Runbox vs IONOS Mail
On privacy it's Runbox. On price it's IONOS Mail. On features it's Runbox. Here's everything side by side, last checked 22 October 2026.
Should you pick Runbox or IONOS Mail?
- Runbox suits you best if you want 10 GB of storage; calendar and contacts in the same account; and apps whose code is public.
- IONOS Mail suits you best if you want a cheaper plan, at About £1–£2 a month (not confirmed) and a company with a longer track record (since 1988).
| Feature | Runbox | IONOS Mail |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 3.5 | 3.0 |
| Privacy | 3.0 | 2.5 |
| Price | 4.0 | 4.5 |
| Features | 4.5 | 3.0 |
| Cheapest plan | Mini $34.95 a year | Mail Basic About £1–£2 a month (not confirmed) |
| Free plan | No (30-day trial) | No |
| Storage | 10 GB | 2 GB |
| Your own domain | ✓ Up to 5 | ✓ Yes |
| End-to-end encryption | No | No |
| Company based in | Norway | Germany |
| Your data is kept in | Norway | UK data centre in Worcester; where email sits not confirmed |
| Founded | 2000 | 1988 |
| Free trial | 30 days free, then a 60-day refund | Unknown |
| Funded by advertising | No | No |
| Works in any mail app | ✓ IMAP and SMTP | ✓ IMAP and SMTP |
| Calendar and contacts | ✓ Yes | No |
| Aliases | 100 aliases | Yes |
| Open-source apps | ✓ Yes | No |
| Sign up without ID | No | 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
- Cheapest plans: Runbox Mini, $34.95 a year. IONOS Mail Mail Basic, About £1–£2 a month (not confirmed).
- For free, Runbox gives you no free plan, and IONOS Mail no free plan.
- Runbox comes with 10 GB of storage and IONOS Mail with 2 GB of storage.
- Data location: Norway for Runbox, UK data centre in Worcester; where email sits not confirmed for IONOS Mail.
- Runbox is based in Norway and IONOS Mail in Germany, so different privacy laws apply.
- For extra addresses, Runbox has 100 aliases and IONOS Mail has yes.
Questions people ask
Which is more private, Runbox or IONOS Mail?
Runbox scores 3 out of 5 for privacy and IONOS Mail 2.5. Runbox gives you apps whose code is public.
Which is cheaper, Runbox or IONOS Mail?
IONOS Mail is cheaper. Its Mail Basic plan is About £1–£2 a month (not confirmed), against $34.95 a year for Runbox's Mini. Check the renewal price before you pay, as some first-year prices go up.
Do Runbox and IONOS Mail work with my own domain?
Yes, both do. Runbox: Up to 5. IONOS Mail: Yes.
Where do Runbox and IONOS Mail keep my email?
Runbox keeps it in Norway. IONOS Mail keeps it in the UK data centre in Worcester; where email sits not confirmed.
Recent price changes
No price changes for either since 22 October 2026. I check regularly and add any change here with its date.
The latest headlines: Runbox news · IONOS Mail news.
Also worth a look
Runbox vs mailbox.org · IONOS Mail vs mailbox.org · Runbox vs Posteo · IONOS Mail vs Posteo · Runbox vs Proton Mail · IONOS Mail vs Proton Mail
How to switch
Moving to Runbox · Moving from Runbox. Or see all my switching guides.