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Productivity · head to head

Fastmail vs Foxit PDF Editor

Fastmail logo

Fastmail

Productivity

Paid email hosting with custom domains, calendar and contacts, run without ad-based revenue

From
$3/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Foxit PDF Editor logo

Foxit PDF Editor

Productivity

The #1 Alternative to Adobe Acrobat

From
$10.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Fastmail it does not provide end-to-end encryption by default, so users specifically wanting zero-knowledge mail should compare it against Proton Mail or Tuta rather than assume parity.; Foxit PDF Editor the $209.99 perpetual licence excludes the AI Assistant, Smart Redact, the Document Management System and all cloud features
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Fastmail and Foxit PDF Editor actually diverge.

Attributes where Fastmail and Foxit PDF Editor differ
AttributeFastmailFoxit PDF Editor
Starting price$3/month$10.99/month
Pricing modelPer user per monthsubscription
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, macOS, WindowsWeb

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Productivity).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Fastmail

  • Custom domain hosting
  • Masked email
  • Unlimited aliases
  • Integrated calendar and contacts
  • Migration tools
  • JMAP support

Only in Foxit PDF Editor

Nothing recorded that Fastmail does not also cover.

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Fastmail

  • Someone who wants their email address tied to a domain they own rather than a free provider they do notnot Foxit PDF Editor
  • A small business wanting hosted mail on its own domain without running mail server infrastructurenot Foxit PDF Editor
  • A person leaving Gmail specifically to stop an ad-funded provider processing their mailnot Foxit PDF Editor
  • A household migrating several accounts to one paid provider with shared billingnot Foxit PDF Editor

Foxit PDF Editor

  • Creating, editing and signing PDF documents on Windows, macOS or the webnot Fastmail
  • Buying a perpetual PDF editor licence instead of a subscriptionnot Fastmail
  • Sending documents for signature with eSign, at 150 envelopes a year on PDF Editor+not Fastmail

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Fastmail

  • It does not provide end-to-end encryption by default, so users specifically wanting zero-knowledge mail should compare it against Proton Mail or Tuta rather than assume parity.
  • Moving to Fastmail is a real migration with DNS changes for a custom domain, unlike installing a client such as Spark or Bluemail over an existing account.
  • There is no free tier at all, so a user just wanting to try it commits to a paid trial rather than a permanently free option.
  • Storage limits on the entry Basic plan are modest next to the free allowance Gmail gives, and heavy attachment users will need Standard or above.
  • Being based in Australia means it falls under Australian data access law, which some privacy-focused buyers weigh differently from Swiss or German jurisdictions used by Proton Mail and Tuta.

Foxit PDF Editor

  • The $209.99 perpetual licence excludes the AI Assistant, Smart Redact, the Document Management System and all cloud features
  • Mobile apps for iOS and Android start on PDF Editor+ at $159.99 a year, not on the entry subscription
  • The AI Assistant is capped at 20 free credits per month on the entry plan

Pricing, plan by plan

Fastmail

$3/month
  • Basic$3/month
    • 6GB storage
    • No custom domain support
    • Core mail, calendar and contacts
  • Standard$5/month
    • 60GB storage
    • Custom domain support
    • Masked email and aliases
  • Professional$9/month
    • 150GB storage
    • Multiple custom domains
    • Priority support

Foxit PDF Editor

$10.99/month
  • PDF Editor$10.99/month
    • $131.88 per year paid in full
    • Document Management System
    • AI Assistant with 20 free credits per month
  • PDF Editor+$159.99/year
    • Everything in PDF Editor
    • iOS and Android apps
    • AI Smart Redact
  • Foxit PDF Editor 14 perpetual$209.99/one-time
    • One time purchase, no subscription
    • Editing, conversion, OCR, forms and security
    • Excludes AI Assistant, Smart Redact, DMS and cloud features

Which should you pick?

Choose Fastmail if

  • You need custom domain hosting.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows.
  • You also want masked email.
Fastmail review

Choose Foxit PDF Editor if

Nothing in the data separates Foxit PDF Editor from Fastmail on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Foxit PDF Editor review

Questions people ask

Is Fastmail or Foxit PDF Editor better?
Neither clearly leads. Fastmail starts at $3/month and Foxit PDF Editor at $10.99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Fastmail or Foxit PDF Editor?
Fastmail starts at $3/month and Foxit PDF Editor at $10.99/month.
Does Fastmail or Foxit PDF Editor run on more platforms?
Fastmail runs on Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows. Foxit PDF Editor runs on Web.
What is Fastmail best used for?
Fastmail is most often used for someone who wants their email address tied to a domain they own rather than a free provider they do not, a small business wanting hosted mail on its own domain without running mail server infrastructure, a person leaving gmail specifically to stop an ad-funded provider processing their mail, a household migrating several accounts to one paid provider with shared billing. Of those, someone who wants their email address tied to a domain they own rather than a free provider they do not and a small business wanting hosted mail on its own domain without running mail server infrastructure are not what Foxit PDF Editor is typically brought in for.
What can Fastmail do that Foxit PDF Editor cannot?
Fastmail covers Custom domain hosting, Masked email, Unlimited aliases, Integrated calendar and contacts.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Fastmail: Is Fastmail a client like Spark, or does it host my email?

It hosts the mailbox itself; there is no separate provider underneath it the way Spark sits over Gmail.

Foxit PDF Editor: How much does Foxit PDF Editor cost?

Foxit PDF Editor starts at $10.99 per month, or $131.88 per year paid in full. PDF Editor+ is $159.99 per year. A perpetual licence for Foxit PDF Editor 14 is a one time $209.99.

Source
Fastmail: Does Fastmail offer end-to-end encryption?

Not by default in the way Proton Mail or Tuta do; its privacy position rests on being subscription-funded rather than ad-funded.

Foxit PDF Editor: Can I buy Foxit PDF Editor without a subscription?

Yes. Foxit PDF Editor 14 is sold as a one time perpetual licence at $209.99. It covers editing, conversion, OCR, forms and security, but excludes the AI Assistant, Smart Redact, the Document Management System and cloud features.

Source
Fastmail: Can I use my own domain?

Yes, from the Standard plan up, with full alias and masked email support.

Foxit PDF Editor: Is there a free trial of Foxit PDF Editor?

Yes. Foxit offers a 14 day trial of PDF Editor+ with no credit card required.

Source
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