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No. Cloudways does not run mailbox hosting on its own servers. A Cloudways server hosts your website or application; addresses such as [email protected] must be supplied by a separate email service. Cloudways documents Rackspace Email as its option for ordinary send-and-receive mailboxes, while Elastic Email and SMTP add-ons are designed for messages generated by applications.
That separation explains why the Cloudways console does not offer a normal “create mailbox” control. You choose the service that matches your need, add its DNS records at your domain host, verify the domain when required, and test mail after DNS propagation. The right choice depends on whether you need human inboxes, transactional sending, or both.
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Why can’t I create a mailbox in Cloudways?
Cloudways is a managed application and server-hosting platform, not a mailbox host. Its servers run your web stack, databases and application processes; they do not provide the user storage, spam filtering, mailbox administration, authentication and abuse controls needed for a conventional email service.
Cloudways’ official FAQ describes the boundary directly: it provides email solutions through add-ons so customers can configure email hosting or SMTP sending even though Cloudways does not host email on its own servers. The absence of a mailbox screen is therefore a product limitation by design, not an error with your server.
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Keeping the services separate also lets you change email providers without moving the website. Your domain’s DNS determines where incoming mail goes, while your application can use a different SMTP service for automated messages.
What email should I use with Cloudways?
Start by identifying the type of message you need to send. A person who reads and replies to messages needs a hosted mailbox; a website sending receipts or password resets needs a transactional sender; a business may need both.
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Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minute| Cloudways option | Primary purpose | Can receive normal mailbox mail? | Configuration focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rackspace Email | Human, custom-domain inboxes | Yes | MX records for delivery, plus SPF and autodiscover records |
| Elastic Email | Transactional and application-generated messages | No | Domain verification with SPF, DKIM, MX and DMARC records |
| Cloudways SMTP add-on or an external SMTP service | Application sending through an SMTP relay | No | SMTP host, port, credentials and sender-domain authentication |
When should I choose Rackspace Email?
Choose Rackspace Email when staff need addresses that can send and receive, such as [email protected] or [email protected]. Cloudways’ guide lists a price of $1.5 per mailbox per month and 25 GB of mailbox storage per user (Cloudways, 2026). Pricing, packaging and availability can change, so confirm the amount shown in your account before subscribing.
Rackspace setup uses MX targets including mx1.emailsrvr.com and mx2.emailsrvr.com. Cloudways also documents SPF and autodiscover records. DNS changes can take 24 to 48 hours to propagate, although individual resolvers may update sooner or later.
This service is intended for normal mailbox traffic. Cloudways warns that it is not appropriate for mass-volume transactional email; use a dedicated SMTP or Elastic Email configuration for receipts, alerts and other automated bursts.
When is Elastic Email the better fit?
Elastic Email is for application-triggered delivery: password resets, order receipts, account notifications and similar messages. It is not a replacement for an employee inbox or a shared support mailbox.
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Authentication records improve deliverability and prove that the sending service is authorized to use your domain. They do not create a user mailbox; incoming mail still needs a mailbox provider and its MX records.
What does the SMTP add-on do?
Cloudways documents a free SMTP add-on and lists SendGrid, Mailgun, Mandrill, Gmail and custom SMTP services as possible relays. The provider may charge separately, and those charges remain your responsibility.
An SMTP relay accepts a message from your application and delivers it to the recipient. It normally does not offer an inbox that a person can open in a webmail interface. Keep the relay’s credentials, sender identity and rate limits separate from the settings used by human mailbox clients.
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You can leave the application and mailbox at different companies. The essential work happens at the DNS host for your domain, which may be your registrar or a separate DNS provider.
- Classify the requirement. Decide whether you need a human mailbox, application sending, or both. Do not select an SMTP relay when the requirement is an inbox.
- Activate the appropriate service. Add Rackspace Email for user mailboxes, Elastic Email for transactional delivery, or the Cloudways SMTP add-on or another relay for application sending.
- Collect the exact DNS values. Use the provider’s current MX, SPF, DKIM, DMARC, autodiscover and verification values. Record the host names, record types, priorities and quoted values before editing DNS.
- Remove conflicts. For inbound mail, delete obsolete MX records or lower-priority records that point to an old provider. Multiple unrelated MX sets can split delivery or cause intermittent failures. Keep one deliberate set for the mailbox provider.
- Publish authentication records. Add SPF, DKIM and DMARC exactly as supplied. SPF should authorize the services that send for your domain; DKIM signs messages; DMARC tells receiving systems how to handle messages that fail alignment.
- Verify ownership. Elastic Email and some other services require a verification record or confirmation before they will send. Complete that step in the provider dashboard.
- Wait for DNS propagation. Cloudways says Rackspace DNS changes may take 24 to 48 hours. During that window, different recipients can see different results because resolvers cache previous records.
- Test both directions. Send a message from the new mailbox to an external address and reply to it. For an application, trigger a real test notification and inspect the provider’s delivery log, the recipient’s headers and any bounce response.
- Configure software independently. Enter the relay’s SMTP host, port, username, password, encryption mode and verified From address in the application. Mail-client settings for a human mailbox are separate from these application credentials.
Which DNS records matter for Cloudways email?
Each record has a different job. Confusing them is a common reason for “email hosting unavailable” symptoms.
MX routes incoming mail
Mail exchanger (MX) records tell other mail servers where to deliver messages for your domain. Rackspace’s documented targets include mx1.emailsrvr.com and mx2.emailsrvr.com. MX records do not control website traffic and do not configure application SMTP.
SPF authorizes senders
An SPF TXT record lists the services allowed to send mail for your domain. Publish the provider’s complete value rather than creating several SPF records; receivers expect one SPF policy for a domain. If you already send from another service, merge the authorized mechanisms according to that provider’s instructions.
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DKIM signs messages
DKIM uses a private key at the sending service and a public key in DNS. Receivers use the public key to check that the message was signed by an authorized service and was not altered. Cloudways specifies a 2048-bit key for new Elastic Email domains beginning in October 2026.
DMARC sets a policy
DMARC checks whether SPF or DKIM aligns with the visible From domain and publishes a policy for failures. Start with the provider’s recommended policy and reporting address, then tighten enforcement after you understand legitimate senders. A DMARC record alone cannot deliver mail or create a mailbox.
Autodiscover simplifies mailbox clients
Rackspace’s setup also includes autodiscover records. They help supported mail clients find server settings automatically; they are not a substitute for MX, SPF, DKIM or DMARC.
How do I migrate an existing mailbox to a Cloudways email option?
Changing MX records directs new mail to the new provider; it does not copy messages, contacts, calendars or historical folders. Plan a separate import or client-side migration if old mail must remain available.
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Before changing MX
- List every address, alias, forwarding rule and shared mailbox that must survive the move.
- Lower the DNS TTL in advance if your DNS host permits it, while recognizing that previously cached records can still persist.
- Export or archive important messages and document the old provider’s IMAP, SMTP and authentication settings.
- Create destination users before switching delivery so incoming mail has a valid target.
During the cutover
- Import historical mail with the destination provider’s migration tool or an IMAP-capable client.
- Publish the new MX records and remove the old ones only when the destination accounts are ready.
- Keep the old service active during the 24-to-48-hour propagation period so messages arriving through cached MX records are not lost.
- Recreate aliases, forwarding and mobile or desktop client profiles.
After the cutover
Check delivery from several unrelated senders, including a consumer mailbox and an automated form on your site. Review bounce notices and message headers, then decommission the old service only after its logs show no remaining traffic and the retention requirement is satisfied.
Why is mail still failing after I add the records?
Most failures come from a record conflict, an unverified domain or mixing mailbox and SMTP settings. Use the symptom to narrow the fix.
Messages to the domain bounce or disappear
- Inspect public DNS and confirm that the active MX records point only to the chosen mailbox provider.
- Remove stale MX records from the previous host and check priorities; a lower number is preferred by sending servers.
- Confirm that the destination user or alias exists and that the provider has finished provisioning it.
Outgoing mail lands in spam
- Verify SPF, DKIM and DMARC records at the authoritative DNS host.
- Make sure the application’s From domain is one the relay has verified.
- Check DKIM selector spelling and key length, especially for a new Elastic Email domain created from October 2026 onward.
- Review the provider’s bounce, complaint and suppression logs instead of repeatedly retrying rejected recipients.
The application reports an SMTP authentication error
- Use the SMTP credentials generated for the relay, not the password for a human mailbox.
- Check the hostname, port and encryption mode exactly as the provider specifies.
- Confirm that the sender address is permitted and that the domain verification step is complete.
- Rotate exposed credentials and update the application secret if a password has appeared in logs or source code.
Some users see old results while others see new mail
This is normally DNS caching during propagation. Compare the MX response from more than one network, allow the stated 24-to-48-hour window, and avoid repeatedly changing records because each edit can extend confusion.
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How should I compare alternatives to Cloudways’ email add-ons?
Price is only one part of the decision. Compare the service against the workload and the operational responsibility you are prepared to take on.
Mailbox capability
Confirm whether the service includes send-and-receive inboxes, aliases, groups, forwarding, contacts, calendars and mobile or desktop access. A transactional relay cannot replace these features.
Migration and retention
Check whether it can import existing IMAP mail, preserve folder structure and retain messages when a user leaves. Establish how long deleted accounts and quarantined messages remain recoverable.
Security and administration
Look for multifactor authentication, administrative roles, audit logs, encryption, spam and malware filtering, DKIM key management and DMARC reporting. Decide who will own account recovery and abuse-response work.
Deliverability and limits
Review sending quotas, rate limits, bounce handling, suppression lists and acceptable-use rules. Normal mailbox traffic and high-volume application traffic have different reputational and technical requirements.
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Compare per-user storage, attachment limits, support hours, escalation paths and service-status transparency. Rackspace’s Cloudways listing states 25 GB per user; do not assume another provider offers the same allowance.
Total cost and DNS effort
Include per-mailbox fees, relay usage, migration charges, add-on fees and renewal terms. Also count the time needed to publish and maintain MX, SPF, DKIM, DMARC and verification records across every sending service.
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Can Cloudways host a website and use a different email provider?
Yes. Website hosting and email delivery are controlled by different DNS records. Keep the web-related records pointed at Cloudways while directing MX records to the mailbox provider; configure application SMTP separately for automated messages.
Before editing DNS, identify whether your domain uses an apex record, a www alias, a CDN or a third-party DNS host. Change only the records required for mail and verification. A careless nameserver switch can take the website offline even when the email settings are correct.
What is the practical Cloudways email decision?
Use Rackspace Email for people who need ordinary custom-domain inboxes, Elastic Email for application-triggered delivery at scale, and an SMTP add-on or external relay when your application needs authenticated outbound mail through a different service. None of the sending options creates a human mailbox.
Whichever route you choose, treat DNS as part of the service: publish the provider’s current records, remove conflicting MX entries, complete verification, wait for propagation and test inbound and outbound paths separately. Recheck current pricing, availability, storage and technical instructions in your Cloudways account because add-on details can change.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I keep my old email provider while testing a Cloudways server?
Yes. Leave the existing MX records in place while you test application SMTP from the Cloudways server. Send test messages to controlled addresses and switch MX only when the new mailbox accounts, authentication records and migration plan are ready.
Will changing MX records move my old messages automatically?
No. MX changes affect future delivery only; they do not copy historical mail, contacts or calendars. Use an IMAP import or a mail-client migration and keep the old service available during DNS propagation.
Do I have to move my domain’s nameservers to Cloudways for email to work?
No. Email works wherever your authoritative DNS is hosted. Add the mailbox provider’s MX and authentication records there, while leaving website records aimed at Cloudways.
Can one domain use both a mailbox service and a transactional sender?
Yes, provided the DNS policies are combined correctly. Keep MX records for the mailbox provider, authorize every legitimate sender in SPF, publish each service’s DKIM selector, and use DMARC to align the visible From domain.
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