Why We Choose Not to Provide Email Hosting and the Best Providers You Should Consider

A letter box in Kinosaki Onsen, next to the train station, representing "email hosting".
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We’re laser-focused on delivering the best WordPress & WooCommerce Managed Hosting and Specialized Support – anything that takes us away from that goal gets the axe, and that includes email hosting. And even though email is mission-critical for businesses of all sizes, we’re not going to compromise by offering a subpar solution just to check off another box.

Email hosting is not an ancillary service that can be handled casually – it undeniably requires total dedication if you want to deliver a truly exceptional experience. Businesses of all sizes should implement robust email security measures not only to safeguard sensitive information from threats such as phishing, malware, and data breaches, but also to foster trust with customers and employees.

We carefully recommend a select group of trustworthy email providers, chosen based on our extensive experience and commitment to security and privacy. Moreover, each of these providers not only meets our high standards but also delivers a best-in-class user experience. In the following section, we will explore five email providers, each offering a distinct approach to safeguarding your business.

1. Migadu: “The Missing Email
Service For Domains”

Migadu is an email provider founded in 2014, catered to business and developers, with a strong focus on privacy and some of the lowest prices on the market. They are also extremely honest and provide an exhaustive list of pros and cons. Our own overall experience has always been great and we highly recommend this service.

Key Features:

  • Based in Switzerland, known for strong privacy laws;
  • RainLoop open-source client, some open-source activity;
  • Admin only 2FA (two-factor authentication);
  • Calendar, IMAP and SMTP support;
  • Custom domains;
  • Free plan available.

2. Forward Email: “All-in-one alternative to Gmail + Mailchimp + Sendgrid”

Forward Email is a newcomer in the email provider industry, launched in 2017, but have already made a significant impact, with a strong commitment to open-source and privacy. Similarly to Migadu, they provide extensive information about their services and have very low prices. The service is particularly aimed at developers and the configuration can be overwhelming.

Key Features:

3. Proton Mail: “Secure email that protects your privacy”

Proton Mail is a Swiss-based company known for its commitment to user privacy and security. Founded in 2013, the service has gained popularity particularly among journalists, activists and, more recently, businesses seeking privacy.

Key Features:

  • Based in Switzerland, known for strong privacy laws;
  • End-to-end encryption, with support for PGP;
  • Zero-knowledge architecture, meaning Protonmail cannot decrypt emails;
  • Open-source client, providing transparency and auditability;
  • 2FA (two-factor authentication) and also passkey;
  • Calendar, SMTP, IMAP support via “bridge“;
  • Custom domains;
  • Free plan available (however custom domains only on paid plans).

4. Tuta Mail: “Take back your data with Tuta’s encrypted email, calendar and contacts”

Tuta Mail (previously known as Tutanota) commitment to user privacy and security since 2020 has earned it a spot among our recommendations. Although the service is very reliable, the client is particularly slow and the UI is not the most intuitive.

Key Features:

  • Based in Germany, with a focus on privacy;
  • End-to-end encryption;
  • Zero-knowledge architecture, thus ensuring not even Tuta can access emails;
  • Open-source client, providing transparency and auditability;
  • 2FA (two-factor authentication);
  • Calendar, no support for SMTP or IMAP;
  • Custom domains;
  • Free plan available.

5. Mailfence: “Privacy is a right, not a feature”

Founded in 1999, Mailfence has consistently prioritized privacy. They demonstrate this commitment by donating 15% of their income to the Electronic Frontier Foundation and European Digital Rights. Their webmail app has seen significant enhancements lately, specially in terms of usability and user experience.

Key Features:

  • Based in Belgium, serious about privacy and reliability;
  • No tracking, no ads or third-party access of your data;
  • Nothing open-source yet, but there are plans to do that in the future;
  • 2FA (two-factor authentication);
  • Calendar, SMTP and IMAP support (on paid plans);
  • Custom domains on paid plans;
  • Generous free plan.

6. FastMail: “Fast, private email hosting for you or your business”

FastMail is an email provider that has been around since 1999, briefly owned by Opera, and subsequently independent since 2003, offering one of the most reliable services on the market. They have undoubtedly the best client interface of any email provider.

Key Features:

  • Based in Australia, owned by a privacy-focused team;
  • No tracking nor usage of your data;
  • Lots of open-sourced components, but not the client itself;
  • 2FA (two-factor authentication) and also passkey;
  • Calendar, SMTP and IMAP support;
  • Custom domains;
  • No free plan.

Conclusion

Regardless of the option your company chooses, we will help you configure it as part of our Specialized Support services, which include DNS and email management. Furthermore, we encourage you to check our prices to find the best fit for your needs.

We have no affiliation or partnership with these companies, and we obviously do not receive any compensation for recommending them. Our focus is on delivering custom WordPress solutions, rather than promoting affiliate links.

Updates

2025/04/20

  • Added Mailfence.

Comments

One response to “Why We Choose Not to Provide Email Hosting and the Best Providers You Should Consider”

  1. Raphael, I appreciate the clear explanation of why email hosting deserves specialized attention rather than being treated as an add-on to WordPress hosting. The comparison of Migadu, Forward Email, Proton Mail, Tuta Mail, Mailfence, and FastMail is especially useful because each option has different strengths around privacy, protocols, and usability. How do you usually decide which provider is the best fit for a business with specific security and email-management requirements?

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