Thelemail
Thelemail is private email hosting for individuals, families, and small teams, including people using custom domains.
What Thelemail is
Thelemail is private email hosting for individuals, families, and small teams, including people using custom domains. Messages between its accounts are encrypted on the sender’s device and decrypted on the recipient’s device. Stored mailbox content remains encrypted with a random account key that the server does not hold. For mail sent elsewhere, Thelemail uses WKD/OpenPGP when a recipient has a compatible published key; otherwise it uses standard SMTP with TLS where supported. Custom-domain setup verifies ownership and prepares SPF, DKIM, and DMARC before incoming mail is transferred. Core processing and encrypted mailbox storage are hosted in the EU. The service includes TOTP and WebAuthn two-factor authentication. Its browser and macOS clients, key transparency log, and local export tool are published under AGPL-3.0; the export tool decrypts mail on the user’s computer into MBOX files. Android and iOS apps are available.
Good
- Free plan available.
- Messages between accounts are encrypted on users’ devices.
- EU-hosted mail processing and encrypted storage.
- Custom-domain setup prepares SPF, DKIM, and DMARC.
- Local export tool writes MBOX files.
Watch out
- Standard IMAP/SMTP client access is not available.
- There is no local bridge.
- No independent security audit or formal compliance certification.
- Free plan has no custom domains, aliases, or shared addresses.
Who it suits
Thelemail is aimed at technical domain administrators, homelabbers, households, and founder-run small teams. It may suit people who want domain-based email and can use its browser, macOS, Android, or iOS clients.
Verdict
Thelemail offers encrypted email hosting with custom-domain support, mobile apps, and several family and team plans. Consider the lack of standard IMAP/SMTP access and the absence of an independent security audit before choosing it.
Plans and prices
From Thelemail's own pricing page, checked 30 Sep 2026.
| Plan | Price | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free | 1 mailbox · 1 GB storage · no custom domains · no aliases/shared addresses · forever |
| Free Family | Free | up to 6 mailboxes · 1 GB each · 1 shared @thelemail.com alias · no payment method · forever |
| Personal | €2 a month | 1 mailbox · 15 GB storage · 1 custom domain · unlimited aliases · €24 billed once a year |
| Personal Plus | €4 a month | 1 mailbox · 50 GB storage · 3 custom domains · unlimited aliases · €48 billed once a year |
| Team | €4.50 a month | from 3 mailboxes · 25 GB per mailbox · up to 5 custom domains · unlimited aliases · roles and org settings · 90-day audit logs · priority support · €54 a mailbox, billed once a year |
| Family | €5 a month | up to 6 mailboxes · 10 GB per mailbox · 2 custom domains · unlimited aliases · €60 billed once a year |
| Business | €7 a month | from 3 mailboxes · 100 GB per mailbox · up to 10 custom domains · unlimited aliases · roles and org settings · 1-year audit logs · same-business-day priority support · €84 a mailbox, billed once a year |
| Family Plus | €8 a month | up to 6 mailboxes · 30 GB per mailbox · 4 custom domains · unlimited aliases · €96 billed once a year |
The facts
Each one read from Thelemail's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- Audit status
- Thelemail has not completed an independent security audit or formal compliance certification.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Client limitation
- Standard IMAP/SMTP access for Apple Mail, Thunderbird and similar clients is not currently available, and there is no local bridge.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Data residency
- Core mail processing and encrypted mailbox storage are hosted in the EU.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Domain setup
- Custom-domain setup checks domain ownership and prepares SPF, DKIM and DMARC before incoming mail is moved.checked 30 Sep 2026
- End-to-end encryption
- Mail between Thelemail accounts is encrypted on the sender’s device and decrypted on the recipient’s device.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Export
- The public local export tool decrypts mail on the user’s computer and writes standard MBOX files.checked 30 Sep 2026
- External encryption
- Outbound mail is encrypted with WKD/OpenPGP when the recipient publishes a compatible key; otherwise standard SMTP with TLS where supported is used.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Intended users
- The service is aimed at technical domain administrators, homelabbers, households and founder-run small teams.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Open source
- The production browser client, macOS desktop client, key transparency log and local export tool are published under AGPL-3.0.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Purpose
- Thelemail provides private email hosting for individuals, families and small teams, including people with their own domains.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Two-factor authentication
- The service includes two-factor authentication using TOTP and WebAuthn.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Zero-access storage
- Stored mailbox content is ciphertext protected by a random account key that the server does not hold.checked 30 Sep 2026
Money
- Free plan
- Yeschecked 22 Sep 2026
The company
- Headquarters
- Setúbal, Portugalchecked 28 Sep 2026
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