When I decided to cancel every subscription, I couldn’t be faster to ditch Google Workspace and their entire product line. Avoiding the use of any Google product or service is a hard bargain (e.g. YouTube), but keeping them to a minimum feels extremely liberating.
The one thing that held me within the Google ecosystem was their professional email.
Anything else, I already moved over to Dropbox (storage), and the fact that I was using the Superhuman email client, which requires a Google Mail or Office Outlook account.
I made the switch because I am no longer pursuing a traditional entrepreneurship career.
Instead, I became a blogger and content creator, which doesn’t require any fancy tools or expensive email subscriptions anymore.
Google keeps raising its prices, and a few email addresses quickly led to $40-$60 monthly.
iCloud Mail With Custom Domain
Apple never fails me when it comes to “lowkey updates”. I wasn’t aware that Apple pushed out a new rollout in 2021 where they started to support custom domains.
I felt kinda stupid, since I am an avid Apple user, and email communication was a big part of my routine for 2 decades, and I only discovered this rollout by Apple in 2024.
The native Apple Mail app has come a long way since its inception. And sure, it’s not as sophisticated as Superhuman email, but it’s light, fast, and works well with other native Apple apps such as Reminders, Calendar, and Notes.
The best part?
It’s free within your iCloud+ subscription. So if you’re paying a buck per month (like I do) for iCloud, you’re allowed to add up to 5 custom domains and emails.
I am actually mind-blown that Apple is able to provide a service like this at no cost.
I tried email clients like Notion Mail, but they were lagging, slow and at the end of the day, they were just another wrapper for Google Mail that expanded my toolkit for no reason.
Detachment From The Google Ecosystem
I have to admit, this feels liberating. After over a decade of relying heavily on Google services and products, it’s astonishing how much of a burden they’ve become instead of a blessing.
I wanted to get away from their ecosystem for years, but they often made it too hard to migrate or transfer data from one platform to another.
They got a lot of scrutiny using personal data for gain, which is why there’s a strong uptrend in deGoogling yourself, or using platforms that put offline mode and privacy first.
Not that I am that concerned, but with Google and Google Workspace, I realized that I became the product. Once that happens, it’s time to get the fuck out.
Close
After ditching Google Workspace and Superhuman, it’s ironic that I feel more productive now with fewer apps.
Just because the combination of Apple Mail, Calendar & Reminders works better on iPad Pro, Mac & iPhone with less friction.
I underestimated iCloud Mail, but it’s clear that Apple tries to slowly cater to their hardcore users without forking up additional dollars.