Updated September 28, 2026 · ShieldCue Editorial Team
addy.io vs Fastmail
What sets them apart
| Compare |  addy.io |  Fastmail |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $1 | €4 |
| Free plan limits | Unlimited standard aliases, 10 active shared domain aliases, 1 recipient, 2 alias domains, 10MB monthly bandwidth | No free plan; 30-day free trial |
| End-to-end encryption | No end-to-end encryption of stored mail; optional GPG/OpenPGP encryption of forwarded messages to the recipient's own public key, including attachments and optional encrypted subject | No end-to-end encryption in Fastmail's own apps; PGP or S/MIME only via third-party apps |
| Jurisdiction | GB | AU |
| Open source | YesHas it | No |
Same on both: Custom domains (Yes).
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Key differences
- addy.io scores higher overall: 9.5 vs 9.3.
- Support channels: only addy.io offers Community.
- Open source: only addy.io.
Our verdict on each
addy.io
addy.io suits people who want a fresh address for every site without a new mailbox for each one, and it starts on a free plan. Paid tiers begin at $1, under the €4.38 secure email median, though stored mail is not end-to-end encrypted.
Fastmail
Fastmail is a paid email service for anyone who wants their own domain, standard protocols and a well supported inbox with no free plan. It suits solo users and small teams that will pay a subscription, with plans starting at €4 and a free trial to try first.
Score breakdown
| Area | addy.io | Fastmail |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.9HigherEntry is $1 against a €4.38 secure email median, and the free plan covers unlimited standard aliases. | 9.2The entry point of €4 sits under the site's median starting price of €6.84, so cost reads as fair rather than cheap. |
| Offer | 9.1 | 9.1 |
| Privacy | 9.5 | 9.6Higher |
How they place
| Ranking | addy.io | Fastmail |
|---|---|---|
| Privacy tools | 63 of 280 | 23 of 280 |
| Secure email and messaging | 13 of 60 | 4 of 60 |
Availability and regulation
| Country | addy.io | Fastmail |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | United Kingdom | Australia |
Where these facts come from
addy.io
- addy.io: 9 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Fastmail
- fastmail.com: 10 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Every fact side by side
| Fact | addy.io | Fastmail |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Free, Budget | Not confirmed |
| Legal entity | Not confirmed | Fastmail Pty Ltd (ACN 142 646 580) |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom | Australia |
| Founded | Not confirmed | 1999 |
| Support channels | Email, Help centre, CommunityCovers more | Email, Help centre |
Privacy tools
| Fact | addy.io | Fastmail |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | YesHas it | No |
| Platforms | iOS, Android, Web, Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari, Raycast | Windows, MacOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Web browser |
| Protocols | Not confirmed | JMAP, IMAP, POP, SMTP, CalDAV, CardDAV, WebDAV, OAuth 2.0 |
| Logging policy | Self-hosted Umami analytics with no cookies or personal data, no Google Analytics; Nginx access and error logs record IP addresses, rotated daily and retained 3 days, used only to improve the service and prevent abuse | Logs technical data such as IP addresses and client identifiers for security, troubleshooting and auditing; IP logs retained for up to one year |
Pros and cons
addy.io
Pros
- The free plan allows unlimited standard aliases, plus shared domain aliases and alias domains, so building a large set of addresses costs nothing.
- Custom domains are supported, so aliases can sit on a domain you already own instead of a shared one.
- Open source, so the alias and forwarding logic can be read and checked by anyone.
Cons
- Support runs on email, help centre and community, so anything urgent waits for a written reply or a community thread.
- The free plan's recipient limit and monthly bandwidth allowance are tight, so more than light forwarding means paying.
- Jurisdiction is GB, which puts the contract and any dispute under a single country's rules.
Fastmail
Pros
- Monthly billing costs €6, and the long-term plan costs €4.67 with the longest term offered running 36.
- Standard clients keep working because the service speaks JMAP, IMAP and POP.
- Apps run on Windows, macOS and Linux, so one account covers a browser, desktops and phones.
Cons
- End-to-end encryption is available as PGP or S/MIME, and Fastmail's own apps leave that setup to third-party apps.
- Support runs on email and help centre only, with no chat or phone line listed.
- Technical data such as IP addresses and client identifiers is kept for security, troubleshooting and auditing, and IP logs are held for a period.
Who each suits
addy.io
Who it suits
- People signing up to lots of sites who want a new alias for each and can begin on the free plan.
- Readers who want custom domains on an address they own, with apps across browsers rather than a system-level setting.
- Users happy to forward mail onward and who judge the service on open source and price rather than on encrypted storage.
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone who needs end-to-end encrypted mail storage: addy.io encrypts only forwarded messages, and Posteo at €1 is the other option here at a close entry price.
- Apple users already set up inside that ecosystem, where Apple's alias generator at $0.99 is the shorter path, while addy.io's $1 buys open source aliases across iOS, Android and Web.
Fastmail
Who it suits
- Solo users and small teams that want a work inbox on a domain they own.
- People who rely on their own mail software, since the standard protocols are supported.
- Subscribers ready to commit, since the long-term plan is priced below monthly billing.
Who should look elsewhere
- Readers shopping on price alone: Apple Inc. lists $0.99 and Sinew Software Systems lists $1.99, both below Fastmail's €6.
- Anyone counting on device breadth rather than an inbox, where ESET Brasil covers 3 to 25.
Current offers
addy.io
Current offer
Discount code
Notesnook 25% off first year: 25% off first year
addy.io paid subscribers (Lite, Pro, Duo or Family) only; no commission received by addy.io
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Free trial
Windscribe 3 month Pro trial then annual Pro plan: 3 month Pro trial, then 49 USD per year
addy.io paid subscribers only
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Free trial
Kagi 3 months of Professional plan free: 3 months free
addy.io paid subscribers only
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Discount code
Tuta 25% off first year: 25% off first year
addy.io paid subscribers only
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Discount code
EasyOptOuts 25% off for life: 25% off for life, 5 sign-ups per coupon
US customers only; addy.io paid subscribers only
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Fastmail
Current offer
Free trial
Free trial on signup: 30 days
Offered on all plans; no refunds for unused subscriptions
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Discount code
Pay yearly and save: EUR 12 (Individual), EUR 24 (Duo), EUR 36 (Family)
Applied when paying 12 months in advance on Individual, Duo, Family and business plans; all prices tax-inclusive
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Questions about each
addy.io
Is there a free plan, and what comes with it?+
Yes. The free plan allows unlimited standard aliases, and adds shared domain aliases, alias domains, a recipient limit and a monthly bandwidth allowance. That is enough for light use without paying anything. Beyond that, paid plans in the free and budget range start at $1.
How much does addy.io cost at the entry point?+
Entry is $1, which sits under the €4.38 median for secure email brands and below the €8.94 upper marker. You can also stay on the free plan as long as the allowance suits, which is the practical way to judge the service first.
Fastmail
What does Fastmail cost month to month?+
Fastmail's monthly plan costs €6, and the long-term plan is priced at €4.67 per month. Entry pricing starts at €4, and the longest commitment offered runs 36, so the term you pick drives most of the cost.
Is there a free plan or a free trial?+
There is no free plan on Fastmail, so every account is paid and a free trial is the only route in without paying first. Paid pricing begins at €4 a month, and the monthly plan itself costs €6.