IceWarp vs GFI KerioConnect (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, IceWarp grades higher than GFI KerioConnect: 2.6 against 2.2 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
IceWarp grades higher on value for money and ease of use. They get the same grade on the free plan, features and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
IceWarp
Business email, chat, files and meetings, cloud or self-hosted
GFI KerioConnect
Self-hosted business mail server with calendar, chat and local AI
Which one is for you
Pick IceWarp if
- Fits if you want mail, chat and files for a small team at a few dollars a head
- Works for teams who might want to host it themselves later
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you want a free plan, as there is only a 30-day trial
- Tight if you need ActiveSync or document editing, as Core doesn't include them
- Skip it if you need booking or webinar mode, which are Business only
- Watch out: self-hosted licence prices were not readable, so only cloud prices are listed
- Watch out: the pricing page offers a trial and sales contact, not a card checkout
Pick GFI KerioConnect if
- Fits if you want to run your own mail server for a business and keep the mail in-house
- Works for offices already on Outlook and ActiveSync phones that need a shared calendar
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you don't want to install and administer a server
- Skip it if you want a price to compare, as none is published and you go through a reseller
- Tight if you want a free plan, since all you get is a 30-day trial
- Watch out: the product is now branded GFI KerioConnect and its pages moved to gfi.ai
How we grade them
| 2.6GPAIceWarpGood | 2.2GPAGFI KerioConnectFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | BCore is $1.35 a user a month billed yearly, below 60% of the cheapest paid email quarter. But 2 GB of mail and no ActiveSync; Essential is $2.25 and Business $4.05, so a B. | CNo price is published. The Buy now page sends you to a GFI reseller for a quote, so we can't place it against the $8 email middle. |
| Free plan and trial | CA free 30-day trial with no credit card, and no free plan after it. | C30-day trial with a download link and licence key sent by email. The listing doesn't say whether a card is needed, and there's no free plan. |
| Features | BMail, calendar, chat, conferencing, documents and mobile sync across the tiers. Booking and webinar mode need Business. | BMail, calendar, contacts, chat, security tools and local AI features in one server. Nothing in the listing shows a gap in the core job. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. It needs accounts and users set up, and a self-hosted route exists, which keeps it at C. | DIt is a server you install and administer yourself, not a hosted service. No store rating on record. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb, Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android apps, plus ActiveSync. The only integration listed is ChatGPT. | BRuns on Windows, Mac and Linux, and works with Outlook, ActiveSync phones, Spark and CalDAV and CardDAV clients. |
| Best for | business email with chat, files and video at $1.35 a user | a self-hosted business mail server |
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: IceWarp and GFI KerioConnect. How we grade
Where they differ
- GFI KerioConnect is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- IceWarp also covers team chat, video calls and file sharing.
- GFI KerioConnect also covers shared inbox.
At a glance
| IceWarp | GFI KerioConnect | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free trial |
| Starts at | $1.50 per user / month, billed monthly ($1.35 billed annually) | Not published |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | Free 30-day trial, no credit card needed | 30-day free trial with a download link and licence key sent by email |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | IceWarp | GFI USA, LLC |
| Price read from | icewarp.com | Not confirmed |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
IceWarp
- Self-hosted licenses are priced per user per year; those amounts were not readable, so only cloud prices are listed.
- Booking and webinar mode require the Business tier.
- The pricing page offers the free trial and sales contact, not a self-serve card checkout.
GFI KerioConnect
- No prices are published; the Buy now page sends visitors to a certified GFI reseller for a quote.
- It is a server product that the buyer installs and administers, not a hosted mailbox service.
- The product is now branded GFI KerioConnect and its pages sit on gfi.ai.
Key features
IceWarp
- Email and calendar
- Email server with calendar, contacts, notes and tasks, plus anti-virus and anti-spam.
- Chat and TeamChat
- Chat is in every tier, and Essential adds TeamChat for real-time team messaging.
- Conferencing
- Essential adds video conferencing with recording; Business adds webinar mode.
- Documents
- Collaborative document editing arrives in Essential.
- Mobile sync
- Mobile app on every tier and Exchange ActiveSync sync starting with Essential.
- Desktop and mobile apps
- The site lists Windows and Mac desktop apps and iOS and Android apps.
GFI KerioConnect
- Mail, calendar and collaboration
- Email sits beside shared calendars, contacts, tasks, notes, shared and public folders, and room booking with attendee availability.
- Client and mobile support
- Works with Outlook on Windows and Mac, native Mac apps and other IMAP or POP clients. Phones sync by Microsoft ActiveSync or IMAP, CalDAV and CardDAV.
- Local AI features
- The AI edition summarizes emails, drafts replies and flags phishing or compliance risks, and the vendor says it runs on on-premise models with no cloud APIs.
- Built-in security
- SSL encryption, S/MIME, spam filtering, an antivirus engine, attack blocking, automated backup with granular restore and server-wide archiving.
- Chat
- Integrated instant messaging is XMPP-compatible, so third-party chat apps can connect, with online status for colleagues.
Plans
IceWarp
Core$1.35
per user / month, billed annually ($1.50 billed monthly)
2 GB email and 4 GB total storage per user, calendar, chat, files, notes and tasks.
Essential$2.25
per user / month, billed annually ($2.50 billed monthly)
Adds 50 GB mail and 1 TB storage, document editing, conferencing and ActiveSync.
Business$4.05
per user / month, billed annually ($4.50 billed monthly)
Adds 200 GB mail storage, booking and webinar mode.
GFI KerioConnect
Pricing could not be confirmed. See gfi.ai.
Ways to pay less
IceWarp
- Annual discount
Annual billing lowers the per-user price
Core is $1.35 per user / month billed annually versus $1.50 monthly, Essential $2.25 versus $2.50, Business $4.05 versus $4.50.
GFI KerioConnect
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, IceWarp or GFI KerioConnect?
As of Nov 13, 2026, IceWarp starts at $1.50 per user / month, billed monthly ($1.35 billed annually), and GFI KerioConnect has no price we could confirm.
Which has a free plan, IceWarp or GFI KerioConnect?
As of Nov 13, 2026, neither IceWarp nor GFI KerioConnect has a free plan. Both have a free trial.
Which platforms do IceWarp and GFI KerioConnect run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only IceWarp lists a web app and iOS and Android apps and only GFI KerioConnect lists a Linux app. Both list macOS and Windows 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.