StartMail

StartMail is a privacy-focused email service created by the same team behind Startpage, the privacy-respecting search engine that has been protecting user privacy since 2006. Founded in 2014 and headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands, StartMail combines the company's deep expertise in privacy technology with practical email features that make secure communication accessible to everyone.

The Startpage Pedigree

The team behind StartMail has over two decades of experience in privacy technology. Startpage, their flagship product, has been consistently recognized as one of the most private search engines available, earning the first European Privacy Seal (EuroPriSe) certification for a search engine. This expertise and commitment to privacy directly informs StartMail's design and operation.

Being based in the Netherlands provides strong legal protection for users. Dutch law requires a court order for authorities to access email data, and the Netherlands has a strong tradition of privacy rights. As an EU member state, the Netherlands also enforces GDPR, giving users comprehensive data protection rights.

PGP Encryption Made Easy

StartMail's standout feature is its implementation of PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) encryption. PGP has been the gold standard for email encryption since 1991, but its complexity has traditionally limited adoption. StartMail makes PGP accessible by handling key management automatically within the web interface.

When you send an encrypted email to another StartMail user, the encryption happens seamlessly in the background. For recipients who don't use StartMail, you can send password-protected emails or use their existing PGP public key if they have one. StartMail's vault feature stores your PGP key securely and allows you to encrypt messages with one click.

For users who want full control, StartMail supports importing your existing PGP keys and exporting StartMail-generated keys for use in other applications. This flexibility makes it suitable for both beginners who want automatic protection and advanced users who manage their own key infrastructure.

Unlimited Email Aliases

One of StartMail's most powerful privacy features is its unlimited email aliases. Aliases are alternative email addresses that forward to your main inbox, allowing you to give different addresses to different services without revealing your primary email.

This capability is invaluable for privacy and security. You can create a unique alias for each online service you use. If one of those services is compromised or starts sending spam, you simply disable that alias without affecting your other communications. This also makes it easy to identify which services sell or leak your email address.

StartMail offers both disposable aliases that you can quickly create and permanent aliases with custom names. The alias system integrates seamlessly with the inbox, allowing you to reply from any alias address.

Custom Domain Support

For professionals and businesses, StartMail supports custom domains. You can use your own domain name (like yourname@yourcompany.com) while benefiting from StartMail's privacy features and encryption. The setup process is straightforward, with clear instructions for configuring DNS records.

Custom domain users get the same encryption capabilities as regular users, meaning you can send encrypted emails from your professional address. This makes StartMail suitable for businesses that need both a professional appearance and strong privacy protection.

Traditional Email Client Support

Unlike some privacy-focused email providers, StartMail fully supports IMAP and SMTP protocols. This means you can use StartMail with your preferred email client, whether that's Outlook, Apple Mail, Thunderbird, or mobile email apps. This flexibility is important for users who are accustomed to specific workflows or need offline access to their email.

When using external clients, emails are still encrypted in storage on StartMail's servers. However, PGP encryption for outgoing messages requires using the web interface or a separate PGP plugin in your email client.

Privacy-First Design

StartMail is designed from the ground up with privacy as the priority. There are no ads, no tracking, and no profiling of users. The service doesn't scan your emails for advertising or any other purpose. Your email content is your own, and StartMail has no business model that depends on accessing it.

The company is transparent about what data it collects and why, publishing a clear privacy policy that explains their practices. They minimize data collection to what is technically necessary to provide the service.

User Interface and Experience

The StartMail web interface is clean and functional, prioritizing ease of use. The inbox view displays conversations clearly, and the compose window makes it obvious when encryption is enabled. The alias management interface is intuitive, making it easy to create and organize your aliases.

The interface may feel less feature-rich than Gmail's, but this is intentional. StartMail focuses on core email functionality done well, without the complexity and potential privacy concerns of advanced features that require server-side processing of your email content.

Pricing and Value

StartMail offers straightforward pricing starting at $5 per month when billed annually. This includes 10GB of storage, unlimited aliases, custom domain support, and all encryption features. There is no free tier, which means every user is a paying customer, aligning the company's interests with user privacy rather than advertising.

While $5/month is higher than free alternatives, it reflects the true cost of providing a private, ad-free email service. For users who value their privacy, this is a reasonable investment in securing one of the most sensitive aspects of their digital life.

Limitations and Considerations

StartMail is not open source, which means the community cannot independently verify the implementation of its security features. While the company has a strong reputation, some privacy purists prefer open-source alternatives that can be audited.

The 10GB storage limit may be restrictive for users with large email archives. Heavy users may need to regularly archive or delete old emails. Additionally, there is no free tier for users who want to try the service before committing.

Mobile apps are not provided directly by StartMail. Instead, users configure their preferred mobile email client using IMAP/SMTP. While this works well, some users may prefer a dedicated app.

Who Should Use StartMail

StartMail is ideal for users who want strong privacy protection without technical complexity. The easy PGP encryption makes it accessible to non-technical users, while the IMAP support and key management options satisfy power users.

It's particularly suitable for professionals who need custom domain support with privacy features, users who want unlimited aliases to compartmentalize their online presence, and anyone who values the backing of an established privacy company with a proven track record.

Conclusion

StartMail delivers on its promise of private, secure email. The combination of easy PGP encryption, unlimited aliases, and the credibility of the Startpage team makes it a compelling choice for privacy-conscious users. While the lack of a free tier and closed-source code may deter some, the overall package offers excellent privacy protection under strong Dutch and EU law.