iCloud Mail vs Fastmail for Business
On privacy it's Fastmail for Business. On price it's iCloud Mail. On features it's a tie. Here's everything side by side, last checked 22 October 2026.
Which should you choose?
- iCloud Mail is the better pick if you want to pay less: £0.99 a month and a free plan before you pay anything.
- Fastmail for Business is the better pick if you want your email to stay in the EU (Amsterdam) for UK customers, with a US replica and US backups; extras such as catch-all address as well as sieve filters; and more years of history: it started in 1999.
| Feature | iCloud Mail | Fastmail for Business |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 3.0 | 3.0 |
| Privacy | 0.5 | 2.0 |
| Price | 5.0 | 3.5 |
| Features | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| Cheapest plan | iCloud+ 50 GB £0.99 a month | Standard $5 per user a month ($4.17 yearly) |
| Free plan | Yes, 5 GB, no own domain | No |
| Storage | 50 GB | 50 GB |
| Your own domain | ✓ Up to 5 | ✓ Up to 100 |
| End-to-end encryption | No | No |
| Company based in | United States | Australia |
| Your data is kept in | United States and worldwide | EU (Amsterdam) for UK customers, with a US replica and US backups |
| Founded | 2011 | 1999 |
| Free trial | Free (5 GB) | 30 days free |
| Funded by advertising | No | No |
| Works in any mail app | ✓ IMAP and SMTP | ✓ IMAP and SMTP |
| Calendar and contacts | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Aliases | Hide My Email | Yes |
| Open-source apps | No | No |
| Sign up without ID | No | No |
| White label | No | No |
| Reader offer | None | Offer 10% off your first year, plus a free trial of up to 30 days |
| Last checked | 22 October 2026 | 22 October 2026 |
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Where they differ
- iCloud Mail's cheapest plan is iCloud+ 50 GB (£0.99 a month); Fastmail for Business's is Standard ($5 per user a month ($4.17 yearly)).
- For free, iCloud Mail gives you a free plan (5 GB, no own domain), and Fastmail for Business no free plan.
- Data location: United States and worldwide for iCloud Mail, EU (Amsterdam) for UK customers, with a US replica and US backups for Fastmail for Business.
- iCloud Mail is based in the United States and Fastmail for Business in Australia, so different privacy laws apply.
- For extra addresses, iCloud Mail has hide my email and Fastmail for Business has yes.
iCloud Mail and Fastmail for Business: your questions
Which is more private, iCloud Mail or Fastmail for Business?
Fastmail for Business scores 2 out of 5 for privacy and iCloud Mail 0.5. Fastmail for Business gives you your email to stay in the EU (Amsterdam) for UK customers, with a US replica and US backups.
Which is cheaper, iCloud Mail or Fastmail for Business?
iCloud Mail is cheaper. Its iCloud+ 50 GB plan is £0.99 a month, against $5 per user a month ($4.17 yearly) for Fastmail for Business's Standard. iCloud Mail also has a free plan. Check the renewal price before you pay, as some first-year prices go up.
Do iCloud Mail and Fastmail for Business work with my own domain?
Yes, both do. iCloud Mail: Up to 5. Fastmail for Business: Up to 100.
Where do iCloud Mail and Fastmail for Business keep my email?
iCloud Mail keeps it in the United States and worldwide. Fastmail for Business keeps it in the EU (Amsterdam) for UK customers, with a US replica and US backups.
Prices and the latest news
- 1 July 2023 iCloud Mail: £0.99 (UK price rise, 2023)
- 1 June 2023 iCloud Mail: £0.79
The latest headlines: iCloud Mail news · Fastmail for Business news.
Also worth a look
iCloud Mail vs mailbox.org · Fastmail for Business vs mailbox.org · iCloud Mail vs Posteo · Fastmail for Business vs Posteo · iCloud Mail vs Proton Mail · Fastmail for Business vs Proton Mail
Moving your email
Moving to iCloud Mail · Moving from iCloud Mail. Or see all my switching guides.