A free starting point versus a complete paid mail workspace
An installed browser app is useful on a phone, but it is not evidence of offline mailbox access. Freemail intentionally avoids caching private mail in its service worker. If reading and organizing mail without a connection is a daily requirement, include that in the decision instead of comparing subscription prices alone.
The plans compared
Freemail Free, with paid upgrades explicitly noted, versus Fastmail Individual, US pricing. Prices are in USD unless stated otherwise. Commitment, renewal and regional conditions matter; check the official checkout before buying.
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| What matters | Freemail Free (paid upgrades noted) | Fastmail — named plans above |
|---|---|---|
| Service price | $0 Freemail subscription; Pro $5/month and Team $15/month add cloud storage | USD $6 monthly, or $60 for 12 months ($5/month equivalent); trial is not a permanent free plan |
| Domain and addresses | Free: one custom domain and two addresses for one user | Personal domains and extra email addresses supported |
| Mail storage and access | Free: one receiving browser; export backups. Paid plans: cloud storage across devices | 50 GB for mail, calendars and contacts, plus 10 GB files on Individual |
| Sending | Your own Resend account/key required on every plan; provider quotas and charges apply | Included in the Fastmail subscription |
| Workflow | Online-first webmail and browser installation; no IMAP or Exchange service | Calendars, contacts, offline support and third-party email-client access |
Choose Freemail when
A small, separate inbox fits
- You want to try a separate inbox on your own domain without a mail subscription.
- You only need an online webmail workflow with two addresses and explicit backups.
Choose Fastmail when
Its workflow matters more
- You want mail, calendars and contacts in one paid service.
- You need offline capabilities or to use a standard email client across devices.
Before switching from Fastmail
Save the messages and contacts you need, and make a separate plan for calendars. Freemail’s EML/ZIP mail tools do not migrate calendars or recreate Fastmail rules. Test your actual online workflow before canceling the old subscription.
Questions about Fastmail and Freemail
Does installing Freemail provide Fastmail-style offline mail?
No. Freemail is online-first. Its service worker only provides a neutral offline screen and does not cache email or attachments for offline reading.
Is Fastmail’s trial the same as Freemail Free?
No. A trial is time-limited. Freemail has a $0 plan with one domain, two addresses and browser-local mail, while Fastmail Individual is a paid subscription.
Sources and review notes
Checked on . The recommendation is Freemail’s assessment for individual domain owners, not an independent review or a measured reliability benchmark.
Try the workflow before moving your domain
Read the DNS guide and Free storage conditions before changing an existing mailbox. You can compare the setup with your current workflow first.
Compare all ten services · Free domain-email options · Forwarding versus a mailbox