jokerpro/iStock/Getty Images Plus
Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.
When it comes to cloud services and small businesses, the sky's the limit. That's a good thing because you're able to add what used to be challenging IT services by simply creating a login and sharing your credit card number. But it's also a bad thing because those cloud services multiply, and they're fairly easy to forget.
special feature How small businesses can work smarter in the age of AI Read now
In this article, we're going to do two things. We're going to discuss the five foundational cloud services every small business needs. And then we're going to look at a bunch of cost-saving secrets so your yearly cloud service bill doesn't grow beyond what's reasonable and practical.
Read all the way down to the bottom. I have a lightning round of money-saving tips. Tip No. 9 alone could save you thousands of dollars.
1. Email and domain services
We all dislike the never-ending stream of email and the hours it takes to manage it. But you really can't be in business and not have an email address. Depending on how you do email, you could wind up needing one to three cloud service providers.
Also: Best email hosting services 2025: My top picks for personal and business use
First, you need to decide (or may have already decided) if you need a company domain name. If you're going to have a website (and you are, that's No. 2), you'll need a domain anyway. Therefore, you'll need a domain registrar. This is the service that lets you license your domain name.
... continue reading