You want to leave Gmail or Google Workspace while hosting mailboxes on IONOS—often tied to an IONOS web hosting stack or a well-known European operator footprint. Technically this looks like a classic IMAP migration, yet Google labels, IONOS quotas and DNS hygiene (MX, SPF, DKIM) still need bespoke engineering. InfoSwitch delivers these programmes under UEswitch, with fees noticeably higher than our standard Infomaniak migrations.
Bringing workloads closer to Europe
IONOS promotes European datacentres; paired with exiting Google, the programme can support an operational sovereignty narrative (vendor, billing, support language). We still map residual flows (ads, analytics, third-party SaaS) that may sit outside your new mail perimeter.
Google: common IMAP export pitfalls
Users see “folders” in Gmail; under the hood many structures are labels. When importing into IONOS, an explicit mapping (which labels become folders, how to treat starred/important items, sent-mail duplication, etc.) prevents broken trees or massive duplicates.
- Mixed accounts — SMEs still running some @gmail.com alongside Workspace domain mail: we align scope or schedule two waves.
- Attachments & Drive — “Smart” Drive links are not classic IMAP attachments; we assess how they should be represented on IONOS.
- 2FA & admin policies — Workspace may require OAuth or app passwords for IMAP; we protect technical credentials for the migration window.
IONOS: what we validate before cutover
IONOS mail offers differ when bundled with domains or hosting. We verify per-mailbox quota, alias limits, spam policy, and client compatibility (modern Outlook, Apple Mail, mobile).
| Topic | UEswitch action |
|---|---|
| DNS | Prepare IONOS MX records, align SPF/DKIM/DMARC, lower TTL ahead of cutover. |
| Coexistence | Controlled periods where Google still receives inbound while users read on IONOS—designed to avoid message loss. |
| User testing | Pilot wave on 5–10% of mailboxes, feedback loop before the main batch. |
Google → IONOS project phases
Target workshop & volume audit
IONOS SKU choice, per-mailbox IMAP sizing, sensitive folder identification.
Provisioning & folder mapping
Account creation, label → folder rules, technical migration accounts.
Iterative synchronisations
IMAP copy with multiple passes, variance reports, remediation.
MX cutover & support
DNS change, project hotline, internal FAQ, handling stuck mailboxes.
Google decommission
Optional short read-only retention, then credential revocation and handover pack.
Pricing
As with other UEswitch pages, public Infomaniak-oriented bundles are not reused as-is: we produce a dedicated quote, generally materially higher, reflecting the Google + IONOS dual stack and project management overhead.
Third-party brands
Google, Gmail, Google Workspace and IONOS are trademarks of their respective owners. InfoSwitch provides independent migration engineering services.
UEswitch quote
Share volume and constraints: we reply with an indicative timeline and budget range.