Migadu vs Fastmail: Usage-Based vs Per-User Email Hosting

Migadu and Fastmail are both beloved by people who care about email done properly, and they charge in completely different ways. Migadu prices by usage (storage and message volume) with unlimited mailboxes and domains; Fastmail prices per user with a polished client and standards support. For a small team, that pricing difference is the whole decision.

Quick answer

Migadu is the pick for a team or agency with many domains and addresses but light traffic, because mailboxes and domains cost nothing extra. Fastmail is the pick for a team that wants the best webmail and generous sending limits and does not mind paying per person. If the goal is simply free, reliable mailboxes on a domain, OquMail covers 15 of them without a bill.

Feature comparison

• Mailboxes: Migadu allows unlimited mailboxes and domains within your plan's storage and sending quotas; Fastmail is per user
• Free plan: neither; Migadu has a trial and Fastmail a 30-day trial
• API: Fastmail exposes JMAP; Migadu is IMAP and SMTP only. Neither is a transactional sending service
• DNS guidance: both show MX, SPF, DKIM and DMARC values; Migadu also requires verification records and offers autoconfig; Fastmail can host your DNS
• IMAP/SMTP: both include IMAP and SMTP on every plan
• Storage: Migadu plans pool storage across all mailboxes; Fastmail allocates storage per user by tier

Where Migadu wins

• Unlimited mailboxes, aliases and domains at a flat price
• Swiss company with a plain-language, no-nonsense policy
• Ideal for agencies managing client domains or founders with many projects
• Simple, honest limits rather than marketing bundles

Where Fastmail wins

• Webmail, search and mobile apps are among the best available
• Higher daily sending allowances suit busy correspondents
• JMAP, CalDAV and CardDAV give you calendar and contacts with any client
• Masked email and per-app passwords for security-conscious users

Total cost at 5 and 15 users

Migadu's bill barely changes between 5 and 15 mailboxes as long as storage and daily sending stay within the plan, which makes it unusually cheap at 15. Fastmail's bill scales linearly per user and is several times Migadu's at 15 seats. The catch with Migadu is the low outbound limit on the cheapest tier, which a sales team can hit in a busy day.

The free third option: OquMail

OquMail matches Migadu's generosity on count and Fastmail's inclusion of IMAP on every mailbox, and removes the bill: 15 mailboxes on 3 domains with 5 GB each, guided DNS with live checks, and a send API for transactional mail. It is the sensible default for a small team before either paid product becomes necessary.

• Free plan: up to 15 mailboxes, 3 domains, 5 GB per mailbox, no credit card
• Webmail included; IMAP/SMTP for Outlook, Apple Mail, Thunderbird and phones
• IMAP mail.oqumail.com port 993 (SSL/TLS); SMTP mail.oqumail.com port 587 (STARTTLS)
• Guided SPF, DKIM and DMARC with live DNS verification; MX is mail.oqumail.com priority 10
• Transactional send API at https://api.oqumail.com/api/v1/emails with Bearer API keys (from, to, subject, html)
• Per-message delivery logs so you can see the exact response a receiving server gave

Verdict by scenario

• Agency or founder juggling many domains with light mail: Migadu
• Team that lives in email all day and wants a premium client: Fastmail
• Privacy-minded team wanting a Swiss host: Migadu
• Small team of up to 15 that wants zero cost and an API: OquMail

Common questions

Does Migadu really allow unlimited mailboxes?

Yes, within your plan's storage and daily send and receive quotas. It is designed for many low-traffic addresses, not for high-volume sending.

Which is better for calendar and contacts?

Fastmail. It includes calendar and contacts with open-standard sync. Migadu is email only, and OquMail is also email-focused.

Can I move from Migadu to Fastmail later?

Yes. Both support IMAP, so a migration tool can copy mail, and you then switch MX and other DNS records. Keep the old service for a week to catch delayed mail.

What are the sending limits on Migadu's cheapest plan?

Migadu's entry tier has a small daily cap on outgoing and incoming messages that is fine for a personal domain but tight for a sales team. Fastmail's per-user limits are far higher. If you expect busy outbound days, start on Migadu's mid tier or pick a host whose limits you have read in full.