Comparison

Encrypted Email vs NorthMail

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Encrypted Email

This app provides a secure and private email service with integrated cloud storage, calendar, and contacts. It offers end-to-end encryption and password-protected emails for enhanced privacy. Ideal for individuals and businesses seeking a secure communication and collaboration platform.

Highlights
  • OpenPGP encrypted emails
  • Password-protected emails
  • Integrated cloud storage (Drive)
  • Shared calendars and contacts
  • Workspaces for collaboration
  • No tracking or ads
Features
Read full description

Mailfence is an encrypted email service that offers a secure and private Email suite with Drive and Workspaces. Restore Privacy says : "Mailfence is a fully-featured alternative to Gmail. Whether you are a regular privacy-conscious user or managing a business team, Mailfence can cater to your needs." The Mailfence app consists of different tools all integrated in an easy to use interface. Messages: • Create a @mailfence.com or @mf.me email address • Send and receive emails • Send and receive OpenPGP encrypted emails • Send Password-protected Emails to anyone • Switch between multiple mailboxes • Keep your inbox tidy and clean with folders, labels and swipes • Receive new email notifications • Your Mailfence email account can also be accessed in POP, IMAP & SMTP via third party email clients Drive / Cloud Storage: • Access your private and shared documents • Manage them with folders and labels • Share your documents with Mailfence users via workspaces / groups • Share documents by making them accessible publicly • Your Mailfence Drive can also be accessed in WebDAV via third party clients Calendar : • Access your private and shared calendars • Create and accept meetings • Layer different calendars • Share your Calendar publicly • Get reminders by email • Your Calendar can also be accessed through CalDAV or ActiveSync via third party clients Contacts / Address book : • Access your private and shared contacts • Manage your contacts with labels and comments • Search in your private and shared address books • Access your mailing lists • Your Mailfence Contacts can also be accessed through CardDAV or ActiveSync via third party clients Why use Mailfence? • No tracking : No ads, no spams, no trackers, no solicitations, no backdoor, free from government surveillance. • Privacy protection : State of the art security features protect your email privacy at all times. • An integrated suite of tools : Messages, Documents, Groups. • Legal protection : Belgian privacy protection law is strong. Only local judges can request information and they must have a court order. It rarely happens. • Workspaces : Share mailboxes, drives and collaborate in shared workspaces. Advanced sharing rights managed by group administrator. • Interoperable : User decides whether to encrypt emails or not. Interoperable with any other OpenPGP encrypted email. • Standard protocols : Interoperability with standard clients : Outlook, Mac Mail, Thunderbird,…. • Individual or teams : Ideal for individual users or professionals. Mailfence in the press: • In an article Kim Komando of Fox News wrote about Mailfence, "It's a great option for small business owners and ordinary users alike." • Lifehacker wrote, "Mailfence is a solid choice with office apps, it's more email- and calendar-focused compared to the comprehensive app suite of Kolab Now." • The ProPrivacy's Ray Walsh mentions in his article “Mailfence is a solid and easy-to-use email provider that is ideal for beginners." • Restore privacy's Sven Taylor wrote, “Mailfence has all the features and options that you are likely to need, whether you are looking to manage the mail for an entire organization, or just want great service for personal use” • Lifewire writes : “Mailfence is a security-centric email service that features end-to-end encryption to ensure nobody but you and your intended recipient can read your messages." For more information, check : • site : https://mailfence.com • support site : https://kb.mailfence.com • blog: https://blog.mailfence.com

About

NorthMail

This app offers secure and fast email access for existing users, featuring real-time notifications, easy email management, and integrated calendar and contacts. It prioritizes privacy with Canadian-hosted, encrypted data.

Highlights
  • Real-time email notifications
  • Easy email reading and composing
  • Integrated calendar management
  • Synchronized contacts
  • Canadian-hosted encrypted data
Features
Read full description

NorthMail – Simple, Secure Email Access NorthMail provides fast, secure, and reliable email access exclusively for NorthMail users. Designed for simplicity and privacy, our app lets you effortlessly manage your emails, calendar, and contacts directly from your iPhone. Key Features: Real-time Notifications: Never miss an important email with instant push notifications. Easy Email Management: Quickly read, reply, and compose emails. Integrated Calendar: Effortlessly manage your schedule and appointments. Contacts Management: Keep your contacts synchronized and easily accessible. Privacy First: Your data is encrypted and secure, hosted exclusively in Canada. Please Note: To use this app, you must already have an account. Account creation is not available within the app.

Screenshots

Encrypted Email4 screens
NorthMail4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: NorthMail at 100% against Encrypted Email's 42%. NorthMail also leads on monetization model (free vs freemium). Encrypted Email's advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 5 months) and iOS requirement (13.4 vs 16.6). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Encrypted Email ships an update every 2 months, NorthMail every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 20, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Encrypted Email versus NorthMail: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterEncrypted EmailNorthMail
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.8 (76 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews41.5% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings76 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 months — betterEvery 5 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreemiumFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS13.4 — better16.6
Further details — not scored
Size34 MB6 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperContactoffice Group9387-6084 Quebec Inc

Customer experience

Encrypted Email

All ratings44 ratings
Positive56.8%
Neutral6.8%
Negative36.4%
Written reviews65 reviews
Positive41.5%
Neutral12.3%
Negative46.2%

NorthMail

Written reviews3 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Encrypted Email

Reported bugs

15 issues
  • Unable to reach servers on phone app
  • App scrolls text off screen while typing
  • Emails going to spam folder
  • Login failures on iOS
  • App doesn't recognize login/password after update
Show 10 more
  • Account deactivated too quickly
  • Cannot sign up with valid recovery email
  • Account hacked
  • Cannot delete account
  • iPad app glitch: page scrolls up while typing
  • Notifications not working
  • Cannot send emails with attachments
  • Spam notifications even for spam emails
  • IMAP connectivity issues
  • App logs out from all devices frequently

Requested features

12 requests
  • Allow account creation with VPNs/privacy tools
  • More specific error messages during signup
  • Grace period and human review for signup false positives
  • Ability to mark emails as 'not spam'
  • Folder creation within the app
Show 7 more
  • Improved dark mode rendering
  • Sender icons
  • Landscape mode on iOS
  • Printing from mobile app
  • Calendar and notes integration in mobile app
  • Block sender feature
  • Ability to add other email providers

NorthMail

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Encrypted Email

No in-app purchases

None

NorthMail

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Encrypted Email free?
Encrypted Email is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is NorthMail free?
NorthMail is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Encrypted Email or NorthMail have ads?
Neither Encrypted Email nor NorthMail shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Encrypted Email or NorthMail?
Encrypted Email ships an update every 2 months, and NorthMail every 5 months. Most recently, Encrypted Email was updated on September 23, 2026 and NorthMail on September 20, 2026.

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