How to Set Up a Custom Email Address on GoDaddy

A custom email address like you@yourbusiness.com looks far more professional than a generic Gmail address — and if you already own a domain at GoDaddy, you can have one up and running in about five minutes. The best part: you don't need a new inbox. Email sent to your domain forwards straight to the Gmail (or Outlook) you already use.

This guide sets up a custom email address on your GoDaddy domain using Routr, an email forwarding service. You'll create a Routr account, add your domain, then add three DNS records at GoDaddy. Those records point your mail to Routr's forwarding servers, so they only start working once your domain is connected to your Routr account — which is the very first step.

New to custom email in general? Start with our overview of how to set up a custom email address, then come back for the GoDaddy steps.

What you'll need

• A domain registered at (or using DNS hosted by) GoDaddy.
• An inbox to forward to — your everyday Gmail, Outlook, or similar.
• A Routr account — you'll set it up in the first step below.
• About five minutes.

How GoDaddy email forwarding works

Two small DNS records do all the work. The MX records tell the internet where to deliver email for your domain — in this case, to the forwarding service. The SPF record (a TXT record) tells other mail servers that those servers are allowed to handle your domain's mail, which keeps your messages out of spam. Once they're in place, anything sent to name@yourdomain.com — or hello@, info@, anything — lands in your inbox automatically.

Step 1: Connect your domain to Routr

The DNS records below send your mail to Routr's forwarding servers, so Routr needs to know your domain before they'll do anything. This part takes about a minute:

1. Create your Routr account and enter your GoDaddy domain.
2. Choose the inbox to forward to — your Gmail, Outlook, or similar.
3. Routr then confirms the exact records to add (the three below). Keep that tab open and continue here.

The DNS records you'll add

Here are the exact records. You'll add all three in GoDaddy:

Step 2: Add the records in GoDaddy

1. Log in to GoDaddy and go to your product list (My Products).
2. Find your domain and click DNS (or Manage DNS).
3. Scroll to the MX (Mail Exchanger) section and delete any existing MX records.
4. Click Add and enter: Type MX, Name @, Value mx1.improvmx.com, Priority 10.
5. Click Add again: Type MX, Name @, Value mx2.improvmx.com, Priority 20.
6. Click Save.
7. In the TXT section, click Add: Type TXT, Name @, Value v=spf1 include:spf.improvmx.com ~all.
8. Click Save.

Step 3: Verify and start using your address

DNS changes usually take 5–30 minutes to take effect. If you set this up through Routr, your dashboard has a one-click “check now” button that confirms the records are live and flips your address on. After that, you can also turn on Gmail's “Send mail as” feature to reply from your custom address without ever leaving Gmail.

GoDaddy's paid email vs. simple forwarding

GoDaddy will happily sell you a full Microsoft 365 mailbox (typically around $6/month and up). That's worth it if you need a separate, standalone inbox with calendars and storage. But if you simply want a professional address that arrives in the inbox you already check, forwarding is simpler and cheaper — here's a full cost breakdown. Routr is $4.99/month for every address on your domain, forwarded anywhere, with no lock-in.

Frequently asked questions