Runbox vs Fastmail for Business
On privacy it's Runbox. On price it's Runbox. On features it's Fastmail for Business. Here's everything side by side, last checked 22 October 2026.
Which should you choose?
- Runbox is the better pick if you want to pay less: $34.95 a year and open-source apps.
- Fastmail for Business suits you best if you want more space for your mail: 50 GB.
| Feature | Runbox | Fastmail for Business |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 3.5 | 3.0 |
| Privacy | 3.0 | 2.0 |
| Price | 4.0 | 3.5 |
| Features | 4.5 | 5.0 |
| Cheapest plan | Mini $34.95 a year | Standard $5 per user a month ($4.17 yearly) |
| Free plan | No (30-day trial) | No |
| Storage | 10 GB | 50 GB |
| Your own domain | ✓ Up to 5 | ✓ Up to 100 |
| End-to-end encryption | No | No |
| Company based in | Norway | Australia |
| Your data is kept in | Norway | EU (Amsterdam) for UK customers, with a US replica and US backups |
| Founded | 2000 | 1999 |
| Free trial | 30 days free, then a 60-day refund | 30 days free |
| Funded by advertising | No | No |
| Works in any mail app | ✓ IMAP and SMTP | ✓ IMAP and SMTP |
| Calendar and contacts | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Aliases | 100 aliases | Yes |
| Open-source apps | ✓ Yes | No |
| Sign up without ID | No | No |
| White label | No | No |
| Reader offer | None | Offer 10% off your first year, plus a free trial of up to 30 days |
| Last checked | 22 October 2026 | 22 October 2026 |
Want to add another? Open this in the compare tool.
The key differences
- Runbox's cheapest plan is Mini ($34.95 a year); Fastmail for Business's is Standard ($5 per user a month ($4.17 yearly)).
- For free, Runbox gives you no free plan, and Fastmail for Business no free plan.
- Runbox comes with 10 GB of storage and Fastmail for Business with 50 GB of storage.
- Data location: Norway for Runbox, EU (Amsterdam) for UK customers, with a US replica and US backups for Fastmail for Business.
- Runbox is based in Norway and Fastmail for Business in Australia, so different privacy laws apply.
- For extra addresses, Runbox has 100 aliases and Fastmail for Business has yes.
Runbox and Fastmail for Business: your questions
Which is more private, Runbox or Fastmail for Business?
Runbox scores 3 out of 5 for privacy and Fastmail for Business 2. Runbox gives you open-source apps.
Which is cheaper, Runbox or Fastmail for Business?
Runbox is cheaper. Its Mini plan is $34.95 a year, 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 Runbox and Fastmail for Business work with my own domain?
Yes, both do. Runbox: Up to 5. Fastmail for Business: Up to 100.
Where do Runbox and Fastmail for Business keep my email?
Runbox keeps it in Norway. Fastmail for Business keeps it in the EU (Amsterdam) for UK customers, with a US replica and US backups.
Prices and the latest news
I haven't seen either change its price since I started checking on 22 October 2026.
The latest headlines: Runbox news · Fastmail for Business news.
Also worth a look
Runbox vs mailbox.org · Fastmail for Business vs mailbox.org · Runbox vs Posteo · Fastmail for Business vs Posteo · Runbox vs Proton Mail · Fastmail for Business vs Proton Mail
Switching between them
Moving to Runbox · Moving from Runbox. Or see all my switching guides.