The Riseup Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Riseup in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Riseup
The Insider’s Guide
Donation-funded email and VPN for activists and organizers
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among email apps, read from Riseup’s own pages.
Made by Riseup · checked Nov 13, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Riseup’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Riseup’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 13, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.4
GPA, above 54 of the 122 other email apps we grade
Riseup provides free email, mailing lists and a VPN for people and groups working on social change. Mail is stored encrypted under the user's password, accounts are opened with invite codes instead of phone numbers, and the service says it does not log IP addresses. It is funded by donations, not by ads.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Riseup, taken from its own pages and our grades.
You need an invite code to sign up and you set up your own mail client.
- 1
Best for free email for activists and organisers
You need an invite code, mail isn't end-to-end encrypted unless you add it, and a lost password can't be recovered.
- 2
It is free
Riseup has no paid plan at all. Accounts are free; Riseup asks for voluntary donations and suggests $5 to $15 a month for people who can afford it.
- 3
It runs on Web
Web.
- 4
Individually encrypted mail storage
Stored messages are encrypted and can only be unlocked with the user's password, so Riseup says it cannot read them.
- 5
Hidden user ID and no IP logging
The sender's account ID is hidden in outgoing mail, IP addresses are not put in headers, and the service says it does not log them.
- 6
Webmail, IMAP and POP
Read mail at mail.riseup.net or in a client such as Thunderbird over IMAP; POP lets you download and delete messages from the server.
- 7
A 2.4 GPA, above 54 of 122
That is against the other email apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
Riseup is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
Riseup at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- Riseup
- Category
- Email Apps
- Our grade
- 2.4 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for free email for activists and organisers
Riseup gives free, donation-funded email with 1 GB of storage, aimed at activists and organisers. You need an invite code, mail isn't end-to-end encrypted unless you add it, and a lost password can't be recovered.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | B | Accounts are free and the donate page asks $5 to $15 a month from those who can afford it. A donation isn't required. |
| Free plan and trial | B | A free account with 1 GB of storage that one person can live on, though you need an invite code to get one. |
| Features | C | Webmail, IMAP and POP, mailing lists, a VPN and Tor services. No custom domains or calendars in the listing, and 1 GB is small. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record. You need an invite code to sign up and you set up your own mail client. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | A web service with IMAP and POP, plus Thunderbird, Mailvelope and Tor. No apps of its own. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Riseup is for
- Fits if you do organising work and want an account that doesn't log your IP
- Works for people who already have an invite and want to skip ads and scanning
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you want to sign up without an invite, as you can't
- Tight if you hold lots of mail, with 1 GB, Trash emptied after 21 days and Spam after 7
- Not for you if you need end-to-end encryption by default, as you must add Mailvelope or OpenPGP
- Watch out: lose your password and your recovery code and the mail can't come back
Good to know
Good for
- Activists and organizers who want an ad-free, privacy-focused email provider
- People who prefer not to give a phone number to open an account
- Groups needing mailing lists from a movement-aligned host
Worth knowing
- Accounts need an invite code, so you cannot simply sign up.
- Email storage is capped at 1 GB, and Trash and Spam folders are emptied after 21 and 7 days.
- Mail is not end-to-end encrypted unless you add Mailvelope or your own OpenPGP; a stolen password exposes all mail.
- A lost password with no recovery code means the account and its mail cannot be recovered.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
Free
No paid plan at all
Riseup is free to use.
Riseup account
$0
Free email with 1 GB of storage, funded by donations; the donate page suggests $5 to $15 a month for individuals who can.
The free plan
Accounts are free; Riseup asks for voluntary donations and suggests $5 to $15 a month for people who can afford it.
Read from riseup.net on Nov 13, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
Donation-funded email and VPN for activists and organizers. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: email client, vPN.
Webmail, IMAP and POP, mailing lists, a VPN and Tor services.
- Individually encrypted mail storage
- Stored messages are encrypted and can only be unlocked with the user's password, so Riseup says it cannot read them.
- Hidden user ID and no IP logging
- The sender's account ID is hidden in outgoing mail, IP addresses are not put in headers, and the service says it does not log them.
- Webmail, IMAP and POP
- Read mail at mail.riseup.net or in a client such as Thunderbird over IMAP; POP lets you download and delete messages from the server.
- Tor onion services
- Every service has a Tor onion address, and mail to other activist providers can be delivered over Tor.
- Account tools
- Email aliases, filters, per-service passwords, a quota setting and a one-click data purge in the account system.
- Mailing lists and VPN
- The same group runs mailing lists, a VPN, a pad, file sharing and group wikis.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
- Thunderbird
- Mailvelope
- Tor
Riseup is made by Riseup.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
54/122
Other email apps it is graded above
Riseup's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 54 of the 122 other email apps we grade, and level with 19.
It stands best on free plan and trial (B, above 69 of 122) and worst on features (C, above 1).
Riseup has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.0 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 123 email apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. Riseup’s own letter is outlined.
- BValue for moneyAbove 67 of 122
- BFree plan and trialAbove 69 of 122
- CFeaturesAbove 1 of 122
- CEase of useAbove 20 of 122
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 10 of 122
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 107 email apps. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Riseup is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
Riseup is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.
What you could not
- An email client: sending, receiving, threading and searching years of mail.
- Servers in dozens of countries, kept fast and private.
- Sharing with other people, which means accounts and invitations.
What this rests on. Riseup’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Posteo, mailbox, Proton Mail, Tuta Mail and Mailfence
The 5 tools Riseup is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.0GPA
Posteo
From €1/mo
Ad-free, green-powered email from Berlin for €1 a month.
- Riseup has a free plan. Posteo does not.
- Posteo is open source and end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- Riseup also covers vPN.
- 2.6GPA
mailbox
Free trial · from €1/mo
Paid, ad-free email with cloud storage and office tools from Germany.
- Riseup has a free plan. mailbox does not, though it has a free trial.
- mailbox is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- Riseup also covers vPN.
- 3.0GPA
Proton Mail
Free plan · from $3.99/mo
End-to-end encrypted email service based in Switzerland.
- Only Proton Mail lists macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android apps.
- Proton Mail is open source and end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- Riseup also covers vPN.
- 2.8GPA
Tuta Mail
Free plan · from €3/mo
End-to-end encrypted email and calendar from Germany.
- Only Tuta Mail lists Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android apps.
- Tuta Mail is open source and end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- Riseup also covers vPN.
- 2.6GPA
Mailfence
Free plan · from €2.50/mo
Private email from Belgium with built-in OpenPGP encryption.
- Only Mailfence lists iOS and Android apps.
- Mailfence is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- Riseup also covers vPN.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
12
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Riseup free?
Yes. Riseup is free to use.
How much does Riseup cost?
Riseup lists one plan. Riseup account: $0.
What platforms does Riseup work on?
Riseup is available on Web.
Does Riseup have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Riseup is listed for Web.
Does Riseup have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Riseup is listed for Web.
Is Riseup open source?
Riseup is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 13, 2026.
What does Riseup integrate with?
Riseup's listing names Thunderbird, Mailvelope and Tor. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Who makes Riseup?
Riseup is made by a company of the same name.
What are the alternatives to Riseup?
The closest alternatives to Riseup in our directory are Posteo, mailbox, Proton Mail, Tuta Mail and Mailfence.
How does Riseup compare with other email apps?
Riseup's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 54 of the 122 other email apps we grade, and level with 19.
Is Riseup good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Riseup B for value for money. Riseup has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of Riseup?
Riseup is free, so making your own would save you nothing. And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Riseup’s own pages on Nov 13, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Riseup's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Riseup. Prices change, so check riseup.net before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Riseup, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/riseup
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Riseup: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/riseup
Know someone choosing between email apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/riseup/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded email apps after Riseup, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Email Apps Insider's GuideEvery one of the 126 email apps we grade, compared
- Microsoft Outlook Insider's GuideMicrosoft's email and calendar app for desktop, mobile and web3.6 GPA
- AOL Mail Insider's GuideFree webmail with news and weather in a companion mobile app3.2 GPA
- BlueMail Insider's GuideCross-platform email client with a unified inbox and built-in AI3.2 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Riseup’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Riseup is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Riseup. Prices and plans change: check riseup.net before you buy.