When it comes to email hosting, reliability, and administrative control are non-negotiables. Whether you’re managing communications for a small business or simply want a professional email setup for your domain, choosing the right provider can make all the difference.
In this article, we compare Runbox and Greatmail—two providers that take email seriously, each with its own philosophy and strengths. If you’re evaluating options for custom domain email hosting, this breakdown will help you decide which platform best fits your needs.
Philosophy & Approach
Runbox is a Norway-based provider that emphasizes privacy, sustainability, and user autonomy. Founded in 2000, it’s employee-owned and operates on 100% renewable energy from Norwegian hydroelectric sources. Runbox offers a unified account structure where users can manage multiple domains, aliases, and storage tiers under one roof. With strong support for IMAP, POP3, and CalDAV/CardDAV, Runbox is ideal for users who want flexibility and control under strong Norwegian privacy protections.
What sets Runbox apart is its commitment to avoiding the surveillance capitalism model entirely—no advertising, no data tracking, no monetization of user information. They’ve deliberately chosen to keep servers physically in Norway to ensure protection under Norwegian jurisdiction, requiring court orders for any data disclosure.
Greatmail, on the other hand, is a U.S.-based provider focused on business-class email hosting with origins in email server clustering to facilitate high availability email. It offers predictable per-mailbox pricing and separates its offerings into Standard and Groupware editions. Greatmail is built for organizations that value straightforward administration and dependable infrastructure without the complexity of bundled features they may not need.
The philosophical difference is clear: Runbox positions itself as a privacy-first digital platform, while Greatmail focuses on business email excellence without the privacy activism angle.
Storage & Account Structure
Runbox uses a tiered account model, with plans ranging from 2 GB to 250 GB of email storage. Each account can host multiple domains and aliases, and sub-accounts are available at discounted rates. File storage is also included, ranging from 200 MB to 25 GB depending on the plan.
The account structure works like this: your main account acts as the administrator for all sub-accounts, which can each have their own login credentials and storage quotas. This makes it particularly appealing for families or small teams who want centralized management.
Greatmail assigns storage per mailbox—typically 10 GB or 25 GB—making it easy to manage individual users. This model is ideal for businesses that want predictable allocations and simple scaling. Each user gets their own independent mailbox without the hierarchical structure of Runbox’s system.
Key Trade-off: Runbox’s unified approach offers more flexibility for power users but can be confusing for simple business setups. Greatmail’s per-mailbox model is straightforward but less flexible for users who need multiple email identities.
Pricing Models
Runbox offers a range of plans with annual billing. Their Micro plan starts at $19.95/year for 2 GB storage and 1 domain, while the Mini plan is $34.95/year for 10 GB storage and 5 domains. Medium and Max plans provide increasing storage capacity, domain limits, and higher message size allowances. All plans include file storage, calendar/contact sync, and 100 email aliases, with the option to add sub-accounts at discounted rates. Additional domains cost $4.95/year, extra storage is $9.95/GB, and additional aliases beyond the included 100 cost $4.75 for 5 addresses.
Greatmail starts at $1.95/mailbox/month for its Standard edition, with a minimum of five mailboxes. The Groupware edition, which adds calendar and contact sync, is priced at $3.95/mailbox/month. Billing is monthly by default with annual payment options after signing up, and pricing is consistent across mailbox tiers. Domains can be added with a minimum allocation of 2 mailboxes per domain. All plans include domain and mailbox aliases.
The Math: For a single user, Runbox is significantly cheaper annually. For businesses with multiple users, the costs can even out or favor Greatmail depending on feature needs and billing preferences.
Features at a Glance
| Feature | Runbox | Greatmail |
|---|---|---|
| IMAP/POP3 Support | ✅ | ✅ |
| Webmail Interface | ✅ (Runbox 7 beta) | ✅ |
| Domain Hosting | ✅ (included in Mini+) | ✅ |
| Calendar & Contacts Sync | ✅ (CalDAV/CardDAV) | ✅ (Groupware) |
| Email Aliases | 100 included | Unlimited |
| File Storage | ✅ | ❌ |
| Privacy Focus | Strong (Norwegian laws) | Standard business encryption |
| Two-Factor Authentication | ✅ | ✅ |
| End-to-End Encryption | ❌ | Optional PGP |
Security & Privacy Deep Dive
Runbox’s Privacy Advantages:
- Servers physically located in Norway under Norwegian privacy laws
- No data retention requirements (unlike many countries)
- Employee-owned company with no external shareholders
- Open-source frontend (backend planned for future)
- Strict “no tracking, no ads, no data monetization” policy
- Foreign government requests require Norwegian court orders
Privacy Limitations:
- Must register with real name (not anonymous)
- Data retained 5 years after subscription ends per Norwegian bookkeeping laws
- No built-in OpenPGP encryption interface
Greatmail’s Security Approach:
- Focus on business-grade security rather than privacy activism
- Advanced email authentication (DMARC, SPF, DKIM)
- Optional PGP encryption integration via Mailvelope
- Encrypted connections using SSL/TLS and STARTTLS
- US-based (subject to US legal processes)
Sustainability & Ethics
Runbox makes environmental responsibility a core part of their identity. They operate entirely on renewable energy from Norwegian hydroelectric sources and are rated as an “ethical best buy” by Ethical Consumer. Their employee ownership structure means decisions prioritize user interests over investor profits.
Greatmail focuses more on high availability than environmental messaging, though they maintain standard industry practices for responsible operation.
Which One Is Right for You?
Choose Runbox if you:
- Prefer a unified account with flexible domain and alias management
- Value privacy and sustainability as core principles
- Want integrated file storage and calendar features
- Are comfortable with annual billing
- Need protection under Norwegian/EU privacy laws
- Prefer supporting employee-owned, independent companies
- Don’t mind a more complex pricing structure for added flexibility
Choose Greatmail if you:
- Need predictable mailbox-level control for business operations
- Want optional collaboration tools like calendar and contact sync
- Prefer monthly billing and straightforward administration
- Require dedicated business support and reliability
- May require differentiated SMTP for advanced sending
- Value simple, transparent pricing without add-ons
- Prefer US-based support and business practices
Migration Considerations
Moving from Traditional Providers: Both Runbox and Greatmail support standard IMAP migration tools and include migration guidance.
Key Differences to Plan For:
- Runbox’s unified account structure may require rethinking how you organize users
- Greatmail’s per-mailbox model makes individual user management simpler
- File storage migration only relevant if moving to Runbox
- Calendar/contact sync available on both but implemented differently
Performance & Reliability
Runbox provides 99.99%-100% uptime with servers in secure Norwegian data centers featuring redundant systems, 24/7 monitoring, and off-site backups. Their infrastructure prioritizes sustainability alongside reliability.
Greatmail maintains redundant infrastructure across multiple networks, partnering with specialized vendors to ensure consistent email delivery and uptime.
Final Thoughts
Both Runbox and Greatmail offer solid, dedicated email hosting solutions—but they cater to different preferences and philosophies. Runbox leans toward flexibility, privacy, and environmental consciousness, while Greatmail delivers structured, business-class hosting with optional groupware features.
The honest assessment: Runbox is ideal for privacy-conscious users who want a comprehensive digital platform under strong legal protections. Greatmail is better for businesses that need reliable email hosting without operational complexity.
Neither is universally “better”—the choice depends on whether you prioritize personal privacy protection or business email infrastructure. Both represent independent alternatives to the platform-dependent ecosystem models of mainstream providers.
If you’re looking for a dependable email partner for your domain, either provider could be a strong choice. The key is knowing what kind of control, pricing, and features matter most to your workflow—and understanding the philosophical differences between privacy-first platforms and business-focused infrastructure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Greatmail offers plans starting at $1.95 per mailbox/month with a 5-mailbox minimum and monthly billing. Runbox’s prices range from $1.66 to $6.66 per mailbox/month, but it requires annual billing.
Greatmail allows true monthly billing but requires at least 5 mailboxes. Runbox offers more granular mailbox options but bills annually, which may require a larger upfront payment.
Runbox emphasizes privacy-focused policies and powers its servers with renewable hydro energy. Greatmail focuses on reliable business email hosting and does not specifically market environmental initiatives.
Runbox bundles domain registration, web hosting, and additional email features. Greatmail specializes in professional email hosting and high-volume SMTP services, with optional groupware for calendar and contact sync.
Greatmail’s 5-user minimum and monthly billing make it a cost-effective choice for small teams. Runbox may be a better fit for individuals or freelancers who value privacy, bundled hosting services, and annual pricing.
Looking ahead, our next article will explore how Greatmail stacks up against Posteo—a Berlin-based provider known for its minimalist, privacy-first philosophy and commitment to sustainability. If you’re curious how Greatmail’s business-grade infrastructure compares to Posteo’s green energy ethos and anonymous payment model, stay tuned. It’s a fascinating contrast between pragmatic email hosting and principled digital minimalism.