Fastmail Review 2024: Premium Prices, Basic Services

Abeerah Hashim  - Security Expert
Last updated: January 1, 2024
Read time: 16 minutes
Facts checked by Abeerah Hashim
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We were not impressed by privacy as we tested the Australia-based email service for this review. It's not end-to-end encrypted or a privacy-oriented one.

Privacy is a massive issue with the internet’s most popular email providers. We salute you if you’re worried about it but are not alone. Fastmail has been championing user privacy in email services since the last century. Because of that, it became a famous email service, and users seeking secure emails turned to Fastmail first and foremost for a long time.

The options for communication on today’s internet are manifold, including anything from WhatsApp to connecting Alexa devices. We are all used to instant communications that cost us nothing. However, emails were the fastest, cheapest, and most reliable communication tool when the internet joined the mainstream. It was the internet’s killer app at the time. And even then, users’ and activists’ privacy and security concerns rose.

So, secure email services provide a method in which email communications remain private. This is a tricky and subtle task that is difficult to achieve correctly. But from Fastmail’s long experience at it and its old reputation, we surely could expect it’s managed to get everything right by now. Or have they? Let’s see.

The pros and cons of Fastmail

Pros
  • Supports IMAP and PGP
  • Efficient at handling customizable spam filters
  • No ads
  • Supports custom domains
  • Can import emails from non-Fastmail services
  • Can import emails from non-Fastmail services
  • Has Mobile, desktop, and browser-based clients
  • The account includes Calendar, email, and contacts
Cons
  • No cryptocurrency payment options
  • Located in a Five Eyes country
  • No end-to-end encryption
  • Does not support PGP
  • Requires a valid telephone number