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Productivity · head to head

Fastmail vs Granola

Fastmail logo

Fastmail

Productivity

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

From
$3/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Granola logo

Granola

Productivity

AI notepad that transcribes meetings and merges transcripts with user notes

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Granola has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • 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.; Granola free plan limits note access to 30 days; older notes become inaccessible unless upgraded
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Fastmail and Granola actually diverge.

Attributes where Fastmail and Granola differ
AttributeFastmailGranola
Starting price$3/monthFree
Pricing modelPer user per monthfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, macOS, WindowsmacOS, Windows, iOS, Android, Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams

Identical on both: 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 Granola

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 Granola
  • A small business wanting hosted mail on its own domain without running mail server infrastructurenot Granola
  • A person leaving Gmail specifically to stop an ad-funded provider processing their mailnot Granola
  • A household migrating several accounts to one paid provider with shared billingnot Granola

Granola

  • Automatic meeting documentation without dedicated note-takernot Fastmail
  • Action item extraction and task assignmentnot Fastmail
  • Meeting context retrieval via AI agent queriesnot Fastmail
  • Multi-language meeting transcriptionnot Fastmail
  • Compliance-friendly note generation for regulated industriesnot 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.

Granola

  • Free plan limits note access to 30 days; older notes become inaccessible unless upgraded
  • Premium pricing not published on main website; requires account signup or sales contact
  • Requires local computer audio; not suitable for purely phone-based calls via traditional phone lines
  • Note retention limits may affect long-term project documentation

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

Granola

Free
  • BasicFree
    • AI meeting notes with limited history
    • AI chat and shared folders
    • Customized templates
  • Business$14/month
    • Unlimited meeting notes and history
    • Advanced AI models
    • Integrations with Notion, Slack, HubSpot
  • Enterprise$35/month
    • Everything in Business plus
    • Enterprise security features
    • Single sign-on (SSO)

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 Granola if

  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on macOS, Windows, iOS, Android, Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams.
Granola review

Questions people ask

Is Fastmail or Granola better?
Neither clearly leads. Fastmail starts at $3/month and Granola at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Fastmail or Granola?
Granola has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $3/month for Fastmail and Free for Granola.
Does Fastmail or Granola run on more platforms?
Fastmail runs on Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows. Granola runs on macOS, Windows, iOS, Android, Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams.
Can I use Granola for free?
Yes. Granola has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Fastmail starts at $3/month.
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 Granola is typically brought in for.
What can Fastmail do that Granola 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.

Granola: What is Granola's pricing model?

Granola offers a freemium model with a free Basic tier, Business tier at 14 USD per user per month, and Enterprise tier at 35 USD per user per month.

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.

Granola: What features are included in the free tier?

The free Basic tier includes AI meeting notes with limited history, AI chat, shared folders, customized templates, and multi-language support.

Source
Fastmail: Can I use my own domain?

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

Granola: What integrations does Granola support?

Granola Business tier and above support integrations with Notion, Slack, HubSpot, and includes API access with MCP integration capabilities.

Source
Granola: What enterprise security features are included?

Enterprise tier includes single sign-on (SSO), priority support, admin controls, org-wide data deletion policies, and enterprise-grade security features.

Source
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