StartMail vs Disroot
They tie on privacy, Disroot wins on price and StartMail wins on features. Every fact below was checked on or before 25 October 2026.
Which should you choose?
- StartMail suits you best if you want to use your own domain, like you@yourname.co.uk and more space for your mail: 20 GB.
- Go for Disroot if you'd like email without paying for it; a free plan to start on; and apps whose code is public.
| Feature | StartMail | Disroot |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 4.0 | 4.0 |
| Privacy | 3.5 | 3.5 |
| Price | 3.5 | 5.0 |
| Features | 5.0 | 3.0 |
| Cheapest plan | Personal $4.99 a month | Free Free (donations welcome) |
| Free plan | No (7-day trial) | Yes, 1 GB, run on donations |
| Storage | 20 GB | 1 GB |
| Your own domain | ✓ 1 | By request, with a donation |
| End-to-end encryption | Optional (PGP or encrypted storage) | No |
| Company based in | Netherlands | Netherlands |
| Your data is kept in | Netherlands | Netherlands |
| Founded | 2014 | 2015 |
| Free trial | 7 days free | Free |
| Funded by advertising | No | No |
| Works in any mail app | ✓ IMAP and SMTP | ✓ IMAP and SMTP |
| Calendar and contacts | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Aliases | Unlimited throwaway addresses | Yes |
| Open-source apps | No | ✓ Yes |
| Sign up without ID | No | ✓ Yes |
| White label | No | No |
| Reader offer | Offer 50% off | None |
| Last checked | 22 October 2026 | 25 October 2026 |
Want to add another? Open this in the compare tool.
How StartMail and Disroot differ
- StartMail's cheapest plan is Personal ($4.99 a month); Disroot's is Free (Free (donations welcome)).
- StartMail has no free plan; Disroot has a free plan (1 GB, run on donations).
- Space: StartMail gives 20 GB of storage, Disroot 1 GB of storage.
- On encryption, StartMail offers optional encryption (PGP or encrypted storage), whereas Disroot doesn't encrypt mail end to end.
- You can use your own domain with StartMail, but not with Disroot.
- Aliases: StartMail offers unlimited throwaway addresses, Disroot yes.
Questions people ask
Is StartMail more private than Disroot?
They score the same for privacy: 3.5 out of 5 each. The differences are in the details, such as where your mail is kept (the Netherlands for StartMail, the Netherlands for Disroot).
Is StartMail cheaper than Disroot?
Disroot costs nothing to start (Free (donations welcome)). StartMail's cheapest plan, Personal, is $4.99 a month.
Can I use my own domain with StartMail or Disroot?
Only StartMail does (1 domain on its cheapest plan that allows one). With Disroot your address stays on its own domain.
Where is my email stored with StartMail and Disroot?
Both keep it in the Netherlands.
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: StartMail news · Disroot news.
Alternatives to StartMail and Disroot
StartMail vs mailbox.org · Disroot vs mailbox.org · StartMail vs Posteo · Disroot vs Posteo · StartMail vs Proton Mail · Disroot vs Proton Mail
Switching between them
Moving to StartMail · Moving from StartMail. Or see all my switching guides.