mailbox.org vs AOL Mail
On privacy it's mailbox.org. On price it's AOL Mail. On features it's mailbox.org. Here's everything side by side, last checked 22 October 2026.
Should you pick mailbox.org or AOL Mail?
- mailbox.org suits you best if you want your mail kept in Germany; a provider with no advertising business behind it; and to use your own domain, like you@yourname.co.uk.
- AOL Mail suits you best if you want a mailbox that costs nothing; a free plan before you pay anything; and more years of history: it started in 1993.
| Feature | mailbox.org | AOL Mail |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 4.5 | 2.0 |
| Privacy | 4.5 | 0.0 |
| Price | 4.0 | 5.0 |
| Features | 5.0 | 3.5 |
| Cheapest plan | Standard €3 a month, yearly (from summer 2026) | Free Free |
| Free plan | No (30-day trial) | Yes |
| Storage | 20 GB | Not confirmed |
| Your own domain | ✓ Yes | No |
| End-to-end encryption | Optional (PGP or encrypted storage) | No |
| Company based in | Germany | United States |
| Your data is kept in | Germany | United States |
| Founded | 2014 | 1993 |
| Free trial | 30 days free | Free |
| Funded by advertising | No | Yes, or its parent company is |
| Works in any mail app | ✓ IMAP and SMTP | ✓ IMAP and SMTP |
| Calendar and contacts | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Aliases | Yes | Yes |
| Open-source apps | ✓ Yes | No |
| Sign up without ID | ✓ Yes | No |
| White label | No | No |
| Reader offer | None | None |
| Last checked | 22 October 2026 | 22 October 2026 |
Want to add another? Open this in the compare tool.
Where they differ
- Cheapest plans: mailbox.org Standard, €3 a month, yearly (from summer 2026). AOL Mail Free, Free.
- For free, mailbox.org gives you no free plan, and AOL Mail a free plan ().
- mailbox.org comes with 20 GB of storage and AOL Mail with storage not confirmed.
- mailbox.org keeps your mail in Germany, while AOL Mail keeps it in the United States.
- mailbox.org is based in Germany and AOL Mail in the United States, so different privacy laws apply.
- mailbox.org offers optional encryption (PGP or encrypted storage); AOL Mail doesn't encrypt mail end to end.
- mailbox.org lets you bring your own domain name; AOL Mail doesn't.
- Only AOL Mail is part of an advertising business.
mailbox.org and AOL Mail: your questions
Which is more private, mailbox.org or AOL Mail?
mailbox.org scores 4.5 out of 5 for privacy and AOL Mail 0. mailbox.org gives you your mail kept in Germany, a provider with no advertising business behind it and apps whose code is public.
Which is cheaper, mailbox.org or AOL Mail?
AOL Mail costs nothing to start (Free). mailbox.org's cheapest plan, Standard, is €3 a month, yearly (from summer 2026).
Do mailbox.org and AOL Mail work with my own domain?
Only mailbox.org does (Yes). With AOL Mail your address stays on its own domain.
Where do mailbox.org and AOL Mail keep my email?
mailbox.org keeps it in Germany. AOL Mail keeps it in the United States.
Prices and the latest news
- 1 September 2026 mailbox.org: €3.00 (announced 15 July 2026)
- 1 June 2026 mailbox.org: €2.50
The latest headlines: mailbox.org news · AOL Mail news.
Also worth a look
mailbox.org vs Posteo · AOL Mail vs Posteo · mailbox.org vs Proton Mail · AOL Mail vs Proton Mail · mailbox.org vs Tuta · AOL Mail vs Tuta
Moving your email
Moving to mailbox.org · Moving from mailbox.org. Or see all my switching guides.