Fastmail Masked Email vs Gmail
Fastmail Masked Email
fastmail.comGmail
mail.google.comSide by side
| Figure | Fastmail Masked Email | Gmail |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $4/mo | $1.99/mo |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| API | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 11 | 11 |
| Spec score · Personal Email Services | 8.9 (#11) | 9.3 (#2) |
| Attachment limit | 50 | Personal Gmail accounts have a 25 MB attachment limit, and larger attachments are automatically replaced with a Google Drive link. |
| Custom domain | You can use your own domain for Masked Email, though Fastmail says this is less anonymous than using its shared domain and makes addresses portable. | No |
| Founded | 1999 | 1998 |
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Headquarters | Melbourne, Australia | Mountain View, California, United States |
| Mailbox storage | 5 | 100 |
| Purpose | Masked Email creates a unique address for each login to keep your real address private and make addresses harder for companies to link for tracking. | Gmail is AI-powered, secure email used by billions of people and businesses. |
Plans
Fastmail Masked Email
- Basic$4 a month
- Individual$6 a month
- Duo$10 a month
- Family$14 a month
- Business Basic$4 a month
- Business Standard$6 a month
- Business Professional$10 a month
- BasicPrice not published
- IndividualPrice not published
- ProfessionalPrice not published
Gmail
- FreeFree
- Google One Basic$1.99 a month
- No costFree
- Business Starter$7 a month
- Business Standard$14 a month
- Business Plus$22 a month
- EnterprisePriced on request
- BasicPrice not published
- Free Google AccountFree
- Google AI ProPrice not published
In their own words
Fastmail Masked Email
Fastmail Masked Email creates a random email alias for each login, letting users give a site an address other than their real one. Using separate aliases can make it harder for companies to connect accounts for tracking. Messages to these addresses arrive in Fastmail; a masked icon marks them, and opening a message shows the label assigned to the address. An alias can be turned off if it starts receiving spam, which Fastmail says may help identify who exposed it. Users can connect Masked Email with 1Password or Bitwarden, or use their own domain; Fastmail says a custom domain is less anonymous than its shared domain but makes addresses portable. A JMAP extension lets apps read and manage addresses, though pending API-created aliases are deleted after 24 hours and do not appear in the interface. Fastmail supports two-step verification and passkeys and encrypts stored data and communications. Its own apps do not offer end-to-end encryption. Plans start at $4 a month, and a 30-day trial is available; there is no free plan. Access is available on Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, Windows, and the web.
Gmail
Gmail is an email service available on the web, Android, and iOS. A Google Account is required to sign in. Free accounts include up to 15 GB shared across Gmail, Drive, and Google Photos; Google One Basic costs $1.99 a month for 100 GB, shareable with up to five others. Gmail supports aliases, and business plans can provide email addresses on a customer's own domain. Gemini in Gmail can help draft or reply to messages, find information in Gmail or Drive, and summarize long threads. Smart Reply, Smart Compose, and Nudges offer writing and follow-up assistance. Gmail connects with Meet, Calendar, Tasks, and Chat, while mail merge can use up to 1,500 recipients from a linked spreadsheet. Google says Gmail automatically blocks 99.9% of spam, phishing attempts, and malware. Messages use TLS, and content is encrypted in transit and at rest. Business Starter costs $7 a month per user and includes 30 GB pooled storage per user and custom business email; higher business plans list additional storage and features. Some Google One plans allow storage sharing with up to five others.