StartMail vs HEY
In short: StartMail wins on privacy, StartMail wins on price, and StartMail wins on features. The full comparison is below, last checked 25 October 2026.
Should you pick StartMail or HEY?
- StartMail is the better pick if you want your mail kept in the Netherlands; a cheaper plan, at $4.99 a month; and to read your mail in any app, such as Apple Mail, Outlook or Thunderbird.
- Go for HEY if you'd like more room (100 GB, against 20 GB).
| Feature | StartMail | HEY |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 4.0 | 2.0 |
| Privacy | 3.5 | 0.5 |
| Price | 3.5 | 2.0 |
| Features | 5.0 | 4.0 |
| Cheapest plan | Personal $4.99 a month | HEY for You $99 a year (own domain: $12 per user a month) |
| Free plan | No (7-day trial) | No (30-day trial) |
| Storage | 20 GB | 100 GB |
| Your own domain | ✓ 1 | ✓ On HEY for Domains |
| End-to-end encryption | Optional (PGP or encrypted storage) | No |
| Company based in | Netherlands | United States |
| Your data is kept in | Netherlands | United States |
| Founded | 2014 | 2020 |
| Free trial | 7 days free | 30 days free on HEY for You; no trial on HEY for Domains |
| Funded by advertising | No | No |
| Works in any mail app | ✓ IMAP and SMTP | No, its own apps only |
| Calendar and contacts | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Aliases | Unlimited throwaway addresses | Yes |
| Open-source apps | No | No |
| Sign up without ID | No | No |
| 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 HEY differ
- On price: StartMail Personal at $4.99 a month, against HEY HEY for You at $99 a year (own domain: $12 per user a month).
- StartMail has no free plan; HEY has no free plan.
- Space: StartMail gives 20 GB of storage, HEY 100 GB of storage.
- StartMail keeps your mail in the Netherlands, while HEY keeps it in the United States.
- The companies sit under different laws: StartMail in Netherlands, HEY in United States.
- On encryption, StartMail offers optional encryption (PGP or encrypted storage), whereas HEY doesn't encrypt mail end to end.
- Mail apps: StartMail works in any mail app over IMAP; HEY only works in its own apps.
- Aliases: StartMail offers unlimited throwaway addresses, HEY yes.
Common questions
Is StartMail more private than HEY?
StartMail scores 3.5 out of 5 for privacy and HEY 0.5. StartMail gives you your mail kept in the Netherlands.
Is StartMail cheaper than HEY?
StartMail is cheaper. Its Personal plan is $4.99 a month, against $99 a year (own domain: $12 per user a month) for HEY's HEY for You. Check the renewal price before you pay, as some first-year prices go up.
Can I use my own domain with StartMail or HEY?
Yes, both do. StartMail: 1 domain on its cheapest plan that allows one. HEY: On HEY for Domains.
Where is my email stored with StartMail and HEY?
StartMail keeps it in the Netherlands. HEY keeps it in the United States.
Can I use StartMail and HEY in Apple Mail or Outlook?
StartMail works in any mail app over IMAP. HEY only works in its own apps.
Recent price changes
Neither price has changed since my first check on 22 October 2026.
The latest headlines: StartMail news · HEY news.
Also worth a look
StartMail vs mailbox.org · HEY vs mailbox.org · StartMail vs Posteo · HEY vs Posteo · StartMail vs Proton Mail · HEY vs Proton Mail
How to switch
Moving to StartMail · Moving from StartMail. Or see all my switching guides.