Kolab Now vs Nozbe

Compare Kolab Now and Nozbe on capabilities, jurisdiction, assurance, and fit for European buyers.

Both listed as alternatives to: Google Workspace

Kolab Now

Switzerland· Groupware

Needs review

Shortlist when you want Swiss-operated, FOSS-based classical groupware (mail, CalDAV/CardDAV, ActiveSync, files, Collabora) on operator-owned Bern infrastructure. Skip when you need default zero-access E2EE mail, public ISO/SOC evidence, or mature video — consider Proton Mail/Tuta for E2EE mail or Google Workspace/Microsoft 365 for enterprise suite depth.

Swiss-operatedFOSS Kolab stackFull groupware suiteIMAP / CalDAV / ActiveSyncHosted in Bern (claimed)Optional PGP

View listing Visit Website

Nozbe

Poland· Groupware

Needs review

Shortlist Nozbe when a small remote or hybrid team wants a simple Polish SaaS for GTD-style projects, tasks, and comments—with German primary hosting and a public B2B DPA. Skip when you need self-hosting, published ISO/SOC attestation, enterprise portfolio PM, or a path free of US-group cloud/SaaS subprocessors; consider Nextcloud (self-host) or a chat-first peer such as Fleep instead.

EU-operated (Poland)Task-based collaborationMulti-workspaceOffline appsPublic B2B DPAFree tier + seat SaaS

View listing Visit Website

Highlighted rows differ between the two products.

Kolab Now vs Nozbe: Snapshot
Feature	Kolab Now	Nozbe
Country of origin	Switzerland	Poland
Category	Groupware	Groupware
Open source	Yes	No
Self-hosted	No	No
Headquarters	Switzerland	Poland
Legal entity	Apheleia IT AG (trade register CH-036.3.053.227-3; VAT CHE-149.254.861)	NOZBE sp. z o.o., ul. Spacerowa 31/5, 81-521 Gdynia, Poland (NIP PL5862383639, KRS 0000987269)
Governing law	Swiss law (see Terms of Service for contract details)	Poland
US parent / control	No known US parent	No known US parent
CLOUD Act exposure (indicative)	Medium	Medium
Hosting / residency	Primary mailbox/groupware hosting claimed on operator-controlled infrastructure in Bern, Switzerland (IBM OpenPOWER hypervisors, hardware-encrypted IBM storage, RHEL). No AWS/GCP/Azure hosting advertised for customer mail. Billing wallet supports PayPal, credit card, and EUR bank transfer — US-linked payment processors for payment data. Full subprocessor/backup register not published on pages reviewed.	Primary app servers on Hetzner (Germany). Encrypted DB backups and file storage on Amazon S3 (Paris/Frankfurt; DPA also cites AWS/Hetzner regions in Germany, Ireland, France). Cloudflare for printing. Privacy also lists Mailgun, GetResponse, Google Analytics/Sign-In/GCal, Facebook marketing, Gmail/Sugester support, Stripe/Verifone/Przelewy24 payments.
Summary	Swiss-hosted FOSS Kolab groupware from Apheleia IT AG: email, calendars, contacts, files and optional Collabora collab on operator infrastructure in Bern.	Polish task and project management SaaS with task-based communication, multi-workspace separation, offline apps, and vendor-hosted EU primary infrastructure.
Tags	open-source privacy groupware email switzerland caldav activesync foss	project-management task-management gtd collaboration remote-work gdpr poland

At a glance: Kolab Now vs Nozbe
At a glance	Kolab Now	Nozbe
HQ / operator	Apheleia IT AG, Bern, Switzerland	Not listed
Product since	2013 (Swiss-operated hosted Kolab)	Not listed
Hosting	Operator rack in Bern; IBM OpenPOWER + encrypted storage (vendor FAQ)	Not listed
Stack	Kolab FOSS; RHEL; open mail/groupware protocols	Not listed
Self-host this SKU	No (managed); Kolab suite is self-hostable separately	Not listed
Commercial model	Paid modular subscriptions via prepaid wallet; trial month	Free tier + seat-based Premium/Business
HQ	Not listed	Gdynia, Poland
Legal entity	Not listed	NOZBE sp. z o.o.
Founded	Not listed	2007 (vendor history)
Deployment	Not listed	Multi-tenant SaaS (not self-hosted)
Primary hosting	Not listed	Hetzner, Germany

Key capabilities: Kolab Now vs Nozbe
Key capabilities	Kolab Now	Nozbe
Swiss-operated	Yes	Not listed
FOSS Kolab stack	Yes	Not listed
Full groupware suite	Yes	Not listed
IMAP / CalDAV / ActiveSync	Yes	Not listed
Hosted in Bern (claimed)	Yes	Not listed
Optional PGP	Yes	Not listed
EU-operated (Poland)	Not listed	Yes
Task-based collaboration	Not listed	Yes
Multi-workspace	Not listed	Yes
Offline apps	Not listed	Yes
Public B2B DPA	Not listed	Yes
Free tier + seat SaaS	Not listed	Yes

Kolab Now

FOSS Kolab groupware with open clients
Hosted Kolab stack: IMAP/SMTP mail, CalDAV/CardDAV calendars and contacts, tasks, notes, and WebDAV files. ActiveSync is available for mobile/Outlook-style sync on full groupware subscriptions. Teams keep standard desktop and mobile clients instead of a proprietary-only app.
Private domains, multi-user cockpit, shared folders
Primary account owners verify custom domains (DNS guides in the KB), add users under one wallet, and share mail folders, calendars, notes, and files inside the domain. Fits small businesses and families that need branded addresses and shared inboxes without Google Workspace.
Swiss own-rack hosting with PFS and header hygiene
Operator FAQ places production systems in a Bern rack on IBM OpenPOWER with hardware-encrypted storage, RHEL, and segmented firewalls. TLS is described as end-to-end inside the platform with Perfect Forward Secrecy; outbound mail strips client IP and MUA identity from headers.
Sieve filters, DKIM, modular spam controls
Server-side Sieve rules (folder, redirect, vacation, discard) run in the web client. Outbound DKIM is supported with CNAME delegation for private domains. Spam tagging is available; aggressive auto-junk is deliberately left to customer Sieve policy rather than opaque provider filtering.
Collabora Online files plus optional PGP and Kolab Meet
Domain users can collaboratively edit documents/presentations via Collabora Online on shared files. Webmail can import PGP keys for optional message encryption (vendor warns keys on server are weaker than offline E2EE). Kolab Meet adds personal video rooms on groupware plans but remains public beta.
TOTP 2FA with an important client trade-off
Time-based one-time passwords (e.g. Aegis) can be required for accounts. When 2FA is enabled for a user, vendor docs state non-web clients (IMAP, POP, ActiveSync, CalDAV/CardDAV, WebDAV) are blocked — evaluate this before mandating 2FA on mobile-heavy fleets.

Nozbe

Task-based communication (projects → tasks → comments)
Work is organized as projects containing tasks; discussion, checklists, @mentions, reactions, attachments, and task links live on the task so context does not scatter across email or chat. Suited to teams that want asynchronous ownership without a heavy workflow engine.
Multiple workspaces for work and life
Create separate spaces for a company, department, or personal life under one account. Free plan starts with one free space; Premium adds capacity; Business is positioned for unlimited workspaces when you run several teams or businesses.
Email-to-task capture and project templates
Each user can forward mail to a personal Nozbe address to turn messages and attachments into tasks. Recurring workflows (onboarding, reports, orders) can be saved as project templates and re-instantiated instead of rebuilding checklists by hand.
Offline-capable multi-platform apps
Dedicated clients for Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android plus the web app at nozbe.app; About also lists Linux. Apps sync with servers in Germany and are marketed as usable offline for hybrid and mobile work.
Shared and joint projects across spaces
Invite-only projects (Premium) restrict visibility inside a space; joint projects let you collaborate with other Nozbe spaces (clients, subcontractors) without migrating everyone onto one workspace. Complements space-level multi-tenant style separation.
Optional AI project bootstrap and time tracking
Premium-oriented features include Create using AI (describe a project or import CSV to generate tasks), time tracking, and richer history/storage limits than Free. Confirm current plan gates on the official feature comparison before procurement.

Assurance & compliance: Kolab Now vs Nozbe
Assurance & compliance	Kolab Now	Nozbe
Independent security / no-logs audit	Not found Vendor describes no content analytics and limited operational logs (up to six months). No public third-party no-logs or security audit PDF located.	Not found Vendor describes restricted staff access and internal/external security tests; no public independent audit report found.
ISO 27001	Not found No public ISO 27001 certificate found on primary site/KB materials reviewed.	Not found No ISO 27001 claim or certificate located on official site.
SOC 2 / SOC 3	Not found No public SOC 2/3 report found.	Not found No SOC 2/3 report advertised on official legal/security pages.
GDPR / EU data protection	Vendor claimed Swiss operator; KB GDPR article asserts customer data ownership, no ad analytics, export/delete paths, and Swiss warrant process for third-party access. Confirm DPA/ToS for EU controllers.	Vendor claimed Polish controller; GDPR-oriented privacy terms; public Art. 28 DPA PDF; EU hosting for primary app data.
US CLOUD Act exposure (indicative)	Partial Swiss entity / no known US parent; mail claimed on Bern own-infra (not hyperscaler). Partial residual exposure via PayPal/card payment processors and unpublished full subprocessor list. Not legal advice.	Partial EU entity / no known US parent, but AWS S3 backups/files, Mailgun, Google, Facebook, Stripe/Verifone, and Cloudflare create US-group processing paths. Not legal advice.
Data processing agreement (B2B)	Not found No public standalone DPA download located on marketing/KB pages in this pass; may exist in ToS or on request — confirm before B2B processing.	Vendor claimed Downloadable GDPR DPA at nozbe.com/gdpr; customer signs and returns. Also available on request via support language in privacy policy.
EU AI Act	Not applicable Groupware/email product; not an AI system offering.	Not applicable Optional Create using AI feature; product is primarily task/project management, not an AI system as core offering. Reassess if AI features expand.

Considerations & known limitations: Kolab Now vs Nozbe
Considerations & known limitations	Kolab Now	Nozbe
Mail not zero-access by default	Medium Unlike Proton/Tuta defaults, ordinary stored mail is provider-accessible for protocol delivery unless users apply PGP or another client E2EE scheme. Material for threat models that assume provider compromise or compelled access to plaintext.	Not listed
2FA blocks non-web clients	Medium Documented behaviour: enabling TOTP 2FA confines the user to the web client and blocks IMAP/ActiveSync/CalDAV and related protocols. Breaks many mobile/Outlook deployments if applied naively.	Not listed
Limited public compliance pack	Medium No public ISO/SOC certs, independent audit, or subprocessor register found. Procurement must rely on vendor FAQs, ToS, and direct questions — slower security review than certified EU SaaS peers.	Not listed
US-linked payment processors	Low Wallet top-ups via PayPal and credit cards introduce US-group payment processors for billing data even when mailboxes stay in Switzerland. Scope is payment metadata, not IMAP content, but still relevant to transfer inventories.	Not listed
Kolab Meet still beta	Low Voice/video rooms are labelled public beta; vendor notes support may be limited. Do not treat as a Zoom/Teams replacement for critical meetings.	Not listed
US-group cloud and SaaS subprocessors	Not listed	Medium Core tasks run on Hetzner DE, but encrypted backups/files use Amazon S3 and privacy lists Mailgun, Google, Facebook, Stripe/Verifone, and Cloudflare. EU HQ does not eliminate US-group provider exposure for procurement policies that ban those vendors.
No public ISO/SOC or independent audit report	Not listed	Medium Security practices are described by the vendor (encryption, backups, limited staff access, external tests) without published certificates. Enterprise security questionnaires may stall until documents are shared under NDA.
SaaS-only; no self-host option	Not listed	Medium Data and availability depend on Nozbe’s multi-tenant service. Air-gapped or customer-controlled deployment is not offered publicly.
Narrow feature surface vs enterprise PM	Not listed	Low Deliberately simple projects/tasks/comments model may lack portfolio, advanced automation, or complex permission matrices expected in large PMO tools—confirm fit before migrating from Asana/Jira-class suites.

Fit

Kolab Now

Best fit when

Small teams and professional practices that need shared mailboxes, calendars, and private domains under Swiss jurisdiction
Buyers who prioritise open standards (IMAP, CalDAV/CardDAV, ActiveSync, WebDAV) and FOSS components over proprietary lock-in
Organisations that will accept provider-accessible mail at rest and apply PGP/S/MIME themselves for sensitive threads
Users leaving Google Workspace who want groupware depth without US Big Tech mail custody
Account owners comfortable with prepaid wallet billing and modular per-user subscriptions

Poor fit when

Requirements for default end-to-end encrypted mail with zero provider access (prefer Proton Mail or Tuta)
Enterprises that need public ISO 27001/SOC 2 packs, signed DPAs, and a published subprocessor list on day one
Fleets that must combine TOTP 2FA with IMAP/ActiveSync clients on the same user (documented mutual exclusion)
Orgs treating video conferencing as a core, production-grade service (Kolab Meet is still beta)
Buyers seeking a permanent free tier or consumer-grade onboarding polish comparable to Gmail

Consider instead when

When: You need default zero-access / E2EE email more than ActiveSync groupware
Consider: Proton Mail or Tuta
Stronger default cryptography story; thinner classical groupware/ActiveSync depth than Kolab Now.
When: You want privacy-focused German email without full suite complexity
Consider: Posteo
Leaner privacy mail; not a Collabora + shared-domain groupware suite.
When: You need Google/Microsoft-class admin scale, apps marketplace, and compliance certifications
Consider: Google Workspace or Microsoft 365
Far larger ecosystems; US-centric custody and CLOUD Act profile differ sharply.
When: You want full self-host control of the same FOSS stack
Consider: Self-hosted Kolab (kolab.org) or Nextcloud plus a mail stack
More operational burden; Apheleia also sells Kolab professional services.

Nozbe

Best fit when

Small businesses and service teams that want projects → tasks → comments instead of channel chat or heavy PM suites
Remote/hybrid groups that need coherent desktop and mobile clients with offline capture
Buyers who want a Polish legal entity, German primary hosting, and a downloadable Art. 28 DPA
People who separate work and personal life via multiple workspaces in one product
Teams that capture actionable email as tasks and reuse project templates for repeat client work

Poor fit when

Organizations that require self-hosted or fully air-gapped deployment
Procurement that mandates public ISO 27001 or SOC 2 reports before shortlisting
Enterprises needing portfolio resource management, complex automations, or deep Kanban/Gantt tooling
Buyers whose policy forbids US-group cloud providers even for EU-region backups, email, or analytics
Teams seeking a full Microsoft 365 / Google Workspace replacement (mail, docs, meetings) rather than a task system

Consider instead when

When: You must self-host collaboration data and control subprocessors yourself
Consider: Nextcloud
Broader content collaboration hub; operational ownership shifts to your team.
When: You need Swiss-hosted classic groupware (mail, calendar, contacts) more than task PM
Consider: Kolab Now
Different product shape; not a drop-in Nozbe substitute.
When: Chat-first team messaging with conversation tasks is enough and you prefer Estonia HQ
Consider: Fleep
Messenger-centric; weaker as a full multi-workspace project system.
When: Your org is already standardized on Microsoft collaboration and only needs lightweight tasks
Consider: Microsoft Teams / Microsoft 365 Planner-style workflows
Lower integration friction; different jurisdiction and product philosophy.

Open questions for due diligence

Kolab Now

Will Apheleia sign a GDPR Art. 28 DPA and provide a current subprocessor list (including backups, monitoring, and payment processors) under NDA if needed?
What is the current imprint address and governing ToS URL for contract annexes (product footer vs apheleia-it.ch addresses differ)?
Is there any ISO 27001, SOC 2, or independent penetration-test summary available to customers on request?
How are backups and disaster recovery stored (same Bern facility only, or additional sites/providers)?
For regulated workloads: what is the practical process and historical volume of Swiss lawful-access requests affecting customer content?

Nozbe

Will the vendor provide a current subprocessor list with legal entities and transfer mechanisms (SCCs) for AWS, Mailgun, Google, and payment providers?
Are independent penetration-test or ISO/SOC materials available under NDA for enterprise procurement?
What is the exact production region set today for Ireland vs Germany/France relative to the DPA wording?
What retention, export formats, and support SLAs apply on Business vs Premium for regulated clients?
How is optional Nozbe AI implemented (model provider, data used for training, opt-out)?