Comparison

Thelemail vs CF Mail

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

Head to head
About

Thelemail

Features
Read full description

THELEMAIL — PRIVATE EMAIL HOSTING FOR YOUR DOMAIN Thelemail runs managed email infrastructure for individuals and families. Use a domain you own, or start with an @thelemail.com address. PERMANENT FREE MAILBOX The Free plan does not expire and requires no payment method. It includes one mailbox, one @thelemail.com address, 1 GB of storage, and the same encryption model as every paid plan. Upgrade when you need a custom domain, unlimited aliases, shared addresses, more storage, or more mailboxes. PAID APP STORE PLANS • Personal: 1 private mailbox, 15 GB storage, 1 custom domain, and unlimited aliases. • Personal Plus: 1 private mailbox, 50 GB storage, 3 custom domains, and unlimited aliases. • Family: up to 6 private mailboxes, 10 GB per mailbox, 2 custom domains, shared household addresses, and unlimited aliases. • Family Plus: up to 6 private mailboxes, 30 GB per mailbox, 4 custom domains, shared household addresses, and unlimited aliases. Paid plans in the iOS app are annual auto-renewable subscriptions purchased through Apple In-App Purchase. Prices are shown before purchase and vary by App Store storefront. The Free plan remains available without a subscription. MANAGED DELIVERY, ENCRYPTED STORAGE • Thelemail runs receiving, queues, sending infrastructure, reputation controls, DNS checks, and spam classification. • Stored mailbox content remains encrypted as ciphertext. Readable private-key material stays on your device. • Mail between Thelemail accounts is encrypted end to end. • For outside mail, the app uses OpenPGP when a compatible key is available; otherwise, mail uses standard SMTP with TLS where supported. • Paid plans include unlimited aliases, subject to an anti-abuse guardrail. • Family plans support shared addresses without shared passwords. • Custom-domain setup verifies ownership and prepares DKIM, SPF, and DMARC before you change MX. • Mail is stored and processed in the EU. • Stored mail is never used for advertising or AI training. • Export your mailbox in standard formats using the open-source local export tool on a computer. • Use Face ID to unlock saved mail on supported devices. CLEAR SECURITY BOUNDARIES Email routing still exposes envelope metadata such as sender, recipient, and timing. The security model and its limits are documented at https://thelemail.com/security. Payment is charged to your Apple Account when purchase is confirmed. The subscription renews automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Your Apple Account is charged for renewal within 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel the subscription in your Apple Account settings. Terms of Use: https://thelemail.com/terms Privacy Policy: https://thelemail.com/privacy

About

CF Mail

Read full description

CF Mail is a privacy-focused iOS mail client for the accounts and servers you choose. Connect standard IMAP/SMTP mailboxes or your own self-hosted CloudMail Server in one focused app for iPhone and iPad. Highlights: • Standard IMAP/SMTP email support • Self-hosted CloudMail Server support • Unified inbox, search, drafts, attachments, contacts, reply and forwarding workflows • Rich-text email composition • Face ID / Touch ID / device passcode protection • Mail privacy controls for remote images • Local, redacted diagnostics • Multiple appearance themes CF MAIL Pro is available through optional in-app purchases, including auto-renewable subscription plans. Subscription prices and billing periods are shown in the app using the localized information provided by the App Store before purchase. Auto-renewable subscriptions continue until canceled and can be managed or canceled in your Apple Account subscription settings. Privacy Policy: https://cfmail.readori.com/privacy.html Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Thelemail4 screens
CF Mail4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Thelemail at weekly against CF Mail's monthly. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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

CostPrice Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Ads Ā· Monetization

Both are free to download. Thelemail sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $30.00 per year and CF Mail sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Thelemail ships an update weekly, CF Mail monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference Ā· 5 level
Thelemail versus CF Mail: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterThelemailCF Mail
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyWeekly — betterMonthly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size37 MB13 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperVladislav GorokhovJIANPING YAN

In-app purchases

4 purchases

Thelemail

Subscriptions4
  • Personal$30.001 Year
  • Personal Plus$39.001 Year
  • Family$60.001 Year
Show 1 more
  • Family Plus$96.001 Year
4 purchases

CF Mail

Subscriptions3
  • CF MAIL Pro Weekly$1.997 Days
  • CF MAIL Pro Monthly$5.991 Month
  • CF MAIL Pro Annual$39.991 Year
One-time1
  • CF MAIL Pro Lifetime$99.99

Questions

Is Thelemail free?
Thelemail is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is CF Mail free?
CF Mail is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Thelemail or CF Mail have ads?
Neither Thelemail nor CF Mail shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Thelemail or CF Mail?
Thelemail ships an update weekly, and CF Mail monthly. Most recently, Thelemail was updated on October 24, 2026 and CF Mail on October 25, 2026.

Other comparisons