Fastmail review
Updated September 28, 2026 · ShieldCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026
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Our verdict
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.
Key facts
- Best for
- Business email on your own domain, paid by subscription.
- Monthly price
- €6 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Long-term plan price
- €4.67 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Devices
- 6 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Jurisdiction
- AU (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Protocols
- JMAP, IMAP, POP, SMTP, CalDAV, CardDAV, WebDAV, OAuth 2.0 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Platforms
- Windows, MacOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Web browser (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Owner
- Independent company, founder Rob Mueller (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Longest plan (months)
- 36 months (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Legal entity
- Fastmail Pty Ltd (ACN 142 646 580) (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Headquarters
- Australia (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Founded
- 1999 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Support channels
- Email, Help-centre (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Audience
- Business
- Official website
- fastmail.com
Privacy tools
- Price from
- €4 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Free plan
- No (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Free plan limits
- No free plan; 30-day free trial (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Platforms
- Windows, MacOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Web browser (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Protocols
- JMAP, IMAP, POP, SMTP, CalDAV, CardDAV, WebDAV, OAuth 2.0 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Logging policy
- Logs technical data such as IP addresses and client identifiers for security, troubleshooting and auditing; IP logs retained for up to one year (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Jurisdiction
- AU (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Open source
- No (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Legal entity
- Fastmail Pty Ltd (ACN 142 646 580) (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Headquarters
- Australia (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Founded
- 1999 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Support channels
- Email, Help-centre (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Secure email
- Price from
- €4 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Free plan limits
- No free plan; 30-day free trial (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- End-to-end encryption
- No end-to-end encryption in Fastmail's own apps; PGP or S/MIME only via third-party apps (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Jurisdiction
- AU (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Custom domains
- Yes (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Open source
- No (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Legal entity
- Fastmail Pty Ltd (ACN 142 646 580) (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Headquarters
- Australia (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Founded
- 1999 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Support channels
- Email, Help-centre (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Apps and profiles
- Get the app
- App StoreGoogle Play
Pros and cons
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.
- Custom domains are included on paid plans, and support runs on email and help centre.
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 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.
Core features
Fastmail apps run on Windows, macOS and Linux, so the same mailbox works in a browser, on desktop and on a phone. The service speaks JMAP, IMAP and POP, which is what lets third-party clients, calendars and contact sync keep working. Device limits sit at 6 on a plan.
The company behind it
Terms of service name Fastmail Pty Ltd (ACN 142 646 580) as the contracting company. It is headquartered in Australia and was founded in 1999, so the entity, the home base and the start date are all on the record. Support runs through email and help centre: written replies by email, plus a help centre for self-service answers, with no other channel listed.
How Fastmail compares
9.3 vs 9.1
9.3 vs 8.8
9.3 vs 8.5
9.3 vs 9.5
9.3 vs 9.4
9.3 vs 9.1
9.3 vs 9.2
9.3 vs 9.4ESET Brasil covers 3 to 25, a wider device spread than Fastmail's 6, for readers weighing device count.
9.3 vs 9.2
9.3 vs 8.8
Fastmail vs Proton9.3 vs 9.3
Fastmail vs Proton Mail9.3 vs 9.0
Fastmail vs Proton Pass9.3 vs 9.0
9.3 vs 9.4
Frequently asked questions
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.
Is Fastmail end-to-end encrypted?+
End-to-end encryption is not built into Fastmail's own apps, and PGP or S/MIME only works through a third-party app. Anyone reading and sending mail in the bundled clients across Windows, macOS and Linux should know that limit before choosing the service.
What data does Fastmail keep?+
The logging policy keeps technical data such as IP addresses and client identifiers for security, troubleshooting and auditing, and IP logs are retained for a period. Buyers who need a strict retention promise should read that line; the company sits under AU law.
How many devices can one Fastmail plan cover?+
A plan covers 6, which sits below the site median of 7. Households or small offices sharing one login across more screens will need to add another plan or another account.
Which platforms have Fastmail apps?+
Apps are published for Windows, macOS and Linux. That spread means the same account covers a desktop, a laptop, a phone and a browser session, and there is no need to stay inside the bundled client to read or send mail.
How do I reach Fastmail support?+
Support runs on email and help centre, so help arrives as written replies by email or through the self-service help centre. There is no chat or phone line in that list, which matters for anyone who wants a spoken answer during a working day.
Who runs Fastmail?+
Fastmail is an independent company founded by Rob Mueller, with terms of service naming Fastmail Pty Ltd (ACN 142 646 580) as the contracting entity. It is based in Australia and was founded in 1999, so buyers can check the paperwork before paying.
Sources
- fastmail.com/company/about checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Founded, Headquarters, Owner
“Fastmail has been the leading independent email service since 1999.”
- fastmail.com/company/open-source checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Open source
“Where we believe these are useful to others, we will often look to open source them to support the wider ecosystem”
- fastmail.com/dev checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Protocols
“Mail - you can access mail via JMAP, IMAP, or POP and send via JMAP or SMTP”
- fastmail.com/download checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Platforms
“Download our app for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android”
- fastmail.com/features/security checked September 26, 2026
Backs: End-to-end encryption
“We don't offer end-to-end encryption in our own apps”
- fastmail.com/policies/privacy checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Logging policy
“We also log technical data (like IP addresses and client identifiers) for security, troubleshooting, and auditing. IP Logs: Retained for up to one year to monitor for fraud.”
- fastmail.com/policies/terms-of-service checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Jurisdiction, Legal entity
“These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Victoria Australia”
- fastmail.com/pricing checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Audience, Custom domains, Devices, Free plan, Free plan limits, Long-term plan price, Longest plan (months), Price from, Monthly price, Support channels
“Custom email addresses like you@yourbusiness.com. Powerful admin controls for the security and management of your company.”
Compiled from 8 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.
Not confirmed yet: Server countries, No-logs audit.