AOL Mail vs GMX Mail (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, AOL Mail and GMX Mail share a 3.2 GPA, both are free, so the choice depends on whether you care more about ease of use, where AOL Mail grades higher, or features, where GMX Mail does.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Which one is for you
Pick AOL Mail if
- Fits if you want a free address with a phone app
- Works for people who already have an AOL account
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you want a mail-only app, as it bundles news and weather
- Watch out: the app says it uses Nielsen measurement software, switchable off in settings
- Watch out: the App Store lists in-app purchases without saying what they are
- Skip it if you want a desktop mail client, as only web, iOS and Android are listed
Pick GMX Mail if
- Fits if you want a free second mailbox with lots of storage
- Works for people who want aliases and PGP encryption without paying
Look elsewhere if
- Watch out: signup asks for your gender, date of birth and a recovery phone or email, and ends with a captcha
- Skip it if you want a custom domain, as the pages read don't mention one
- Not for you if you want a desktop email app, as only Android, iOS and iPadOS apps are listed
- Watch out: the pages read list no paid plan or support tier
How we grade them
| 3.2GPAAOL MailVery good | 3.2GPAGMX MailVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree to sign up for, including the web inbox and the mobile app. No paid plan is on record. | AFree, with 65GB of storage, 50MB attachments and up to 10 aliases. The pages read list no paid plan. |
| Free plan and trial | AThe whole service is free, with no cap on record. | AFree outright, with no paid plan on the pages read. |
| Features | CMail, contacts, device lock and spam blocking in over 70 languages. The listing gives little else: no paid plan, no storage figure and no custom-domain option. | BMailbox and attachments, aliases, a Mail Collector, filters, spam protection, PGP encryption, an organiser, contacts and office tools. The pages show no gap in the core email work. |
| Ease of use | BNo store rating on record, but you sign up and start using it with nothing to set up. | CNo store rating on record. You sign up with personal details, then set up filters and the Mail Collector yourself. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb plus iPhone, iPad and Android apps. No desktop client is named and no API is listed. | BWeb, iOS, Android and browser extensions. No desktop email app is mentioned and no API is listed. |
| Best for | free webmail with a companion phone app | a free mailbox with 65GB |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: AOL Mail and GMX Mail. How we grade
Price against what you get
AOL Mail has no paid plan and scores 2.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. GMX Mail has no paid plan and scores 2.7.
On this chart the two sit in the same place: the same score for the same starting price. Of the other email apps on the chart, none scores higher than AOL Mail for less, and none scores higher than GMX Mail for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- GMX Mail also covers calendar.
At a glance
| AOL Mail | GMX Mail | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free plan | AOL Mail is free to sign up for, including the web inbox and the AOL mobile app. | Free email account with 65GB of mailbox storage, 50MB attachments and up to 10 alias addresses. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | AOL Media LLC | 1&1 Mail & Media GmbH |
| Price read from | mail.aol.com | gmx.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
AOL Mail
- The App Store listing shows in-app purchases without stating what they are, so no paid plan is recorded here.
- The mobile app bundles news and weather and says it uses Nielsen measurement software, which can be switched off in settings.
- AOL's own page lists only web, iOS and Android; no desktop mail client is named.
GMX Mail
- Signup asks for gender, date of birth and a recovery phone or email, and ends with a captcha.
- The pages read list no paid plan, so features such as a custom domain are not mentioned.
- Apps are listed for Android, iOS and iPadOS only; no desktop email app is mentioned.
Key features
AOL Mail
- Free AOL account
- Signing up for an AOL account gives access to AOL Mail, news and weather without a fee, according to AOL's FAQ.
- Mobile app with swipe actions
- The iPhone and iPad app lets you swipe to delete, move, mark or flag messages and assign custom left and right swipe actions.
- Contacts in one place
- The app shows AOL contacts together with the contacts stored on the phone.
- Device lock
- The iOS app can be protected with Touch ID or Face ID.
- Support by phone
- AOL's mail page lists a phone number for help from experts around the clock, alongside an online help page.
GMX Mail
- Mailbox and attachments
- 65GB of mailbox space, which the site equates to about 500,000 emails, and attachments of up to 50MB.
- Alias addresses
- Create up to 10 alias addresses and manage them from one central mailbox.
- Mail Collector
- Pull mail from accounts at other providers into one GMX inbox.
- Filters and spam protection
- Folders and filter rules, with templates provided, a spam filter and virus scanning.
- PGP encryption
- Emails can be encrypted with PGP so only the people holding the decryption key can read them.
- Organizer, contacts and office
- A calendar with reminders, an address book and an online office for Word, Excel and PowerPoint files.
Plans
AOL Mail
Free$0
AOL Mail, news and weather at no charge; the mobile app lists in-app purchases.
GMX Mail
Free$0
65GB of email storage, 50MB attachments, up to 10 aliases, spam filter and virus protection.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, AOL Mail or GMX Mail?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both AOL Mail and GMX Mail are free to use.
Which has a free plan, AOL Mail or GMX Mail?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both AOL Mail and GMX Mail have a free plan.
Which platforms do AOL Mail and GMX Mail run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only GMX Mail lists a browser extension. Both list a web app and iOS and Android apps. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.