Krystal vs Mail-in-a-Box
On privacy it's Krystal. On price it's a tie. On features it's Krystal. Here's everything side by side, last checked 25 October 2026.
Krystal or Mail-in-a-Box: which should you choose?
- Krystal suits you best if you want your mail kept in the United Kingdom and a provider that's been going since 2002.
- Mail-in-a-Box suits you best if you want a free plan before you pay anything and open-source apps.
| Feature | Krystal | Mail-in-a-Box |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | Not rated | Not rated |
| Privacy | 2.5 | Not rated |
| Price | Not rated | Not rated |
| Features | 4.5 | Not rated |
| Cheapest plan | Email hosting Not confirmed | Open source Free |
| Free plan | No | Yes, open source |
| Storage | Not confirmed | Not confirmed |
| Your own domain | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| End-to-end encryption | No | No |
| Company based in | United Kingdom | United States |
| Your data is kept in | United Kingdom | Your own server |
| Founded | 2002 | 2013 |
| Free trial | 60-day money-back guarantee | Free to download |
| Funded by advertising | No | No |
| Works in any mail app | ✓ IMAP and SMTP | ✓ IMAP and SMTP |
| Calendar and contacts | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Aliases | Yes | Yes |
| Open-source apps | No | ✓ Yes |
| Sign up without ID | No | No |
| White label | Unknown | No |
| Reader offer | None | None |
| Last checked | 25 October 2026 | 25 October 2026 |
Want to add another? Open this in the compare tool.
The key differences
- Cheapest plans: Krystal Email hosting, Not confirmed. Mail-in-a-Box Open source, Free.
- For free, Krystal gives you no free plan, and Mail-in-a-Box a free plan (open source).
- Krystal keeps your mail in the United Kingdom, while Mail-in-a-Box keeps it in Your own server.
- Krystal is based in the United Kingdom and Mail-in-a-Box in the United States, so different privacy laws apply.
Questions people ask
Do Krystal and Mail-in-a-Box work with my own domain?
Yes, both do. Krystal: Yes. Mail-in-a-Box: Yes.
Where do Krystal and Mail-in-a-Box keep my email?
Krystal keeps it in the United Kingdom. Mail-in-a-Box keeps it in Your own server.
Recent price changes
I haven't seen either change its price since I started checking on 25 October 2026.
The latest headlines: Krystal news · Mail-in-a-Box news.
Also worth a look
- mailbox.org4.5 out of 5 overall
- Proton Mail for Business4.0 out of 5 overall
- Tuta Business4.0 out of 5 overall
Krystal vs mailbox.org · Mail-in-a-Box vs mailbox.org · Krystal vs Proton Mail for Business · Mail-in-a-Box vs Proton Mail for Business · Krystal vs Tuta Business · Mail-in-a-Box vs Tuta Business
Moving your email
Whichever you choose, the move follows the same steps. Pick your two providers for the steps.