AOL Mail vs SiteGround
On privacy it's SiteGround. On price it's AOL Mail. On features it's a tie. Here's everything side by side, last checked 25 October 2026.
AOL Mail or SiteGround: which should you choose?
- AOL Mail suits you best if you want a mailbox that costs nothing; to try it free first; and calendar and contacts in the same account.
- SiteGround is the better pick if you want email from a company that doesn't make money from adverts and an address on your own domain.
| Feature | AOL Mail | SiteGround |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 2.0 | 2.5 |
| Privacy | 0.0 | 1.5 |
| Price | 5.0 | 4.0 |
| Features | 3.5 | 3.5 |
| Cheapest plan | Free Free | StartUp hosting From $2.99 a month for the first year, with web hosting |
| Free plan | Yes | No |
| Storage | Not confirmed | Not confirmed |
| Your own domain | No | ✓ Yes |
| End-to-end encryption | No | No |
| Company based in | United States | Bulgaria |
| Your data is kept in | United States | Not confirmed |
| 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 | No |
| 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.
The key differences
- On price: AOL Mail Free at Free, against SiteGround StartUp hosting at From $2.99 a month for the first year, with web hosting.
- For free, AOL Mail gives you a free plan (), and SiteGround no free plan.
- Data location: United States for AOL Mail, Not confirmed for SiteGround.
- AOL Mail is based in the United States and SiteGround in Bulgaria, so different privacy laws apply.
- SiteGround lets you bring your own domain name; AOL Mail doesn't.
- Only AOL Mail is part of an advertising business.
Questions people ask
Which is more private, AOL Mail or SiteGround?
SiteGround scores 1.5 out of 5 for privacy and AOL Mail 0. SiteGround gives you email from a company that doesn't make money from adverts.
Which is cheaper, AOL Mail or SiteGround?
AOL Mail costs nothing to start (Free). SiteGround's cheapest plan, StartUp hosting, is From $2.99 a month for the first year, with web hosting.
Do AOL Mail and SiteGround work with my own domain?
Only SiteGround does (Yes). With AOL Mail your address stays on its own domain.
Where do AOL Mail and SiteGround keep my email?
AOL Mail keeps it in the United States. SiteGround keeps it in Not confirmed.
Price changes and news
I haven't seen either change its price since I started checking on 22 October 2026.
The latest headlines: AOL Mail news · SiteGround news.
Not sold on either? Try these
AOL Mail vs mailbox.org · SiteGround vs mailbox.org · AOL Mail vs Proton Mail · SiteGround vs Proton Mail · AOL Mail vs Posteo · SiteGround vs Posteo
Moving your email
Whichever you choose, the move follows the same steps. Pick your two providers for the steps.