Posteo vs Forward Email
In short: Posteo wins on privacy, Posteo wins on price, and Forward Email wins on features. The full comparison is below, last checked 25 October 2026.
Which should you choose?
- Choose Posteo if you want your email to stay in Germany; a cheaper plan, at €1 a month; and sign-up without ID.
- Forward Email suits you best if you want to try it free first; an address on your own domain; and more space for your mail: 10 GB.
| Feature | Posteo | Forward Email |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 4.5 | 3.0 |
| Privacy | 4.5 | 2.0 |
| Price | 5.0 | 4.0 |
| Features | 3.0 | 4.5 |
| Cheapest plan | Posteo €1 a month | Enhanced Protection $3 a month |
| Free plan | No | Yes, forwarding only |
| Storage | 4 GB | 10 GB |
| Your own domain | No | ✓ Unlimited |
| End-to-end encryption | Optional (PGP or encrypted storage) | Optional (PGP or encrypted storage) |
| Company based in | Germany | United States |
| Your data is kept in | Germany | United States |
| Founded | 2009 | 2017 |
| Free trial | No, €1 a month from the start | Free plan |
| Funded by advertising | No | No |
| Works in any mail app | ✓ IMAP and SMTP | ✓ IMAP and SMTP |
| Calendar and contacts | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Aliases | Yes (posteo.de only) | Yes |
| Open-source apps | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Sign up without ID | ✓ Yes | No |
| White label | No | No |
| Reader offer | None | None |
| Last checked | 22 October 2026 | 25 October 2026 |
Want to add another? Open this in the compare tool.
Where they differ
- On price: Posteo Posteo at €1 a month, against Forward Email Enhanced Protection at $3 a month.
- Posteo has no free plan; Forward Email has a free plan (forwarding only).
- Space: Posteo gives 4 GB of storage, Forward Email 10 GB of storage.
- Data location: Germany for Posteo, United States for Forward Email.
- The companies sit under different laws: Posteo in Germany, Forward Email in United States.
- You can use your own domain with Forward Email, but not with Posteo.
- Aliases: Posteo offers yes (posteo.de only), Forward Email yes.
Posteo and Forward Email: your questions
Is Posteo more private than Forward Email?
Posteo scores 4.5 out of 5 for privacy and Forward Email 2. Posteo gives you your email to stay in Germany and sign-up without ID.
Is Posteo cheaper than Forward Email?
Posteo is cheaper. Its Posteo plan is €1 a month, against $3 a month for Forward Email's Enhanced Protection. Forward Email also has a free plan. Check the renewal price before you pay, as some first-year prices go up.
Can I use my own domain with Posteo or Forward Email?
Only Forward Email does (Unlimited). With Posteo your address stays on its own domain.
Where is my email stored with Posteo and Forward Email?
Posteo keeps it in Germany. Forward Email keeps it in the United States.
Recent price changes
I haven't seen either change its price since I started checking on 22 October 2026.
The latest headlines: Posteo news · Forward Email news.
Alternatives to Posteo and Forward Email
Posteo vs mailbox.org · Forward Email vs mailbox.org · Posteo vs Proton Mail · Forward Email vs Proton Mail · Posteo vs Tuta · Forward Email vs Tuta
How to switch
Moving to Posteo · Moving from Posteo. Or see all my switching guides.