Hostpoint E-Mail & Cloud Office vs web.de

Compare Hostpoint E-Mail & Cloud Office and web.de on capabilities, jurisdiction, assurance, and fit for European buyers.

Both listed as alternatives to: Gmail, Outlook.com

Logo: Hostpoint E-Mail & Cloud Office

Hostpoint E-Mail & Cloud Office

Switzerland· Email Services

Needs review

Shortlist Hostpoint E-Mail & Cloud Office when you need Swiss-hosted custom-domain IMAP mail plus Open-Xchange calendars, Drive, and optional browser docs under Hostpoint AG—with Swiss human support and free mailbox migration. Skip when you require end-to-end zero-access mail (consider Proton Mail) or a full Microsoft 365 / Google Workspace admin stack; for another Swiss multi-product cloud suite, compare Infomaniak kMail.

Swiss-hosted mailCustom domain IMAPOpen-Xchange Cloud OfficeDrive + CalDAV/CardDAV7-day Swiss supportB2B DPA (GTC annex)
Logo: web.de

web.de

Germany· Email Services

Needs review

Shortlist web.de when you need mass-market German freemail with DE-sited mail/cloud, E-Mail made in Germany TLS alliance markers, optional PGP/2FA, and a familiar DACH portal. Skip when you need default E2EE, no advertising data path, self-host, or enterprise admin—consider Posteo, mailbox.org, Tuta, or Proton Mail instead.

DE-operated freemailE-Mail made in GermanyGermany data centers (claimed)Optional PGPFreeMail + paid upgradesSaaS only
Hostpoint E-Mail & Cloud Office vs web.de: Snapshot
FeatureLogo: Hostpoint E-Mail & Cloud OfficeHostpoint E-Mail & Cloud OfficeLogo: web.deweb.de
Country of originSwitzerlandGermany
CategoryEmail ServicesEmail Services
Open sourceNoNo
Self-hostedNoNo
HeadquartersSwitzerlandGermany
Legal entityHostpoint AG, Neue Jonastrasse 60, 8640 Rapperswil-Jona, Switzerland1&1 Mail & Media GmbH (United Internet AG group)
Governing lawNot listedGermany / EU GDPR
US parent / controlNo known US parentNo known US parent
CLOUD Act exposure (indicative)LowLow
Hosting / residencyPrimary: Hostpoint-operated servers and NetApp storage at Digital Realty (ex-Interxion) Glattbrugg, CH; Swiss e-mail/Drive residency claimed, dual backups, hourly snapshots. swiss hosting label (rankingCoach exception). Migration: Audriga (DE). Full public Sub-Processor List not found—DPA references list. Site analytics: Google Analytics, reCAPTCHA, Hotjar (not mailbox storage).Vendor claims email and Online-Speicher stored exclusively in Germany in company-owned data centers (E-Mail/Cloud made in Germany). FreeMail monetized via advertising and IAB TCF consent partners; privacy notice allows EEA third-country transfers with Chapter V safeguards. Portal/optional features use additional processors (e.g. search partners, embeds, homepage builder DUDA Inc., ID vendors). No exhaustive public mail-stack subprocessor list found.
Summary

Swiss custom-domain email and Open-Xchange Cloud Office (calendar, Drive, docs) from Hostpoint AG, with mailboxes and data hosted in Switzerland.

German freemail and portal from United Internet’s 1&1 Mail & Media GmbH: FreeMail with DE-sited mail and cloud, E-Mail made in Germany TLS alliance, optional PGP—consumer SaaS, not default-E2EE privacy mail.

Tags
At a glance: Hostpoint E-Mail & Cloud Office vs web.de
At a glanceLogo: Hostpoint E-Mail & Cloud OfficeHostpoint E-Mail & Cloud OfficeLogo: web.deweb.de
HQRapperswil-Jona, SwitzerlandNot listed
Legal entityHostpoint AG (CHE-101.974.997)Not listed
ProductCustom-domain email + Cloud Office (Open-Xchange)Not listed
HostingHostpoint servers, Digital Realty Glattbrugg (CH)Not listed
Self-host / OSSNeither (managed SaaS)Not listed
Commercial modelPaid per-mailbox tiers; domain required; no free tierAd-supported FreeMail; paid mailbox/cloud upgrades; Consent or Pay
HQ / operatorNot listed1&1 Mail & Media GmbH, Montabaur/Karlsruhe, Germany
Parent groupNot listedUnited Internet AG (Germany)
Product typeNot listedConsumer freemail + portal + cloud (SaaS)
Hosting (vendor claim)Not listedCompany-owned data centers in Germany
Open sourceNot listedNo
Self-hostNot listedNo
Key capabilities: Hostpoint E-Mail & Cloud Office vs web.de
Key capabilitiesLogo: Hostpoint E-Mail & Cloud OfficeHostpoint E-Mail & Cloud OfficeLogo: web.deweb.de
Swiss-hosted mailYesNot listed
Custom domain IMAPYesNot listed
Open-Xchange Cloud OfficeYesNot listed
Drive + CalDAV/CardDAVYesNot listed
7-day Swiss supportYesNot listed
B2B DPA (GTC annex)YesNot listed
DE-operated freemailNot listedYes
E-Mail made in GermanyNot listedYes
Germany data centers (claimed)Not listedYes
Optional PGPNot listedYes
FreeMail + paid upgradesNot listedYes
SaaS onlyNot listedYes

Hostpoint E-Mail & Cloud Office

  • Custom-domain mailboxes with IMAP and free migration

    Each plan is one inbox on a domain you control (new or external), with webmail plus IMAP/POP3/SMTP, unlimited forwards, aliases, out-of-office replies, server-side search, and spam/virus filters. Hostpoint’s free migration path (including Audriga-assisted moves from Gmail, GMX, Bluewin, Yahoo, and other hosts) is designed so teams keep historical mail when leaving FreeMail. Requires a domain; not a freemail brand address.

  • Open-Xchange Cloud Office: calendar, contacts, tasks

    Browser suite for multi-calendar scheduling, shared address books, tasks, and appointment booking with free/busy style team scheduling. CalDAV/CardDAV sync targets Outlook, Thunderbird, Apple Calendar, and similar clients. Fits SMEs that want groupware next to IMAP without a full Microsoft 365 tenant.

  • Hostpoint Drive with desktop and mobile clients

    Swiss-hosted file storage included per tier (upgradeable within product limits), with share links, e-mail shares, access controls, and local clients for Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android (Open-Xchange-powered). Business tier adds managing shared folders in teams. This is conventional cloud storage under Hostpoint—not zero-knowledge Drive.

  • Browser documents and real-time collaboration (Plus/Business)

    From Cloud Office Plus upward, edit text, spreadsheets, and presentations in the browser with Microsoft Office file compatibility, real-time multi-user editing, and version history. Basic is mail-plus-calendar oriented; teams that live in shared docs should shortlist Plus or Business rather than Basic.

  • Swiss ops: dual backups, monitoring, seven-day support

    Product pages claim Swiss data location, 24/7 monitoring, DDoS protection, hourly snapshots, daily mail backups with tiered retention (longer on higher tiers), and backup copies in two locations. Support is Swiss-based Mon–Sun daytime via phone, e-mail, WhatsApp, and form—useful for SMEs that need humans, not only tickets.

web.de

  • E-Mail made in Germany alliance transport

    Founding member of the German provider alliance (WEB.DE, GMX, 1&1, STRATO, T-Online, freenet). TLS on paths inside the alliance, mail stored in Germany, and green checkmarks on alliance addresses in the compose UI. Does not encrypt content to non-alliance or non-PGP recipients end-to-end by default.

  • FreeMail + paid upgrades with intelligent inbox

    Ad-supported FreeMail with integrated calendar, contacts, and Online-Speicher. Intelligent inbox categorizes newsletters, orders, social, and contracts/subscriptions without duplicating messages; optional package tracking via DHL, DPD, and GLS when consented. Paid tiers expand quotas and reduce ad/tracking friction under Consent or Pay.

  • Optional PGP and free 2FA

    Optional PGP end-to-end encryption for sensitive mail (both parties need keys/compatible clients). Optional free two-factor authentication for account login. Baseline mailbox protection relies on account credentials, spam/virus filters, and TLS—not default E2EE for every message.

  • Cloud made in Germany Online-Speicher

    Mailbox-integrated cloud with browser, app, and desktop access; link sharing and Online Office for documents. Vendor claims exclusive German data-center storage and TLS in transit under Cloud made in Germany. Free tier includes a starter cloud quota; larger capacities are paid add-ons. Not a full Google Drive/OneDrive collab suite.

  • German consumer portal on the same identity

    News, services, WEB.Cent cashback, and optional Deutsche Post letter preview sit beside mail. Useful for personal DACH users; increases advertising and partner surface versus a pure mailbox product. Portal embeds and partners are consent-gated where required.

Assurance & compliance: Hostpoint E-Mail & Cloud Office vs web.de
Assurance & complianceLogo: Hostpoint E-Mail & Cloud OfficeHostpoint E-Mail & Cloud OfficeLogo: web.deweb.de
Independent security / no-logs audit
Not found

No public third-party no-logs or product security audit PDF for Cloud Office located on official pages.

Not found

No public independent no-logs or full security audit package found for FreeMail; alliance pages claim oversight by data-protection function and independent Prüfstellen at a high level only.

ISO 27001
Not found

Company page describes the Glattbrugg data center as ISO- and FINMA-certified (facility). No Hostpoint-organization ISO 27001 certificate page found in this pass.

Not found

No public ISO 27001 certificate page located for the web.de freemail product during research.

SOC 2 / SOC 3
Not found

No public SOC 2/3 report for Hostpoint Cloud Office found.

Not found

No public SOC 2/3 report found for web.de FreeMail.

GDPR / EU data protection
Vendor claimed

Swiss FADP primary; privacy states GDPR may apply in some processing. EU representative: Hostpoint Limited, Malta. Swiss–EU adequacy eases transfers. Customer remains controller for hosted content.

Vendor claimed

German controller (1&1 Mail & Media GmbH); detailed GDPR privacy notice; DE storage claims for mail/cloud. Not a legal certification.

US CLOUD Act exposure (indicative)
Partial

EuropeanStack assessment: Swiss AG, no known US parent, Swiss product residency claims → relatively low ownership exposure vs US SaaS mail. Residual factors: US-listed Digital Realty facility owner (colocation), possible US-group tools on full subprocessor/marketing stack, privacy exceptional-transfer language. Not a clean bill; not legal advice.

Partial

EU/German entity and parent; no known US parent; mail/cloud claimed on company-owned DE data centers. Partial because privacy notice allows third-country transfers with safeguards, FreeMail uses ad/TCF partners, and no exhaustive public subprocessor inventory. Not legal advice.

Data processing agreement (B2B)
Vendor claimed

Annex 2 DPA + TOMs published with web-hosting GTC PDF; sub-processor engagement rules and audit rights described. Confirm applicability to your E-Mail & Cloud Office order and obtain current Sub-Processor List.

Not found

Consumer freemail focus; no clear self-serve public B2B DPA for FreeMail found. Request under contract if treating as processor for an organization.

EU AI Act
Not applicable

Not an AI product.

Not applicable

Consumer mail/portal with limited in-product assistants; not an AI-centric product for this checklist.

swiss hosting label
Vendor claimed

Company states Hostpoint bears the swiss hosting label (HQ + data location in Switzerland), with rankingCoach exceptions noted.

Not listed
Considerations & known limitations: Hostpoint E-Mail & Cloud Office vs web.de
Considerations & known limitationsLogo: Hostpoint E-Mail & Cloud OfficeHostpoint E-Mail & Cloud OfficeLogo: web.deweb.de
Not zero-access / E2E mail
Medium

Standard hosted mail: provider can access mailbox content for operations, spam filtering, and legal process. Unsuitable if your threat model requires only client-held keys.

Not listed
Full subprocessor inventory not self-serve
Medium

DPA references a Sub-Processor List and change notifications, but a complete public e-mail-path inventory was not found on the marketing site. Request it (and any US-group vendors) before procurement sign-off.

Not listed
Facility ISO/FINMA vs org certification
Low

ISO/FINMA language on public pages refers to the data center facility. Do not treat that as a verified Hostpoint ISMS ISO 27001 without a certificate.

Not listed
Docs collaboration only on higher tiers
Low

Browser Office documents and real-time collab start at Plus; team shared-folder management is Business-oriented. Basic is intentionally limited.

Not listed
Customer still owns backup duty
Low

GTC state customers remain responsible for their own backups; Hostpoint packages are supplementary and do not guarantee zero data loss.

Not listed
Ad-financed FreeMail and consent surfaceNot listed
Medium

FreeMail uses advertising and Consent or Pay. With consent, content may feed interest profiles; FreeMail users cannot drop WEB.DE informiert like paid tiers. Unsuitable where ad-tech processors are banned.

No default end-to-end encryptionNot listed
Medium

TLS and alliance transport protection are not content E2EE. Optional PGP only covers willing counterparties. Operator can process plaintext for spam, intelligent inbox, and consented ad analysis.

Limited public audit/cert artifactsNot listed
Medium

ISO 27001, SOC 2, and independent no-logs audits not found on public product pages. Trust rests on German entity, DE hosting claims, and first-party security copy.

Third-country transfers and portal partnersNot listed
Low

Privacy notice contemplates non-EEA recipients under Chapter V safeguards. Portal/search/ID/ad features introduce extra processors beyond the mailbox DC story—review consent layer and purpose before sensitive use.

FreeMail inactivity content deletionNot listed
Low

Privacy notice: FreeMail email content may be deleted after more than 180 days without login. Not a durable archive without activity or export.

Fit

Hostpoint E-Mail & Cloud Office

Best fit when

  • Swiss SMEs and freelancers replacing FreeMail with branded @domain mailboxes
  • Teams that want IMAP mail plus shared calendars, contacts, and Drive in one Swiss panel
  • Buyers already using Hostpoint domains/hosting who want same-vendor mail and support
  • Organizations that prioritize Swiss data location messaging and Swiss daytime phone support
  • Migrators from Gmail/GMX/Bluewin who need an included mailbox migration path

Poor fit when

  • Security programs that require zero-access / E2E encrypted mail by default
  • Enterprises needing SSO/SCIM-centric identity and deep SaaS compliance tooling out of the box
  • Teams that only want free freemail without a domain or paid plan
  • Self-host or fully open-source groupware mandates
  • Buyers who need a published independent security audit report before shortlisting

Consider instead when

  • When: You need end-to-end encrypted, zero-access mail as the primary control

    Consider: Proton Mail or Tuta

    Hostpoint is conventional hosted Open-Xchange mail, not a zero-knowledge mailbox.

  • When: You want a broader Swiss cloud suite (kDrive, Swiss Meet, etc.) under one multi-product vendor

    Consider: Infomaniak kMail

    Compare suite breadth vs Hostpoint’s registrar/hosting + Cloud Office focus.

  • When: You need Microsoft/Google admin ecosystems, global collaboration defaults, or advanced DLP

    Consider: Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace

    Trade Swiss-operator simplicity for global SaaS depth and US-group jurisdiction.

  • When: You want German privacy-oriented hosted mail with OpenPGP-centric workflows

    Consider: mailbox.org or Mailfence

    Different legal HQ and crypto posture; Hostpoint is Swiss SME groupware-first.

web.de

Best fit when

  • German consumers who want a familiar .de freemail address with portal news and everyday cloud storage
  • Secondary personal or family mail where DE operator and DE storage matter more than default E2EE
  • Users who value intelligent inbox sorting, package tracking, and mobile/desktop access over privacy-maximalist design
  • Teams comparing Gmail/Outlook.com alternatives on jurisdiction while accepting consumer freemail trade-offs
  • Buyers already in the United Internet ecosystem (WEB.DE / GMX) who need a consistent DACH brand

Poor fit when

  • Organizations needing primary business mail with admin console, SSO, and signed B2B DPA as standard
  • Hard requirements for default end-to-end encryption or zero advertising/tracking surface
  • Self-hosted or open-source mail stacks you operate yourself
  • Long-term cold archives on FreeMail (inactivity deletion policy)
  • Procurement policies that forbid ad-tech partners or third-country transfer language without contract exhibits

Consider instead when

  • When: You need default E2EE and a privacy-first paid mailbox

    Consider: Tuta or Proton Mail

    web.de PGP is optional and counterpart-dependent; FreeMail is ad-financed.

  • When: You want ad-free German/EU mail with strong consumer privacy posture and paid model only

    Consider: Posteo or mailbox.org

    Less portal monetization; clearer privacy-first product framing than mass freemail.

  • When: You prefer the same United Internet Mail & Media stack under another brand

    Consider: GMX Mail

    Nearly aligned trust and capability story; brand and portal mix differ.

  • When: You need Google/Microsoft-class workspace collab and enterprise compliance packs

    Consider: Gmail (Google Workspace) or Outlook.com / Microsoft 365

    Trade DE freemail residency story for US-group platforms and deeper admin tooling.

Open questions for due diligence

Hostpoint E-Mail & Cloud Office

  • What is the current Sub-Processor List for E-Mail & Cloud Office (including spam/AV engines, backup tooling, Audriga, any CDN)?
  • Does your contract package explicitly attach the web-hosting DPA annex to standalone Cloud Office mailboxes?
  • Any US-group processors in the live list that would change a CLOUD Act or transfer assessment?
  • Is there a customer-facing ISO/SOC report for Hostpoint operations beyond data-center facility claims?
  • Data residency guarantees in writing for dual backup locations (both fully in Switzerland)?

web.de

  • Will 1&1 Mail & Media sign a B2B DPA and provide a current subprocessor list for mailbox and cloud processing?
  • Are there ISO 27001, C5, or independent penetration-test summaries available under NDA for Mail & Media freemail infrastructure?
  • For your use case, is FreeMail with ads acceptable, or must you force paid TrackFree/premium paths and refuse intelligent-inbox/ad consents?
  • Confirm whether any non-DE backup, support, or analytics processors touch mailbox content beyond the public privacy notice.