What is StartMail used for?

StartMail is a private, ad-free email service with unlimited aliases and one-click encryption, hosted in the Netherlands. It is a good fit for replacing an ad-supported webmail account, using aliases to avoid spam and phishing, and sending sensitive messages to non-technical recipients.

How much does StartMail cost?

Paid plans for StartMail start at $4.99 per seat per month, and there is no free plan. A free trial is available.

Is StartMail open source?

No. StartMail is proprietary (closed-source) software and can't be self-hosted. Open-source alternatives to StartMail include Tuta, Forward Email and docker-mailserver.

What are some alternatives to StartMail?

StartMail competes with Proton Mail, Fastmail and Posteo. For open-source options, see Enlisted's ranked list of open-source StartMail alternatives.

StartMail: features, pricing and alternatives

About StartMail

StartMail is a paid email service that focuses on privacy. It says it does not track or profile users or show ads, which it contrasts with so-called free email services that pay for themselves by analyzing messages.

Core features include unlimited disposable aliases that can be created and deleted at any time, which helps keep a main address private and reduces spam and phishing. Users can send encrypted email to anyone, and recipients who do not use encryption can read and reply using a password the sender sets for them. A business edition is also offered.

The company is based in the Netherlands, with servers there, so data falls under Dutch privacy law and the GDPR. StartMail is a hosted commercial product that offers a 7-day free trial.

Key features

Unlimited disposable email aliases
One-click encrypted email to anyone
Password-protected replies for non-encryption users
No ads and no tracking
Servers located in the Netherlands

Good fit for

→Replacing an ad-supported webmail account
→Using aliases to avoid spam and phishing
→Sending sensitive messages to non-technical recipients

Tags: email; privacy; encryption; pgp; aliases; ad-free; gdpr

StartMail: questions and answers

What is StartMail used for?: StartMail is a private, ad-free email service with unlimited aliases and one-click encryption, hosted in the Netherlands. It is a good fit for replacing an ad-supported webmail account, using aliases to avoid spam and phishing, and sending sensitive messages to non-technical recipients.
How much does StartMail cost?: Paid plans for StartMail start at $4.99 per seat per month, and there is no free plan. A free trial is available.
Is StartMail open source?: No. StartMail is proprietary (closed-source) software and can't be self-hosted. Open-source alternatives to StartMail include Tuta, Forward Email and docker-mailserver.
What are some alternatives to StartMail?: StartMail competes with Proton Mail, Fastmail and Posteo. For open-source options, see Enlisted's ranked list of open-source StartMail alternatives.