Why Using Zoho for Cold Emailing is Probably a Bad Idea
Zoho's rise is being tested due to significant deliverability issues, particularly with cold emailing, leading to user dissatisfaction and questioning its viability as a cost-effective Google Workspace alternative.

Justin Gluska
Updated June 6, 2023

Reading Time: 3 minutes
Zoho's rise to fame has been nothing short of remarkable. It's hard to argue with the appeal of their pricing model.
In stark contrast to Google Workspace's $7 per month plan, Zoho has offered a more flexible model, enabling users to scale their email sending quickly and at a fraction of the cost. It has made the suite a compelling choice for businesses looking to maximize their efficiency at a reasonable price.
However, with the low cost has come a significant trade-off: deliverability.
Many users have chosen to couple their Zoho plans with shared hosting plans, which, while cost-effective, are notorious for their reduced deliverability rates. In the world of email communication, deliverability is the holy grail. If your emails aren't landing in the right inbox, or worse, are being marked as spam, the cost savings quickly become irrelevant.
As of this week, another concern has come forward. Users are beginning to report that their Zoho accounts are being banned from sending emails. This is a grave concern, as email communication forms the backbone of many businesses. The reasons behind these bans remain somewhat unclear, but they are causing substantial disruption for those affected.

Zoho Mail is designed primarily for personal and regular business email usage, helping users send emails within their organizations and to their business or personal contacts. According to the Zoho Mail Usage Policy, should not be used for sending out bulk emails, including promotional emails, mass emails, marketing emails, newsletters, automated emails, and transactional emails. All emails sent via Zoho Mail must adhere to their Anti Spam policy.
In instances of unusual activity, such as sending a large number of undeliverable emails, sending a high volume of emails in a short time, or multiple suspicious login attempts from different locations within a short period, Zoho implements automated actions to protect accounts from potential misuse.
This can result in temporary restrictions on email outgoing, incoming, or certain actions. If the account remains blocked, users are advised to follow the instructions provided on Zoho's website or to reach out to their mail support team for further assistance.
While Zoho has provided a cost-effective alternative to Google Workspace, the recent slew of email sending bans is a reminder that cost should never be the sole consideration when choosing a productivity suite.
Yes, the price tag is crucial, particularly for small businesses operating on thin margins, but the reliability and consistency of service are just as important.
As it stands, the future for Zoho seems uncertain. While it has carved a niche for itself as a cost-effective Google Workspace alternative, the recent issues have raised significant concerns.
If Zoho wants to continue its impressive growth trajectory, it will need to address these issues head-on and reassure its user base of its commitment to providing a reliable, top-quality service.
Members in their Facebook group are not happy – and if things keep up as they are, we might see a massive migration to other email services in the next couple of months.
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