StartMail vs Purelymail
In short: StartMail wins on privacy, Purelymail wins on price, and StartMail wins on features. The full comparison is below, last checked 25 October 2026.
Which should you choose?
- StartMail suits you best if you want your mail kept in the Netherlands and your diary and address book in one place with your email.
- Choose Purelymail if you want a cheaper plan, at $10 a year, any number of users and domains.
| Feature | StartMail | Purelymail |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 4.0 | 2.5 |
| Privacy | 3.5 | 0.5 |
| Price | 3.5 | 5.0 |
| Features | 5.0 | 3.5 |
| Cheapest plan | Personal $4.99 a month | Simple $10 a year, any number of users and domains |
| Free plan | No (7-day trial) | No |
| Storage | 20 GB | Not confirmed |
| Your own domain | ✓ 1 | ✓ Unlimited |
| 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 | Unknown |
| Free trial | 7 days free | Free trial with a small amount of credit (about a month of light use) |
| Funded by advertising | No | No |
| Works in any mail app | ✓ IMAP and SMTP | ✓ IMAP and SMTP |
| Calendar and contacts | ✓ Yes | No |
| Aliases | Unlimited throwaway addresses | Yes |
| Open-source apps | No | No |
| Sign up without ID | No | No |
| White label | No | Unknown |
| 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 Purelymail differ
- On price: StartMail Personal at $4.99 a month, against Purelymail Simple at $10 a year, any number of users and domains.
- StartMail has no free plan; Purelymail has no free plan.
- Space: StartMail gives 20 GB of storage, Purelymail storage not confirmed.
- StartMail keeps your mail in the Netherlands, while Purelymail keeps it in the United States.
- The companies sit under different laws: StartMail in Netherlands, Purelymail in United States.
- On encryption, StartMail offers optional encryption (PGP or encrypted storage), whereas Purelymail doesn't encrypt mail end to end.
- Aliases: StartMail offers unlimited throwaway addresses, Purelymail yes.
Common questions
Is StartMail more private than Purelymail?
StartMail scores 3.5 out of 5 for privacy and Purelymail 0.5. StartMail gives you your mail kept in the Netherlands.
Is StartMail cheaper than Purelymail?
Purelymail is cheaper. Its Simple plan is $10 a year, any number of users and domains, against $4.99 a month for StartMail's Personal. Check the renewal price before you pay, as some first-year prices go up.
Can I use my own domain with StartMail or Purelymail?
Yes, both do. StartMail: 1 domain on its cheapest plan that allows one. Purelymail: Unlimited.
Where is my email stored with StartMail and Purelymail?
StartMail keeps it in the Netherlands. Purelymail 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: StartMail news · Purelymail news.
Not sold on either? Try these
StartMail vs mailbox.org · Purelymail vs mailbox.org · StartMail vs Posteo · Purelymail vs Posteo · StartMail vs Proton Mail · Purelymail vs Proton Mail
Switching between them
Moving to StartMail · Moving from StartMail. Or see all my switching guides.