Kolab Now vs Private Discuss

Email with Advanced Filtering

Kolab Now delivers threaded email views and server-side Sieve filtering, allowing rules to sort messages before they reach devices. Users manage filters via web interface or scripts, ensuring consistency across clients. Multiple identities and customizable interfaces support professional workflows.

Calendar, Contacts, and Task Sync

Calendars include free/busy scheduling to coordinate without revealing details. Contacts, tasks, and notes sync via ActiveSync for Android, iOS, and BlackBerry, or CalDAV/CardDAV for broader compatibility. Native KDE Kontact clients run on Linux, Windows, and macOS.

File Storage and Sharing

Secure file storage offers granular access controls and sharing options. Recent additions include collaborative editing via Collabora Online for documents and presentations, plus video conferencing rooms for teams.

HD video meetings up to 1,000 participants

Vendor features and contact pages state secure HD audio/video conferences for up to 1,000 participants with screen sharing, virtual backgrounds, collaborative whiteboard, breakout rooms, live polls/voting, and in-meeting electronic signature—aimed at executive and sensitive operational meetings rather than consumer calls.

Large-scale webinars with role and recording control

Webinar tooling includes organiser/presenter/participant roles, granular permissions (present, share, record, content access), interactive stage, moderated hand-raise, secure chat/reactions, and HD recording with encrypted storage and controlled access. Contact materials claim capacity up to 1 million participants for large virtual events.

E2EE messaging, files, and co-editing in one suite

Instant messaging covers 1:1 and group/channel chat with presence and mentions; secure file and media sharing (up to 20 GB per message via PiTransfer per marketing); cloud co-editing and a document library for sensitive document workflows. Security pages claim non-disableable E2EE, AES-256 for real-time calls, and RSA-2048 for file sharing.

Sovereign deployment: SaaS, on-prem, or air-gapped

Hosting options include fully managed cloud SaaS, on-premise/private servers behind the customer firewall, and use cases marketed for air-gapped or constrained networks. Privacy policy states encrypted message storage on servers hosted in France; GTS state EU hosting without transfer outside the EU for personal data in scope.

Admin suite, kill switch, and policy controls

Administration covers local/regional admin roles, user and group management, time-based access, contact and file-sharing authorisations, activity monitoring, minimum client version enforcement, MFA, geographic access limits, custom retention, and remote revoke/wipe language for compromised devices—built for security teams governing a closed network.

In-house AI tools for identity and translation

Marketed AI features include deepfake/identity verification using camera, microphone, and device signals; real-time meeting translation; Private Translate for sensitive text/documents without content leaving customer infrastructure; and an AI companion for transcription, decisions, and post-meeting summaries—positioned for closed environments rather than public LLM APIs.