Softwr

Productivity · head to head

Fastmail vs Anvil

Fastmail logo

Fastmail

Productivity

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

From
$3/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Anvil logo

Anvil

Productivity

PDF workflow tools for developers

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Anvil 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.; Anvil free and AI Pack plans restrict interactive signing to UI-only access
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Fastmail and Anvil actually diverge.

Attributes where Fastmail and Anvil differ
AttributeFastmailAnvil
Starting price$3/monthFree
Pricing modelPer user per monthfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, macOS, WindowsWeb

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 Anvil

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

Anvil

  • PDF automation for document workflowsnot Fastmail
  • E-signature solutions for legal documentsnot Fastmail
  • Data collection through mobile webformsnot Fastmail
  • Insurance and healthcare document processingnot Fastmail
  • Real estate and financial document automationnot 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.

Anvil

  • Free and AI Pack plans restrict interactive signing to UI-only access
  • HIPAA compliance and embedded builders require Enterprise tier
  • No native Salesforce or HubSpot integrations, Zapier only

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

Anvil

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 2 user seats
    • Unlimited templates
    • Unlimited submissions and e-sign packets
  • AI Pack$99/month
    • 5 user seats
    • API access to Document AI
    • 50-page Document AI limit
  • Product Pack$425/month
    • 5 user seats
    • All AI Pack features
    • White-labeling
  • Enterprise$null/custom
    • Unlimited user seats
    • White-label builders
    • Advanced security (HIPAA/BAA/DPA, 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 Anvil if

  • You want to start without paying.
Anvil review

Questions people ask

Is Fastmail or Anvil better?
Neither clearly leads. Fastmail starts at $3/month and Anvil at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Fastmail or Anvil?
Anvil has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $3/month for Fastmail and Free for Anvil.
Does Fastmail or Anvil run on more platforms?
Fastmail runs on Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows. Anvil runs on Web.
Can I use Anvil for free?
Yes. Anvil 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 Anvil is typically brought in for.
What can Fastmail do that Anvil 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.

Anvil: Does Anvil offer a free plan?

Yes, Anvil's free plan includes unlimited Etch e-signature packets (dashboard only), dashboard-only PDF filling with Document AI, 2,500 free credits for PDF generation, and 500 free PDF-filling API calls.

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.

Anvil: What is the cheapest paid plan?

The AI Pack tier costs $99/month ($79/month annually) and includes 5 user seats, API access to Document AI features, and 50-page document tagging limit.

Source
Fastmail: Can I use my own domain?

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

Anvil: What additional fees does Anvil charge?

Beyond subscription plans, Anvil charges usage-based fees: $0.10 per PDF fill/generation (2,500 included), $1.00 per workflow submission (25 included), and $1.50 per e-sign packet (25 included). Volume discounts up to 55% off are available.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Fastmail

More on Anvil

Keep looking

Other head to heads