Sometimes all you need is a simple email tool that works.
You don't need a $6/user/month subscription with 50GB you'll never use. You need mail that's fast, private, and yours. Here's how we stack up.
Hatched Mail
Pay once. Own forever.
Yours forever. No subscription.
Get started freeGoogle Workspace
Pay forever. Per user.
Forever. Price increases over time.
Outlook / Microsoft 365
Pay forever. Per user.
Forever. Price increases over time.
ProtonMail
Pay forever. Encrypted.
Forever. Encrypted but subscription.
Feature-by-feature comparison
Every feature, side by side. No hidden gotchas.
| Feature | Hatched Mail | Google Workspace | Outlook / Microsoft 365 | ProtonMail |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price model | Pay once, own forever (USD +tax) | Subscription, per user | Subscription, per user | Subscription |
| Monthly cost (over 3 years) | $2.19/month | $6-18/month | $6-22/month | $4-12/month |
| Email hosting | PurelyMail ($10/year, BYO) | Google (locked in) | Microsoft (locked in) | Proton (locked in, encrypted) |
| Sending domains | Unlimited root domains | 1 custom domain (higher tiers for more) | 1 custom domain | 1 custom domain (paid tiers) |
| Ads or tracking | None — ever | No ads (paid), tracking yes | Telemetry yes, ads in free tier | None |
| Email scanning | Never — we don't store email | Historically scanned for ads targeting | Scanned for security, some ML training | Never — end-to-end encrypted |
| AI integration | MCP server ($9/mo optional, USD +tax) | Gemini (add-on, extra cost) | Copilot (add-on, $30/user/month) | No |
| Privacy | Privacy-first, GDPR compliant | GDPR compliant, but data-rich | GDPR compliant, enterprise-focused | Excellent — zero access encryption |
| Open source MCP | Yes — @hatched-digital/mail-mcp | No | No | No |
| PWA installable | Yes — offline support | No (web app only) | Partial | No |
| Scheduled sending | Included (Lifetime) | No native feature | No native feature | Paid tiers only |
| Multiple accounts | Unlimited (Lifetime) | Per user seat ($6-18 each) | Per user seat ($6-22 each) | 1-15 depending on tier |
| Data export | Full JSON export | Google Takeout (complex) | Available but complex | Available |
| Account deletion | One click, cascading delete | Available but data may persist | Available | Available |
| Custom domains | Via PurelyMail (unlimited) | 1 included, more = higher tier | 1 included | 1-3 depending on tier |
| Storage limits | Determined by PurelyMail plan | 30GB - 5TB per user | 50GB - 6TB per user | 1GB - 500GB |
| Vendor lock-in | None — your mail stays on PurelyMail | High — email hosted on Google | High — email hosted on Microsoft | Medium — encryption complicates migration |
All prices in USD. Applicable taxes calculated at checkout.
We're not trying to replace your mail server.
We're the best client for it.
Pay once, own forever
No subscription anxiety. $79 USD one-time and Hatched Mail is yours. Google Workspace costs $216/user/year — for 3 years that's $648 per person. We're $79. Total.
Unlimited root sending domains
Powered by PurelyMail. Add as many custom domains as you want — no per-domain fees, no tier restrictions. Google and Microsoft charge per domain or force you to higher tiers.
Your email stays yours
We don't host your email. We connect to your PurelyMail IMAP server. Your messages never touch our servers. No scanning, no ad targeting, no "AI training" on your inbox.
AI that actually helps
Our MCP server lets Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, and Windsurf read, search, and send email on your behalf. No other email client offers this. It's optional — $9 USD/month, cancel anytime.
Privacy-first by design
Zero telemetry. Zero analytics. Zero tracking pixels. GDPR compliant with one-click data export and account deletion. Your audit trail is yours to see.
No vendor lock-in
Your email lives on PurelyMail, not on our servers. If you stop using Hatched Mail, your email is still there. Try leaving Google Workspace — that's a migration project.
The math is simple.
For 1 person, 1 email account, 3 years of use:
Hatched Mail
$79
USD +tax · + $30 PurelyMail = $109
Google Workspace
$216
$6/mo × 36 = $216
Microsoft 365
$216
$6/mo × 36 = $216
ProtonMail
$144
$4/mo × 36 = $144
Hatched Mail saves you $107-$323 over 3 years — and you own it forever.
All prices in USD. Applicable taxes calculated at checkout.
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