Migrate Email from Bluehost to Google Workspace: Existing Domain
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Migrating from Bluehost to Google Workspace (formerly called GSuite) involves setting up the new Google Mailboxes, moving existing emails from Bluehost mailboxes, routing new emails and ensuring non-email elements are not lost.
This guide helps you switch email providers from Bluehost to Google Workspace in near-zero downtime while your website, hosting plan and domain registration stay at Bluehost.
Functionalities Migrated from Bluehost to Google Workspace
Bluehost is primarily a website hosting, domain registration and DNS, widely suggested by WordPress.org which also offers domain-based email services, along with contacts & calendar. But here limited services are moved:
| Bluehost Service | Migrated | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Website hosting (WordPress, files, databases) | No | Stays Intact (Falls Under Hosting Migration) |
| Domain registration & Nameservers | No | Do not transfer the domain (will affect the website not just mailboxes) |
| MX records (where mail is delivered) | Yes | Routing new emails |
| Bluehost mailboxes | Yes | Do not delete or cancel; Migrate manually or use the BitRecover tool and verify. Note: Contacts & Calendar – moved separately |
Small businesses did not explicitly choose Bluehost for their email communication and management. Mailboxes like [email protected] or [email protected] are provided attached with domains. As businesses evolve they migrate emails from Bluehost to Google Workspace for a more modern and collaborative environment.
What Are the Key Differences Between Bluehost and Google Workspace?
| Factor | Bluehost Email | Google Workspace |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Mailbox accessed by cPanel email, Professional Email (powered by Titan), or older OX Mail; Bluehost Portal and cPanel | Email accessed by Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Meet, Sheets, Docs and Admin Console to manage mailboxes |
| Storage | 10 GB to 100 GB based on plan | 30 GB pooled per user (Business Starter), 2 TB (Standard), 5 TB (Plus), per Google |
| Sending limits | Up to 500 emails per hour per domain | Managed by admin console |
| Contacts and calendar | Webmail address book | Google Contacts and Google Calendar |
| MX records | Point at Bluehost; Email Routing = Local | smtp.google.com, priority 1; Bluehost Email Routing = Remote |
| Pricing | Starting at $2.99/month (2 Free email addressed also provided) | Starting at $3.50 per user/month |
Note: Bluehost is also a reseller of Google Workspace. This does not alter the process to migrate from Bluehost to Google Workspace, but it only affects the support & introductory pricing.
User Query: “I am using Bluehost which contains so many important mails but am not able to open that. Now I want to email from Bluehost to Google Workspace. Kindly tell me how to migrate email from Bluehost to Google workspace? I am looking for a perfect solution that can help me in switching from Bluehost to Google Workspace. Kindly suggest me any reliable solution which will help me in this scenario.”
Prepare Before You Migrate Email from Bluehost to Google Workspace
- Identify your Bluehost server settings:
- cPanel email | mail.yourdomain.com | 993 (SSL/TLS)
- Professional Email (powered by Titan) | imap.titan.email | 993 (SSL/TLS)
- Older OX Mail | imap.oxcs.bluehost.com | 993
- Verify the domain in Google Workspace, set up mailboxes, assign licenses and enable Gmail support.
- CSV with user email addresses and password for source Bluehost mailboxes and destination Google Workspace accounts for batch migration.
- Superadministrator account of Google Workspace and primary account owner (Hosting Admin) for Bluehost.
- Lower the MX record TTL a day ahead.
Migrate Email from Bluehost to Google Workspace: Choose Preferred Approach
Transferring Bluehost mail to Google Workspace can be done manually over IMAP using Google’s in-built migration services in the admin console or using BitRecover Bluehost to Google Workspace Migration Wizard for direct streamline switch.
| Migration Assistance | Using Google Data Migration | Using BitRecover |
|---|---|---|
| Connection Type | Cloud-to-cloud connection | IMAP to API based connection |
| IMAP Throttling | Upload capped at ~500 MB/day per mailbox) | Bypassed with API |
| Migration Type | Native | Third-Party |
| Migration Speed & Downtime | Can take days to migrate | Fast API based export from Bluehost to Google Workspace with Concurrency |
| New Email Transfer | Not Supported | Frequently transfer only modified emails with Schedule |
Note: BitRecover is a third-party software & email migration not directly associated with Bluehost or Google Workspace yet BitRecover is ADA-CASA certified utility.
Method A: Import Bluehost Email to Google Workspace with BitRecover
BitRecover Bluehost Backup Tool connects to both Bluehost and Google Workspace and bulk-migrates mailboxes simultaneously without configuring each mailbox individually using Batch Mode, while preserving folder hierarchy, ensuring GDPR-level security, and leaving domain settings unchanged.
Free demo available to move 25 emails per folder from Bluehost mailboxes to Google Workspace account with exact mapping.
- Download the BitRecover Bluehost to Google Workspace Migration Wizard.
- Further, Choose Bluehost from the Email Source panel.
- Enter account credentials to migrate a single Bluehost mailbox to Google Workspace or use “Batch Mode” & browse CSV with user credentials.
- Select folders to be imported Bluehost to Google Workspace.
- From the saving option to choose “Google Workspace”.
- Then, Enter Google Workspace account credentials and “Sign in with Google” or use “I am Admin” mode for bulk migration.
- Map mailboxes from BlueHost to Google Workspace.
- Press “Backup” to migrate Bluehost emails to Google Workspace.
Added Benefits of Software Assisted Bluehost to Google Workspace Migration
- Scheduler Option with Auto Transfer: Schedule migrations during off-peak hours and use incremental transfers with daily, weekly, or monthly scheduling to further migrate only new emails from Bluehost to Google Workspace.
- Filtered & Organised Migration: Multiple advanced filters such as – Date Range, From, To, Subject, Exclude Folders, Has the words, Exclude Attachments, Only Export Sent Folder, Exclude Exporting Email Body Content & Attachments to keep destination mailbox clutter free & optimise storage space.
- Auto-Generate Migration Log Report: Monitor and record emails migrated from Bluehost account to Google Workspace and track missed items and errors.
BitRecover Data Migration Services help small, medium, and large-scale businesses migrate emails from Bluehost to Google Workspace securely and confidentially, with end-to-end assistance from industry-leading experts 24/7.
Method B: Google’s Data Import Tool in Admin Console (IMAP)
- Go to the Google Admin console and sign in with a Super Administrator account.
- Select Data >> Data import & Export and then Data Import.
- For IMAP, click Import.
- Enter your Bluehost server details and test connection.
- Map users, manually for up to 20 users or upload CSV with user accounts and passwords beyond that.
- Then Start import.
Limitation of Bluehost to Google Workspace Migration
- Both manual tool assisted migration is carried over IMAP thus Contacts & Calendars cannot be migrated and are required to be imported separately.
- After migration, you may need to recreate rules, filters, autoresponders, mailing lists and forwarders and aliases.
- Message plus attachment size 25 MB cannot be exported from Bluehost to Google Workspace due to Gmail’s in-built limitation.
Post Bluehost to Google Workspace Migration Steps
- New Email Routing: Under the Bluehost hosting panel delete the old Bluehost or Titan MX records, update with Google’s record, set Email Routing to Remote Mail Exchanger and finally activate Gmail for the domain in Admin Console.
- Verify discovered, imported, skipped and failed emails from Bluehost to Google Workspace.
- Lastly, you can now delete the items, but do not forget to create an email backup.
FAQ: Migrate Email from Bluehost to Google Workspace
Q1: Can I export Bluehost emails to Google account without admin credentials?
Yes, for a single mailbox you can move emails using the BitRecover Bluehost Mail to Google Workspace migration tool with unchecked batch mode or via Gmail’s Imports Messages & Contacts option.
Q2: Can I keep using my mailboxes during migration?
Yes, both Bluehost and Google Workspace mailboxes can be used during migration, but you will be required to run a delta sync. For delta sync, use the Incremental Migration option of the BitRecover solution or the Google Data Migration service.
Q3: How long does Bluehost to Google Workspace migration take?
It depends on mailbox size, count and connection, and neither Google nor Bluehost publishes a fixed duration. But DNS recognition can take up to 72 hours.
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