StartMail
Paid private email from the Netherlands with unlimited aliases
What is StartMail?
StartMail is a paid email service based in the Netherlands, launched in 2013 by the founders of the Startpage search engine. It shows no ads and does not track or profile its users, and every account gets unlimited disposable aliases, one-click PGP encryption and password-protected messages for recipients who do not use encryption. There is no free plan; Personal and Business accounts both start with a 7-day trial.
StartMail is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $4.99 per month, billed annually ($59.88). See every plan
Good for
- People who want a paid, ad-free mailbox hosted in the Netherlands
- Using a separate alias for every sign-up to limit spam
- Sending encrypted mail to people who do not use PGP themselves
Worth knowing
- There is no free plan, and the 7-day trial asks for a credit card or PayPal account at sign-up.
- The only app is for Android; the iOS app is listed as coming soon. Elsewhere it runs in the browser or in other mail apps over IMAP.
- Personal accounts are limited to one custom domain; unlimited domains and shared aliases need the Business plan.
- The feature list covers email and contacts only and does not mention a calendar or file storage.
Key features
- Unlimited aliases
- Extra addresses can be created and deleted at any time, on the StartMail domain or your own, and one-click burner aliases disappear on their own after an hour.
- PGP encryption
- One click encrypts a message with PGP or adds a PGP signature, and an IMAP mail client can be set up for end-to-end encryption with OpenPGP.
- Password-protected email
- Encrypted messages can be sent to people who do not use encryption: the recipient reads and answers them with a password you set.
- Tracking and phishing protection
- External images are hidden by default to block tracking pixels, a warning shows the full address before an external link opens, and your IP address is kept out of sent mail.
- Custom domains and group subscriptions
- Personal accounts can use one custom domain and Business accounts any number. Extra accounts for family or team members are 25% off, and Business groups can share aliases.
- IMAP access and migration
- Full IMAP and SMTP access for Thunderbird, Outlook, Apple Mail and similar apps, plus a migration tool that imports email and contacts from other providers.
StartMail pricing
- Starts at
- $4.99 per month, billed annually ($59.88)
- Free plan
- None
- Free trial
- 7-day free trial; a credit card or PayPal account is required at sign-up
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Personal | $4.99per month, billed annually ($59.88); $6.99 billed monthly | An address on the StartMail domain or one custom domain, unlimited aliases and 20 GB of storage. Annual plans can be paid in Bitcoin. |
| Business | $6.99per month, billed annually ($83.88); $8.99 billed monthly | An address on your own domain, unlimited domains, 30 GB of storage and shared aliases on a custom domain within a group subscription. |
Read from startmail.com on Oct 6, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with StartMail before you buy.
Ways to pay less
- Annual discountSave $24 a year with annual billing
Personal costs $59.88 a year ($4.99 a month) against $6.99 a month when billed monthly, and Business $83.88 a year against $8.99 a month. The pricing page puts the saving at $24.
Stated on startmail.com - Other savings25% off additional accounts
Any number of extra accounts for family members or colleagues can be added to a subscription as a group, each at 25% off the regular rate.
Stated on startmail.com
Works with
- Thunderbird
- Outlook
- Apple Mail
- K-9 Mail
StartMail alternatives
- StartMail vs Proton Mail
Free plan · from $3.99/mo
- StartMail vs Tuta Mail
Free plan · from €3/mo
- StartMail vs Mailfence
Free plan · from €2.50/mo
- StartMail vs Posteo
From €1/mo
- StartMail vs Fastmail
Free trial · from $3/mo
Common questions
Is StartMail free?
No, StartMail is a paid product, but you can try it first. 7-day free trial; a credit card or PayPal account is required at sign-up.
How much does StartMail cost?
StartMail lists 2 plans. Personal: $4.99 per month, billed annually ($59.88); $6.99 billed monthly. Business: $6.99 per month, billed annually ($83.88); $8.99 billed monthly. Prices were read from startmail.com on Oct 6, 2026.
What platforms does StartMail work on?
StartMail is available on Web and Android.
Does StartMail offer any discounts?
StartMail publicly lists the following: Save $24 a year with annual billing; 25% off additional accounts.
Does StartMail have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 6, 2026. StartMail is listed for Web and Android.
Does StartMail have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 6, 2026. StartMail is listed for Web and Android.
Is StartMail open source?
StartMail is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 6, 2026.
What does StartMail integrate with?
StartMail's listing names Thunderbird, Outlook, Apple Mail and K-9 Mail. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Who makes StartMail?
StartMail is made by StartMail B.V. It dates from 2013.
What are the alternatives to StartMail?
The closest alternatives to StartMail in our directory are Proton Mail, Tuta Mail, Mailfence, Posteo and Fastmail. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with StartMail.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Oct 6, 2026.