In 2013, toen onthullingen over de lekken van Edward Snowden Amerikaanse op privacy gerichte e-mailproviders zoals Lavabit ertoe aanzetten te sluiten, kwam Kolab Now naar voren als een betrouwbaar alternatief. Deze webgebaseerde service, gehost in Zwitserland en volledig gebouwd op gratis en open-source software, biedt e-mail, agenda's, contacten, taken, notities en bestandsopslag. Het wordt beheerd door Apheleia IT AG uit Zürich en richt zich op gebruikers die op zoek zijn naar surveillance-vrije samenwerkingstools zonder afhankelijk te zijn van Big Tech-platforms. De strenge Zwitserse wetgeving inzake gegevensbescherming voegt een extra laag zekerheid toe, waarbij de provider alleen registreert wat nodig is voor de werking van de dienst en zeldzame overheidsverzoeken openbaar maakt.
Kolab Now
Swiss-hosted FOSS Kolab groupware from Apheleia IT AG: email, calendars, contacts, files and optional Collabora collab on operator infrastructure in Bern.
This entry was drafted from publicly available information and still needs human review before treating it as final due-diligence guidance.
Key capabilities
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.
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.
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.
Veelgestelde Vragen
No free tier exists, but a 30-day trial is available. Plans start at 4.55 CHF/month for email-only (Lite) with 2 GB, scaling to 8.99 CHF/month for full groupware and up to 100 GB storage. Group plans begin at similar per-user rates with custom domains.
Yes, it adheres to GDPR and Switzerland's equivalent data protection laws. Minimal logging, no third-party data sharing without warrants, and Swiss hosting ensure strong compliance.
- Proton Mail: Strong E2EE email from Switzerland, but lighter on groupware.
- Tutanota: Affordable E2EE with calendars; German-based, less sync options.
- Mailbox.org: Full groupware like Kolab Now; also privacy-focused but not fully FOSS-centric.