Gmail vs Riseup
In short: Riseup wins on privacy, they tie on price, and Gmail wins on features. The full comparison is below, last checked 25 October 2026.
Which should you choose?
- Gmail suits you best if you want calendar and contacts in the same account.
- Riseup suits you best if you want a company that isn't funded by advertising; apps whose code is public; and to sign up without proving who you are.
| Feature | Gmail | Riseup |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 2.5 | 2.5 |
| Privacy | 0.0 | 1.5 |
| Price | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| Features | 4.0 | 2.5 |
| Cheapest plan | Free (Google One 100 GB for more space) Free; 100 GB about £1.59–£1.99 a month | Free Free (donations) |
| Free plan | Yes, 15 GB shared with Drive | Yes, by invitation |
| Storage | 15 GB | Not confirmed |
| Your own domain | No | No |
| End-to-end encryption | No | No |
| Company based in | United States | United States |
| Your data is kept in | United States and worldwide | United States |
| Founded | 2004 | 1999 |
| 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 | Plus addressing only | Yes |
| Open-source apps | No | ✓ Yes |
| Sign up without ID | No | ✓ Yes |
| 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.
How Gmail and Riseup differ
- On price: Gmail Free (Google One 100 GB for more space) at Free; 100 GB about £1.59–£1.99 a month, against Riseup Free at Free (donations).
- For free, Gmail gives you a free plan (15 GB shared with Drive), and Riseup a free plan (by invitation).
- Gmail comes with 15 GB of storage and Riseup with storage not confirmed.
- Your mail is stored in the United States and worldwide with Gmail, and in the United States with Riseup.
- Only Gmail is part of an advertising business.
- For extra addresses, Gmail has plus addressing only and Riseup has yes.
Questions people ask
Which is more private, Gmail or Riseup?
Riseup scores 1.5 out of 5 for privacy and Gmail 0. Riseup gives you a company that isn't funded by advertising, apps whose code is public and to sign up without proving who you are.
Which is cheaper, Gmail or Riseup?
Their cheapest plans cost about the same: Gmail Free; 100 GB about £1.59–£1.99 a month, Riseup Free (donations).
Do Gmail and Riseup work with my own domain?
No, neither lets you use your own domain, so your address stays on theirs.
Where do Gmail and Riseup keep my email?
Gmail keeps it in the United States and worldwide. Riseup keeps it in the United States.
Prices and the latest news
I haven't seen either change its price since I started checking on 22 October 2026.
The latest headlines: Gmail news · Riseup news.
Alternatives to Gmail and Riseup
Gmail vs Posteo · Riseup vs Posteo · Gmail vs mailbox.org · Riseup vs mailbox.org · Gmail vs Proton Mail · Riseup vs Proton Mail
Switching between them
Moving to Gmail · Moving from Gmail. Or see all my switching guides.