mailbox (formerly mailbox.org) vs Mailo

Compare mailbox (formerly mailbox.org) and Mailo on capabilities, jurisdiction, assurance, and fit for European buyers.

Both listed as alternatives to: Gmail, Microsoft 365

Logo: mailbox (formerly mailbox.org)

mailbox (formerly mailbox.org)

Germany· Office Productivity Suite

Needs review

Shortlist mailbox when you need a German-operated email-plus-collaboration suite (Mail, Drive, Office, Meet, Admin/API) on dual Berlin sites with published BSI C5 Type 1 and ISO 27001 claims. Skip when you require free forever mail or default zero-knowledge for all messages—consider Proton Mail or Tuta instead.

German-operatedBerlin dual-site hostingPGP + S/MIMEBSI C5 Type 1 (claimed)ISO 27001 (claimed)Mail + Drive + Meet + Office
Logo: Mailo

Mailo

France· Email Services

Needs review

Shortlist Mailo when you want French-entity freemium webmail with classic IMAP/EAS clients, integrated calendar/cloud, supervised Mailo Junior for kids, or Pro custom domains for SMEs—without US Big Tech accounts. Skip when you need default zero-knowledge E2EE, open-source/self-host, or a full Workspace-class suite; consider Tuta, Proton Mail, or Infomaniak kMail instead.

France-hosted (claimed)Freemium webmailMailo JuniorIMAP / ActiveSyncPro custom domainsOptional PGP (server-side)
mailbox (formerly mailbox.org) vs Mailo: Snapshot
FeatureLogo: mailbox (formerly mailbox.org)mailbox (formerly mailbox.org)Logo: MailoMailo
Country of originGermanyFrance
CategoryOffice Productivity SuiteEmail Services
Open sourceNoNo
Self-hostedNoNo
HeadquartersGermanyFrance
Legal entityHeinlein Hosting GmbH (Berlin; CEO Peer Heinlein)MAILO SAS (capital €75,000; RCS Créteil 851585547; VAT FR44851585547)
Governing lawNot listedFrench law (terms of use)
US parent / controlNo known US parentNo known US parent
CLOUD Act exposure (indicative)LowMedium
Hosting / residencyCore mailbox, Drive, and Meet on Heinlein-operated servers in German data centres in Berlin (two independent locations). Website analytics: self-hosted Matomo. Marketing site may embed Vimeo/YouTube. No public AWS/GCP/Azure product hosting region found for customer mail data.Vendor states user personal data and content are stored/processed on servers in France; specialised French host centre (who-we-are); website hosted by Ecritel, Arradon, France. Named third parties: Verifone/Paybox (payment email), PayPal option, Gandi/Netim (domains), Sirdata + ad agencies (free-tier ads), optional Rainbow video and OnlyOffice. Full mail DC/backup subprocessor list not published.
Summary

German paid digital workplace from Heinlein Hosting GmbH: secure email with PGP/S/MIME, Drive, browser Office, Meet, and business Admin on dual Berlin data centres.

French freemium webmail and Mail&Cloud suite (MAILO SAS): email, calendar, cloud disk, Mailo Junior for children, and Pro custom domains—hosted in France, proprietary SaaS.

Tags
At a glance: mailbox (formerly mailbox.org) vs Mailo
At a glanceLogo: mailbox (formerly mailbox.org)mailbox (formerly mailbox.org)Logo: MailoMailo
HQBerlin, GermanyNot listed
Legal entityHeinlein Hosting GmbHNot listed
HostingOwn servers, dual independent Berlin sitesNot listed
ModelPaid subscription SaaS; trial available; no permanent free tierFreemium SaaS (Free / Premium / Pro / Junior / Edu)
Self-hostNo (managed SaaS)No
Open standardsIMAP/SMTP, CalDAV/CardDAV, WebDAV, PGP, S/MIMENot listed
HQ / entityNot listedMAILO SAS, France (RCS Créteil 851585547)
Hosting (claimed)Not listedServers in France; website host Ecritel (FR)
Open sourceNot listedNo (proprietary MailObject®)
Encryption defaultNot listedTLS + optional server-side PGP (not ZK E2EE)
Key capabilities: mailbox (formerly mailbox.org) vs Mailo
Key capabilitiesLogo: mailbox (formerly mailbox.org)mailbox (formerly mailbox.org)Logo: MailoMailo
German-operatedYesNot listed
Berlin dual-site hostingYesNot listed
PGP + S/MIMEYesNot listed
BSI C5 Type 1 (claimed)YesNot listed
ISO 27001 (claimed)YesNot listed
Mail + Drive + Meet + OfficeYesNot listed
France-hosted (claimed)Not listedYes
Freemium webmailNot listedYes
Mailo JuniorNot listedYes
IMAP / ActiveSyncNot listedYes
Pro custom domainsNot listedYes
Optional PGP (server-side)Not listedYes

mailbox (formerly mailbox.org)

  • PGP Guard, S/MIME, and hardened mail transport

    Webmail Guard for PGP without extra software (or Mailvelope with local keys), S/MIME for sign/encrypt, 2FA and app passwords, multi-stage spam/virus rejection, plus public transport controls (DNSSEC, DANE, MTA-STS, DMARC/DKIM/SPF, TLS checker, @secure.mailbox.org aliases). Benefits security-minded teams that still need interoperable IMAP/SMTP; content is not zero-knowledge by default unless you encrypt.

  • Drive on dual independent Berlin sites

    Cloud files on the provider's own German infrastructure with two independent Berlin locations, WebDAV, mobile apps, guest share links, expandable quota, and optional client-side OpenPGP encryption of stored files. Fits teams replacing consumer cloud drives while keeping residency claims concrete; confirm plan quotas on the official site.

  • Browser Office with CalDAV and CardDAV

    Edit common office formats in the browser, share calendars and contacts via open CalDAV/CardDAV standards, plus tasks, notes, polls, and TLS-secured XMPP chat. Aimed at SMEs and schools that want collaboration without a full Microsoft desktop stack; advanced Excel macros and deep Office add-ins are not the target.

  • Meet video hosted in German data centres

    Browser-based conferencing integrated with calendar and mail: link invites for external guests, breakout rooms, screen share, chat, surveys, and moderator controls. Privacy documentation references the OpenTalk stack; sessions run through mailbox's German data centres. Evaluate E2EE defaults and recording policies against your meeting compliance needs.

  • Business Admin console and automation API

    Central management of domains, mailboxes, quotas, spam/virus settings, IP allowlists, and backups, with an HTTP API for larger orgs and resellers (api.mailbox.org). Supports onboarding help and partner-assisted migration. Better for multi-seat German operations than pure consumer inboxes; not a full IdP replacement without SSO design work.

Mailo

  • French-hosted webmail with IMAP, EAS, and classic protocols

    Webmail plus IMAP4 for clients, Exchange ActiveSync for mobile sync, and POP3 on paid tiers; SMTP relay with account credentials. Vendor states mail and content stay on servers in France. Free tier is ad-supported with lower quotas; Premium unlocks POP3, more aliases, and larger mail/cloud caps. Suits teams that need standard desktop/mobile clients rather than a closed proprietary app only.

  • Mailo Junior supervised email for children

    Child accounts (about ages 6–14) only exchange mail with contacts a parent or teacher validates. Age-adapted mini/junior UIs, no ads on Junior, optional promotion to a standard account while keeping the address. Separate Junior mobile apps. Unique fit for families and schools versus generic consumer mail.

  • Calendar, virtual disk, and open sync protocols

    Shared calendars and tasks, address book, photo albums, and a virtual disk for files with WebDAV/FTP access. CalDAV and CardDAV for external clients. Premium+ can unlock OnlyOffice in-browser editing. Better as an all-in-one Mail&Cloud for SMEs/families than bare IMAP-only privacy mail.

  • Mailo Pro spaces: custom domains and mutualised storage

    Pro Start/5/Modulo style plans share mail+cloud quota across accounts, support custom domains (register, transfer, or declare external), distribution lists, mailbox sharing, resource calendars, and manager tooling. Priority Pro hotline with documented acknowledgement and restoration targets for Pro subscriptions. Aimed at TPE/PME, associations, and municipalities—not a full Google Workspace clone.

  • Optional server-side PGP and account security controls

    Built-in PGP/MIME encrypt and sign in the webmail as a trusted third party (keys managed on Mailo for multi-device convenience). Two-factor authentication, application passwords, connection history, and guardianship-style access options. Not zero-knowledge E2EE by default—use external client crypto if the provider must never hold keys.

Assurance & compliance: mailbox (formerly mailbox.org) vs Mailo
Assurance & complianceLogo: mailbox (formerly mailbox.org)mailbox (formerly mailbox.org)Logo: MailoMailo
Independent security / no-logs audit
Not found

No public independent no-logs audit PDF found; operational transparency reports and BSI/ISO artefacts instead

Not found

Charter claims no commercial reading of messages; automated AV/spam scanning on servers. No public third-party audit PDF found.

ISO 27001
Vendor claimed

Vendor states ISO/IEC 27001:2022 on certified-quality and press pages; request current certificate in diligence

Not found

No ISO 27001 claim found on legal/security/primary pages researched.

SOC 2 / SOC 3
Not found

No SOC 2/3 claim found on primary security/cert pages

Not found

No SOC 2/3 report referenced on public product pages.

BSI C5
Vendor claimed

Vendor press (7 Jan 2026): BSI C5 Type 1 attestation for mailbox; confirm type, scope, and period

Not listed
GDPR / EU data protection
Vendor claimed

German controller Heinlein Hosting GmbH; DE hosting; detailed privacy notice; DPO privacy@mailbox.org

Vendor claimed

French controller; privacy rules cite GDPR and French correspondence secrecy; DPO at dpo@mailo.com; France storage claim.

US CLOUD Act exposure (indicative)
Partial

EU/German entity, no known US parent, self-operated Berlin hosting for core data—no AWS/GCP/Azure product region found. Residual: marketing embeds (Vimeo/YouTube) and possible external payment services. Indicative assessment only, not legal advice.

Partial

EU entity / no known US parent / France-claimed mail hosting, but Verifone and PayPal (US-group) on payment path; full infra subprocessors unpublished. Assessment only—not legal advice.

Data processing agreement (B2B)
Vendor claimed

Business knowledge base: customers can conclude a DPA online; historic AVV portal for business accounts

Not found

Privacy rules and terms cover processing; no standalone public B2B DPA download found—request via DPO or Pro channel.

EU AI Act
Not applicable

Email/collaboration suite, not an AI product core

Not applicable

Traditional email/cloud suite; not marketed as an AI system product.

Considerations & known limitations: mailbox (formerly mailbox.org) vs Mailo
Considerations & known limitationsLogo: mailbox (formerly mailbox.org)mailbox (formerly mailbox.org)Logo: MailoMailo
Mail is not zero-knowledge by default
Medium

Without PGP/S/MIME, stored message content remains operator-accessible under legal process. Practical impact: train users or mandate Guard/S/MIME for confidential traffic.

Not listed
C5 Type 1 is point-in-time
Low

Type 1 attestations describe design/implementation at a point in time. Re-check type (1 vs 2), scope, and renewal dates for public-sector RFPs.

Not listed
Payment and edge processors need confirmation
Low

Core hosting is self-operated DE, but privacy text references external payment services; marketing embeds US video hosts. Ask for the current processor list with the DPA.

Not listed
Not a full Microsoft 365 ecosystem substitute
Medium

Browser Office and Meet cover common collaboration; deep desktop macros, Graph automations, and third-party M365 marketplaces will not map 1:1.

Not listed
No customer self-host option
Low

Organisations that must operate mail on their own iron need another stack; mailbox is multi-tenant SaaS.

Not listed
PGP is server-side trusted third partyNot listed
Medium

Webmail PGP holds keys on Mailo for multi-device use. Provider-access risk differs from zero-knowledge E2EE defaults at Tuta/Proton. Use external crypto if that is a hard requirement.

Incomplete public subprocessor inventoryNot listed
Medium

Privacy rules name payments, domains, and free-tier ads, but not a full list of mail storage, backup, or anti-spam infrastructure vendors. Request annex for B2B risk review.

US-group payment processorsNot listed
Low

Checkout shares email with Verifone/Paybox; PayPal is also offered. Limited to billing path per privacy rules, but relevant to CLOUD Act diligence.

Free tier third-party advertisingNot listed
Low

Mailo Free shows ad banners via agencies under IAB TCF consent (Sirdata CMP). Premium removes ads. Ad cookies stated as not tied to Mailo profile.

No public ISO/SOC or independent security auditNot listed
Medium

Security posture relies on first-party statements and internal measures. Procurement teams may need questionnaires or NDA evidence.

Free accounts deleted after inactivityNot listed
Low

Mailo Free unused for 365 days can be deleted with content loss. Premium/Pro have different retention rules—plan backups and renewals.

Fit

mailbox (formerly mailbox.org)

Best fit when

  • German or EU orgs replacing Gmail/Microsoft 365 for mail and light collaboration under German law
  • Teams that need IMAP/SMTP plus CalDAV/CardDAV and optional custom domains
  • Buyers that will use PGP Guard or S/MIME deliberately for sensitive mail
  • SMEs and schools wanting Drive, browser Office, and Meet without a US hyperscaler
  • Organisations that need multi-seat Admin, DPA, and an automation API

Poor fit when

  • Users who need a permanent free tier
  • Buyers requiring default zero-knowledge mail for every user without crypto setup
  • Teams that must self-host the full stack on their own infrastructure
  • Enterprises whose workflows depend on deep Microsoft Graph or Google Workspace add-ons

Consider instead when

  • When: You need default end-to-end encrypted mail as the primary product

    Consider: Proton Mail or Tuta

    Stronger E2EE-first posture; lighter full workplace suite than mailbox

  • When: You want minimal German privacy email without Drive/Office/Meet

    Consider: Posteo

    Leaner mailbox; fewer collaboration modules

  • When: You need full desktop Office parity and global SaaS integrations

    Consider: Microsoft 365 (incumbent) with separate residency controls

    Different risk and ecosystem tradeoff—not an EU peer

Mailo

Best fit when

  • EU individuals and families wanting French-hosted mail with calendar and cloud disk in one account
  • Parents/schools needing supervised child email (Mailo Junior) with contact allow-lists
  • French SMEs, associations, and municipalities needing custom domains and mutualised Pro storage
  • Teams that depend on IMAP, EAS, CalDAV, CardDAV, or WebDAV rather than a locked-in app
  • Buyers who accept freemium ads on free tier or low-cost Premium rather than pure prepaid anonymity mail

Poor fit when

  • Orgs that require default end-to-end encryption with zero-access provider architecture
  • Buyers that need open-source server code or official self-hosting
  • Enterprises needing SOC 2 / ISO 27001 evidence already published on a trust centre
  • Heavy Google Workspace / Microsoft 365 collaboration suites (docs/drive ecosystem depth)

Consider instead when

  • When: You need zero-knowledge / default E2EE webmail

    Consider: Tuta or Proton Mail

    Mailo PGP is optional and server-side trusted third party

  • When: You want German privacy mail with different encryption/product posture

    Consider: Posteo or mailbox.org

    Compare protocols, storage bundles, and business features side by side

  • When: You need Swiss multi-product cloud with mail plus broader suite

    Consider: Infomaniak kMail

    Different country stack and product breadth

  • When: You need US Big Tech ecosystem integration at any cost

    Consider: Gmail or Microsoft 365 / Outlook.com

    Trade EU entity and France residency claims for ecosystem depth

Open questions for due diligence

mailbox (formerly mailbox.org)

  • What is the exact current BSI C5 scope, type, and validity period on the attestation document?
  • Which payment processors and any other subprocessors appear in the live AVV annex?
  • What is the default Meet encryption mode (TLS-only vs optional E2EE) for your plan, and is recording available?
  • Which SSO/IdP integrations are supported for your business tier beyond generic SSO mentions?

Mailo

  • Will Mailo sign a GDPR Article 28 DPA with a full subprocessor and transfer annex for Pro customers?
  • What is the named primary data-centre operator and backup/DR location beyond the France and Ecritel website-host statements?
  • Is there an independent penetration test, ISO 27001 roadmap, or customer-available security whitepaper?
  • Where is Rainbow (video) and OnlyOffice data processed relative to the France mail claim?
  • Current UGAP / public procurement listing status for French public buyers?