ChatGPT answers, unedited

For a two-person consulting firm, I would usually separate website hosting from email hosting rather than buying a traditional “all-in-one hosting” package. Your email is likely more important than your website, and dedicated business email platforms generally provide better security, spam filtering, reliability, and administration than web-hosting mailboxes. Trusthost Monday Host

My shortlist:

1. Best overall: Microsoft 365 Business Basic

Best if you use Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams, or work with corporate clients.

Why I’d consider it:

• Professional email on your domain (you@yourfirm.com)
• Exchange email infrastructure
• OneDrive file storage
• Teams meetings/chat
• Familiar Outlook experience
• Strong admin controls and security options ChoicePilot Helix Stax

A typical setup:

• Microsoft 365 Business Basic for each person
• A separate fast website host (if you have a website)
• Your domain registered separately

2. Best if you prefer Gmail-style workflow: Google Workspace

Best if your firm lives in Gmail, Google Docs, and shared files.

Advantages:

• Gmail with your own domain
• Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, Meet, Calendar
• Simple administration for a very small team
• Good spam filtering and collaboration tools Fit Small Business LaunchPlain

3. Lower-cost option: Zoho Mail

Best if you mainly need secure email and don’t need a full office suite.

Good fit if:

• You want professional email cheaply
• You already have document tools elsewhere
• You don’t need advanced collaboration features Fit Small Business

Website hosting recommendation

For the website itself, I would avoid using your email provider as your web host unless convenience matters more than performance. For a consulting firm site (WordPress, brochure site, landing pages), look for:

• SSD/NVMe storage
• Automatic backups
• Free SSL
• CDN support
• Two-factor authentication
• Good uptime history

A simple architecture I’d choose:

Domain registrar → your domain name
Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace → email
Managed WordPress/cloud host → website

My default pick for a two-person consulting firm

• Microsoft 365 Business Basic + a quality website host if you deal with businesses, contracts, proposals, and Office documents.
• Google Workspace + a quality website host if you are a browser-first team.
• Zoho Mail + budget web hosting if keeping costs very low is the priority.

I would not rely on email included with a shared hosting plan for a consulting business unless the email is very low importance; migrating later can be painful, and business email downtime is more disruptive than a website outage. Monday Host

If you tell me your website type (WordPress/static/custom), budget per month, and whether clients send sensitive documents, I can narrow this to a specific setup.

For a two-person consulting firm, I’d generally avoid traditional “web hosting with included email” packages for your business mail. The better setup is usually:

• Dedicated business email hosting (security, reliability, deliverability)
• Separate website hosting if you have a site
• Strong authentication (MFA, SPF, DKIM, DMARC)

My recommendation depends on what you mean by “secure” and what tools you use:

Best overall: microsoft.com

Good fit if you use Outlook, Word, Excel, Teams, or work with corporate clients.

Pros:

• Excellent business email reliability through Exchange
• Strong admin/security controls
• Good client compatibility (many enterprises expect Exchange/Outlook)
• Includes Office apps on some plans
• Scales easily if you grow

Trade-off:

• More settings and administration than simpler options

Best simple choice: workspace.google.com

Good fit if you prefer Gmail and browser-based work. Fit Small Business TechRepublic

Pros:

• Very easy for a two-person team
• Gmail interface most people already know
• Calendar, Drive, Docs, Meet included
• Good spam filtering and account controls
• Easy sharing and collaboration

Trade-off:

• Less ideal if your clients heavily use Microsoft/Office workflows

Best privacy-focused option: proton.me

Good fit if client confidentiality is a major concern (legal, financial, research, sensitive consulting). Proton

Pros:

• Strong privacy and encryption features
• Security-focused design
• Custom domains supported

Trade-off:

• Less seamless with some business workflows than Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace

Budget option: zoho.com

Good if you mainly need professional email at low cost. ChoicePilot

Pros:

• Affordable
• Custom-domain email
• Solid small-business features

Trade-off:

• Smaller ecosystem than Google or Microsoft

What I would set up for a 2-person consultancy

A practical setup:

• Domain: yourcompany.com
• Email:

• Microsoft 365 Business Basic or
• Google Workspace Business Starter
• Accounts:

• firstname@yourcompany.com
• firstname@yourcompany.com
• aliases like info@, proposals@, billing@
• Security:

• MFA required for both users
• Password manager
• SPF + DKIM + DMARC configured
• Recovery codes stored securely
• Website:

• Host separately (managed WordPress host, static hosting, or a site builder)

If you tell me:

1. whether you use Outlook or Gmail,
2. whether you handle sensitive client data, and
3. whether you need a website too,

I can narrow it down to a specific setup.

For a two-person consulting firm, I’d recommend Microsoft 365 Business Premium if security is the priority.

My pick: Microsoft 365 Business Premium

microsoft.com

It gives you:

• Professional email on your own domain (you@yourfirm.com)
• Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.
• 1 TB of OneDrive storage per person
• Strong phishing/spam/malware protection
• Microsoft Defender for endpoint and ransomware protection
• Intune for managing company data on laptops/phones
• Entra ID for identity and access controls
• MFA and other security features

Microsoft currently lists Business Premium at $22/user/month with an annual commitment, or $18.79/user/month for the no-Teams version. For two people, that's roughly $44/month with Teams, before tax. Microsoft Microsoft

The cheaper alternative

If you don't need the advanced device/security controls, Microsoft 365 Business Standard is probably the sweet spot. It's currently $10.79/user/month annually without Teams and includes business email, Office apps, 1 TB storage, and standard spam/malware protection. Microsoft

For only two people, I'd personally spend the extra money on Premium if you're handling confidential client information.

What about Google Workspace?

workspace.google.com is my second choice. Business Standard is $14/user/month normally and gives you 2 TB per user, business Gmail, Meet, Drive, and Google's security/management controls. Google Workspace

I'd choose Google Workspace instead if you already live in Gmail, Google Docs, Sheets, and Drive and don't rely heavily on Microsoft Office.

Bottom line:
Microsoft 365 Business Premium + your own domain + MFA would be my recommendation for a two-person consulting firm where secure email and good performance matter. You don't need to rent or manage your own mail server—the hosted service is faster, easier to maintain, and substantially safer for a small firm.

For a two-person consulting firm, I’d recommend Google Workspace Business Standard as the best overall fit.

• Email: Professional custom-domain Gmail (you@yourfirm.com) with strong built-in security and encryption. Google Workspace
• Speed/reliability: Gmail and Google's infrastructure are generally a very good fit if you need fast access from laptops and phones.
• Collaboration: You get Drive, Docs, Meet, Calendar, etc., so you don't need to assemble a separate stack.
• Storage: 2 TB per user on Business Standard, which is generous for a two-person firm. Google Workspace
• Cost: Currently listed at $14/user/month standard pricing, with promotional pricing available at the moment. Google Workspace

When I'd choose Microsoft 365 instead

If your consulting work revolves heavily around Outlook, Word, Excel, and Windows, I'd seriously consider Microsoft 365 Business Premium. It's currently $22/user/month on annual billing and adds substantially stronger security tooling, including Defender for Office 365, Intune, Entra ID, and Purview data protection. Microsoft

My pick:
Google Workspace Business Standard for a typical two-person consulting firm; Microsoft 365 Business Premium if client confidentiality/security requirements are unusually demanding or you're deeply invested in Microsoft Office.

If you tell me what kind of consulting you do and whether you use Mac or Windows, I can narrow it down to the best plan and security setup.

For a two-person consulting firm, I’d recommend Google Workspace as the default choice—unless you’re heavily invested in Microsoft Office.

My pick: Google Workspace

It gives you:

• Professional email on your own domain — e.g. you@yourfirm.com
• Strong spam/phishing protection and support for SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to protect your domain and improve deliverability. Google Workspace Help Google Workspace
• Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Docs, Meet, etc. in one system
• Very good performance without having to manage a mail server
• Straightforward administration for just two users
• Easy expansion if you grow to 5–20 people

For a small consulting firm, I'd generally take managed cloud email over self-hosting email. The latter saves little money but creates a lot more responsibility around backups, spam filtering, security, uptime, and deliverability.

When I'd choose Microsoft 365 instead

If you primarily use Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook, I'd seriously consider Microsoft 365 Business Premium. It's more expensive, but its security stack is excellent: Microsoft includes Defender for Business, Defender for Office 365, Entra ID, Intune, and other security capabilities. Microsoft currently lists Business Premium at $22/user/month when paid annually. Microsoft Microsoft

That makes it particularly attractive if your consulting work involves sensitive client documents or Windows PCs.

What about Proton?

Proton is worth considering if privacy is more important than integration and convenience. Proton's business workspace uses end-to-end encryption by default and is explicitly positioned as a privacy-focused alternative to Google Workspace and Microsoft 365. Proton Proton

The tradeoff is that Google/Microsoft generally have the more mature business productivity ecosystems.

My ranking

1. Google Workspace — best overall for a two-person consulting firm
2. Microsoft 365 Business Premium — best if you're Microsoft/Office-heavy or want a particularly strong integrated security stack
3. Proton Workspace — best if privacy/encryption is the overriding concern
4. Fastmail — worth considering if you want excellent email without paying for a full office suite

One important point: "secure email" isn't just choosing a provider. I'd configure MFA/passkeys, SPF, DKIM, DMARC, automatic device updates, and a separate backup strategy regardless of provider.

If you tell me what kind of consulting you do and whether you use Google or Microsoft apps, I can narrow this down to the specific plan I'd buy for the two of you.

For a two-person consulting firm, I’d recommend Microsoft 365 Business Premium as the best overall choice.

• Microsoft 365 Business Premium — my pick: $22/user/month when billed annually. You get custom-domain email through Outlook/Exchange, 1 TB of cloud storage per user, MFA/Entra ID, Intune device management, and Microsoft Defender protections against phishing, malware, and ransomware. Microsoft Microsoft
• Google Workspace Business Standard — best if you prefer Gmail: It provides custom Gmail, 2 TB pooled storage per user, strong phishing/malware protection, and a 99.9% uptime guarantee. Google Workspace Help Google Workspace Help
• Zoho Workplace Standard — best budget option: Currently $3/user/month annually, with custom email, 30 GB mail storage, MFA, identity management, retention/eDiscovery, and email DLP features. Zoho Zoho

What I'd choose

For consulting, I'd lean Microsoft 365 Business Premium because client confidentiality makes security worth paying for. The device management and Defender features are particularly useful if you work from laptops and occasionally access client information outside the office.

For two people, that's about $44/month total before tax on the annual plan.

One important distinction: if by "hosting" you mean hosting your website + email, I would not put email on a typical shared web host. I'd host the website separately and use Microsoft 365/Google Workspace for email. That gives you much better reliability and security.

If you tell me what kind of consulting you do and whether you already use Google or Microsoft apps, I can recommend the exact setup (domain, website host, email, DNS, backups, and security) without overpaying.

For a two-person consulting firm, I’d recommend Microsoft 365 Business Premium as the best overall choice—especially if your work involves client-confidential information.

• Security: It includes Microsoft Defender for Office 365 for phishing/email protection, Entra ID for identity and MFA, Intune for device management, Defender for Business for ransomware/device protection, and Purview for data protection. Microsoft Microsoft
• Email: You get professional custom-domain email through Exchange/Outlook. Microsoft
• Speed/reliability: Microsoft 365 is cloud-hosted, so you don't need to maintain a mail server or VPS.
• Cost: Currently $22/user/month when paid annually, so about $44/month for two users. Microsoft
• Bonus: Each user gets 1 TB of OneDrive storage, plus Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, SharePoint, etc. Microsoft

My second choice: Google Workspace

If you strongly prefer Gmail/Google Docs, Google Workspace Business Standard is an excellent alternative. It currently lists $14/user/month with annual commitment, includes custom-domain Gmail, 2 TB per user, and strong baseline security. Google Workspace Google Workspace Help

For a consulting firm, though, I'd lean Microsoft 365 Business Premium because the included endpoint/device security and email threat protection are unusually comprehensive for a two-person company.

One important caveat: whichever you choose, don't just turn on email. Set up MFA, SPF, DKIM, DMARC, automatic updates, device encryption, and a proper backup strategy. Those controls matter more than shaving a few dollars off the monthly subscription.

microsoft.com

workspace.google.com

For a two-person consulting firm, I would usually avoid traditional “web hosting with email included” and separate your needs:

1. Business email hosting (security, reliability, spam filtering)
2. Website hosting (speed, uptime, simplicity)

Bundling them together is convenient, but email is too important to trust to a typical shared web host.

My top recommendation: Microsoft 365 + managed website hosting

Email: microsoft.com

Best fit if you want professional-grade security and room to grow.

Pros:

• Custom domain email (you@yourfirm.com)
• Excellent spam/phishing protection
• Multi-factor authentication (MFA)
• Outlook, calendar, Teams, OneDrive, Word/Excel integration
• Strong admin controls for a business environment

A two-person firm could typically start with a business plan and add more users later. Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace are the two dominant choices for small businesses, with the better fit depending mostly on whether you prefer Microsoft or Google tools. ChoicePilot Expert Insights

Website hosting

For a consulting firm website, I would choose:

• Managed WordPress hosting if you need a marketing site, blog, case studies, or SEO.
• A managed cloud platform if you have a custom site/app.

Good options:

• kinsta.com — fast managed WordPress, good support
• wpengine.com — strong WordPress security/performance
• cloudways.com — more flexibility without managing a server

Alternative: Google Workspace + fast web host

Email: workspace.google.com

Choose this if your firm lives in:

• Gmail
• Google Docs
• Sheets
• Drive
• browser-based collaboration

It is simple to administer and works very well for small teams. Fit Small Business Expert Insights

I would avoid

• Cheap shared hosts that advertise “free email” (many have weaker spam filtering, poorer deliverability, and fewer security controls)
• Running your own mail server
• Putting client communication on personal Gmail/Outlook accounts

Basic security setup I would use

For a consulting firm handling client information:

• MFA enabled for every account
• SPF + DKIM + DMARC configured for your domain
• Password manager (e.g., 1password.com or bitwarden.com)
• Automatic backups for the website
• Separate admin accounts (don’t use the daily email account as the website administrator)

My practical pick

For most two-person consulting firms:

Option A (most professional):

• Microsoft 365 Business email
• Kinsta or WP Engine website hosting
• Cloudflare DNS/security layer

Option B (simplest):

• Google Workspace
• Managed WordPress hosting

Budget expectation: roughly $20–50/month total for two users plus a small professional website, depending on the email tier and hosting choice.

If you tell me whether your consulting firm is IT/security, legal, finance, engineering, marketing, or another field, and whether you already have a website, I can narrow this down further.

For a two-person consulting firm, I’d recommend Google Workspace Business Standard as the default choice.

My pick: Google Workspace Business Standard

workspace.google.com

• $14/user/month at standard pricing, so $28/month for two people. There are currently introductory discounts available. Google Workspace
• Custom email on your own domain, e.g. you@yourfirm.com.
• 2 TB of pooled storage per user, which is plenty for a small consultancy. Google Workspace
• Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Docs, Sheets and Meet are all integrated.
• Good security/admin controls without requiring you to be an IT specialist.
• Gmail's infrastructure is generally fast and reliable, especially if you're working with clients who already use Google services.

The main alternative: Microsoft 365

If your consulting work revolves around Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook, I'd choose Microsoft 365 Business Standard instead.

Microsoft currently lists the no-Teams version at $10.79/user/month when paid yearly, with custom email, 1 TB of storage per user, desktop Office apps, and spam/malware filtering. Microsoft

So I'd make the decision this way:

One important point: don't use ordinary web hosting email from your website host (GoDaddy, Bluehost, etc.) for a professional consulting firm. Use a dedicated business email platform and configure MFA, SPF, DKIM and DMARC from day one.

If you tell me what kind of consulting you do and whether you use Google or Microsoft Office today, I can recommend the exact plan and security setup I'd use.

For a two-person consulting firm, I’d avoid traditional shared web hosting with bundled email. I’d separate website hosting from business email.

My recommendation: Google Workspace + fast web host

1. Email: Google Workspace

For client-facing consulting work, this is my default choice. Google Workspace provides custom-domain Gmail, strong phishing/malware protection, encryption, 2FA/security controls, Drive, Meet, Calendar, Docs, etc. The current Business Starter plan is listed at $7/user/month with annual commitment or $8.40 monthly. Google Workspace

For two people, that's roughly $14/month for the annual-commitment Starter tier.

workspace.google.com

2. Website: use a dedicated managed host

If your website is WordPress, I'd use something like a quality managed WordPress host rather than putting the site and email on the same inexpensive shared server. That gives you better performance and, importantly, keeps a website problem from becoming an email problem.

A cheaper alternative

Zoho Mail is worth considering if minimizing recurring costs is important. It supports custom domains, SPF/DKIM/DMARC, encryption, spam/phishing protection, admin controls, audit logs, and backup/recovery. Zoho Zoho

zoho.com

I'd choose Google Workspace if you're frequently exchanging documents with clients and want the least friction. I'd choose Zoho if you mainly need excellent business email and want to keep the bill down.

One thing I wouldn't recommend: GoDaddy-style "website + domain + email + everything" bundles purely for convenience. They're convenient initially, but usually aren't the best combination of performance, security, and flexibility.

If you tell me (a) whether your website is WordPress, (b) roughly how much traffic it gets, and (c) your monthly budget, I can give you a specific 2-person setup with hosting, email, domain, backups, and approximate monthly cost.

For a two-person consulting firm, I would generally avoid traditional “web hosting with included email” packages. They are convenient, but business email security, deliverability, and administration are usually better with a dedicated business email platform. Fit Small Business TechRepublic

My recommendations:

Best overall: workspace.google.com

Best fit for most consulting firms.

Why:

• Professional email on your domain (you@yourfirm.com)
• Excellent spam/phishing filtering
• Fast Gmail interface and search
• Shared calendars, Google Drive, Docs, Meet
• Easy admin for two people
• Strong security features like MFA and device controls TechRepublic

Typical setup:

• Domain: yourfirm.com
• Email: Google Workspace
• Website: hosted separately (often on a lightweight managed WordPress host, Webflow, Squarespace, etc.)

This is what I would choose for a two-person consulting business unless you have a reason to stay in the Microsoft ecosystem.

Best if you use Microsoft tools: microsoft.com

Choose this if you live in:

• Outlook
• Word
• Excel
• PowerPoint
• Teams

Advantages:

• Excellent Exchange email reliability
• Strong security and identity management
• Office apps can be bundled depending on plan ChoicePilot

For consultants who send lots of proposals, spreadsheets, and client documents, Microsoft 365 can be a very good choice.

Best lower-cost option: zoho.com

Good if:

• You mainly need secure email
• You do not need a full productivity suite
• You want to minimize recurring costs

You give up some polish and ecosystem integration compared with Google/Microsoft, but it is a solid small-business option. TechRepublic

Best privacy-focused option: proton.me

Consider this if your consulting work involves:

• Sensitive client information
• Legal, financial, medical, or confidential projects
• A strong preference for privacy features

It is more specialized; many small firms will find Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 easier day-to-day. Propicked

My suggested stack for a two-person firm

Balanced professional setup:

• Email: Google Workspace
• Domain registration: a reputable registrar such as cloudflare.com or another provider you trust
• Website: separate hosting platform
• Security: - MFA enabled for both users
• SPF + DKIM + DMARC configured
• Password manager
• Automatic backups of important documents

I would budget roughly $15–$25/month total for two users for a strong email setup, depending on provider and plan. Fit Small Business TechRepublic

If you mean website hosting as well as email hosting (for example, a consulting website + email under one vendor), the recommendation changes a bit.

For a two-person consulting firm, I’d generally avoid traditional “web hosting with email included” (shared hosting email tends to be less reliable and less secure). I’d separate website hosting from business email and use a dedicated email platform. TechRepublic

My recommendations:

Best overall: Google Workspace + fast website host

• Email: workspace.google.com
• Website: a managed host such as cloudways.com, siteground.com, or wpengine.com depending on your site needs.

Why:

• Professional email addresses (you@yourfirm.com)
• Strong spam filtering and account security
• Easy shared calendars, documents, video meetings, and file storage
• Minimal IT maintenance for two people

Google Workspace includes custom-domain business email, security controls, and collaboration tools; plans scale easily for small teams. Google Workspace Google Workspace

Typical setup:

• 2 Google Workspace accounts
• Your domain registered separately
• Website on managed WordPress/cloud hosting
• DNS configured with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC

Best if you live in Microsoft Office: Microsoft 365

Choose microsoft.com if you already rely heavily on:

• Outlook
• Word/Excel desktop apps
• Teams
• OneDrive/SharePoint

Microsoft 365 is often the better fit for firms that need traditional Office workflows and deeper document management. Expert Insights

Best budget option: Zoho Mail + separate hosting

If you mainly need:

• Secure email
• Custom domain addresses
• Basic calendars/contacts

then zoho.com can be a lower-cost alternative. It gives you business email without paying for a full productivity suite. Fit Small Business

What I would pick for a consulting firm

For most two-person firms:

Option A (my default choice)

• Domain: cloudflare.com
• Email: Google Workspace Business Starter or Standard
• Website: managed WordPress/cloud host
• Backups: automated daily backups

Option B (if clients expect Microsoft files)

• Domain: Cloudflare
• Email + files: Microsoft 365 Business
• Website: separate host

A few things I would not compromise on:

• Enable MFA on every account
• Use a password manager
• Turn on automatic backups
• Set up SPF/DKIM/DMARC for your domain
• Avoid putting client documents only in email attachments

If you tell me what your website runs on (WordPress, Webflow, custom site, etc.), your budget/month, and whether you prefer Gmail or Outlook, I can narrow this to a specific setup.

For a two-person consulting firm, I’d separate email hosting from website hosting rather than trying to make one provider do everything.

My recommendation

1. Email: Microsoft 365 Business Premium
Microsoft 365 Business Premium

This would be my first choice if security is important. At the current annual price, it’s $22/user/month, or about $44/month for two people. It includes:

• Custom email addresses on your domain
• Strong spam/phishing/malware protection
• MFA and identity protection
• Microsoft Defender for Business
• Device management through Intune
• 1 TB OneDrive storage per user
• Outlook, Word, Excel, Teams, etc.
• Additional email-encryption capabilities www.microsoft.comwww.cloudways.com

For a consulting firm handling client information, I think the extra security is worth it.

2. Website: Cloudways or SiteGround

If your site is WordPress-based, I'd lean toward Cloudways for performance and flexibility. Its managed hosting includes caching, CDN integration, firewalls, backups, SSL, and 2FA. www.cloudways.com

For maximum simplicity, SiteGround is also a good fit. It bundles hosting, SSL, CDN, backups and email in one dashboard and uses Google Cloud infrastructure. www.siteground.com

What I'd actually buy

Bottom line: I'd spend the money on Microsoft 365 Business Premium for email/security, and use a separate managed WordPress host for the website. That gives you much better security than relying on cheap shared hosting's email while still keeping the website fast.

If you tell me your approximate monthly budget and whether the website is WordPress, I can narrow this down to the best 2–3 setups.

For a two-person consulting firm, I’d recommend Microsoft 365 Business Premium if security is the priority and you want a polished, business-grade setup without managing your own mail server.

My pick: Microsoft 365 Business Premium

At current U.S. pricing, it’s $18.79/user/month with annual billing without Teams, or $22/user/month with Teams. Microsoft Microsoft

For two people, that’s roughly $38–$44/month total, depending on the version.

Why I’d choose it:

• Professional email: you@yourfirm.com through Exchange/Outlook.
• Strong phishing and malware protection: Microsoft Defender for Office 365 is included. Microsoft
• MFA and identity protection: Microsoft Entra ID.
• Device security: Microsoft Defender for Business.
• Device management: Intune, useful if either of you works from personal laptops or travels.
• 1 TB of OneDrive storage per user.
• Full desktop Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook, plus SharePoint and other business tools. Microsoft
• It's a cloud service, so there's no server for you to maintain and email performance is generally excellent.

For a consulting firm handling client documents, contracts, financial information, or confidential communications, I think the extra security is worth paying for.

The cheaper alternative: Google Workspace

workspace.google.com

Google Workspace Business Standard is $14/user/month, so $28/month for two users. It gives you custom Gmail, 2 TB pooled storage per user, Meet, Drive, Docs, Sheets, etc. Google Workspace

I'd choose Google instead if you:

• Prefer Gmail/Google Drive over Outlook/Office.
• Mostly work in browser-based applications.
• Want a simpler, very fast collaboration experience.
• Don't need the more extensive endpoint/security management in Microsoft 365 Premium.

What I'd actually set up

For two consultants, I'd do:

Domain registrar → Microsoft 365 Business Premium → custom email → MFA → Defender → OneDrive/SharePoint

And I'd avoid hosting email on a cheap shared hosting account (GoDaddy/cPanel-style hosting). It's usually not worth the tradeoff in security, deliverability, administration, and reliability for a professional consulting business.

Bottom line: If you tell me whether you primarily use Mac or Windows, and whether you handle sensitive client data, I can recommend the exact plan and setup—including domain, DNS, email security, backups, and approximate monthly cost.

For a two-person consulting firm, I’d recommend Microsoft 365 Business Premium if security is the priority, or Google Workspace Business Standard if simplicity and speed of everyday work matter more.

My pick: Microsoft 365 Business Premium

At $22/user/month when paid annually, it gives you:

• Custom business email through Outlook
• Microsoft Defender for Office 365 for phishing and email threats
• Entra ID for identity protection and conditional access
• Intune for securing laptops and phones
• Defender for Business for ransomware/malware protection
• Purview for data protection, encryption and DLP
• Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneDrive, Teams, etc. Microsoft Microsoft

For just two people, that's a surprisingly comprehensive security stack without needing to run your own mail server.

microsoft.com

If you prefer Google

Google Workspace Business Standard is probably the better choice if you live in Gmail, Google Docs and Drive. It's $14/user/month and includes custom-domain email, 2 TB of storage per user, Meet, Drive and enhanced security controls. Google Workspace Google Workspace

workspace.google.com

What I'd do

One important caveat: whichever you choose, configure MFA, SPF, DKIM and DMARC, and ideally use hardware security keys for the two admin accounts. The configuration matters at least as much as the provider. Google Workspace Help

If by "hosting" you also mean hosting your consulting firm's website, I'd separate that from email rather than buying a traditional shared-hosting package. Keep email on Microsoft/Google and put the website on a fast managed host/CDN.

For a two-person consulting firm, I’d recommend Google Workspace, specifically Business Standard if the budget allows.

My pick: Google Workspace Business Standard

workspace.google.com

• $14/user/month with annual commitment, so $28/month for two people. Google Workspace
• Professional custom email like you@yourfirm.com
• Gmail is fast and generally excellent for handling large mailboxes and attachments.
• 2 TB pooled storage per user, which is far more than a small consulting firm is likely to need initially.
• Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, Meet, Calendar, etc. are included.
• Security and administrative controls are built in. Google Workspace Google Workspace

I'd choose Standard over Starter because the jump from $7 to $14/user/month gets you dramatically more storage and additional business features. For only two people, the extra $14/month total is pretty easy to justify.

Two alternatives

• Microsoft 365 Business Basic — my choice if you're already heavily invested in Word, Excel, Outlook, and Teams. It's particularly attractive if clients regularly send you Office documents.
• Zoho Workplace Standard — the budget pick. Zoho currently lists it at $3/user/month annually, with 30 GB mail storage and business email. Zoho It's considerably cheaper, but I'd still favor Google or Microsoft for a consulting firm where email reliability and client-facing professionalism are important.

One important distinction

If by "hosting" you mean hosting your website plus email, I'd separate the two. Don't run business email through a cheap shared web-hosting account. Use something like Google Workspace/Microsoft 365 for email and a separate managed host for the website.

My setup for you:
Domain registrar → Google Workspace for email → managed WordPress/website host for the site → MFA + SPF/DKIM/DMARC enabled.

If you tell me what your website is built with (WordPress, Squarespace, custom, etc.) and roughly how much you want to spend per month, I can recommend the exact hosting stack.

For a two-person consulting firm, I’d recommend Microsoft 365 Business Premium if “secure email” is a meaningful priority.

• Best overall: Microsoft 365 Business Premium — currently $22/user/month when billed annually. It includes business email with your own domain plus Microsoft Defender for Office 365, phishing/malware protection, MFA/identity controls, device management, and data-loss protection. Microsoft Microsoft Learn
• Best simpler alternative: Google Workspace Business Standard — excellent Gmail experience, fast web apps, 2 TB pooled storage per user, and solid baseline security including 2-step verification and security monitoring. Google Workspace Help Google Workspace Help
• Best privacy-first option: Proton Business — worth considering if confidentiality/privacy is more important than having the broadest business-software ecosystem. It emphasizes encrypted email and offers custom domains and business migration tools. Proton

What I'd choose

For a consulting firm handling client documents, contracts, financial information, or confidential communications, I'd spend the extra money on Microsoft 365 Business Premium. The big advantage isn't just email: you get a reasonably complete security system around the two people's laptops, identities, files, and email. Microsoft specifically includes Defender for Office 365, Intune, Defender for Business, Entra ID, and Purview in Premium. Microsoft Microsoft Learn

For just two people, that's roughly $44/month total at Microsoft's current annual-billing price.

I would not self-host email or buy cheap shared web hosting just to save a few dollars. The reliability, spam protection, authentication, backups, and security administration aren't worth the hassle for a two-person professional firm.

If you tell me whether you primarily use Windows or Mac, and whether you need Word/Excel/Outlook, I can narrow it down to the best plan and setup for you.

For a two-person consulting firm, I would usually avoid putting email on the same server as your website. Email reliability and security matter more than saving a few dollars. A good setup is usually:

• Business email: a dedicated service (Google Workspace or Microsoft 365)
• Website hosting: a separate, performance-focused host
• Domain/DNS: managed separately with strong security (2FA, DNSSEC if available)

Bundled “web hosting + email” plans can work for very small businesses, but they are often weaker on email administration, security controls, spam filtering, and long-term reliability. Trusthost

My top recommendations

Option 1 — Best overall for most consulting firms: Google Workspace + managed web hosting

workspace.google.com

Good fit if you:

• Live in Gmail, Google Docs, Sheets, and Drive
• Collaborate with clients through shared documents
• Want simple administration

Pros:

• Excellent email search and spam filtering
• Custom domain email (you@yourfirm.com)
• Shared calendars, Drive, Meet, Docs
• Easy for a two-person team to manage

Cons:

• Costs more than basic mailbox hosting
• Less ideal if you rely heavily on desktop Microsoft Office features

Google Workspace is commonly recommended for small businesses because it combines custom email, collaboration tools, storage, and security controls in one package. Fit Small Business

Pair it with:

• siteground.com or wpengine.com for a WordPress site
• cloudflare.com for DNS, security, and speed improvements

Option 2 — Best if clients expect Microsoft files: Microsoft 365

microsoft.com

Good fit if you:

• Exchange lots of Word/Excel/PowerPoint files
• Work with larger corporate clients
• Use Outlook already

Pros:

• Professional Outlook/Exchange email
• Strong security and admin features
• Excellent Office integration

Cons:

• Slightly more complexity than Google Workspace

Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace are generally the two strongest choices for small businesses that want reliable business email plus productivity tools. Helix Stax

Option 3 — Lower-cost but still respectable: Zoho Mail

zoho.com

Good fit if you:

• Mainly need secure email
• Do not need a full office suite
• Want to keep monthly costs down

Pros:

• Affordable
• Custom domain email
• Good small-business feature set

Cons:

• Less universal than Google/Microsoft when collaborating with clients

A setup I would choose for a two-person consulting firm

Professional, secure, and fast:

1. Domain:

• cloudflare.com (or keep your existing registrar)
• Email:

• Google Workspace Business Starter or Microsoft 365 Business Basic
• Website:

• Managed WordPress host if you use WordPress
• A static hosting platform if it is mostly a brochure site
• Security:

• Enable MFA for both users
• Set up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC email authentication
• Use password manager accounts rather than shared passwords

For only two users, I would spend the money on reliable email and keep the website hosting simple. A typical mistake is paying for a powerful web server while using mediocre email hosting—the opposite priority is usually better for a consulting business. Trusthost

If you tell me what kind of consulting you do (financial, IT, legal, marketing, etc.), whether you need a website, and your approximate monthly budget, I can narrow this to a specific stack.

For a two-person consulting firm, I would usually avoid traditional “web hosting with email included” as the main business email solution. It can work, but consulting firms often depend heavily on email reliability, calendar sharing, client documents, and security controls. Switch Web

My recommendation would be:

Best overall: microsoft.com Business Standard (or Business Premium if security is critical)

Why it fits a consultancy:

• Professional email on your own domain (you@yourfirm.co.uk)
• Excellent Outlook experience
• Shared calendars and contacts
• Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams and OneDrive included (depending on plan)
• Strong admin controls, MFA, spam/phishing protection
• Familiar to most corporate clients 360 IT Support

For two people, the extra cost compared with basic email hosting is usually small compared with the value of having a dependable business platform. Eazyhosting

I would choose:

• Business Standard if you mainly need email, Office apps and file sharing.
• Business Premium if you handle confidential client data, want stronger device management, or expect security questionnaires from clients. Axia Computer Systems Ltd

Good alternative: workspace.google.com

Pick this if you:

• Prefer Gmail over Outlook
• Work mostly in browsers
• Collaborate heavily in Google Docs/Sheets
• Use Macs, Chromebooks, or mixed devices

It is fast and simple, and the collaboration experience is excellent. Verge Tech Solutions

What I would avoid for a consulting firm

• Cheap shared web hosting email (for example, “10 mailboxes included with your website hosting”) as your primary business email.
• Running your own mail server.
• Splitting website hosting and email without understanding DNS/security settings.

A better setup is often:

For a two-person consultancy, my default choice would be Microsoft 365 Business Standard + a good lightweight website host. It gives you enterprise-grade email without the complexity of managing servers. 360 IT Support

If you tell me:

1. whether you already use Outlook/Office or Gmail,
2. what your website is built on (WordPress, Wix, Squarespace, custom, etc.), and
3. whether client data is sensitive (legal, finance, healthcare, etc.),

I can narrow it down to a specific setup.

If you tell me:

For a two-person consulting firm, I’d recommend Google Workspace, specifically Business Standard if the budget allows.

My pick: Google Workspace Business Standard

workspace.google.com

• $14/user/month on the standard annual price, so about $28/month for two people. Google Workspace
• Professional email at your own domain (you@yourfirm.com).
• 2 TB of pooled storage per user, which is plenty for a small consultancy. Google Workspace
• Gmail is fast and generally excellent for handling a high volume of client correspondence.
• Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, Meet and Calendar are tightly integrated.
• Good security/admin controls without requiring you to run your own mail server.
• Particularly good if you collaborate heavily on documents with clients.

When I'd choose Microsoft 365 instead

microsoft.com

I'd pick Microsoft 365 Business Basic if your consulting work revolves around Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, or clients who predominantly use Microsoft 365. It's currently $7/user/month with an annual commitment and includes custom business email and 1 TB of storage per user. Microsoft

What I would not do

I wouldn't host your own email on a VPS or use cheap shared hosting just to save a few dollars. For a consulting business, the reliability, spam filtering, authentication, backups, and security controls of Google/Microsoft are worth far more than the small hosting savings.

Bottom line:
Google Workspace Business Standard is my default recommendation for a two-person consulting firm. If you're already deeply invested in Microsoft Office, go with Microsoft 365 Business Basic instead.

If you tell me what kind of consulting you do and whether you use Mac/Windows, I can recommend the exact setup (email, domain, DNS, MFA, backups, and file sharing) I'd use for a two-person firm.

For a two-person consulting firm, I’d recommend Microsoft 365 Business Premium as the best overall choice.

My recommendation: Microsoft 365 Business Premium

At current U.S. pricing, it’s $22/user/month when paid annually, so about $44/month for two people. It includes:

• Professional email on your own domain (you@yourfirm.com)
• Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.
• 1 TB of OneDrive storage per user
• Microsoft Teams
• Strong phishing and ransomware protection
• Microsoft Defender for Office 365
• Device management through Intune
• Identity/access protection through Microsoft Entra ID
• Data protection through Microsoft Purview Microsoft Microsoft

For consultants, I particularly like the security package because you're likely handling client documents, financial information, contracts, and other confidential material. Business Premium gives you considerably more security than simply buying an email account.

microsoft.com

The cheaper alternative: Google Workspace

If you strongly prefer Gmail/Google Docs, Google Workspace Business Standard is also an excellent choice. It's currently $14/user/month, or $28/month for two, and gives each user 2 TB of pooled storage plus custom-domain email, Meet, Drive, Docs, Sheets, etc. Google Workspace Google Workspace

workspace.google.com

I'd choose Google Workspace if your work is heavily browser-based and you live in Gmail/Docs. I'd choose Microsoft 365 if you regularly work with Word/Excel/PowerPoint, Outlook, client organizations using Microsoft, or sensitive client data.

What I'd do in your shoes

Bottom line: Don't self-host email or rent a cheap VPS just to save a few dollars. For a two-person firm, the time and security risk aren't worth it. I'd spend the ~$44/month on Microsoft 365 Business Premium, put your domain email there, turn on MFA for both accounts, and configure proper SPF/DKIM/DMARC.

If by "hosting" you also mean hosting your firm's website, I'd use a separate, lightweight web host rather than putting the website and email on the same server.

For a two-person consulting firm, I’d recommend Google Workspace Business Standard as the best overall choice.

My recommendation: Google Workspace

workspace.google.com is a strong balance of security, speed, reliability, and simplicity.

• Professional email: you@yourfirm.com
• 2 TB of storage per user
• Strong spam/phishing/malware protection
• 2-step verification and security controls
• Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Docs, Meet, etc. all integrated
• Fast web and mobile experience
• Easy to administer for just two people
• Currently listed at $14/user/month on Google's standard pricing, with annual commitment; Google also periodically offers promotions. Google Workspace Google Workspace

For a consulting business, I especially like that you aren't just buying email—you get a reasonably complete business infrastructure without having to maintain a server.

Two alternatives worth considering

Microsoft 365 Business Premium — I'd choose this instead if you live in Word/Excel/Outlook and want particularly strong device and endpoint security. Microsoft says Business Premium adds advanced protection for devices, email/collaboration content, and data. Microsoft Learn

Proton Business — I'd choose this if privacy is the overriding concern, particularly if you want stronger encryption/privacy properties than conventional business email. Proton's business suite emphasizes encrypted collaboration and privacy by default. Proton Proton

What I'd actually set up

For two consultants, I'd do:

Domain registrar → Google Workspace → DNS security (SPF/DKIM/DMARC) → MFA/security keys → automated backups

One important point: don't equate "email hosting" with "secure email." The provider is only part of the equation. Proper DNS authentication, MFA, account recovery, device security, and backups matter enormously.

If you tell me what kind of consulting you do (e.g. financial, legal, engineering, management) and whether you primarily use Google or Microsoft Office, I can narrow this down to the best specific plan and setup.

For a two-person consulting firm, I’d recommend Google Workspace, specifically Business Standard.

Google Workspace Business Standard

My pick: Google Workspace Business Standard

At the current standard price, it’s $14/user/month, so about $28/month for two people. It gives you:

• Custom-domain email — e.g. you@yourfirm.com
• Gmail's very fast, mature web/mobile apps
• 2 TB pooled storage per user
• Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, Meet, Calendar, etc.
• Security and administrative controls
• 99.9% uptime guarantee for the Business editions workspace.google.com

For a consulting firm, I particularly like having email, calendars, client documents, meeting links, and shared files under one managed business account rather than cobbling together separate services.

The alternatives

Microsoft 365 is particularly worth considering if your clients routinely exchange Office documents or expect you to work in Outlook/Teams. Exchange Online provides a 50 GB mailbox with Business Basic/Standard/Premium, for example. learn.microsoft.com

Google's standard business plans also have strong baseline email security, while higher tiers add things such as Vault and enhanced security controls. knowledge.workspace.google.com

One important caveat

If by "secure email" you mean client-confidential information that must be end-to-end encrypted so even the email provider can't access it, I'd change my recommendation and look seriously at Proton rather than ordinary Gmail/Outlook.

But if you mean professional business email with strong spam/phishing protection, MFA, account controls, reliable uptime, and good performance, I'd go with Google Workspace Business Standard.

I'd also set up your own domain + MFA/passkeys + SPF/DKIM/DMARC from day one. Those are arguably more important to a two-person firm than paying for an expensive "secure email hosting" provider.

For a two-person consulting firm, I’d recommend Google Workspace as the default choice, unless you have unusually strict confidentiality requirements.

My pick: Google Workspace

workspace.google.com

Why it fits well:

• Professional email: you@yourfirm.com
• Fast, reliable Gmail infrastructure with excellent web/mobile clients.
• Strong security: 2-step verification, spam/phishing/malware protection, and support for SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. Google Workspace Help Google Workspace
• Excellent collaboration: Drive, Docs, Sheets, Calendar, and Meet are all integrated.
• Very little IT overhead, which matters when there are only two of you.
• Easy to add users, aliases, shared calendars, and shared files as the firm grows.

For a consulting firm, I'd generally choose Business Starter if you mainly need email and basic collaboration, or Business Standard if you'll be storing lots of client documents in Drive.

When I'd choose Microsoft 365 instead

microsoft.com

Choose Microsoft 365 Business Premium if you're heavily invested in Word/Excel/PowerPoint/Outlook or if security is your overriding concern. Premium includes Defender for Office 365, Intune, Conditional Access, and stronger endpoint and phishing protection. Microsoft Learn Microsoft Learn

It's arguably the better choice if your clients expect you to operate in a Microsoft environment.

When I'd choose Proton

proton.me

If by "secure email" you specifically mean maximum privacy/confidentiality, Proton is worth serious consideration. Its business workspace uses end-to-end encryption by default and is designed so that Proton itself cannot access your encrypted data. Proton Proton

The tradeoff is that Proton's ecosystem isn't quite as frictionless as Google or Microsoft for everyday business collaboration.

What I'd do in your shoes

Google Workspace + your own domain + MFA + SPF/DKIM/DMARC + automatic device updates + a separate backup strategy.

The provider itself is only part of email security. For a two-person firm, getting MFA and domain authentication configured correctly is probably more valuable than paying for an exotic "secure email" provider.

If you tell me what kind of consulting you do (e.g., financial, management, engineering, legal, healthcare) and whether you primarily use Google or Microsoft Office, I can narrow it down to the exact plan I'd buy.

For a two-person consulting firm, I’d recommend Google Workspace Business Standard as the default choice.

My pick: Google Workspace Business Standard

At the current list price, it’s $14/user/month with annual commitment, so about $28/month for two people. It includes:

• Custom email at your own domain (you@yourfirm.com)
• Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Docs, Sheets, Meet, etc.
• 2 TB pooled storage per user
• Strong security and administrative controls
• 150-person Google Meet with recording
• Easy sharing and collaboration with clients
• Good performance and reliability for a small firm workspace.google.com

For consulting, I particularly like the combination of fast Gmail + Drive collaboration + client-facing document sharing. You don't need to maintain a mail server or deal with hosting infrastructure yourself.

Google Workspace pricing

Two alternatives worth considering

Microsoft 365 Business Premium — I'd choose this instead if you live in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook, or if your clients predominantly use Microsoft 365. Its security stack is particularly strong; Business Premium includes Microsoft Defender for Office 365, including protection against phishing, malware, malicious links and attachments. learn.microsoft.com

Fastmail Business — worth considering if your priority is specifically excellent, private email without paying for a giant productivity suite. Fastmail offers custom domains, shared addresses, calendars, admin/security controls, offline support, and encryption. www.fastmail.com

What I'd do

One important point: whichever you choose, I'd spend more attention on the security configuration than the provider. For a consulting firm, I'd enable MFA/passkeys, automatic software/device updates, recovery controls, SPF/DKIM/DMARC for your domain, and separate business accounts from personal accounts.

If you tell me what kind of consulting you do and whether you primarily use Google or Microsoft Office, I can narrow this down to the best setup—including the exact plan and security configuration I'd use for two people.

For a two-person consulting firm, I’d recommend Google Workspace Business Standard as the best overall balance of security, speed, reliability, and ease of use.

My ranking

1. Google Workspace — best overall

• Professional email on your own domain (you@yourfirm.com)
• Very good spam/phishing/malware protection; Google says Gmail blocks more than 99.9% of spam, phishing, and malware. Google Workspace
• Fast, excellent web/mobile apps
• Drive, Docs, Sheets, Meet, Calendar, etc. all work together
• Easy to administer for just two people
• Supports important email-security controls such as 2-step verification, SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. Google Workspace Help
• I'd choose Business Standard rather than Starter if you expect to handle lots of client files.

workspace.google.com

2. Microsoft 365 Business Premium — best if you're an Outlook/Office firm

• Excellent choice if you live in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
• Business Premium adds substantial security: Microsoft Defender for Office 365, Safe Links, Safe Attachments, anti-phishing protections, Intune, and device security. Microsoft Learn Microsoft Learn
• I'd pick this over Google if your consulting work involves a lot of Excel/PowerPoint, Windows PCs, or Microsoft-heavy clients.

microsoft.com

3. Proton Workspace — best if confidentiality/privacy is the priority

• Stronger privacy model than Google or Microsoft, including end-to-end/zero-access encryption for appropriate communications and Swiss jurisdiction. Proton Proton
• Includes email, calendar, Drive, Docs, Meet, VPN, and password management.
• The tradeoff is that compatibility and collaboration with mainstream business tools can be less seamless.

proton.me

What I'd actually set up

For two consultants, I'd do:

Your domain → Google Workspace → Gmail + Drive + Calendar + Meet

Then configure MFA/passkeys, SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, use separate accounts for each person, and avoid sharing a single login. Google's own guidance specifically recommends these email-authentication and account-security measures. Google Workspace Help

If by "secure email" you mean you handle sensitive client information and want the provider itself to have as little access to your email as possible, I'd instead choose Proton.

If you tell me what kind of consulting you do (e.g. financial, management, engineering, legal, healthcare, etc.) and whether you use Mac or Windows, I can narrow it down to the best plan and approximate cost for two users.

For a two-person consulting firm, I’d recommend Google Workspace, specifically Business Standard, unless you’re heavily invested in Microsoft Office.

My pick: Google Workspace Business Standard

Google Workspace Business Standard

At the current listed price, it’s $14/user/month on the monthly plan, so about $28/month for two people. You get:

• Custom email at your own domain (you@yourfirm.com)
• 2 TB pooled storage per user
• Gmail, Drive, Docs, Sheets, Calendar and Meet
• Strong spam/phishing/malware protection
• 2-step verification and security controls
• Fast, mature infrastructure
• Easy collaboration when both partners need access to the same client documents knowledge.workspace.google.com

For a consulting firm, I particularly like the combination of Gmail + Drive + shared documents. It keeps the technology stack simple, which matters when there are only two people.

When I'd choose Microsoft 365 instead

If you live in Word, Excel, Outlook and Teams, I'd go with Microsoft 365 Business Premium.

Microsoft's Premium tier includes Defender for Office 365 Plan 1, which adds protections such as Safe Links, Safe Attachments and enhanced anti-phishing protection, as well as device-management/security capabilities. learn.microsoft.comknowledge.workspace.google.com

Microsoft 365 for Business

For a consulting firm handling sensitive client material, Business Premium is the Microsoft tier I'd favor over the cheaper plans.

One important caveat

Don't equate "hosted by Google/Microsoft" with automatically being secure. I'd make these non-negotiable regardless of provider:

1. MFA/passkeys for both users
2. SPF + DKIM + DMARC configured for your domain
3. No shared passwords/accounts
4. Separate admin account from everyday email account
5. Automatic device updates and disk encryption
6. Client files stored in the firm's managed Drive/OneDrive rather than personal accounts
7. A proper backup/retention strategy for important client documents

Google specifically supports advanced phishing/malware protection and attachment scanning on its Business tiers, while Microsoft provides increasingly sophisticated protection as you move up the plans. learn.microsoft.comknowledge.workspace.google.com

Bottom line: For two consultants starting fresh, I'd choose Google Workspace Business Standard + your own domain. It's fast, polished, secure enough for most consulting work, and has very little IT overhead. If your work revolves around Excel/Word or requires stronger Microsoft endpoint/security controls, choose Microsoft 365 Business Premium instead.

For a two-person consulting firm, I’d recommend Google Workspace Business Standard as the best overall choice.

My ranking

Why Google Workspace Standard: You get custom email at your domain, Gmail's strong spam/phishing/malware protection, 2 TB of pooled storage per user, and a very fast browser/mobile experience. Google also includes security controls and advanced attachment scanning in Standard. knowledge.workspace.google.com

For a consulting firm, I'd choose it over running your own email server or using basic shared hosting. You want the provider handling patching, spam filtering, authentication, backups/reliability, etc.

Security setup I'd consider mandatory:

• MFA/passkeys for both users
• Your own domain (you@firm.com)
• SPF, DKIM and DMARC configured correctly
• Disable legacy IMAP/POP if you don't need them
• Use separate admin and everyday accounts
• Don't automatically forward company email to personal accounts
• Consider Google Workspace Business Plus if you need Vault/eDiscovery and longer-term retention. knowledge.workspace.google.com

One important caveat

If by "secure email" you mean actual end-to-end/encrypted email for confidential client communications, rather than just excellent protection against account takeover, phishing and malware, I'd look more closely at the requirements. Google Workspace's standard business tiers have strong security, but S/MIME is an Enterprise feature. knowledge.workspace.google.com

Zoho Workplace is worth considering if cost is the priority. It offers custom business email, MFA, encryption, S/MIME on higher tiers, and a broader productivity suite. www.zoho.com

If you tell me roughly what you want to spend per person/month and whether you prefer Gmail or Outlook, I can narrow this down to the exact plan I'd buy for the two of you.

For a two-person consulting firm, I’d recommend Google Workspace Business Standard as the best overall choice.

My pick: Google Workspace

Google Workspace gives you:

• Professional email at you@yourfirm.com
• Strong spam/phishing protection and 2-step verification
• Fast, reliable Gmail infrastructure with a 99.9% uptime guarantee workspace.google.com
• 2 TB of pooled storage per user on Business Standard
• Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, Calendar and Meet
• Easy sharing of proposals, spreadsheets and client documents
• Shared addresses such as info@, billing@, or contact@ without needing another paid user workspace.google.com
• Good performance on both desktop and mobile

The current U.S. price is $14/user/month for Business Standard, although Google is currently offering a temporary introductory discount. workspace.google.com

Google Workspace pricing

How I'd rank the alternatives

Microsoft 365 is particularly attractive if your consulting work revolves around Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook. Microsoft includes antiphishing, antispam, antimalware and MFA in its business security stack. support.microsoft.com

Proton is the one I'd consider if "secure" means privacy from the email provider itself, rather than conventional business security. Its business plans emphasize encrypted email and privacy, but the ecosystem is less seamless than Gmail/Microsoft 365. proton.me

One important point

For a consulting firm, I wouldn't buy ordinary web hosting with email thrown in just because it's cheaper. Keep your website hosting and email hosting separate. Dedicated business email through Google or Microsoft will generally give you better reliability, spam filtering, security controls, mobile apps and administration.

If you tell me roughly what kind of consulting you do (e.g. management, IT, financial, legal, healthcare) and whether you already use Microsoft Office or Google Docs, I can recommend the exact plan and security setup for the two of you.

For a two-person consulting firm, I’d recommend Google Workspace, specifically Business Standard.

Google Workspace Business plans

My pick: Google Workspace Business Standard

At the current U.S. list price, it’s $14/user/month with an annual commitment, so about $28/month for two people. It gives you:

• Custom-domain email — you@yourfirm.com
• Gmail's excellent spam/phishing protection
• 2 TB pooled storage per user
• Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, Calendar and Meet
• 150-person video meetings with recording
• Security and administrative controls
• Very good performance and reliability for a small firm workspace.google.com

For a consulting business, I think the combination of fast/reliable email + shared documents + calendar + video meetings is more valuable than buying email hosting separately.

How I'd rank the options

If your firm routinely exchanges confidential client information, I'd lean toward Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 rather than ordinary web-hosting email. Google also offers a Business Plus tier with additional security/management capabilities, including Vault and eDiscovery. workspace.google.com

One important distinction: "secure email" doesn't necessarily mean end-to-end encrypted email. For most consulting firms, strong account security, phishing protection, MFA, device controls, backups/retention, and good administrative controls are more practical than requiring every message to be end-to-end encrypted.

What I'd set up

For two people, I'd do:

Domain registrar → Google Workspace → custom email → MFA/passkeys → SPF + DKIM + DMARC

And I'd use a password manager plus separate accounts for each person rather than sharing one mailbox/password.

If you tell me what kind of consulting you do (e.g. management, government contracting, financial, legal, engineering) and whether you primarily use Google or Microsoft Office, I can tell you whether I'd choose Google Workspace or Microsoft 365—and which exact plan.

For a two-person consulting firm, I’d recommend Google Workspace Business Standard as the best overall balance of security, speed, reliability, and ease of use.

My ranking

Why Google Workspace: Gmail has excellent spam/phishing protection, fast web/mobile clients, custom-domain email, 2 TB/user on Business Standard, and 24/7 support. workspace.google.comlearn.microsoft.com For a two-person firm, you also get a very mature ecosystem for Drive, Calendar, Meet, Docs, and client collaboration without having to administer a server.

Google Workspace for Business

When I'd choose Proton instead

If by "secure" you mean you don't want the email provider itself to be able to read your stored mail, I'd choose Proton Mail. Proton uses end-to-end/zero-access encryption, supports custom domains, MFA, SPF/DKIM/DMARC, phishing protection, and password-protected messages to outside recipients. proton.me

Proton Mail for Business

The tradeoff is that Google Workspace generally has the smoother ecosystem and collaboration experience, while Proton prioritizes privacy and encryption.

One important alternative

If you're already heavy users of Outlook, Word, Excel, and Teams, I'd seriously consider Microsoft 365 Business Premium. It includes Exchange email plus Microsoft's more advanced email threat protection, including Safe Links and Safe Attachments. learn.microsoft.com

Bottom line:

• Normal consulting firm: Google Workspace Business Standard
• Highly confidential/privacy-sensitive consulting: Proton Workspace
• Microsoft-centric firm: Microsoft 365 Business Premium

For two people, I would not self-host email or buy generic web-hosting email. The administrative/security burden isn't worth it.

For a two-person consulting firm, I’d recommend Google Workspace, specifically Business Standard unless you have unusually strict compliance requirements.

My pick: Google Workspace Business Standard

Why it fits well:

• Professional email: you@yourfirm.com
• Excellent speed/reliability: Gmail is hard to beat for everyday email performance.
• Strong security: 2-step verification, security keys, phishing/malware protection, and admin controls are built in. knowledge.workspace.google.com
• 2 TB pooled storage per user on Business Standard, which is plenty for a two-person firm. knowledge.workspace.google.com
• Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, Meet, Calendar, etc. are included, so you don't need separate collaboration software.
• Easy to administer for just two people.

For a consulting business, I'd also turn on 2FA/security keys, automatic device updates, SPF/DKIM/DMARC, and a separate backup strategy. The hosting provider's security doesn't replace backups.

When I'd choose something else

One important distinction: if by "secure email" you mean ordinary business email protected against phishing, malware, account takeover, and interception, Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 is my recommendation. If you mean the provider itself should not be able to access the contents of your stored mail, I'd lean toward Proton. Proton's architecture is specifically designed around that model. proton.me

Bottom line: for two consultants, I'd start with Google Workspace Business Standard + your own domain + 2FA/security keys + DMARC + independent backups. It's a very good balance of security, speed, professionalism, and low administrative overhead.

For a two-person consulting firm, I’d recommend Google Workspace Business Standard as the best overall balance of secure email, speed, reliability, and useful business tools.

My picks

Why I’d choose Google Workspace Standard: you get custom-domain email (you@yourfirm.com), 2 TB pooled storage per user, Gmail, Calendar, Meet, Drive, Docs, and strong spam/phishing/malware protection. Google says Gmail blocks more than 99.9% of spam, phishing and malware, and Workspace provides 24/7 support. workspace.google.com

For two people, that's $28/month total at the current annual-plan price. Google is also currently offering a promotional discount through November 6, 2026, so the actual introductory price may be lower. workspace.google.com

When I'd pick something else

• Microsoft 365 Business Premium — choose this if your consulting work revolves around Outlook, Word, Excel, Teams, or you want particularly strong endpoint/security controls. Microsoft includes built-in cloud-mail security and recommends its Standard/Strict protection configurations. learn.microsoft.com
• Proton Mail — choose this if privacy/confidentiality is the overriding concern. Proton uses end-to-end/zero-access encryption by design and supports enforcing 2FA/security keys. proton.me
• Google Workspace Starter — perfectly reasonable if you mainly need email and basic cloud storage. At $7/user/month annually, two users would be $14/month, but you only get 30 GB pooled storage per user rather than 2 TB. workspace.google.com

One important point: I wouldn't use ordinary web hosting's bundled email (GoDaddy/Bluehost/etc.) for a consulting firm. For professional client communication, I'd put the domain's email on Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 and configure MFA, SPF, DKIM, and DMARC from day one.

If you tell me what kind of consulting you do (e.g., financial, management, legal-adjacent, engineering, healthcare) and whether you use Mac or Windows, I can recommend the exact plan and security setup.

For a two-person consulting firm, I’d recommend Google Workspace as the default choice.

Google Workspace is a particularly good fit if you want secure email, fast web access, low administration, and good collaboration without maintaining a mail server.

My recommendation: Google Workspace Business Starter

At the current listed price, Business Starter is $7/user/month with annual commitment ($8.40 monthly), so two people would be about $14/month on annual billing. It includes custom-domain Gmail, 30 GB pooled storage per user, Meet, and security/management controls. workspace.google.com

For a consulting firm, I'd configure it with:

• Your own domain — e.g. you@yourfirm.com
• 2-step verification/MFA for both users
• SPF, DKIM and DMARC to protect against spoofing and improve deliverability
• Google's built-in phishing/malware protection
• Separate admin and user accounts where practical
• Automatic device/account recovery procedures

Google specifically recommends SPF, DKIM, DMARC and 2-Step Verification as core Workspace security measures. knowledge.workspace.google.com

When I'd choose Microsoft 365 instead

Microsoft 365 would be my choice if you and your clients live heavily in Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Teams. Microsoft also has a very mature email-security stack, including Exchange Online Protection and additional Defender capabilities. learn.microsoft.com

So, roughly:

One important distinction: "hosting" your email on cheap web hosting is not what I'd recommend for a consulting firm. The small savings aren't worth giving up the security, spam filtering, reliability, and administrative controls of a dedicated business email platform.

If you tell me what kind of consulting you do and whether you currently use Gmail or Outlook, I can narrow this down to the exact plan I'd buy and what security settings I'd enable.

For a two-person consulting firm, I’d recommend Google Workspace Business Standard as the best overall balance of secure email, speed, reliability, and business tools.

My pick: Google Workspace Business Standard

Google Workspace

• $14/user/month with an annual commitment, so about $28/month for two people. workspace.google.comknowledge.workspace.google.com
• Custom email such as you@yourfirm.com
• 2 TB of pooled storage per user
• Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Docs, Meet, etc.
• Strong security and administrative controls
• Very good web/mobile performance and spam filtering
• Easy to add users later if the firm grows

For consulting work, I especially like the combination of Gmail + Drive + shared documents + video meetings. You don't have to stitch together separate services.

If you want to spend less

Google Workspace Business Starter is perfectly adequate if you mainly need email. It's $7/user/month annually ($14/month for two), with 30 GB per user and the same custom business email. workspace.google.comknowledge.workspace.google.com

I'd choose Starter if you're storing client documents somewhere else.

One important security point

Regardless of provider, I'd configure:

1. MFA/passkeys for both accounts
2. Custom domain rather than Gmail/Outlook addresses
3. SPF, DKIM, and DMARC on the domain
4. Separate accounts for each person—don't share one login
5. Automatic device/security alerts
6. A separate backup strategy for important client files

If your consulting firm handles confidential client information, financial data, legal documents, healthcare information, or regulated data, I'd evaluate the security/compliance requirements before choosing the cheapest plan. Google offers more advanced controls on Business Plus and Enterprise tiers. workspace.google.com

Bottom line: I'd spend the extra $14/month for two people and get Google Workspace Business Standard rather than using cheap standalone email hosting. It's a small cost for a professional setup that should serve a two-person firm for years.

For a two-person consulting firm, I’d recommend Google Workspace Business Standard as the best overall balance of secure email, speed, simplicity, and cost.

My pick: Google Workspace Business Standard

You get:

• Custom email like you@yourfirm.com
• Gmail’s mature spam/phishing/malware protection—Google says Gmail automatically blocks 99.9% of spam, phishing attempts, and malware. workspace.google.comlearn.microsoft.com
• 2 TB of pooled storage per user
• Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, Calendar, Meet, etc.
• 24/7 support
• Strong encryption and security controls
• Very fast web/mobile access without maintaining your own mail server workspace.google.comworkspace.google.com
• Current listed pricing is $14/user/month with annual commitment, so about $28/month for two people. workspace.google.comworkspace.google.com

For a consulting firm, I particularly like the combination of Gmail + Drive + shared documents. You don't have to administer a server, and clients are unlikely to have problems receiving mail from you.

When I'd choose Microsoft 365 instead

I'd pick Microsoft 365 Business Premium if you work heavily in Word, Excel, Outlook and Windows, or if your consulting work involves particularly sensitive client information.

Business Premium includes Microsoft Defender for Office 365, Defender for Business, Intune device management, Entra ID security controls, and data-loss-prevention capabilities. learn.microsoft.com

It's more expensive—roughly $22/user/month annually—but you get a considerably deeper security stack. helixstax.com

What I would not do

I wouldn't host your own email on a VPS, shared web host, or a small mail server just to save a few dollars. For two people, the administrative/security burden isn't worth it.

I'd also avoid choosing purely on "fastest email." Gmail and Microsoft 365 are both hosted on enormous global infrastructures; the difference you'll notice in practice is much more likely to come from your internet connection, device, and workflow than the mail host.

My ranking for your situation:

One important point: whichever you choose, I'd configure MFA, SPF, DKIM, and DMARC from day one. Those settings matter substantially for protecting the firm's accounts and keeping legitimate client email out of spam.

If you tell me whether you primarily use Macs or Windows, and whether you use Word/Excel or Google Docs/Sheets, I can give you a more definitive choice between Google Workspace and Microsoft 365.

For a two-person consulting firm, I’d avoid choosing a traditional web host primarily because it includes email. The best setup is to separate website hosting from business email.

My recommendation

1. Email: Microsoft 365 Business Premium

• Excellent security for a tiny firm without needing to run your own IT.
• Includes Exchange business email on your own domain.
• Microsoft Defender for Office 365 provides protection against phishing, malware, malicious links and attachments. learn.microsoft.comlearn.microsoft.com
• Also includes device management/security through Intune and Defender for Business, which is a nice bonus if you use laptops for client work. learn.microsoft.comlearn.microsoft.com
• Particularly good if you use Word, Excel, Outlook and Teams.

2. Website: managed WordPress hosting
For a typical consulting firm's 5–20 page website, I'd look at SiteGround or Kinsta rather than a VPS. Current hosting comparisons favor SiteGround for small businesses and Kinsta for agencies/performance-oriented WordPress sites. www.techradar.com

If your site is relatively simple, SiteGround is probably the better value. If website speed is especially important and you're willing to pay more, Kinsta is worth considering.

What I'd actually build

One alternative: If your firm is heavily browser-based and prefers Gmail/Google Docs, Google Workspace Business Standard is excellent. Google includes custom-domain Gmail, 2-step verification, advanced phishing/malware protection, and 2 TB pooled storage per user on Standard. workspace.google.com

Bottom line: I'd choose Microsoft 365 Business Premium + SiteGround + Cloudflare for a two-person consulting firm. It's secure, fast enough for a professional site, and doesn't leave you dependent on a cheap shared host's email system.

If you tell me what kind of consulting you do and whether the website is WordPress or something else, I can narrow this down to the best 2–3 setups and approximate monthly cost.