Mailo vs Swissnode

Compare Mailo and Swissnode on capabilities, jurisdiction, assurance, and fit for European buyers.

Both listed as alternatives to: Gmail, Microsoft 365

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)
Logo: Swissnode

Swissnode

Switzerland· Email Services

Needs review

Shortlist Swissnode for lean European cPanel domain email plus shared web or KVM VPS when Spain/EU residency is acceptable and you do not need enterprise compliance packs. Skip when you require live Swiss territorial hosting, E2EE mail, or published DPA/subprocessor inventories—consider Hostpoint, Infomaniak, or Proton Mail instead.

cPanel domain emailKVM VPSSpain data center (vendor)Optional Cloudflare CDNSMB hosting packages
Mailo vs Swissnode: Snapshot
FeatureLogo: MailoMailoLogo: SwissnodeSwissnode
Country of originFranceSwitzerland
CategoryEmail ServicesEmail Services
Open sourceNoNo
Self-hostedNoNo
HeadquartersFranceSwitzerland
Legal entityMAILO SAS (capital €75,000; RCS Créteil 851585547; VAT FR44851585547)Swissnode (legal form/registry name not clearly published on marketing site)
Governing lawFrench law (terms of use)Not clearly stated on marketing pages; confirm in contract (CH contact vs ES ops)
US parent / controlNo known US parentNo known US parent
CLOUD Act exposure (indicative)MediumMedium
Hosting / residencyVendor 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.Vendor states primary hosting moved to a Spain data center after Swiss DC closure; homepage cites Spanish privacy laws. Site IP geolocates to Spain (Ipcore Datacenters). Optional Cloudflare CDN on web plans (US-group). Off-site backup provider not named. No public subprocessor inventory.
Summary

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.

European cPanel email, shared web hosting, and KVM VPS under the Swissnode brand—vendor-stated Spain data center after Swiss DC closure, with optional Cloudflare CDN on web plans.

Tags
At a glance: Mailo vs Swissnode
At a glanceLogo: MailoMailoLogo: SwissnodeSwissnode
HQ / entityMAILO SAS, France (RCS Créteil 851585547)Not listed
Hosting (claimed)Servers in France; website host Ecritel (FR)Not listed
ModelFreemium SaaS (Free / Premium / Pro / Junior / Edu)Not listed
Open sourceNo (proprietary MailObject®)No
Self-hostNoNot listed
Encryption defaultTLS + optional server-side PGP (not ZK E2EE)Not listed
Contact addressNot listedBinzallee 6, 8055 Zurich, CH (public contact page)
Footer / ops addressNot listedMutilva Baja, Navarra, Spain
Primary hosting (vendor)Not listedSpain data center after Swiss DC closure
Core productsNot listedDomain email, cPanel web hosting, KVM VPS
Control panelsNot listedcPanel (shared); Virtualizor (VPS)
Self-hosted productNot listedNo (provider-hosted; VPS gives root on rented VM)
Commercial modelNot listedPackage tiers (monthly/yearly); optional antispam add-on
Key capabilities: Mailo vs Swissnode
Key capabilitiesLogo: MailoMailoLogo: SwissnodeSwissnode
France-hosted (claimed)YesNot listed
Freemium webmailYesNot listed
Mailo JuniorYesNot listed
IMAP / ActiveSyncYesNot listed
Pro custom domainsYesNot listed
Optional PGP (server-side)YesNot listed
cPanel domain emailNot listedYes
KVM VPSNot listedYes
Spain data center (vendor)Not listedYes
Optional Cloudflare CDNNot listedYes
SMB hosting packagesNot listedYes

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.

Swissnode

  • Domain email on cPanel (IMAP/POP/SMTP)

    Business mailboxes on your domain with secure webmail, SpamAssassin-style spam control, virus filtering, DKIM, calendars/contacts, autoresponders, forwarders, filters, and mailing lists on mid-tier plans—protocol-compatible with Outlook, Apple Mail, and mobile clients.

  • cPanel web hosting with Softaculous and LiteSpeed PHP

    Shared and reseller web plans with datacenter SSDs, free panel SSL, multi-PHP, SSH above entry tiers, and Softaculous one-click apps—aimed at brochure sites, WordPress, and small PHP apps rather than container platforms.

  • KVM VPS with RAID-10 enterprise SSDs

    Root-level Linux VPS via KVM, enterprise SSDs, RAID-10 arrays, fixed per-VPS network allotments, and Virtualizor-style management for teams that outgrow shared hosting but still want package SKUs.

  • Optional Cloudflare CDN from the control panel

    Web plans advertise easy Cloudflare integration to cache static assets near visitors—useful for performance, with the tradeoff that enabled CDN traffic can traverse a US-group network path.

  • Backup cadence for VPS (vendor-stated)

    Marketing states daily on-site and weekly off-site VPS backups with rebuilds measured in minutes to an hour after failure—restore SLAs and off-site provider identity should be confirmed in the contract.

Assurance & compliance: Mailo vs Swissnode
Assurance & complianceLogo: MailoMailoLogo: SwissnodeSwissnode
Independent security / no-logs audit
Not found

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

Not found

No public independent audit report found on swissnode.ch.

ISO 27001
Not found

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

Not found

No ISO 27001 claim located on official product/security pages.

SOC 2 / SOC 3
Not found

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

Not found

No SOC 2/3 claim found.

GDPR / EU data protection
Vendor claimed

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

Partial

Spain/EU hosting supports EU data-protection analysis, and homepage references Spanish privacy laws; usable privacy policy/DPA text not published on site. Customer remains controller for lawful basis.

US CLOUD Act exposure (indicative)
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.

Partial

No known US parent; primary host Spain/EU. Optional Cloudflare CDN is a US-group subprocessor for web static delivery; off-site backups and other SaaS paths not published. Not a clean low-exposure bill; not legal advice.

Data processing agreement (B2B)
Not found

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

Not found

No public DPA download or B2B processing terms found; request in writing.

EU AI Act
Not applicable

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

Not applicable

Commodity hosting/email/VPS, not an AI product.

Swiss territorial hostingNot listed
Partial

Vendor discloses Swiss DC closed; operations from Spain DC. Contact still Zurich. Do not treat as CH-only residency.

Considerations & known limitations: Mailo vs Swissnode
Considerations & known limitationsLogo: MailoMailoLogo: SwissnodeSwissnode
PGP is server-side trusted third party
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.

Not listed
Incomplete public subprocessor inventory
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.

Not listed
US-group payment processors
Low

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

Not listed
Free tier third-party advertising
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.

Not listed
No public ISO/SOC or independent security audit
Medium

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

Not listed
Free accounts deleted after inactivity
Low

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

Not listed
Swiss brand vs Spain hostingNot listed
High

Product pages state the Swiss data center closed and services run in Spain; homepage cites Spanish privacy laws. Buyers assuming Zurich colocation from the brand or older materials will mis-classify risk and contractual residency.

Empty privacy pages / no public DPA or certsNot listed
High

Privacy and cookie URLs do not present substantive policy text; ISO/SOC and DPA artifacts were not found. Regulated or enterprise buyers face a heavy offline diligence burden.

Optional Cloudflare CDN (US-group)Not listed
Medium

Web hosting markets Cloudflare integration from cPanel. Enabling CDN can place static content on a US-group network path even when origin is Spain—document this in transfer assessments.

Off-site backup provider not namedNot listed
Medium

Daily on-site and weekly off-site backups are claimed for VPS, but the off-site location/provider is not published—ask before trusting disaster-recovery or residency narratives.

Aging marketing surfaceNot listed
Low

Public site still shows 2013–2018 copyright and sparse modern trust pages; may signal limited investment in public assurance UX even if infrastructure remains operational.

Fit

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

Swissnode

Best fit when

  • Freelancers and micro-SMBs wanting domain IMAP/POP mail with spam filtering and webmail on cPanel
  • Agencies/resellers needing simple shared web packages (Softaculous, multi-PHP, free panel SSL) plus optional VPS upgrade path
  • Teams that prefer standard mail protocols over migrating into Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace
  • Buyers comfortable with Spain/EU hosting under a .ch brand and Swiss contact details
  • Workloads where package-tier hosting and KVM root access matter more than published ISO/SOC packs

Poor fit when

  • Organizations that hard-require Swiss (CH) server residency or nFADP narratives assuming Zurich colocation
  • Procurement needing public DPA, full subprocessor lists, ISO 27001, or SOC 2 on the vendor site
  • Teams needing end-to-end encrypted mail or zero-access webmail (choose Proton-class products)
  • Enterprises expecting Microsoft 365-class collaboration, compliance archives, and admin tooling
  • Buyers who shortlisted the brand solely for “Swiss data center” marketing that product pages no longer support

Consider instead when

  • When: You need Swiss-resident email/office with a broader product catalog and clearer CH hosting claims

    Consider: Hostpoint E-Mail & Cloud Office or Infomaniak kMail

    Fuller Swiss platforms; better when territorial Switzerland is non-negotiable.

  • When: You need end-to-end encrypted mail and open-source clients rather than cPanel hosting

    Consider: Proton Mail

    Different product class: E2EE vs classic hosted IMAP.

  • When: You need full collaboration suites, admin compliance tooling, and ecosystem apps

    Consider: Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace (US-group control planes)

    Richer features; different jurisdiction/CLOUD Act profile.

  • When: You want a larger EU hosting group with broader cloud SKUs

    Consider: IONOS or OVHcloud

    Scale and catalog depth over niche Swissnode packaging.

Open questions for due diligence

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?

Swissnode

  • What is the exact legal entity (registry name, UID/CHE or Spanish NIF) and governing law on the customer contract?
  • Will Swissnode sign a B2B DPA and publish a current subprocessor list (spam filter, backups, payment, support tools)?
  • Exact Spain facility (Ipcore or other) and whether any secondary regions exist for mail, web, and VPS separately?
  • Where are weekly off-site backups stored, and under which provider’s control?
  • Is Cloudflare mandatory, optional, or default for web plans, and can customers disable it for pure Spain origin delivery?
  • What uptime SLA, restore RPO/RTO, and support hours are contractual vs marketing (99.5% backbone claim on homepage)?