StartMail does not get the marketing volume that ProtonMail does, does not have the technical purity of Tutanota’s branding, and operates from a Dutch business that few outside the privacy-tools community have heard of. The product has been around since 2014 and remains a serious option for users whose specific requirements push them past the more obvious encrypted email services.
I have used StartMail as a tertiary email account for about six months. This is the practical assessment.
What StartMail is
StartMail is operated by Startpage BV, the Dutch company behind the privacy-respecting Startpage search engine. The company is privately held, has been operating in the privacy space since 2006, and has a stable corporate structure. Servers are in the Netherlands; Dutch privacy law applies (which is generally considered favorable for user privacy).
The service offers PGP-based encryption with a particular focus on practical interoperability with non-encrypted contacts. Unlike Tutanota, StartMail uses standard PGP, which means encrypted messages can be exchanged with anyone using PGP elsewhere. Unlike ProtonMail, StartMail’s PGP implementation is more transparent to power users who want to manage keys directly.
The pricing is straightforward. €60 per year for the Personal plan with 20 GB storage and one custom domain. €72 per year for the Business plan with similar features but business-oriented support. There is a 7-day free trial; no permanent free tier.
What StartMail does well
The PGP implementation is the most usable in the encrypted email category. You can import existing PGP keys, manage them through a clean interface, and use them with both StartMail addresses and any external contacts. For users who already have PGP keys for other purposes (signing git commits, encrypting files, etc.), the integration is meaningful.
Custom aliases are unlimited. You can create disposable email addresses on your custom domain or on the @startmail.com domain itself, with simple per-alias controls. This functionality alone can replace a separate email aliasing service for most users.
IMAP and SMTP support are real. Unlike Tutanota, you can use StartMail with Apple Mail, Thunderbird, Outlook, or any standard email client. The credentials work as expected. For users with established email-client workflows, this matters.
The web interface is clean and modern. Not as polished as ProtonMail’s, more polished than the typical 2018-era SaaS look. Pages load quickly, search works well, the interface stays out of the way.
The Dutch jurisdiction is a real advantage for some users. The Netherlands has strong privacy law, no extensive backdoor requirements, and is outside the 14 Eyes intelligence sharing arrangement (technically; the Netherlands is in the 9 Eyes which is a wider arrangement, but the data-sharing requirements are looser than for the 5 Eyes core).
The company is small, focused, and has been operating consistently for over a decade. The risk of acquisition by an unfriendly party is lower than for venture-funded competitors.
What StartMail does less well
The lack of a free tier is the biggest barrier. ProtonMail and Tutanota both have free tiers that let users try the service indefinitely with limited features. StartMail’s 7-day trial is enough to test but not enough to migrate over and discover edge cases.
The mobile apps are weak. There is no dedicated StartMail mobile app; you use IMAP through your phone’s standard mail client (or the StartMail web interface in a browser). For users who want a polished mobile experience, ProtonMail’s apps are dramatically better.
The bundle is minimal. StartMail is just email. No encrypted calendar, no encrypted file storage, no password manager, no VPN. ProtonMail’s product suite is a meaningful advantage if you want bundled services.
The brand recognition is essentially zero outside small privacy circles. When you give people a StartMail address, you spend time explaining what it is.
The pricing is on the higher end. €60 per year is more than ProtonMail’s basic Plus plan (€48 per year with similar features) and meaningfully more than Tutanota’s €36 per year Revolutionary plan.
The encryption-at-rest model is different from Tutanota’s “everything is encrypted with your key, including subject lines.” StartMail’s encryption is PGP-based for messages where both parties use PGP; non-PGP messages are stored encrypted with company-managed keys. This is similar to ProtonMail’s model and is meaningfully less private than Tutanota’s everything-encrypted approach.
Who should buy StartMail
You specifically want PGP interop with existing contacts who use PGP elsewhere.
You value the Netherlands jurisdiction over Switzerland (Proton) or Germany (Tutanota).
You will use IMAP/SMTP with standard email clients and that workflow matters.
You are willing to pay slightly more than Proton’s basic plan for the specific feature set.
You want a small, stable company with a multi-year track record.
Who should pick something else
You want a free tier to try indefinitely. Proton or Tutanota.
You want bundled email plus calendar plus drive plus password manager. Proton.
You want subject line encryption without PGP overhead. Tutanota.
You want polished mobile apps. Proton has the best in the category.
You are extremely cost-sensitive. Tutanota Revolutionary at €36 per year is the cheapest serious option.
Pricing reality
StartMail Personal: €60 per year for 20 GB and one custom domain.
StartMail Business: €72 per year, similar features with business-oriented support.
Comparison:
| Service | Annual cost | Storage | Bundle |
|---|---|---|---|
| ProtonMail Plus | €48 | 15 GB | Mail only |
| ProtonMail Unlimited | €120 | 500 GB | Mail + Drive + VPN + Pass + Calendar |
| Tutanota Revolutionary | €36 | 20 GB | Mail + Calendar |
| StartMail Personal | €60 | 20 GB | Mail with PGP focus |
| Mailbox.org Standard | €36 | 30 GB | Mail + Calendar + Office |
| Posteo Basic | €12 | 2 GB (expandable) | Mail + Calendar |
StartMail is in the middle of the pack on price and storage. The competitive advantage is the PGP focus and Dutch jurisdiction; if neither matters to you, the cheaper options win on raw value.
Migration story
Migrating from Gmail to StartMail follows the same pattern as migrating to ProtonMail or Tutanota. Set up forwarding from Gmail, update the contact email at every important account over the following months, eventually delete the Gmail account.
The advantage StartMail has over Tutanota for migration: IMAP support means you can use your existing email client during the transition, rather than learning a new app. Less workflow disruption.
Total migration time and effort is similar to the other services: months of long-tail account updates, some friction.
A practical recommendation
For most users wanting encrypted email: ProtonMail Plus (€48/year for individual, or Unlimited at €120/year for the bundle). StartMail does not offer enough advantage to justify the premium for the typical case.
For users who specifically want PGP integration with existing PGP-using contacts and value the Dutch jurisdiction: StartMail. The €12/year premium over Proton is worth it for the targeted feature set.
For users who want subject line encryption above all else: Tutanota.
For users on a tight budget: Posteo at €12/year is the cheapest serious encrypted email service. We have a separate review.
StartMail | ProtonMail | Tutanota
Related: The day I left Gmail, Tutanota in 2026