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Head-to-head · Secure Email Providers

Mailfence vs mailbox

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 5 checks side by side
Higher score Mailfence #4 in Secure Email Providers 8.6/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 1 of 3 features Visit Mailfence
mailbox #6 in Secure Email Providers 8.2/10 30-day trial Free trial✓ 2 of 3 features Visit mailbox

Mailfence leads on 3 checks, mailbox on 1, and 1 is even. Who comes out ahead on the 5 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreMailfence · 8.6/10
  • Free planonly Mailfence
  • Free trialonly mailbox
  • Most featuresmailbox · 2 of 3

Mailfence scores higher on our rubric for secure email providers: 8.6 against 8.2 out of 10; our editors rank them #4 and #6.

Mailfence offers free plan; mailbox doesn't. mailbox offers custom domain; Mailfence doesn't. Mailfence leads on mailbox storage: 5 GB versus 2 GB. Mailfence leads on email aliases: 10 aliases versus 3 aliases. On mail protocol support, mailbox gives you Imap_smtp where Mailfence offers None.

Mailfence is the better fit for secure email plus collaboration tools. mailbox is the better fit for low-cost secure hosting with client flexibility.

  • Mailfence fits best

    Secure email plus collaboration tools

  • mailbox fits best

    Low-cost secure hosting with client flexibility

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.

Side by side

Feature Mailfence 8.6/10 Visit ↗ mailbox 8.2/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 8.6 8.2
Ranking #4 in Secure Email Providers #6 in Secure Email Providers
Best for Secure email plus collaboration tools Low-cost secure hosting with client flexibility
Pricing model Free plan + paid Paid
Starting price €2.50/mo €1/mo
Free plan ✓ (best) —
Free trial — 30 days
Deployment Cloud, Mobile Cloud, Desktop, Mobile
Platforms Web, iOS, Android Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
Integrations 9 integrations 10 integrations
Features Mailfence 1/3 · mailbox 2/3
End-to-end encryption ✓ ✓
Custom domain — ✓ (best)
Encrypted calendar Not checked yet Not checked yet
Specs
Mailbox storage 5 GB (best) 2 GB
Email aliases 10 aliases (best) 3 aliases
Mail protocol support None Imap_smtp
Our review
Pros
  • OpenPGP encryption, digital signatures, and key management
  • Shared calendars, documents, contacts, mailboxes, and groups
  • IMAP, POP, SMTP, CalDAV, CardDAV, and ActiveSync support
  • Optional PGP and S/MIME encryption with spam and virus protection
  • IMAP, POP3, SMTP, CalDAV and CardDAV support
  • Six-platform coverage with custom domains on paid tiers
Cons
  • Free plan provides only 1 GB of total storage
  • Base excludes custom domains and mail-client access
  • Larger storage tiers become substantially more expensive
  • No free plan is available
  • Light has 2 GB storage and three @mailbox.org aliases
  • Annual Light billing requires a €12 minimum deposit
Our verdict

Mailfence is a Belgium-based secure email service for privacy-conscious individuals, families, organizations, and universities. Its browser-based service combines email with OpenPGP end-to-end encryption, digital signatures, key…

Read the review →

mailbox is a Germany-hosted email and collaboration service for private individuals, families, businesses, and public-sector organizations. It combines webmail with PGP and S/MIME encryption, spam and malware filtering, aliases, calendars,…

Read the review →
  1. MailfenceSecure Email Providers 8.6Free plan
  2. mailboxSecure Email Providers 8.230-day trial

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Mailfence — where it wins

    • OpenPGP encryption, digital signatures, and key management
    • Shared calendars, documents, contacts, mailboxes, and groups
    • IMAP, POP, SMTP, CalDAV, CardDAV, and ActiveSync support

    Where it doesn't

    • Free plan provides only 1 GB of total storage
    • Base excludes custom domains and mail-client access
    • Larger storage tiers become substantially more expensive

  • mailbox — where it wins

    • Optional PGP and S/MIME encryption with spam and virus protection
    • IMAP, POP3, SMTP, CalDAV and CardDAV support
    • Six-platform coverage with custom domains on paid tiers

    Where it doesn't

    • No free plan is available
    • Light has 2 GB storage and three @mailbox.org aliases
    • Annual Light billing requires a €12 minimum deposit

More comparisons

All secure email providers comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update