--- title: StartMail canonical: https://saasranked.com/software/startmail/ category: Encrypted Email Services points: 44 rank: 6 of 9 facts_checked: 2026-10-08 --- # StartMail Paid private mailbox with a 20 GB vault, OpenPGP in webmail, aliases and one custom domain. 44 points out of 100. #6 of 9 encrypted email services. Vendor: StartMail BV. Website: https://www.startmail.com/ - The Personal plan costs $59.88 a year, shown as $4.99 a month, with 20 GB of storage [1]. - Mail is kept in a per-user vault that opens with your account password [3]. - You can send an encrypted message to anyone; recipients on other services get a password-protected message [2][6]. - Personal allows one custom domain and full IMAP/SMTP access [2]. - The latest transparency report, dated February 2026, lists 3 legal requests in 2025 [5]. Verdict: StartMail suits people who want 20 GB, unlimited aliases, their own domain and IMAP access, with OpenPGP built into webmail [1][2][3]. It publishes a current transparency report [5]. The catch: there is no free plan, only an Android app, no named outside audit, and its webmail code is closed source [1][3][4]. Best for: People who want 20 GB, their own domain and encrypted mail to anyone. ## Points | Criterion | Line | Value | Points | Note | |---|---|---|---|---| | Encryption | Stored mail the provider cannot read | Yes | 10/10 | Mail is stored in a vault, an encrypted volume that opens with your account password [3]. | | Encryption | Automatic end-to-end encryption between its own users | No | 0/8 | Encryption between users needs both to set up OpenPGP, and the sender chooses to encrypt [3]. | | Encryption | Encrypted mail to other providers | Yes | 6/6 | Webmail supports OpenPGP and password-protected messages for recipients elsewhere [2][3]. | | Encryption | Encrypted contacts or calendar | Not published | 0/3 | Not published on the vendor's white paper, which lists what the vault holds without naming contacts or calendar [3]. | | Trust and audits | Independent audit since 2024 | Not published | 0/8 | Not published on the vendor's white paper, which names no audit firm or report [3]. | | Trust and audits | Open-source apps | No | 0/6 | White paper says the webmail and vault code is closed source; only some components are open source [3]. | | Trust and audits | SOC 2 Type II or ISO 27001 | Not published | 0/4 | Features page says its data center is ISO 27001 certified; no SOC 2 or ISO 27001 certificate for StartMail itself is named [2][3]. | | Trust and audits | Transparency report | Yes | 4/4 | Transparency report dated 4 February 2026 covers 2025: 3 requests [5]. | | Trust and audits | Security key for two-factor sign-in | Not published | 0/4 | Not published on the vendor's features page, which describes only TOTP two-factor sign-in [2]. | | Apps and access | Official apps | Android | 2/10 | Pricing and download pages list an Android app; the iOS app is coming soon [1][4]. | | Apps and access | Works in standard mail programs | Yes | 8/8 | Personal plan lists full IMAP/SMTP access for mail programs [2]. | | Mailbox | Your own domain | Yes | 5/5 | Personal plan includes one custom domain [2]. | | Mailbox | Mail storage on the cheapest paid plan | 20 | 5/5 | Personal plan includes 20 GB [1]. | | Mailbox | Export your whole mailbox | Not published | 0/3 | Not published on the vendor's features page or white paper, which cover only import and IMAP access [2][3]. | | Price | Free plan with an encrypted mailbox | No | 0/6 | Pricing page lists only paid Personal and Business plans with a 7-day trial [1]. | | Price | Cheapest paid plan | $4.99/mo | 4/10 | Personal, $59.88 billed annually; the page states no renewal change [1]. | ## Plans | Plan | Price | Per month (USD) | |---|---|---| | Personal | $59.88/year [1] | $4.99 | The pricing page shows $4.99 a month with $59.88 billed annually; it states no renewal change [1]. ## Strengths - Personal includes 20 GB of storage and unlimited aliases [1]. - One custom domain and IMAP/SMTP access are included [2]. - Password-protected messages let you reach people who do not use encryption [2][6]. - Stored mail sits in an encrypted vault that opens with your password [3]. - Transparency report for 2025 was published in February 2026 [5]. ## Limits - No free plan; the trial lasts 7 days and asks for payment details at sign-up [1]. - Only an Android app is listed; the iOS app is described as coming soon [1][4]. - StartMail says its webmail and vault code is closed source [3]. - OpenPGP operations run on StartMail's servers, and account recovery can reset the vault password [3]. - The white paper names no outside audit firm or report [3]. ## Vendor claims (not scored) - StartMail says its servers are in the Netherlands, under Dutch law and the GDPR [7]. ## Sources 1. [StartMail pricing](https://www.startmail.com/en/pricing), StartMail, accessed 2026-10-08 2. [StartMail features](https://www.startmail.com/en/features/), StartMail, accessed 2026-10-08 3. [StartMail technical white paper](https://www.startmail.com/en/whitepaper/), StartMail, accessed 2026-10-08 4. [Download StartMail](https://www.startmail.com/en/download), StartMail, accessed 2026-10-08 5. [StartMail transparency report](https://www.startmail.com/en/transparency), StartMail, accessed 2026-10-08 6. [StartMail encrypted email](https://www.startmail.com/en/encrypted-email), StartMail, accessed 2026-10-08 7. [StartMail](https://www.startmail.com/en/), StartMail, accessed 2026-10-08