The Best Email Security Gateways in 2026
We researched products from official websites, including pricing pages, plan tables, and product documentation. Rankings reflect each gateway’s core protection capabilities, value for money, and verified features for filtering inbound and outbound email threats before delivery.
Our top picks
-
Top ranked
Sublime Security#1 of 349.4/10A customizable email security platform with unusually broad protection in its free Core plan.
Free plan
-
Runner-up
Sophos Email#2 of 349.2/10A broad cloud gateway for Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace email protection.
Pricing on request · 30-day trial
-
#3 ranked
Cloudflare Email Security#3 of 349.0/10A flexible email gateway for organizations needing layered inbound and outbound protection.
Pricing on request
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.
The full ranking 34 tools, best first
-
Best forTeams wanting strong value and customization
A customizable email security platform with unusually broad protection in its free Core plan.
- Malware sandboxing
- Impersonation protection
- Google Workspace support
9.4/10★★★★★Try Sublime Security -
Best forMicrosoft 365 and Google Workspace security
A broad cloud gateway for Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace email protection.
- Malware sandboxing
- Impersonation protection
- Google Workspace support
Pricing on request · 30-day trial Our Sophos Email verdict → Visit Sophos EmailFor vendors Sponsor this spot · #2 · $99/mo →9.2/10★★★★★Visit Sophos Email -
Best forFlexible cloud and hybrid deployments
A flexible email gateway for organizations needing layered inbound and outbound protection.
- Malware sandboxing
- Impersonation protection
- Google Workspace support
9.0/10★★★★☆Visit Cloudflare -
Best forBehavioral AI threat detection
Behavioral AI protection across email, collaboration tools, and connected security systems.
- Malware sandboxing
- Impersonation protection
- Google Workspace support
Pricing on request · 30-day trial Our Darktrace / EMAIL verdict → Visit DarktraceFor vendors Sponsor this spot · #4 · $69/mo →8.9/10★★★★☆Visit Darktrace -
Best forOrganizations needing layered email defenses
Layered protection for email, collaboration apps, account takeover, and data loss.
- Malware sandboxing
- Impersonation protection
- Google Workspace support
Pricing on request · 14-day trial Our Check Point Email Security verdict → Visit Check PointFor vendors Sponsor this spot · #5 · $59/mo →8.8/10★★★★☆Visit Check Point -
Best forMature all-around email protection
A broad email security gateway for organizations needing layered protection and policy control.
- Malware sandboxing
- Impersonation protection
- Google Workspace support
8.7/10★★★★☆Visit Mimecast -
Best forHybrid deployments with advanced analysis
A broad email gateway for organizations needing advanced inbound and outbound threat analysis.
- Malware sandboxing
- Impersonation protection
- Google Workspace support
8.6/10★★★★☆Visit Libraesva -
Best forBehavioral BEC and vendor-fraud defense
A focused cloud gateway for BEC, phishing, vendor fraud, and outbound DLP.
- Impersonation protection
- Google Workspace support
- Microsoft 365 support
8.5/10★★★★☆Visit Abnormal AI -
Best forUser-aware phishing and impersonation defense
A broad, user-aware email security platform with quote-based pricing.
- Impersonation protection
- Google Workspace support
- Microsoft 365 support
8.4/10★★★★☆Visit INKY -
Best forMicrosoft 365 protection suites
A broad Microsoft 365 protection suite with layered email security and data recovery.
- Malware sandboxing
- Impersonation protection
- Microsoft 365 support
Pricing on request · 14-day trial Our Hornetsecurity 365 Total Protection verdict → Visit Hornetsecurity8.3/10★★★★☆Visit Hornetsecurity -
Best forFortinet-centered security environments
A broad email security platform suited to Fortinet-centered hybrid environments.
- Malware sandboxing
- Impersonation protection
- Google Workspace support
8.2/10★★★★☆Visit Fortinet -
Best forManaged protection with incident response
Layered cloud email protection for Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, and other mail services.
- Impersonation protection
- Google Workspace support
- Microsoft 365 support
8.1/10★★★★☆Visit Fortinet -
Best forPhishing-focused protection with automation
A phishing-focused gateway for Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace environments.
- Malware sandboxing
- Impersonation protection
- Google Workspace support
8.0/10★★★★☆Visit IRONSCALES -
Best forStraightforward cloud or hybrid filtering
A broad email security gateway for organizations needing inbound and outbound control.
- Malware sandboxing
- Impersonation protection
- Google Workspace support
7.9/10★★★★☆Visit LevelBlue -
Best forAppliance-style content inspection
A broad inspection and governance gateway for organizations securing inbound and outbound email.
- Malware sandboxing
- Google Workspace support
- Microsoft 365 support
7.8/10★★★★☆Visit Fortra -
Best forCloud email teams needing established filtering
Broad inbound and outbound protection for Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, and Exchange.
- Malware sandboxing
- Impersonation protection
- Google Workspace support
7.7/10★★★★☆Visit Broadcom -
Best forAffordable gateway protection
Affordable gateway protection with broad filtering, scanning, and mail-flow controls.
- Malware sandboxing
- Impersonation protection
- Google Workspace support
7.6/10★★★★☆Visit SpamTitan -
Best forSmall teams wanting low-cost self-hosted flexibility
A flexible email gateway with a free edition and low-cost paid tiers.
- Malware sandboxing
- Microsoft 365 support
- Outbound filtering
7.5/10★★★★☆Visit Xeams -
Best forMultitenant email administration
A broad cloud gateway for MSPs managing filtering, continuity, archiving, and multiple tenants.
- Impersonation protection
- Google Workspace support
- Microsoft 365 support
7.4/10★★★★☆Visit N-able -
Best forCore filtering with practical DLP controls
A practical gateway for inbound, outbound, impersonation, and DLP protection.
- Impersonation protection
- Google Workspace support
- Microsoft 365 support
7.3/10★★★★☆Visit Mailprotector -
Best forSelf-hosted teams needing predictable pricing
A focused self-hosted gateway with broad filtering controls and predictable per-host pricing.
- Outbound filtering
7.2/10★★★★☆Visit Proxmox -
Best forTechnical teams wanting free open-source control
A configurable, self-hosted email security engine for technical mail teams.
- Impersonation protection
- Outbound filtering
7.1/10★★★★☆Visit Rspamd -
Best forWindows and Exchange administrators
A broad email security gateway for Microsoft-centered, self-hosted mail environments.
- Microsoft 365 support
- Outbound filtering
7.0/10★★★★☆Visit GFI Software -
Best forAffordable hosted filtering by domain
Affordable domain-based filtering for businesses using common mail platforms.
- Google Workspace support
- Microsoft 365 support
- Outbound filtering
6.9/10★★★☆☆Visit EuropeanMX -
Best forSmall businesses needing domain-based filtering
A domain-priced gateway with layered filtering, quarantine, archiving and outbound controls.
- Impersonation protection
- Google Workspace support
- Microsoft 365 support
6.8/10★★★☆☆Visit SpamHero -
Best forOpen-source gateway users on a budget
A capable open-source gateway for teams managing email security in their own environment.
- Google Workspace support
- Microsoft 365 support
- Outbound filtering
6.7/10★★★☆☆Visit Hermes -
Best forTeams prioritizing encrypted email delivery
A focused email security gateway for encrypted healthcare communications.
6.6/10★★★☆☆Visit Paubox -
Best forFree self-hosted mail gateway protection
A free self-hosted gateway with broad filtering and mail-authentication controls.
- Impersonation protection
6.5/10★★★☆☆Visit Scrollout F1 -
Best forLinux administrators needing a free mail filter
A free Linux mail filter with broad server integration and configurable message inspection.
6.4/10★★★☆☆Visit MailScanner -
Best forWindows users needing basic personal spam filtering
A focused free filter for personal Windows email, with no outbound protection.
6.2/10★★★☆☆Visit Spamihilator -
Best forArchiving and eDiscovery rather than filtering
A focused email archive for retention, legal holds, search, and eDiscovery.
5.5/10★★★☆☆Visit Barracuda -
Best forNetwork infrastructure management teams
A Cisco network management system, not an email security gateway.
5.0/10★★☆☆☆Visit Cisco -
Best forContainer image and runtime security
A container security product, not an email security gateway.
Pricing on request · 30-day trial Our Trend Vision One Container Security verdict → Visit Trend Micro4.0/10★★☆☆☆Visit Trend Micro -
Best forEndpoint management teams, not email security
A broad endpoint management suite, not an email security gateway.
3.0/10★★☆☆☆Contact Broadcom
No tools match those filters.
Compare at a glance
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | Outbound filtering | Impersonation protection | Deployment model | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sublime Security | Yes | Yes | Yes | Hybrid | 9.4 | |
| 2 | Sophos Email | No | Yes | Yes | Cloud | 9.2 | |
| 3 | Cloudflare Email Security | No | Yes | Yes | Hybrid | 9.0 | |
| 4 | Darktrace / EMAIL | No | Yes | Yes | Cloud | 8.9 | |
| 5 | Check Point Email Security | No | Yes | Yes | Hybrid | 8.8 | |
| 6 | Mimecast Secure Email Gateway | No | Yes | Yes | Cloud | 8.7 | |
| 7 | Libraesva Email Security | No | Yes | Yes | Hybrid | 8.6 | |
| 8 | Abnormal Email Security | Yes | Yes | Cloud | 8.5 | ||
| 9 | INKY Email Security | Yes | Yes | Cloud | 8.4 | ||
| 10 | Hornetsecurity 365 Total Protection | No | Yes | Yes | Hybrid | 8.3 | |
| 11 | FortiMail Email Security | Yes | Yes | Hybrid | 8.2 | ||
| 12 | Perception Point Advanced Email Security | Yes | Yes | Cloud | 8.1 | ||
| 13 | IRONSCALES Email Protect | No | No | Yes | Cloud | 8.0 | |
| 14 | Trustwave Secure Email Gateway | Yes | Yes | 7.9 | |||
| 15 | Fortra Secure Email Gateway | Yes | Appliance | 7.8 | |||
| 16 | Symantec Email Security.cloud | Yes | Yes | Cloud | 7.7 | ||
| 17 | SpamTitan Gateway | No | $1.95/user/mo | Yes | Yes | Gateway | 7.6 |
| 18 | Xeams | Yes | $0.67/user/mo | Yes | Gateway | 7.5 | |
| 19 | N-able Mail Assure | No | Yes | Yes | Cloud | 7.4 | |
| 20 | Mailprotector | Yes | Yes | Gateway | 7.3 | ||
| 21 | Proxmox Mail Gateway | No | €190/yr | Yes | Gateway | 7.2 | |
| 22 | Rspamd | Yes | £100/mo | Yes | Yes | Gateway | 7.1 |
| 23 | GFI MailEssentials | No | Yes | Gateway | 7.0 | ||
| 24 | EuropeanMX | No | €58.80/site/yr | Yes | Cloud | 6.9 | |
| 25 | SpamHero Business Email Security | No | $7/site/mo | Yes | Yes | Cloud | 6.8 |
| 26 | Hermes Secure Email Gateway | Yes | Yes | Gateway | 6.7 | ||
| 27 | Paubox Email Encryption | No | $29/mo | 6.6 | |||
| 28 | Scrollout F1 | Yes | Free | Yes | Gateway | 6.5 | |
| 29 | MailScanner | Yes | Free | Gateway | 6.4 | ||
| 30 | Spamihilator | Yes | Free | No | 6.2 | ||
| 31 | Barracuda Message Archiver | No | 5.5 | ||||
| 32 | Cisco Catalyst Center | Hybrid | 5.0 | ||||
| 33 | Trend Vision One Container Security | No | Hybrid | 4.0 | |||
| 34 | Symantec IT Management Suite | 3.0 |
Head-to-head All 28 comparisons →
- Sublime Security vs Sophos Email
- Sublime Security vs Cloudflare Email Security
- Sublime Security vs Darktrace / EMAIL
- Sublime Security vs Check Point Email Security
- Sublime Security vs Mimecast Secure Email Gateway
- Sublime Security vs Libraesva Email Security
- Sublime Security vs Abnormal Email Security
- Sophos Email vs Cloudflare Email Security
- Sophos Email vs Darktrace / EMAIL
Explore other topics All topics →
- AI Tools 303 directories · 8,269 tools ranked AI Writing Tools · AI Video Generators · Text-to-Speech Software
- Web Hosting & Domains 275 directories · 6,107 tools ranked Shared Web Hosting · Managed Cloud Hosting · Dedicated Server Hosting
- Productivity 157 directories · 4,948 tools ranked Note-Taking Apps · Calendar Apps · Project Management Software
- Marketing 135 directories · 3,977 tools ranked SEO Tools · Influencer Marketing Platforms · Email Marketing Software
- Sales & CRM 152 directories · 4,161 tools ranked Real Estate CRM Software · CRM Software · Proposal Software
- Customer Service 55 directories · 1,547 tools ranked Chatbot Builders · Knowledge Base Software · Call Center Software
How we rank email security gateways
Every tool on this page was researched by iTechGuides Editors from its official website — pricing pages, plan tables and product documentation. We rank on how well each one does this category's core job, what the free or entry plan includes, and where it falls short. Where we have enough verified facts, the score out of 10 is a rubric — job fit, value and how much we could verify — shown with its breakdown on every tool's page; a tool we have not verified enough to score yet shows its rank without a number. Scores are re-checked when a product changes its plans. Read the full editorial policy, or submit a tool we missed.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update