Mailfence

Overview

Mailfence was founded in 2017, headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, and is a privacy-focused encrypted Email Service. Mailfence's core product is a secure email system built on OpenPGP end-to-end encryption, integrated with calendar, contacts, and document management — forming a complete online office suite.

Mailfence's encryption mechanism is based on the OpenPGP standard — users can generate RSA 4096-bit or ECC key pairs directly in the Mailfence web interface, and emails are encrypted with the recipient's public key before sending. Mailfence also supports importing existing PGP key pairs, offering flexibility for users with specific key management requirements. Similar to Proton Mail and Tuta, Mailfence provides collaborative features including calendar, contacts, and document management, forming a complete privacy-focused office ecosystem. Being headquartered in Belgium means Mailfence operates under both Belgian domestic law and the EU GDPR dual regulatory framework.

Key Strengths

• OpenPGP end-to-end encryption: Mailfence uses the OpenPGP standard for end-to-end encryption. Users can generate RSA 4096-bit or ECC key pairs in the web interface, with emails encrypted in the browser before sending. Mailfence supports importing external PGP keys, compatible with desktop client PGP workflows like Thunderbird. Unlike conventional email services that don't use encryption (such as Gmail and Outlook), Mailfence fundamentally ensures email content is never stored in plaintext on the server.
• Complete office suite integration: Mailfence is more than just email — it integrates a calendar (iCal import/export and shared scheduling), contact management (LDAP compatible and CardDAV sync), and document management (online editing, version control, folder organization). A single platform covering email communication, schedule management, and document collaboration reduces dependency on multiple office tools.
• Belgian + GDPR dual legal protection: Mailfence is headquartered in Belgium, bound by both Belgian domestic law and EU GDPR. GDPR is one of the world's strictest data protection regulations, requiring providers to take legal responsibility for collecting, processing, and storing user data. Mailfence's privacy policy pledges not to scan user email content for advertising or data analysis purposes.
• Digital signatures and authentication: Mailfence supports OpenPGP digital signatures, allowing recipients to verify the sender's identity and email content integrity (ensuring it hasn't been tampered with). This feature provides practical value in scenarios requiring identity authentication, such as legal document delivery and contract confirmation.

Product Ecosystem

Mailfence Encrypted Email

Mailfence's core product is an OpenPGP-encrypted webmail system. Users can generate RSA 4096-bit or ECC (Curve25519) key pairs with one click in settings. Encryption is not enabled by default — users must manually select the "Encrypt" or "Sign" option when composing emails. This design balances compatibility with recipients who don't yet use PGP. Mailfence's key management interface supports key export, backup, revocation, and external PGP key import.

Mailfence Calendar

Mailfence Calendar supports event creation, reminders, recurring events, and shared calendars. Calendar data is encrypted by default. Users can import/export schedules via iCal format. Integrated with Mailfence Email — meeting invitations are sent via email, and recipients can confirm attendance directly in the calendar.

Mailfence Contacts

Mailfence Contacts supports grouping, import/export (CSV/vCard), LDAP compatibility, and CardDAV sync. Contact data is encrypted by default and can integrate with enterprise-level address books.

Mailfence Documents

Mailfence Documents provides online document editing (text and HTML support), file version control, and folder organization. Users can insert digital signatures directly into documents to ensure authenticity and integrity. Storage is allocated by plan, up to 20GB.

Limitations

• Traditional interface design: Mailfence's web interface follows a feature-dense traditional email client layout. The visual style and data presentation are less modern than Proton Mail and Tuta. Users with high aesthetic expectations may need an adjustment period.
• Encryption limits search: Like all end-to-end encrypted email services, Mailfence cannot perform server-side full-text indexing and search. Search runs exclusively on the client side, making it slower than Gmail and Outlook's server-side indexing.
• Advanced features require payment: The free plan does not support IMAP/SMTP protocol access (web interface only), custom domains, or multiple email aliases. These features require upgrading to a paid plan (€2.50/month and up).
• Limited mobile experience: Mailfence is primarily web-based, accessed via browser on mobile devices. While third-party email clients can compensate (through paid IMAP/SMTP configuration), the lack of native mobile apps impacts mobile office experience.
• Lower brand awareness: Compared to Proton Mail (CERN background, 12+ million users) and Tuta (German university incubation), Mailfence's brand awareness and user base are smaller, with relatively limited community ecosystem, third-party integrations, and user support resources.

Use Cases

• Basic Privacy Needs (★★★★): Users with fundamental end-to-end encrypted email needs on a limited budget. The free plan offers basic PGP encryption suitable for lightweight privacy communication.
• Integrated Office Suite (★★★★): Small teams needing an all-in-one email + calendar + contacts + documents solution. Mailfence's single platform covers multiple office scenarios, reducing multi-tool switching costs.
• PGP Power Users (★★★★★): Users already experienced with PGP key management. Mailfence supports external key import and digital signatures, with PGP feature completeness closest to desktop-level experience among encrypted email services.
• Daily Personal Email (★★★): The free 500MB plan is limited. If encryption is not a priority, Gmail and Outlook offer larger free storage and richer ecosystem integration.
• Enterprise-Grade Encrypted Email (★★): Enterprise feature depth falls short of Proton Mail Business and Tuta. Teams needing complete enterprise compliance features (eDiscovery, email archiving policies) should evaluate enterprise-grade solutions.

Pricing

Note: All paid plans support annual billing discounts. Mailfence accepts credit cards, PayPal, and Bitcoin.

FAQ

• Which is more secure, Mailfence or Proton Mail? Both use OpenPGP end-to-end encryption with comparable encryption strength. The main difference is legal jurisdiction: Mailfence is in Belgium (GDPR governed), Proton Mail in Switzerland (FADP governed). Switzerland is outside the EU. Feature-wise, Proton Mail has a richer ecosystem (VPN, Drive, Pass), while Mailfence excels in document management and digital signatures. See Email Service Provider Comparison to decide.

• Is the Mailfence free plan sufficient? The free plan offers 500MB storage, a single email address, and basic OpenPGP encryption. Adequate for light privacy communication (occasional encrypted sensitive emails). For desktop email client access (IMAP/SMTP), custom domains, or multiple aliases, upgrading to a paid plan is required. See Business Email Service Guide for free-plan options.

• Does Mailfence support IMAP/SMTP? Yes. IMAP/SMTP access is a paid feature (Entry and above), supporting desktop clients like Outlook, Thunderbird, and Apple Mail. Mailfence also provides auto-configuration files and setup guides for popular email clients. See SMTP Configuration Guide.

• Is Mailfence encryption enabled by default? No. Mailfence's OpenPGP encryption defaults to manual mode — users must select encryption options when composing emails. This design ensures compatibility with contacts not yet using PGP. Users can also configure default encryption policies in settings. See Email Authentication Setup.

• How does Mailfence protect password security? Mailfence hashes user passwords using the bcrypt algorithm, with passwords never stored in plaintext on the server. Login traffic is encrypted via TLS. Two-factor authentication (2FA) is available on all plans, supporting TOTP-standard authenticator apps. See Email Security Configuration.