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Productivity · head to head

Fastmail vs Time Doctor

Fastmail logo

Fastmail

Productivity

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

From
$3/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Time Doctor logo

Time Doctor

Productivity

Employee time tracking and productivity monitoring

From
$3/addon
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.; Time Doctor specific plan prices not published on pricing page, must contact sales
  • They diverge on capability: Fastmail covers Custom domain hosting, Time Doctor covers Time tracking with timer.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Fastmail and Time Doctor actually diverge.

Attributes where Fastmail and Time Doctor differ
AttributeFastmailTime Doctor
Starting price$3/month$3/addon
Pricing modelPer user per monthsubscription
FoundedUnknown2011

Identical on both: free tier (No), platforms (Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows), 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 Time Doctor

  • Time tracking with timer
  • Activity monitoring
  • Screenshots
  • GPS tracking
  • Webcam monitoring
  • Reports and invoicing
  • Mobile apps
  • Team management

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

Time Doctor

  • Employee time tracking and productivity monitoringnot Fastmail
  • Remote and hybrid team managementnot Fastmail
  • Workforce analytics for resource optimizationnot Fastmail
  • Payroll integration for enterprisesnot 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.

Time Doctor

  • Specific plan prices not published on pricing page, must contact sales
  • Software Cost Insights add-on costs $3 per user per month
  • Historical data retention limited to 3 months on Basic tier
  • No pricing transparency for video recording and benchmarks add-ons

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

Time Doctor

$3/addon
  • Basic$null/month
    • Automatic tracking
    • Projects and tasks management
    • Screenshots
  • Standard$null/month
    • Everything in Basic
    • Schedules
    • Attendance
  • Premium$null/month
    • Everything in Standard
    • AI benchmarks
    • Video recording
  • Enterprise$null/month
    • All features
    • Private cloud
    • Customizable dashboards

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 Time Doctor if

  • You need time tracking with timer.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android, MacOS, Windows.
  • You also want activity monitoring.
Time Doctor review

Questions people ask

Is Fastmail or Time Doctor better?
Neither clearly leads. Fastmail starts at $3/month and Time Doctor at $3/addon, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Fastmail or Time Doctor?
Fastmail starts at $3/month and Time Doctor at $3/addon.
Does Fastmail or Time Doctor run on more platforms?
Fastmail runs on Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows. Time Doctor runs on Web, IOS, Android, MacOS, Windows.
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 Time Doctor is typically brought in for.
What can Fastmail do that Time Doctor cannot?
Fastmail covers Custom domain hosting, Masked email, Unlimited aliases, Integrated calendar and contacts. Time Doctor covers Time tracking with timer, Activity monitoring, Screenshots, GPS tracking.

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.

Time Doctor: Is there a free trial for Time Doctor?

Yes, Time Doctor offers two weeks of free access to all Premium plan features without requiring a credit card.

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.

Time Doctor: What are Time Doctor's add-on costs?

Software Cost Insights costs $3 per user per month. HRIS and Payroll integrations each cost $200 per integration. Benchmarks AI, Meeting Insights, and Video Recording pricing is not listed.

Source
Fastmail: Can I use my own domain?

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

Time Doctor: How long does Time Doctor retain employee data?

Data retention varies by plan: Basic tier retains 3 months of historical data, while Premium and Enterprise tiers retain 2 years.

Source
Time Doctor: Does Time Doctor offer annual billing discounts?

Yes, customers who pay annually receive two months free, equivalent to a 16.6% discount on the subscription cost.

Source
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