Save Money on Google Workspace Using Email Aliases: A Step-by-Step Guide
Are you paying for multiple Google Workspace email accounts that rarely get used? Many businesses maintain separate email addresses for different departments (like [email protected] or [email protected]) but don’t necessarily need full accounts for each. Here’s how you can consolidate these accounts while keeping their functionality – and save money in the process.
The Problem
Many organizations end up with multiple Google Workspace accounts that:
- Receive occasional important emails
- Contain historical data and files
- Cost $12 per user monthly
- Aren’t actively used anymore
The Solution: Email Aliases
Email aliases allow you to receive emails sent to different addresses in a single inbox. By converting rarely-used accounts to aliases, you can:
- Maintain professional communication
- Keep receiving emails to all addresses
- Significantly reduce monthly costs
- Preserve all historical data
Step-by-Step Guide
1. Back Up Your Data
Before deleting any user accounts, ensure all important data is transferred:
- Log into Google Admin Console
- Select the user you want to delete
- Choose where to transfer the files
- Verify the transfer destination (typically your main account)
2. Delete the Original User
- Navigate to Users in Google Admin Console
- Select the account you want to convert to an alias
- Click Delete User
- Choose the transfer destination for all files
- Confirm the deletion
3. Create the Alias
- Go to your main user account settings
- Find “Alternative email addresses”
- Click “Add alternate email”
- Enter the previous email address
- Save the changes
Real Results
In our case, we consolidated two email accounts (info@ and clients@) into our main admin@ account. The result:
- Savings: $24 per month ($288 annually)
- All emails still received in one inbox
- Historical data preserved
- Simplified email management
Best Practices
- Test the alias before deleting the original account
- Keep a backup of important files
- Document which aliases forward where
- Verify email reception after setup
Cost-Saving Breakdown
- Original cost: $12 × 3 accounts = $36/month
- New cost: $12 × 1 account = $12/month
- Monthly savings: $24
- Annual savings: $288
Conclusion
Email aliases offer a smart way to maintain professional communication while reducing your Google Workspace costs. This simple reorganization can lead to significant savings over time while keeping all the functionality you need.
Remember: You don’t need to pay for a full Google Workspace account if you only need to receive emails at that address. Email aliases provide an efficient, cost-effective solution for managing multiple email addresses under one account.
Pro tip: Before implementing these changes, make sure to communicate the transition to any team members who might be affected and verify that all important data has been properly transferred.
