How to use third-party email providers

Quick answer: Keep your website on the Cloud2Y VPS and let a mail provider (Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Zoho Mail and similar) host the mailboxes: point your domain's MX records at the provider, add their SPF include and DKIM record, and your mail "just works" while the site stays fully under your control.

Overview

Web hosting and mailbox hosting are independent — DNS glues them together. MX records decide where mail for your domain is delivered; A records decide where the website lives. Splitting the two is the standard modern setup: it removes the deliverability burden from your VPS entirely.

Before you start

• An account with the chosen provider and your domain verified there (usually via a TXT record).
• Access to your domain's DNS zone.
• A plan for existing mail — migrate mailboxes before switching MX if you are moving from another system.

Step-by-step guide

1. Verify the domain at the provider (their wizard gives you a TXT record to add).
2. Create the mailboxes/users at the provider.
3. Replace the domain's MX records with the provider's set, exactly as they specify (hosts and priorities).
4. Update SPF to include the provider (example for Google):

   v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ip4:YOUR.VPS.IP -all

   Keep your VPS IP in SPF only if the server itself also sends (e.g. website contact forms).
5. Add the provider's DKIM record and enable signing in their admin panel.
6. Test: send and receive in both directions and check Authentication-Results shows all passes.

Common issues

• Website forms stop being delivered: the site now sends "as" your domain from an IP not in SPF — add the VPS IP to SPF or send forms through the provider's SMTP.
• Old MX still cached: mail keeps arriving at the old host for a while after the switch — keep it readable during the TTL window.
• Local delivery trap: if a control panel on the VPS still thinks it hosts mail for the domain, outgoing site mail is delivered locally and vanishes — disable local mail for the domain in the panel.

When to contact support

Provider-side setup belongs to the provider's support, but open a ticket if site-generated mail from the VPS misbehaves after the switch or you need PTR/SPF details for the server's own sending.

Frequently asked questions

Can my site stay on the VPS if mail is hosted elsewhere?

Yes, that is the standard setup: A records keep the website on your Cloud2Y VPS while MX records send mail to the provider — the two are completely independent in DNS.

What DNS records does a mail provider need?

Their MX set, a domain-verification TXT record, their include in your SPF record, and their DKIM key — every provider lists the exact values in its setup wizard.

Why did my website contact form stop delivering after the switch?

The site now sends as your domain from an IP that is no longer in SPF, or the panel still delivers the domain locally — add the VPS IP to SPF or relay form mail through the provider.

Related articles

• Recommended email providers for business
• Should you host email on a VPS?
• How to configure DNS for email services
• How to create email accounts in a control panel

Need a hand? Contact Cloud2Y support →