WEB.DE vs Hetzner
WEB.DE wins on privacy, WEB.DE wins on price and they tie on features. Every fact below was checked on or before 22 October 2026.
WEB.DE or Hetzner: which should you choose?
- WEB.DE is the better pick if you want a free plan before you pay anything and a calendar and contacts alongside your mail.
- Choose Hetzner if you want a company that isn't funded by advertising and to use your own domain, like you@yourname.co.uk.
| Feature | WEB.DE | Hetzner |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 3.0 | Not rated |
| Privacy | 3.0 | 2.5 |
| Price | 2.5 | Not rated |
| Features | 3.5 | 3.5 |
| Cheapest plan | WEB.DE Club €6.49 a month | Web hosting Not confirmed |
| Free plan | Yes, with adverts | No |
| Storage | 10 GB | Not confirmed |
| Your own domain | No | ✓ Yes |
| End-to-end encryption | Optional (PGP or encrypted storage) | No |
| Company based in | Germany | Germany |
| Your data is kept in | Germany | Germany |
| Founded | 1995 | Unknown |
| Free trial | Free plan | Unknown |
| Funded by advertising | Yes, or its parent company is | No |
| Works in any mail app | ✓ IMAP and SMTP | ✓ IMAP and SMTP |
| Calendar and contacts | ✓ Yes | No |
| Aliases | Yes | Yes |
| Open-source apps | No | No |
| Sign up without ID | No | No |
| White label | Unknown | Unknown |
| Reader offer | None | None |
| Last checked | 22 October 2026 | 22 October 2026 |
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The key differences
- Cheapest plans: WEB.DE WEB.DE Club, €6.49 a month. Hetzner Web hosting, Not confirmed.
- WEB.DE has a free plan (with adverts); Hetzner has no free plan.
- Space: WEB.DE gives 10 GB of storage, Hetzner storage not confirmed.
- On encryption, WEB.DE offers optional encryption (PGP or encrypted storage), whereas Hetzner doesn't encrypt mail end to end.
- You can use your own domain with Hetzner, but not with WEB.DE.
- WEB.DE (or its parent company) makes money from advertising; Hetzner doesn't.
Common questions
Is WEB.DE more private than Hetzner?
WEB.DE scores 3 out of 5 for privacy and Hetzner 2.5.
Can I use my own domain with WEB.DE or Hetzner?
Only Hetzner does (Yes). With WEB.DE your address stays on its own domain.
Where is my email stored with WEB.DE and Hetzner?
Both keep it in Germany.
Recent price changes
I haven't seen either change its price since I started checking on 22 October 2026.
The latest headlines: WEB.DE news · Hetzner news.
Alternatives to WEB.DE and Hetzner
WEB.DE vs mailbox.org · Hetzner vs mailbox.org · WEB.DE vs Posteo · Hetzner vs Posteo · WEB.DE vs Proton Mail · Hetzner vs Proton Mail
How to switch
Moving between any two providers works the same way. Pick your two providers for the steps.