Paul O'Brieneverything email Subscribe

mailbox.org vs Fastmail for Business

On privacy it's mailbox.org. On price it's mailbox.org. On features it's a tie. Here's everything side by side, last checked 22 October 2026.

Which should you choose?

  • mailbox.org is the better pick if you want a cheaper plan, at €3 a month, yearly (from summer 2026); extras such as PGP encryption as well as password-protected email to anyone; and open-source apps.
  • Fastmail for Business suits you best if you want more space for your mail: 50 GB and a company with a longer track record (since 1999).
Featuremailbox.orgFastmail for Business
Overall4.53.0
Privacy4.52.0
Price4.03.5
Features5.05.0
Cheapest planStandard
€3 a month, yearly (from summer 2026)
Standard
$5 per user a month ($4.17 yearly)
Free planNo (30-day trial)No
Storage20 GB50 GB
Your own domain✓ Yes✓ Up to 100
End-to-end encryptionOptional (PGP or encrypted storage)No
Company based in Germany Australia
Your data is kept in Germany EU (Amsterdam) for UK customers, with a US replica and US backups
Founded20141999
Free trial30 days free30 days free
Funded by advertisingNoNo
Works in any mail app✓ IMAP and SMTP✓ IMAP and SMTP
Calendar and contacts✓ Yes✓ Yes
AliasesYesYes
Open-source apps✓ YesNo
Sign up without ID✓ YesNo
White labelNoNo
Reader offerNoneOffer 10% off your first year, plus a free trial of up to 30 days
Last checked22 October 202622 October 2026

Want to add another? Open this in the compare tool.

How mailbox.org and Fastmail for Business differ

  • On price: mailbox.org Standard at €3 a month, yearly (from summer 2026), against Fastmail for Business Standard at $5 per user a month ($4.17 yearly).
  • For free, mailbox.org gives you no free plan, and Fastmail for Business no free plan.
  • mailbox.org comes with 20 GB of storage and Fastmail for Business with 50 GB of storage.
  • mailbox.org keeps your mail in Germany, while Fastmail for Business keeps it in the EU (Amsterdam) for UK customers, with a US replica and US backups.
  • mailbox.org is based in Germany and Fastmail for Business in Australia, so different privacy laws apply.
  • mailbox.org offers optional encryption (PGP or encrypted storage); Fastmail for Business doesn't encrypt mail end to end.

mailbox.org and Fastmail for Business: your questions

Which is more private, mailbox.org or Fastmail for Business?

mailbox.org scores 4.5 out of 5 for privacy and Fastmail for Business 2. mailbox.org gives you open-source apps and to sign up without proving who you are.

Which is cheaper, mailbox.org or Fastmail for Business?

mailbox.org is cheaper. Its Standard plan is €3 a month, yearly (from summer 2026), against $5 per user a month ($4.17 yearly) for Fastmail for Business's Standard. Check the renewal price before you pay, as some first-year prices go up.

Do mailbox.org and Fastmail for Business work with my own domain?

Yes, both do. mailbox.org: Yes. Fastmail for Business: Up to 100.

Where do mailbox.org and Fastmail for Business keep my email?

mailbox.org keeps it in Germany. 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 September 2026 mailbox.org: €3.00 (announced 15 July 2026)
  • 1 June 2026 mailbox.org: €2.50

The latest headlines: mailbox.org news · Fastmail for Business news.

Not sold on either? Try these

mailbox.org vs Posteo · Fastmail for Business vs Posteo · mailbox.org vs Proton Mail · Fastmail for Business vs Proton Mail · mailbox.org vs Tuta · Fastmail for Business vs Tuta

Switching between them

Moving to mailbox.org · Moving from mailbox.org. Or see all my switching guides.

Get new posts and become a member

You're subscribing to Paul O'Brien - Insights, my newsletter. When I publish a new review, guide or explainer, it comes straight to your inbox. It's free, and you also become a member.

See everything members get

I'll send one email first so you can confirm it's you. Already subscribed? Sign in to manage your details