Posteo vs Riseup
On privacy it's Posteo. On price it's a tie. On features it's Posteo. Here's everything side by side, last checked 25 October 2026.
Which should you choose?
- Posteo suits you best if you want your email to stay in Germany and a calendar and contacts alongside your mail.
- Riseup is the better pick if you want a mailbox that costs nothing; a free plan before you pay anything; and a company with a longer track record (since 1999).
| Feature | Posteo | Riseup |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 4.5 | 2.5 |
| Privacy | 4.5 | 1.5 |
| Price | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| Features | 3.0 | 2.5 |
| Cheapest plan | Posteo €1 a month | Free Free (donations) |
| Free plan | No | Yes, by invitation |
| Storage | 4 GB | Not confirmed |
| Your own domain | No | 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 | 2009 | 1999 |
| Free trial | No, €1 a month from the start | Unknown |
| Funded by advertising | No | No |
| Works in any mail app | ✓ IMAP and SMTP | ✓ IMAP and SMTP |
| Calendar and contacts | ✓ Yes | No |
| Aliases | Yes (posteo.de only) | Yes |
| Open-source apps | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Sign up without ID | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| White label | No | Unknown |
| 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 Riseup Free at Free (donations).
- For free, Posteo gives you no free plan, and Riseup a free plan (by invitation).
- Posteo comes with 4 GB of storage and Riseup with storage not confirmed.
- Data location: Germany for Posteo, United States for Riseup.
- Posteo is based in Germany and Riseup in the United States, so different privacy laws apply.
- Posteo offers optional encryption (PGP or encrypted storage); Riseup doesn't encrypt mail end to end.
- For extra addresses, Posteo has yes (posteo.de only) and Riseup has yes.
Posteo and Riseup: your questions
Which is more private, Posteo or Riseup?
Posteo scores 4.5 out of 5 for privacy and Riseup 1.5. Posteo gives you your email to stay in Germany.
Which is cheaper, Posteo or Riseup?
Riseup costs nothing to start (Free (donations)). Posteo's cheapest plan, Posteo, is €1 a month.
Do Posteo and Riseup work with my own domain?
No, neither lets you use your own domain, so your address stays on theirs.
Where do Posteo and Riseup keep my email?
Posteo keeps it in Germany. Riseup keeps it in the United States.
Prices and the latest news
Neither price has changed since my first check on 22 October 2026.
The latest headlines: Posteo news · Riseup news.
Alternatives to Posteo and Riseup
Posteo vs mailbox.org · Riseup vs mailbox.org · Posteo vs Proton Mail · Riseup vs Proton Mail · Posteo vs Tuta · Riseup vs Tuta
Switching between them
Moving to Posteo · Moving from Posteo. Or see all my switching guides.