Zoho Mail vs Forward Email
In short: Forward Email wins on privacy, Zoho Mail wins on price, and they tie on features. The full comparison is below, last checked 25 October 2026.
Zoho Mail or Forward Email: which should you choose?
- Choose Zoho Mail if you want your email to stay in the EU (Amsterdam, Dublin); UK data centre announced for 2026, not confirmed live; a cheaper plan, at $1 per user a month, yearly; and a provider that's been going since 2008.
- Forward Email suits you best if you want 10 GB of storage and open-source apps anyone can check.
| Feature | Zoho Mail | Forward Email |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 3.0 | 3.0 |
| Privacy | 1.5 | 2.0 |
| Price | 5.0 | 4.0 |
| Features | 4.5 | 4.5 |
| Cheapest plan | Mail Lite $1 per user a month, yearly | Enhanced Protection $3 a month |
| Free plan | Yes, up to 5 users, 5 GB, own domain | Yes, forwarding only |
| Storage | 5 GB | 10 GB |
| Your own domain | ✓ Yes | ✓ Unlimited |
| End-to-end encryption | No | Optional (PGP or encrypted storage) |
| Company based in | India | United States |
| Your data is kept in | EU (Amsterdam, Dublin); UK data centre announced for 2026, not confirmed live | United States |
| Founded | 2008 | 2017 |
| Free trial | 15 days free, and a free plan for small teams | Free plan |
| Funded by advertising | No | No |
| Works in any mail app | ✓ IMAP and SMTP | ✓ IMAP and SMTP |
| Calendar and contacts | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Aliases | Yes | Yes |
| Open-source apps | No | ✓ Yes |
| Sign up without ID | No | No |
| White label | Unknown | No |
| Reader offer | None | None |
| Last checked | 22 October 2026 | 25 October 2026 |
Want to add another? Open this in the compare tool.
How Zoho Mail and Forward Email differ
- On price: Zoho Mail Mail Lite at $1 per user a month, yearly, against Forward Email Enhanced Protection at $3 a month.
- Zoho Mail has a free plan (up to 5 users, 5 GB, own domain); Forward Email has a free plan (forwarding only).
- Space: Zoho Mail gives 5 GB of storage, Forward Email 10 GB of storage.
- Data location: EU (Amsterdam, Dublin); UK data centre announced for 2026, not confirmed live for Zoho Mail, United States for Forward Email.
- The companies sit under different laws: Zoho Mail in India, Forward Email in United States.
- On encryption, Zoho Mail doesn't encrypt mail end to end, whereas Forward Email offers optional encryption (PGP or encrypted storage).
Questions people ask
Is Zoho Mail more private than Forward Email?
Forward Email scores 2 out of 5 for privacy and Zoho Mail 1.5. Forward Email gives you open-source apps anyone can check.
Is Zoho Mail cheaper than Forward Email?
Zoho Mail is cheaper. Its Mail Lite plan is $1 per user a month, yearly, against $3 a month for Forward Email's Enhanced Protection. Zoho Mail and Forward Email also have a free plan. Check the renewal price before you pay, as some first-year prices go up.
Can I use my own domain with Zoho Mail or Forward Email?
Yes, both do. Zoho Mail: Yes. Forward Email: Unlimited.
Where is my email stored with Zoho Mail and Forward Email?
Zoho Mail keeps it in the EU (Amsterdam, Dublin); UK data centre announced for 2026, not confirmed live. Forward Email 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: Zoho Mail news · Forward Email news.
Not sold on either? Try these
Zoho Mail vs mailbox.org · Forward Email vs mailbox.org · Zoho Mail vs Posteo · Forward Email vs Posteo · Zoho Mail vs Proton Mail · Forward Email vs Proton Mail
How to switch
Moving to Zoho Mail · Moving from Zoho Mail. Or see all my switching guides.