Best FastMail Alternatives: Our Top Picks

Fastmail is a secure, private, and independent email service that offers a Gmail transfer tool. It prioritizes security and privacy, with no ads and no tracking. Fastmail offers efficient and highly customizable spam filters, extensive notification settings, and support for PGP encryption. It also provides features such as scheduled send and snooze, labels, and custom domains. 

However, Fastmail is a basic service that comes with a premium price, and it is not end-to-end encrypted. Additionally, it is locked behind a paywall, and there are other email providers that offer similar features for free.

Users’ primary concerns and reviews about Fastmail

1. There are concerns about the encryption provided by Fastmail, with some users considering it subpar. The Pro Privacy review highlights that Fastmail is not as secure as its competitors and mentions concerns about the lack of end-to-end encryption.
2. The pricing of Fastmail, while affordable, may not offer the best value compared to its competitors. Other mail services offer competitive pricing and may provide better value compared to Fastmail.
3. It does not have a free subscription tier for individuals and is based in Australia, which is a part of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance. Additionally, while some parts of the service’s code are open source, not all of it is accessible for inspection.

Limitations of Fastmail that users should be aware of

• Fastmail is not end-to-end encrypted, which may be a concern for users prioritizing maximum privacy and security.
• The service is locked behind a paywall, meaning users need to subscribe to access its features.

Is Fastmail a good email service for business use?

• Fastmail is considered a good email service for business use, especially for small company owners on a budget with multiple domains and addresses but a small number of actual users.
• However, some users have expressed concerns about the pricing compared to competitors.
• Fastmail is designed for people who want live and prompt service, making it a wise decision for a specific market.

Here are some limitations and concerns related to Fastmail login:

Security concerns: FastMail enforces username and password authentication, and highly recommends Two Factor Authentication (2FA). However, there are still some security concerns related to the login process, such as the need to provide a phone number and credit card for sign-up. Additionally, some users may prefer more advanced authentication methods such as U2F or YubiKey OTP, which are not currently supported by Fastmail.

There are a plethora of email clients and services available on the internet, and it can be overwhelming to evaluate them all. To make your search easier, we have curated a list of some of the best alternatives that can provide a better email management experience. Without further ado, let’s take a look at some alternatives to Fast Mail.

Best Fast Mail alternatives to consider:

Canary Mail

Canary Mail is a privacy-focused email client that prioritizes end-to-end encryption through PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) and its custom SecureSend feature, enabling users to send encrypted messages to recipients regardless of what email provider they are using. 

Features: 

AI-Powered Message Writing: It offers its signature feature – Copilot, that holds the capability to write your emails automatically on your behalf so that you can save time.

Snooze Emails: With the snooze feature, users can temporarily remove emails from their inbox and reschedule them to reappear later.

Inbox Management: Users can specify colors for each of their accounts, allowing for easy visual differentiation and organization.

Pros: 

• Canary Mail boasts a robust set of features, including AI-assisted message writing, snooze functionality, and customizable account colors, contributing to an enriching email experience.
• The email client is designed with an intuitive and user-friendly interface, making it easy for both new and experienced users to navigate and operate the application.
• Encryption and End-to-End Security

Spark Mail

Spark is a fast, free, and feature-filled email client that helps you improve efficiency with email.

Features: 

Smart inbox, customizable swipes, and email filtering tools.

Pros: 

• Robust email solution, syncs well with Google and iCloud accounts, and includes a smart inbox and customizable swipes.

Cons: 

• Free version includes only basic features, including 5GB storage and two active collaborators per team. The user interface can be challenging to navigate, especially for first-time users.

Spike Mail

Spike Mail is an email client that combines email, messaging, and collaborative tools in one app.

Features: 

Group chat, voice, and video calls, and shared notes and tasks.

Pros: 

• Combines email, messaging, and collaborative tools in one app, and supports end-to-end encryption.

Cons: 

• Lack of offline functionality, Potential confusion for contacts who do not use Spike.

Blue Mail

Blue Mail is a free email client that supports multiple email accounts and provides a unified inbox.

Features: 

Customizable swipe gestures, dark mode, and support for multiple email accounts.

Pros: 

• Free, supports multiple email accounts, and provides a unified inbox.

Cons:  

• Absence of auto-response capability, making it less efficient for managing repetitive email tasks. Issues with syncing and notifications. 

Thunderbird

Thunderbird is one of the best Fastmail alternatives. It is a free and open-source email client that supports multiple email accounts and provides a unified inbox.

Features: 

Customizable interface, support for multiple email accounts, and add-ons for additional functionality.

Pros: 

• Free and open-source, supports multiple email accounts and provides a unified inbox.

Cons: 

• Calendar and task-list functionality is not included (but can be added);
• Old model user interface and outdated functionalities;
• Updates and modernization are slow;
• No drag-and-drop function.

Zoho

Zoho is a suite of cloud-based productivity tools that includes email, calendar, and contacts.

Features: 

Custom domain email, calendar, and contacts.

Pros: 

• Custom domain email, calendar, and contacts, and integration with other Zoho productivity tools.

Cons: 

• Limited storage – Additional storage beyond 5 GB requires premium.
• Some users reported issues with syncing and notifications. There have been reports of Active Sync mail accounts not updating in the iOS Mail app, where new emails are not being shown. 

Proton

Proton is a privacy-focused email client that supports end-to-end encryption using PGP and provides a secure email service.

Features: 

End-to-end encryption, secure email service, and custom domain email.

Pros: 

• Privacy-focused, end-to-end encryption, and secure email service.

Cons: 

• Expensive, does not encrypt subject lines, headers, or metadata

Conclusion about Fastmail Alternatives

In conclusion, Fastmail offers a secure and independent email service with a range of valuable features, however, it’s essential to be aware of some limitations. Fastmail’s lack of end-to-end encryption may be a concern for those who prioritize maximum privacy and security.

When considering business use, Fastmail can be suitable for small companies with multiple domains and addresses but limited users, although some may find better value elsewhere.

In light of these factors, it’s prudent to explore other email services that better align with individual needs and preferences. Fastmail alternatives like Canary Mail offer diverse sets of features, ranging from AI-powered message writing, end-to-end encryption, unified inboxes, customizable swipes, and much more. Users can evaluate these alternatives to find the one that best complements their requirements for an enhanced email management experience.

FAQ | Fastmail alternatives