Fastmail Masked Email vs Thelemail

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.

Thelemail provides private email hosting for individuals, families, and small teams, including people with custom domains. Mail between Thelemail accounts is encrypted on the sender’s device and decrypted on the recipient’s device; stored mailbox content is ciphertext protected by a random key the server does not hold. For outbound mail, it uses WKD/OpenPGP when the recipient publishes a compatible key, or standard SMTP with TLS where supported. Custom-domain setup verifies ownership and prepares SPF, DKIM, and DMARC before incoming mail is moved. Core mail processing and encrypted mailbox storage are hosted in the EU. The service includes TOTP and WebAuthn two-factor authentication. Its production browser and macOS clients, key transparency log, and local export tool are published under AGPL-3.0; the export tool decrypts mail locally into MBOX files. Apps are listed for Android and iOS. Free plans are available; paid plans start at €2 / month, billed annually. Standard IMAP/SMTP access and a local bridge are not currently available, and Thelemail has not completed an independent security audit or formal compliance certification.