Easier to manage
DNS, email routing, and automation all sit on the same infrastructure. That makes setup more direct and ongoing maintenance much simpler.
Docs
Why OhRelay requires Cloudflare DNS
OhRelay runs on Cloudflare Email Routing and Workers, which is why your domain needs to use Cloudflare DNS first.
This is not only a technical dependency. It is also part of how OhRelay stays easier to manage, more reliable, and lighter on mail custody than a traditional hosted mailbox product.
What you gain
This requirement exists because the setup is better for users, too
Using Cloudflare is not just about what OhRelay needs under the hood. It also gives you a more unified setup, a tighter routing path, and a cleaner privacy boundary.
More reliable
OhRelay can use Cloudflare's email routing and global edge network directly, which keeps the mail path tighter and easier to control.
More privacy-conscious
Routing happens primarily through your own Cloudflare account. OhRelay acts as the automation layer instead of becoming another hosted mailbox.
Why Cloudflare
Cloudflare gives OhRelay one consistent control plane
Cloudflare is one of the most widely used network and cloud platforms. When your domain uses Cloudflare DNS, OhRelay can configure the routing pieces it needs through the Cloudflare API instead of asking you to patch multiple systems by hand.
What OhRelay can configure automatically
- Email Routing rules so incoming mail enters the right flow
- Workers scripts so routing logic runs at the edge when mail arrives
- DNS records such as MX, SPF, and other delivery-related entries
That lets most setups finish in minutes instead of turning into a manual DNS checklist.
Why this is simpler for you
DNS, email routing, and OhRelay's automation layer all work from the same source of truth. That means fewer moving parts, less copy-paste, and fewer places where setup can drift later.
In most cases, you do not need to transfer registration. You only point nameservers to Cloudflare and keep the registrar where it already is.
How mail flows
Cloudflare helps OhRelay route mail without turning into your mailbox
A message arrives at your domain address
Someone emails hello@yourdomain.com. Because your MX records are managed on Cloudflare, the message first enters Cloudflare's mail infrastructure.
Cloudflare applies the routing logic
Email Routing and Workers handle the path the message should take. This is what lets OhRelay map visible addresses to the correct working inbox and preserve the metadata needed for reply identity.
The message is forwarded to your real inbox
The message continues on to Gmail, iCloud, Outlook, or whichever inbox you already use every day. OhRelay is not meant to be the place where your team lives in email.
You keep working in the inbox you trust
Search, archive, history, and day-to-day handling all stay in your existing mailbox environment instead of being split into another hosted inbox product.
Privacy boundary
Why this architecture is more privacy-conscious
The goal is not to create another mailbox vendor that stores your team's messages. The goal is to route mail into the inboxes you already own and operate.
Your Cloudflare account stays in the loop
Routing happens primarily through your own Cloudflare account, using Cloudflare's native DNS, Email Routing, and edge execution products.
OhRelay is not another hosted mailbox
OhRelay handles the routing data and automation context needed to make the workflow work correctly. It is designed around mail flow, not around hosting your mailbox contents.
Your existing inbox remains the home for your mail
Received messages still end up in the mailbox your team already uses. That keeps search, backup, retention, and daily operations anchored in your own accounts.
Less custody, clearer boundaries
By routing through Cloudflare and delivering into your existing inbox, the system reduces how much of your email workflow needs to be re-hosted somewhere else.
FAQ
Common questions
Do I need to transfer my domain to Cloudflare Registrar?
No. In most cases, you only need to move DNS hosting to Cloudflare. Your registrar can stay exactly where it is.
Will this affect my existing website or email setup?
Usually not. Cloudflare can import your existing DNS records first, which makes the move manageable for most setups.
Do I need a paid Cloudflare plan?
Not necessarily. For many lightweight and early-stage setups, Cloudflare's free plan is often enough.
Why does this help with email delivery?
Because OhRelay can use Cloudflare's routing and edge network directly, it removes unnecessary handoffs and helps keep delivery paths more stable.
Does OhRelay host my mailbox or keep my email archive?
No. OhRelay is designed as a routing and sending layer, not a mailbox provider. Your day-to-day mail still lands in the inbox you already use.
Already using another registrar?
In most cases, you only need to move DNS hosting.
Cloudflare usually imports your existing DNS records first, so you can review everything before switching nameservers.
That means you can often adopt OhRelay without moving your domain registration away from your current provider.