Behind the scenes: a new design, 230 email providers, and free tools
Paul O'Brien · 1 min read
Good afternoon,
I’ve spent the past couple of months working flat out on a complete redesign of paulobrien.com, alongside building a suite of practical tools for email, web, and DNS.
I’m genuinely proud of how the new look has come together. I wanted something distinct—a site that stands out from the endless sea of generic blog templates and off-the-shelf themes. The email client-inspired layout feels right at home here.
Free Tools and the 230 Email Provider Directory
Why spend weeks researching 230 email providers in granular detail and publishing every finding for free?
During quieter periods, I often hunt for emerging and niche providers using Google and Bing, but search results are perpetually clogged with the same few affiliate-heavy lists churning out the "top 10". I couldn't find a single comprehensive, objective directory anywhere online.
So, with a bit of AI leverage, several late nights, and a lot of manual verification (which is still an ongoing effort), I built my own database of tested and queued services. Being inclined to share my work, I've published the entire index—all 230 providers—complete with side-by-side comparison tools.
I’d love to know what you think of the dataset, what needs tweaking, and which services I should review next.
Free Email, Website, and DNS Tools
Managing multiple websites and dabbling in development meant my bookmarks bar had become an unruly mess of single-purpose utilities. Most were mediocre, locked behind strict usage limits, or only solved half the problem at hand.
With plenty of patience, I built my own browser-based tools to fix those exact headaches—and I’m delighted to make them freely available to readers without artificial paywalls. You can explore the full collection on the Tools page.
That’s all from me for now. It’s Saturday, the sun is actually making an appearance, and some fresh air is well overdue.
Until next time,