HEY vs IONOS Mail
On privacy it's IONOS Mail. On price it's IONOS Mail. On features it's HEY. Here's everything side by side, last checked 25 October 2026.
HEY or IONOS Mail: which should you choose?
- HEY suits you best if you want 100 GB of storage and your diary and address book in one place with your email.
- IONOS Mail is the better pick if you want your mailbox stored in the UK data centre in Worcester; where email sits not confirmed; to pay less: About £1–£2 a month (not confirmed); and freedom to use the mail app you already like.
| Feature | HEY | IONOS Mail |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 2.0 | 3.0 |
| Privacy | 0.5 | 2.5 |
| Price | 2.0 | 4.5 |
| Features | 4.0 | 3.0 |
| Cheapest plan | HEY for You $99 a year (own domain: $12 per user a month) | Mail Basic About £1–£2 a month (not confirmed) |
| Free plan | No (30-day trial) | No |
| Storage | 100 GB | 2 GB |
| Your own domain | ✓ On HEY for Domains | ✓ Yes |
| End-to-end encryption | No | No |
| Company based in | United States | Germany |
| Your data is kept in | United States | UK data centre in Worcester; where email sits not confirmed |
| Founded | 2020 | 1988 |
| Free trial | 30 days free on HEY for You; no trial on HEY for Domains | Unknown |
| Funded by advertising | No | No |
| Works in any mail app | No, its own apps only | ✓ 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 | 25 October 2026 | 22 October 2026 |
Want to add another? Open this in the compare tool.
Where they differ
- On price: HEY HEY for You at $99 a year (own domain: $12 per user a month), against IONOS Mail Mail Basic at About £1–£2 a month (not confirmed).
- For free, HEY gives you no free plan, and IONOS Mail no free plan.
- HEY comes with 100 GB of storage and IONOS Mail with 2 GB of storage.
- Your mail is stored in the United States with HEY, and in the UK data centre in Worcester; where email sits not confirmed with IONOS Mail.
- HEY is based in the United States and IONOS Mail in Germany, so different privacy laws apply.
- HEY only works in its own apps, and IONOS Mail works in any mail app over IMAP.
Questions people ask
Which is more private, HEY or IONOS Mail?
IONOS Mail scores 2.5 out of 5 for privacy and HEY 0.5. IONOS Mail gives you your mailbox stored in the UK data centre in Worcester; where email sits not confirmed.
Which is cheaper, HEY or IONOS Mail?
IONOS Mail is cheaper. Its Mail Basic plan is About £1–£2 a month (not confirmed), against $99 a year (own domain: $12 per user a month) for HEY's HEY for You. Check the renewal price before you pay, as some first-year prices go up.
Do HEY and IONOS Mail work with my own domain?
Yes, both do. HEY: On HEY for Domains. IONOS Mail: Yes.
Where do HEY and IONOS Mail keep my email?
HEY keeps it in the United States. IONOS Mail keeps it in the UK data centre in Worcester; where email sits not confirmed.
Do HEY and IONOS Mail work in other mail apps?
HEY only works in its own apps. IONOS Mail works in any mail app over IMAP.
Prices and the latest news
Neither price has changed since my first check on 22 October 2026.
The latest headlines: HEY news · IONOS Mail news.
Not sold on either? Try these
HEY vs mailbox.org · IONOS Mail vs mailbox.org · HEY vs Posteo · IONOS Mail vs Posteo · HEY vs Proton Mail · IONOS Mail vs Proton Mail
How to switch
Whichever you choose, the move follows the same steps. Pick your two providers for the steps.