official website, where you can choose between a free version or premium plans based on your requirements. Next, enable IMAP in your Gmail by navigating to Settings > Forwarding and POP/IMAP and turning on IMAP. This step allows Zoho Mail to securely access and transfer your emails, contacts, and folders. Afterward, log into Zoho Mail, go to the Import/Export section, and use the Migration Wizard to import all your Gmail data, including messages, address books, and folder structures, with ease.
Once the migration is finished, set up Gmail to forward any new messages directly to your Zoho Mail inbox to ensure you don’t miss any updates. Lastly, inform your contacts of your new email address and update it on your social media, banking, and subscription accounts. It’s important to note that larger or older Gmail accounts may face slight delays during migration, and Gmail-specific integrations like Google Drive or Keep will no longer work after switching. The advantages of Zoho Mail include a focus on privacy, productivity, and collaboration. Unlike Gmail, which processes emails for advertising, Zoho Mail offers an ad-free experience, resulting in a cleaner inbox.
It features Streams for collaboration, enabling users to create posts, tag colleagues, assign tasks, and plan events within the inbox. Users can send attachments up to 1 GB, with larger files shared via secure links. Zoho Mail allows email recall even after sending, notifying the recipient accordingly, unlike Gmail’s limited “Undo Send” feature. Enhanced security is provided through S/MIME for digital signatures, ensuring the authenticity of emails. Organizations can utilize email retention and eDiscovery features to archive and retrieve messages for compliance purposes. Smart filters automatically categorize incoming emails for better management, while Zoho Mail’s built-in productivity suite integrates Calendar, Tasks, Notes, Contacts, and Bookmarks, reducing reliance on third-party apps.
For mobile users, dedicated apps—Zoho Mail, Zoho Mail Streams, and Zoho Mail Admin—are available for Android and iOS, allowing users to manage their inbox on the go. With its privacy-centric design and a wealth of features, Zoho Mail is increasingly becoming an attractive option for those looking to move away from Gmail’s advertising-driven model.