Setting up a free email address with your own domain name can be done primarily using email forwarding services or free tiers of business email hosts.

Here is a general guide and the most popular free options, keeping in mind that "free" often comes with limitations (like a low number of users or reliance on forwarding):

Method 1: Use a Free Business Email Host (Recommended for a full inbox)
Services like Zoho Mail often offer a "Forever Free Plan" that allows you to host a small number of custom domain email addresses for free. This gives you a dedicated inbox interface, just like Gmail or Outlook, but with your own domain.

Steps using a service like Zoho Mail:

Register a Domain Name: You must first own a domain name (e.g., yourbusiness.com). This is typically an annual paid expense, as domain registrars do not offer this for free.

Sign Up for the Free Plan: Create an account on the email hosting platform (e.g., Zoho Mail's Forever Free Plan).

Add and Verify Your Domain: Follow the host's instructions to add your domain. This involves logging into your domain registrar's DNS settings and adding a specific TXT record to prove you own the domain.

Create Your Email Account: Once verified, create your custom email address (e.g., [email protected]).

Configure MX Records: Change your domain's MX (Mail Exchange) records at your domain registrar to point to the email host's servers (e.g., Zoho's servers). This tells the internet where to deliver mail for your domain.

Set Up SPF/DKIM (Recommended): Configure SPF and DKIM records as recommended by the host. This helps prevent your emails from being marked as spam.

Method 2: Email Forwarding with a Free DNS Service
This method is "free" after you've purchased your domain. It allows you to receive emails sent to your custom address ([email protected]) in an existing personal email inbox (like Gmail or Outlook).

A popular tool for this is Cloudflare's Email Routing.

Steps for Email Forwarding:

Register a Domain Name: Purchase your domain name.

Use a DNS/Forwarding Service: Sign up for a free service like Cloudflare and change your domain's nameservers to point to their service.

Set Up Forwarding: Use the Email Routing feature to create rules that forward emails:

Source Address: [email protected]

Destination Address: [email protected]

Configure Sending (Optional but Crucial): To send emails from your custom domain address (which looks professional), you'll need to configure your personal email account (e.g., Gmail) to use an SMTP server for sending.

This often requires a third-party, free SMTP service, or setting up your existing personal email to "send mail as" your custom domain.

Note on "Free": The main cost is the domain name registration itself, which you must pay for annually. The services described provide the email hosting or forwarding for free. Paid alternatives like Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 offer much more robust, reliable, and full-featured business email.