Encryption13 of 27
Trust and audits8 of 26
Apps and access16 of 18
Mailbox11 of 13
Price8 of 16
encrypted email service · Forward Email LLC
Forward Email
Mailboxes on your own domain, each stored in its own password-encrypted database, for $3 a month.
In short
- The paid Enhanced Protection plan costs $3 a month and includes 10 GB of storage shared across all your domains and aliases1.
- Each mailbox is a separate encrypted database, locked with a password that only the user has4.
- The free plan forwards mail only; it cannot send1.
- Apps for Windows, macOS, Linux and Android are on the download page; the iOS build must be sideloaded9,8.
- The mail is open to standard programs through IMAP, SMTP and POP32.
Forward Email suits people who already own a domain and want a cheap mailbox that works in Thunderbird or Outlook. Stored mail sits in encrypted databases tied to a password, and a Cure53 penetration test report is published2,4,5. The catch: the free plan cannot send, its code uses a source-available licence rather than an open-source one, and the Android app is a direct download and the iOS build must be sideloaded1,6,9.
Best for: People with their own domain who want IMAP access and a low price.
Where the points come from
Encryption 13 of 27 points
| Rule | What is published | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Stored mail the provider cannot read | YesEach mailbox is an SQLite database encrypted with a password only you have; the FAQ says Forward Email cannot access email content2,4. | 10 / 10 |
| Automatic end-to-end encryption between its own users | Not publishedNot published on the vendor's FAQ2: no automatic end-to-end encryption between its own users is described. | 0 / 8 |
| Encrypted mail to other providers | Not publishedNot published on the vendor's FAQ2: webmail lists PGP decryption only, and outbound WKD encryption is applied by the server. | 0 / 6 |
| Encrypted contacts or calendar | YesApps are set up for 'encrypted mailboxes, calendars, and contacts'1; the encrypted SQLite file holds contact and calendar records2. | 3 / 3 |
Trust and audits 8 of 26 points
| Rule | What is published | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Independent audit since 2024 | YesThe FAQ names Cure53; its penetration test report, dated September 2026, is published on the vendor's site2,5. | 8 / 8 |
| Open-source apps | NoApps repo is Business Source License 1.1; the server repo is BUSL-1.1 with some files under MPL-2.0. Neither is open source overall6,7. | 0 / 6 |
| SOC 2 Type II or ISO 27001 | NoThe FAQ says Forward Email does not directly hold SOC 2 Type II or ISO 27001; its hosting providers do2. | 0 / 4 |
| Transparency report | Not publishedNot published on the vendor's security page3 or FAQ2. | 0 / 4 |
| Security key for two-factor sign-in | Not publishedNot published on the vendor's FAQ2: passkey sign-in and one-time-code 2FA are described, security keys are not named. | 0 / 4 |
Apps and access 16 of 18 points
| Rule | What is published | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Official apps | Windows, macOS, Linux, AndroidDownload page lists Windows, macOS, Linux and Android builds; the iOS build must be sideloaded and the App Store listing is not live, so it is excluded9,8. | 8 / 10 |
| Works in standard mail programs | YesThe FAQ lists IMAP, SMTP and POP3 and gives setup steps for Thunderbird and Outlook2. | 8 / 8 |
Mailbox 11 of 13 points
| Rule | What is published | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Your own domain | YesEnhanced Protection sends and receives as you@yourdomain.com, with unlimited domains1. | 5 / 5 |
| Mail storage on the cheapest paid plan | 10Enhanced Protection includes 10 GB pooled across all domains and aliases1. | 3 / 5 |
| Export your whole mailbox | YesThe FAQ describes exporting a mailbox as EML, MBOX or encrypted SQLite, with contacts and calendars2. | 3 / 3 |
Price 8 of 16 points
The rule behind each line: how we score encrypted email services.
Plans and prices
As the vendor lists them, before tax. Prices are in US dollars unless the plan shows euros; the points use US dollars, with euros converted at the ECB rate.
| Plan | Price as listed | Per month | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free1 person | Free1 | $0 | Forwarding only; cannot send mail |
| Enhanced Protection1 person | $3/month1 | $3 | Send and receive on your domain; 10 GB pooled storage |
| TeamFamilies, groups, organisations | $9/month1 | $9 | Adds team members and permission management |
The pricing page lists monthly prices only, with no yearly plan. Extra storage costs $3 a month for each additional 10 GB1.
Strengths
- Enhanced Protection costs $3 a month with 10 GB of storage and unlimited domains1.
- Works with standard mail programs through IMAP, SMTP and POP3, and with CalDAV and CardDAV2.
- Names Cure53 as the outside firm behind a published penetration test report dated September 20262,5.
- Exports a mailbox as EML, MBOX or an encrypted SQLite file, with contacts and calendars included2.
- Passkeys can be used to sign in to the account2.
Limits
- The free plan is forwarding only and cannot send mail1.
- Code is under Business Source License 1.1, not an open-source licence6,7.
- The Android app is a direct download (Google Play is internal testing), and the iOS build must be sideloaded9,8.
- The company says it holds no SOC 2 Type II or ISO 27001 certification itself2.
- A forgotten mailbox password means the mailbox is lost, unless you restore from a backup4.
What Forward Email LLC says
Vendor claims. We show them, but they earn no points.
- Forward Email says it serves more than 1.6 million domains2.
Other encrypted email services
- 1
Proton MailPeople who want a free encrypted mailbox that grows into a paid one with custom domains and Outlook or Thunderbird access85/100$3.99/mocheapest paid plan - 2
Tuta MailPeople who want contacts and calendar encrypted too, and are fine using Tuta's own apps instead of a mail program73/100$3.36/mocheapest paid plan - 4
mailbox.orgPeople who want to read their mail in Thunderbird or Outlook and switch on encryption themselves49/100$1.12/mocheapest paid plan - 5
Atomic MailPeople who want a free encrypted mailbox and apps on four systems47/100$5/mocheapest paid plan
Forward Email vs Proton Mail · Forward Email vs Tuta Mail · All 9 encrypted email services
Sources
- Forward Email pricing, Forward Email. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Forward Email FAQ, Forward Email. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Forward Email security practices, Forward Email. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Best quantum-safe encrypted email service, Forward Email. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Pentest report: Forward Email, Forward Email. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- forwardemail/forwardemail.net, GitHub. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- forwardemail/mail.forwardemail.net, GitHub. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Release readiness, GitHub. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Download Forward Email, Forward Email. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Website: forwardemail.net · Markdown version · We are not affiliated with Forward Email LLC.