AOL Mail vs CounterMail
In short: CounterMail wins on privacy, AOL Mail wins on price, and CounterMail wins on features. The full comparison is below, last checked 25 October 2026.
AOL Mail or CounterMail: which should you choose?
- Go for AOL Mail if you'd like email without paying for it and a free plan before you pay anything.
- CounterMail suits you best if you want mail that's encrypted end to end without any setup; your email to stay in Sweden; and a company that isn't funded by advertising.
| Feature | AOL Mail | CounterMail |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 2.0 | 4.0 |
| Privacy | 0.0 | 4.0 |
| Price | 5.0 | 4.0 |
| Features | 3.5 | 4.0 |
| Cheapest plan | Free Free | Premium, 12 months $4 a month, paid yearly ($49) |
| Free plan | Yes | No |
| Storage | Not confirmed | 4 GB |
| Your own domain | No | ✓ Yes |
| End-to-end encryption | No | ✓ Built in |
| Company based in | United States | Sweden |
| Your data is kept in | United States | Sweden |
| Founded | 1993 | Unknown |
| Free trial | Free | Unknown |
| Funded by advertising | Yes, or its parent company is | No |
| Works in any mail app | ✓ IMAP and SMTP | ✓ IMAP and SMTP |
| Calendar and contacts | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Aliases | Yes | Yes |
| Open-source apps | No | No |
| Sign up without ID | No | No |
| White label | No | Unknown |
| Reader offer | None | None |
| Last checked | 22 October 2026 | 25 October 2026 |
Want to add another? Open this in the compare tool.
Where they differ
- AOL Mail's cheapest plan is Free (Free); CounterMail's is Premium, 12 months ($4 a month, paid yearly ($49)).
- AOL Mail has a free plan (); CounterMail has no free plan.
- Space: AOL Mail gives storage not confirmed, CounterMail 4 GB of storage.
- Data location: United States for AOL Mail, Sweden for CounterMail.
- The companies sit under different laws: AOL Mail in United States, CounterMail in Sweden.
- On encryption, AOL Mail doesn't encrypt mail end to end, whereas CounterMail encrypts mail end to end.
- You can use your own domain with CounterMail, but not with AOL Mail.
- AOL Mail (or its parent company) makes money from advertising; CounterMail doesn't.
AOL Mail and CounterMail: your questions
Is AOL Mail more private than CounterMail?
CounterMail scores 4 out of 5 for privacy and AOL Mail 0. CounterMail gives you mail that's encrypted end to end without any setup, your email to stay in Sweden and a company that isn't funded by advertising.
Is AOL Mail cheaper than CounterMail?
AOL Mail costs nothing to start (Free). CounterMail's cheapest plan, Premium, 12 months, is $4 a month, paid yearly ($49).
Can I use my own domain with AOL Mail or CounterMail?
Only CounterMail does (Yes). With AOL Mail your address stays on its own domain.
Where is my email stored with AOL Mail and CounterMail?
AOL Mail keeps it in the United States. CounterMail keeps it in Sweden.
Recent price changes
No price changes for either since 22 October 2026. I check regularly and add any change here with its date.
The latest headlines: AOL Mail news · CounterMail news.
Also worth a look
AOL Mail vs mailbox.org · CounterMail vs mailbox.org · AOL Mail vs Posteo · CounterMail vs Posteo · AOL Mail vs Proton Mail · CounterMail vs Proton Mail
How to switch
Moving between any two providers works the same way. Pick your two providers for the steps.