Thelemail vs Zoho Mail

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.

Zoho Mail provides custom-domain email hosting for businesses, with access through web, desktop and mobile apps. The free plan supports one domain and up to five users, each with 5 GB of mail storage; it excludes IMAP, POP and Active Sync. Paid plans start at $1/user/mo when billed annually, and a 15-day trial is listed. Security features include TLS, S/MIME and AES-256 encryption at rest, while administrative controls include role-based access, custom security policies, audit logs and eDiscovery. The service lists spam and phishing blockers, and Zia can draft replies and summarize long email threads. Zoho Mail MCP connects the service to AI apps. A migration tool can transfer emails, contacts and calendars from Google Workspace, Microsoft 365 or IMAP providers. Mobile apps combine email, calendar, contacts and files. Zoho says the service is GDPR compliant and has ISO/IEC 27001 and SOC 2 Type II certifications. Paid plans include 24×7 support by email, phone and live chat; the pricing comparison lists a 99.9% uptime guarantee for its plans.