Aster Mail vs CounterMail
Aster Mail
astermail.orgCounterMail
countermail.comSide by side
| Figure | Aster Mail | CounterMail |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $2.42/mo | $6.58/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | Yes | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | — |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 4 | 10 |
| Spec score · Secure Email Providers | 9.5 (#1) | 9.1 (#6) |
| Spec score · Email providers | 9.4 (#2) | 8.8 (#10) |
| Custom domain | Yes | Yes |
| End-to-end encryption | Yes | Yes |
| Founded | 2026 | 2009 |
| Free plan | Yes | No |
| Headquarters | Orlando, Florida, United States | Sweden |
| Mailbox storage | 50 | 4 |
| Paid from | 2.42 | 3.29 |
Plans
CounterMail
- 6 Months$29 a month
- 12 Months$49 a month
- 24 Months$79 a month
- Domain option$15, paid once
- Extra storage: 250 MB$19, paid once
- Premium account$29 a month
- Extra storage: 500 MB$35, paid once
- Extra storage: 1000 MB$59, paid once
- Premium account$79 a year
- Extra storage: 1750 MB$89, paid once
In their own words
Aster Mail
Aster Mail is an open-source email service with a free plan and paid tiers. It supports web, desktop, and Android, with an iOS beta on TestFlight; native desktop apps are available for Windows, Mac, and Linux. Aster Bridge lets desktop mail apps connect over IMAP and SMTP. Mail between Aster accounts is automatically end-to-end encrypted and uses hybrid post-quantum encryption. The free plan costs nothing and includes 10 GB of encrypted storage, five aliases, one custom domain, two mail rules, attachments up to 25 MB per message, and Bridge access; no trial or credit card is required. Aster says its email is hosted in Germany under EU privacy law and that it does not use ads, inbox scanning, or AI on the inbox. QuickSwitch imports mail from Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, Proton, and other IMAP providers. MBOX mailbox export is free on every plan. Paid plans start at $2.42 a month, billed annually, with the final amount determined at checkout. Aster Mail was founded in 2026 and is headquartered in Orlando, Florida, United States.
CounterMail
CounterMail is an email service that applies encryption automatically and says each message is encrypted before leaving the user's computer. It supports communication with OpenPGP-compatible email users and provides an IMAP server for third-party email clients. Premium subscriptions include 4 GB of encrypted storage per mailbox, with additional storage available for a one-time fee. Other listed tools include dynamic aliases, filters, notifications, an autoresponder, password manager, secure forms, and an XMPP chat server. CounterMail lists SSL-MITM protection, diskless web servers, SSL encryption and authentication, and anonymous email headers. Its privacy policy says it does not log IP addresses and keeps email bodies and attachments encrypted; its servers are in Sweden, as is the maker's headquarters. The service supports Android, Linux, macOS, web, and Windows. Pricing is listed from $3.29/user/mo, with a 10-day trial for people who already know a CounterMail user. New registrations are closed.