Google Domains was Google’s domain registration service, launched in 2015, which included free email forwarding for registered domains. Google sold the entire Google Domains business to Squarespace in a deal announced June 15, 2023, and closed on September 7, 2023. Approximately 10 million domains were transferred. Google Domains no longer exists as a product.
Email forwarding for former Google Domains customers continues under Squarespace Domains. The forwarding feature is functionally similar: up to 100 forwarding addresses per domain, configured through the Squarespace dashboard. Some users reported that forwarding rules did not automatically transfer during migration and required manual reconfiguration.
This entity page exists for reference. Anyone searching for "Google Domains email forwarding" in 2025 or later is looking at Squarespace Domains.
What happened
- June 2023: Google announced the sale of Google Domains to Squarespace.
- September 7, 2023: The deal closed. Domain registrations and customer accounts transferred to Squarespace. Accounts were automatically created for affected users.
- July 2024: Squarespace completed the final domain migrations. All former Google Domains registrations are now Squarespace domains.
- Pricing: Squarespace honoured Google Domains pricing for 12 months post-acquisition (through September 2024). Renewals are now at Squarespace’s standard rates.
Email forwarding under Squarespace
Squarespace Domains includes email forwarding at no additional cost for registered domains. The feature works the same way as other registrar-bundled forwarding (Namecheap offers an equivalent feature): configure aliases in the dashboard, and incoming mail is forwarded to an existing inbox.
Limitations are the same as any registrar-bundled forwarding:
- No SMTP sending. Forwarding is receive-only.
- No SRS/DKIM. Forwarded messages may fail authentication at the destination.
- No API, no logs, no webhooks.
- Squarespace-managed domains only. If the domain has been transferred away from Squarespace, the forwarding feature is no longer available.
Migration path for WordPress operators
WordPress operators who used Google Domains email forwarding have three options:
- Keep forwarding under Squarespace. If the domain remains at Squarespace, forwarding continues to work. No action needed beyond verifying that forwarding rules transferred correctly.
- Transfer the domain and use a standalone forwarding service. ImprovMX (free tier), Forward Email (free tier), or ForwardMX ($30/year) all work with any registrar.
- Move to a full email provider. Fastmail (€5/month) or Google Workspace ($7/month per user) for operators who need mailboxes, not just forwarding.
(For a category overview, see the email forwarding services roundup.)