mailbox.org vs IONOS Mail
On privacy it's mailbox.org. On price it's IONOS Mail. On features it's mailbox.org. Here's everything side by side, last checked 22 October 2026.
mailbox.org or IONOS Mail: which should you choose?
- mailbox.org suits you best if you want more space for your mail: 20 GB; a calendar and contacts alongside your mail; and open-source apps.
- IONOS Mail suits you best if you want the lower price (About £1–£2 a month (not confirmed)) and a company with a longer track record (since 1988).
| Feature | mailbox.org | IONOS Mail |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 4.5 | 3.0 |
| Privacy | 4.5 | 2.5 |
| Price | 4.0 | 4.5 |
| Features | 5.0 | 3.0 |
| Cheapest plan | Standard €3 a month, yearly (from summer 2026) | Mail Basic About £1–£2 a month (not confirmed) |
| Free plan | No (30-day trial) | No |
| Storage | 20 GB | 2 GB |
| Your own domain | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| End-to-end encryption | Optional (PGP or encrypted storage) | No |
| Company based in | Germany | Germany |
| Your data is kept in | Germany | UK data centre in Worcester; where email sits not confirmed |
| Founded | 2014 | 1988 |
| Free trial | 30 days free | Unknown |
| Funded by advertising | No | No |
| Works in any mail app | ✓ IMAP and SMTP | ✓ IMAP and SMTP |
| Calendar and contacts | ✓ Yes | No |
| Aliases | Yes | Yes |
| Open-source apps | ✓ Yes | No |
| Sign up without ID | ✓ Yes | No |
| White label | No | Unknown |
| Reader offer | None | None |
| Last checked | 22 October 2026 | 22 October 2026 |
Want to add another? Open this in the compare tool.
The key differences
- On price: mailbox.org Standard at €3 a month, yearly (from summer 2026), against IONOS Mail Mail Basic at About £1–£2 a month (not confirmed).
- For free, mailbox.org gives you no free plan, and IONOS Mail no free plan.
- mailbox.org comes with 20 GB of storage and IONOS Mail with 2 GB of storage.
- Your mail is stored in Germany with mailbox.org, and in the UK data centre in Worcester; where email sits not confirmed with IONOS Mail.
- mailbox.org offers optional encryption (PGP or encrypted storage); IONOS Mail doesn't encrypt mail end to end.
Common questions
Which is more private, mailbox.org or IONOS Mail?
mailbox.org scores 4.5 out of 5 for privacy and IONOS Mail 2.5. mailbox.org gives you open-source apps and an account that doesn't need your phone number or ID.
Which is cheaper, mailbox.org or IONOS Mail?
IONOS Mail is cheaper. Its Mail Basic plan is About £1–£2 a month (not confirmed), against €3 a month, yearly (from summer 2026) for mailbox.org's Standard. Check the renewal price before you pay, as some first-year prices go up.
Do mailbox.org and IONOS Mail work with my own domain?
Yes, both do. mailbox.org: Yes. IONOS Mail: Yes.
Where do mailbox.org and IONOS Mail keep my email?
mailbox.org keeps it in Germany. IONOS Mail keeps it in the UK data centre in Worcester; where email sits not confirmed.
Price changes and 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 · IONOS Mail news.
Also worth a look
mailbox.org vs Posteo · IONOS Mail vs Posteo · mailbox.org vs Proton Mail · IONOS Mail vs Proton Mail · mailbox.org vs Tuta · IONOS Mail vs Tuta
How to switch
Moving to mailbox.org · Moving from mailbox.org. Or see all my switching guides.