---
title: Runbox
canonical: https://saasranked.com/software/runbox/
category: Encrypted Email Services
points: 36
rank: 8 of 9
facts_checked: 2026-10-08
---

# Runbox

Norwegian mailbox from €19.95 a year with IMAP, your own domain, PGP through add-ons and a public transparency report.

36 points out of 100. #8 of 9 encrypted email services. Vendor: Runbox Solutions. Website: https://runbox.com/

- The cheapest plan, Micro, costs €19.95 a year with 2 GB of mail storage and one custom domain; there is no free plan [1].
- Every plan starts with a 30-day trial, and there is a 60-day money-back guarantee [11].
- Runbox 7, the web app, is open source under GPLv3 or later on GitHub [5].
- Its transparency report counts 4 requests received in 2025 and 1 so far in 2026 [4].
- Runbox's help pages cover encryption between people with PGP, through add-ons such as Mailvelope [8].

Verdict: Runbox suits people who want an inexpensive mailbox in Norway with IMAP, custom domains and a public transparency report [1][3][4]. It does not document zero-access storage, only encryption in transit and on disk, and its help pages cover PGP through add-ons [3][8]. There is no free plan and no native app, and no audit or certificate is named [1][2][9]. Best for: People who want a low-cost private mailbox in Norway that works in any mail program.

## Points

| Criterion | Line | Value | Points | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Encryption | Stored mail the provider cannot read | Not published | 0/10 | Not published on the vendor's security and features pages, which describe encryption in transit and on disk only [3]. |
| Encryption | Automatic end-to-end encryption between its own users | Not published | 0/8 | Not published; the encryption help pages cover only PGP that users set up themselves, such as with Mailvelope [7][8]. |
| Encryption | Encrypted mail to other providers | Not published | 0/6 | Not published; the help pages list PGP through add-ons and mail programs, and no built-in tool or password-protected message feature [8][3]. |
| Encryption | Encrypted contacts or calendar | Not published | 0/3 | Not published on the vendor's features page, which mentions CardDAV and CalDAV sync without encryption [3]. |
| Trust and audits | Independent audit since 2024 | Not published | 0/8 | Not published on the vendor's privacy and security page [2]. |
| Trust and audits | Open-source apps | Yes | 6/6 | Runbox 7 web app is GPLv3 or later on GitHub; the vendor says not every component is open source [2][5]. |
| Trust and audits | SOC 2 Type II or ISO 27001 | Not published | 0/4 | Not published on the vendor's privacy policy or security page [2][10]. |
| Trust and audits | Transparency report | Yes | 4/4 | The report has a 2026 section and counts 4 requests received in 2025 and 1 in 2026 [4]. |
| Trust and audits | Security key for two-factor sign-in | Not published | 0/4 | Not published; the account security help lists authenticator-app codes and one-time passwords only [12]. |
| Apps and access | Official apps | None | 0/10 | Runbox offers a progressive web app and lists no native desktop or mobile apps [9]. |
| Apps and access | Works in standard mail programs | Yes | 8/8 | The vendor says it fully supports IMAP, POP and SMTP for standard mail programs [3]. |
| Mailbox | Your own domain | Yes | 5/5 | Micro includes 1 custom domain; higher plans include more [1][3]. |
| Mailbox | Mail storage on the cheapest paid plan | 2 | 2/5 | Micro, the cheapest plan, has 2 GB of mail storage [1]. |
| Mailbox | Export your whole mailbox | Yes | 3/3 | Help page recommends syncing mail to an IMAP mail program, then copying the message folders out [6]. |
| Price | Free plan with an encrypted mailbox | No | 0/6 | No free plan; every plan has a 30-day trial limited to 100 MB of mail [1]. |
| Price | Cheapest paid plan | $1.86/mo | 8/10 | Micro, €19.95 a year on yearly billing (€1.66 a month); VAT treatment not stated [1]. Converted at €1 = $1.1186 [13]. |

## Plans

| Plan | Price | Per month (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Micro | €19.95/year [1] | $1.86 |
| Mini | €34.95/year [1] | $3.26 |
| Medium | €49.95/year [1] | $4.66 |
| Max | €79.95/year [1] | $7.45 |

Prices are shown in euros; the page does not say whether VAT is included. Plans are billed yearly, or every 3 years at a lower rate; monthly billing is not offered [1].

## Strengths

- Public transparency report with yearly counts of requests received, complied with and rejected, current to 2026 [4].
- The Runbox 7 web app is open source under GPLv3 or later [5].
- Works in any IMAP mail program, and the help pages explain how to copy mail folders out over IMAP [3][6].
- Every plan allows at least one custom domain, with unlimited aliases on your own domain [1][3].

## Limits

- No documented key tied to your password: Runbox describes encryption in transit and at rest on disk only [3].
- Runbox's PGP guides cover browser add-ons and mail programs; attachments are not encrypted with the basic plugins [8].
- The only app is a progressive web app; Runbox lists no native apps [9].
- No independent audit or security certificate is named [2][10].
- Billing is yearly or every 3 years; the entry plan has 2 GB of mail storage [1].

## Vendor claims (not scored)

- Runbox says its service is powered entirely by renewable energy and hosted in Norway [11].

## Sources

1. [Runbox pricing](https://runbox.com/pricing/), Runbox, accessed 2026-10-08
2. [Runbox privacy and security](https://runbox.com/features/privacy-security/), Runbox, accessed 2026-10-08
3. [Runbox email features](https://runbox.com/features/email-features/), Runbox, accessed 2026-10-08
4. [Runbox transparency report](https://runbox.com/features/privacy-security/transparency-report/), Runbox, accessed 2026-10-08
5. [runbox/runbox7](https://github.com/runbox/runbox7), GitHub, accessed 2026-10-08
6. [Exporting your data](https://help.runbox.com/exporting-your-data/), Runbox Help, accessed 2026-10-08
7. [Encryption FAQs](https://help.runbox.com/category/faqs/encryption/), Runbox Help, accessed 2026-10-08
8. [Encrypting your Runbox email](https://help.runbox.com/encrypting-your-runbox-email/), Runbox Help, accessed 2026-10-08
9. [Mobile access](https://help.runbox.com/category/documentation/manager/access/mobile-access/), Runbox Help, accessed 2026-10-08
10. [Runbox privacy policy](https://runbox.com/about/privacy-policy/), Runbox, accessed 2026-10-08
11. [Runbox home page](https://runbox.com/), Runbox, accessed 2026-10-08
12. [Account security and two-factor authentication](https://help.runbox.com/account-security/), Runbox Help, accessed 2026-10-08
13. [Euro foreign exchange reference rates: US dollar](https://www.ecb.europa.eu/stats/policy_and_exchange_rates/euro_reference_exchange_rates/html/eurofxref-graph-usd.en.html), European Central Bank, accessed 2026-10-08