Short answer: mail.com is a free email service from the group behind GMX. It gives you 65 GB of storage and a choice of 100+ domains, but it shows ads, deletes free accounts after six months without a login, and only lets you use other email apps (IMAP) if you pay for Premium. If you want a free address you can use anywhere, GMX is the closest like-for-like switch, Gmail and Outlook.com are the safest all-rounders, and Proton Mail or Tuta are best for privacy.
Disclosure: we make Canary Mail, an email app (not an email service), which we mention once below. Every fact was checked on the providers' own sites on October 13, 2026.
What is mail.com?
mail.com is a free webmail service. It started in 1995 as Vanity Mail Services, has been owned by United Internet (the German group behind GMX) since 2010, and is run from Philadelphia with servers in the US. Its best-known feature is the choice of more than 100 domains, so your address can end in something like @email.com, @usa.com, @consultant.com or @engineer.com instead of a provider's name.
- Does mail.com still exist? Yes. It's still taking sign-ups in most countries, its blog is active and its apps were updated in October 2026.
- Is mail.com free? Yes: 65 GB of email storage, 2 GB of cloud storage, attachments up to 30 MB, up to 10 aliases and apps for iPhone and Android. The free plan shows ads.
- How much is mail.com Premium? $9.99 for three months, $29.99 a year, or $47.87 a year with 110 GB of cloud storage (plus tax). It renews automatically and isn't refundable. Premium removes ads, unlocks IMAP, POP and forwarding, and raises attachments to 100 MB.
- Can mail.com be trusted? It's a legitimate service from a large email company, with optional two-step sign-in through an authenticator app. We found no credible reports of a mail.com data breach. But mail is only encrypted in transit, there's no PGP or end-to-end encryption, and free accounts can be deleted after six months without a login.
Why people look for a mail.com alternative
- You can't use another email app for free. IMAP, POP, SMTP and forwarding are Premium-only, so a free mail.com address works only in mail.com's own website and apps.
- Ads. The free plan shows them in the inbox and apps.
- Inactive accounts disappear. mail.com can delete a free account after six months without a login, and a deleted account can't be restored.
- No end-to-end encryption.
- Your own domain isn't included. The 100+ domains are mail.com's; using your own domain means a different service.
mail.com alternatives compared
| Service | Best for | Free storage | Ads on free | Use other apps free (IMAP) | Paid from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GMX | Same features, free IMAP | 65 GB | Yes | Yes (switch it on) | None listed |
| Gmail | Everyone, plus Google apps | 15 GB (shared) | In Promotions and Social tabs | Yes | Google AI Plus $4.99/month |
| Outlook.com | Microsoft users | 15 GB | Yes | Yes | Microsoft 365 Basic $19.99/year |
| Proton Mail | Privacy and encryption | Up to 1 GB | No | No (paid Bridge) | Mail Plus $4.99/month |
| Tuta | Cheapest encrypted email | 1 GB | No | No | €3/month |
| Zoho Mail | Your own domain, cheaply | 5 GB (Forever Free, some regions) | No | No on free | Mail Lite $1/user/month |
| Yahoo Mail | Lots of free storage | 20 GB | Yes | Yes | Mail Plus $5/month |
| iCloud Mail | iPhone and Mac users | 5 GB (shared) | No | Yes (app password) | iCloud+ $0.99/month |
The 8 best mail.com alternatives
1. GMX: Closest like-for-like switch
GMX belongs to the same company as mail.com and feels almost identical: 65 GB of storage, 50 MB attachments, up to 10 aliases and the same Mail Collector. The big difference is that GMX lets you use IMAP for free (you switch it on in settings), so your address works in any email app. It also supports PGP through the Mailvelope browser extension.
- Free: 65 GB, 50 MB attachments, 10 aliases, IMAP
- Paid: no paid tier listed on gmx.com
- Downside: it shows ads, offers fewer domain choices than mail.com, and also deletes mail after six months of inactivity.
2. Gmail: Best all-round free email
Gmail is used by 3 billion people, has the strongest spam filtering and search, and connects to Google Drive, Calendar and Meet. Free Gemini features include help writing emails (in the US) and thread summaries.
- Free: 15 GB shared with Drive and Photos
- Paid: Google AI Plus $4.99/month (400 GB); Google Workspace from $7 per user a month for your own domain
- Downside: your 15 GB is shared with photos and files, and personal accounts show ads in the Promotions and Social tabs.
More: Ymail vs Gmail and Gmail alternatives.
3. Outlook.com: Best for Microsoft users
Outlook.com gives you 15 GB of mail storage plus 5 GB of OneDrive, a built-in calendar, and apps on every platform, including the new Outlook for Windows.
- Free: 15 GB mail, 5 GB cloud
- Paid: Microsoft 365 Basic $1.99/month or $19.99/year removes ads and adds 100 GB
- Downside: the free version shows ads.
More: Outlook alternatives.
4. Proton Mail: Best for privacy
Proton Mail, based in Switzerland, encrypts mail between Proton users end to end and stores your mail with zero-access encryption. There are no ads.
- Free: up to 1 GB, 150 messages a day
- Paid: Mail Plus $4.99/month or $47.88/year (15 GB, custom domain)
- Downside: the free plan is small, and using other email apps needs the paid Proton Mail Bridge.
More: Proton Mail alternatives and the best secure email apps.
5. Tuta: Cheapest encrypted email
Tuta (formerly Tutanota), based in Germany, encrypts your mailbox including subject lines, with no ads. Its paid plan includes custom domains.
- Free: 1 GB, private use, one free account per person
- Paid: Revolutionary €3/month billed yearly (20 GB, 3 custom domains)
- Downside: it doesn't support IMAP at all, so you use Tuta's own apps.
More: Tuta alternatives.
6. Zoho Mail: Best cheap option for your own domain
Zoho Mail is built for addresses on your own domain. Its Forever Free plan, still offered in some regions, covers up to 5 users with 5 GB each on the web and Zoho's apps, with no ads.
- Free: Forever Free: 5 users, 5 GB each, web and apps only (some regions)
- Paid: Mail Lite from $1 per user a month, billed yearly
- Downside: the free plan has no IMAP, and Zoho works best if you use its other apps.
More: Zoho Mail alternatives.
7. Yahoo Mail: Best for free storage after GMX
Yahoo Mail gives 20 GB free, AI summaries and drafting in its app, and can show Gmail and Outlook accounts in the same web inbox.
- Free: 20 GB
- Paid: Mail Plus $5/month (ad-free, 200 GB)
- Downside: ads on the free plan, and it empties mailboxes left unopened for 12 months.
More: Yahoo Mail alternatives.
8. iCloud Mail: Best for iPhone and Mac users
iCloud Mail is built into every Apple device and has no ads. iCloud+ adds more storage, custom domains and Hide My Email addresses.
- Free: 5 GB shared with iCloud backups and photos
- Paid: iCloud+ from $0.99/month (50 GB)
- Downside: 5 GB fills up fast, and other email apps need an app-specific password.
Keep your mail.com address in a better app
If you like your mail.com address but not its apps, you can read it in another email app, but only with mail.com Premium, because IMAP is Premium-only. With Premium, apps like Apple Mail, Outlook, Thunderbird or Canary Mail (which we make) can show mail.com next to your other accounts. Canary adds AI summaries and drafting, blocks tracking pixels and is free for unlimited accounts on two devices. If you'd rather not pay, GMX is the one free alternative here with the same features and free IMAP. See also the best email app for multiple accounts.
Frequently asked questions
Is mail.com free?
Yes. The free plan includes 65 GB of email storage, 2 GB of cloud storage, 30 MB attachments and 100+ domains, with ads. Using other email apps (IMAP or POP) and forwarding need Premium.
How much does mail.com cost?
mail.com Premium costs $9.99 for three months, $29.99 a year, or $47.87 a year with 110 GB of cloud storage, plus tax. It renews automatically.
Does mail.com still exist?
Yes. mail.com is still active in 2026 and owned by United Internet, the group behind GMX.
Can mail.com be trusted?
It's a legitimate, long-running service with optional two-step sign-in, and we found no reports of a data breach. It doesn't offer end-to-end encryption, and free accounts can be deleted after six months without a login.
Can I use mail.com in Outlook, Apple Mail or another app?
Only with mail.com Premium. IMAP, POP and SMTP are Premium-only, so free accounts work only on mail.com's website and apps.
What is the best free email to have?
For most people, Gmail or Outlook.com. GMX has the most free storage (65 GB) with free IMAP; Proton Mail and Tuta are best for privacy; iCloud Mail suits Apple users.
Is GMX the same as mail.com?
Same company, very similar features. GMX lets you use IMAP for free; mail.com offers more domain choices.
What is the most hacked email provider?
No provider publishes comparable figures. What matters most is a unique password, two-step verification or a passkey, and caution with phishing. We found no credible reports of a mail.com breach.
Sources
- mail.com: free email
- mail.com: about the company
- mail.com Premium
- mail.com Premium features
- mail.com help: IMAP is a Premium feature
- mail.com terms (inactive accounts)
- mail.com security
- GMX free email
- GMX help: turn on IMAP
- Google: Gmail is entering the Gemini era (3 billion users)
- Microsoft 365 Basic
- Proton plans
- Tuta pricing
- Zoho Mail pricing
- Yahoo: free mailbox storage
- Yahoo Mail Plus