Suggestions for solid, small, professional email host offering .com or .net accounts
 

Hi,

I'm looking for suggestions for an email host to suggest to someone in my family who's trying to get away from Gmail. I know all the regular companies discussed here, but I can't seem to single one out from that lot that meets all the following criteria, so I'm open to other suggestions:

• Main focus on email hosting, not webhosting or something else.
• Support for accounts on their own .com or .net domain
• Strong IMAP support
• Good, responsive technical support. With responsive I mean tickets are answered within a matter of hours, not days. No layered support.
• Likely to be around for a long time. Having been around a long time already is a plus, but not required.
• Privacy-oriented, or at least privacy-conscious.
• A history of actually keeping the service up-to-date and improving it, not just talking about it and making empty promises.
• Simple, yet functional, non-proprietary webmail interface. Roundcube or Squirrelmail will do the job just fine.

Cost is not an issue, so suggest anyone that comes to mind. I know some of the items above are vague and perhaps contentious, but it's the best I could do. :)

The first that comes up to my mind: Pobox Mailstore https://pobox.com/pricing. Roundcube included.

Thanks for the suggestion. I was contemplating adding "not hosted in the U.S." to my list above, but decided against it.

Please keep the suggestions coming!

Seems like Polarismail meets all the requirements.

As the previous poster mentioned, PolarisMail meets all or most of the requirements. (I don't know how to evaluate "Likely to be around for a long time.")

I have been particularly impressed with tech support. I have usually emailed support, and George personally responds almost immediately. When I was getting started, he actually called me on the phone to walk me through synchronizing with Microsoft Outlook (the client which is part of Microsoft Office). There is also a phone number to call (I haven't used it), and an online chat thing which I used once with instant response.

They offer several standard web interfaces: Roundcube (which I like), Atmail, Horde, Squirrelmail, and (for Enhanced accounts) GroupOffice. Their IMAP is very fast and rock solid.

They and their servers are located in Canada (Montreal).

For someone in my family, I would point them in the direction of Runbox.

You indicated that cost is no option. Luxsci has the best support in my opinion. I don't think it offers Roundcube or Squirrelmail, however.

Yeah, cost-wise LuxSci would be ok, but the proprietary interface is much too complicated for the Gmail refugee in question. :)

EuMX is highly regarded here. Offers Open Web Mail, Horde, Squirrel Mail, Roundcube.
That is IF you can deal with their spartan, outdated website.

PolarisMail looks good, albeit the website looks cheap, with lots of stock images and animations. I know about their reputation from here, and they do offer both Roundcube and Squirrelmail as well as accounts on polarismail.net. They're definitely a contender.

As for "Likely to be around for a long time", all I'm asking is for a gut feeling, if you have one. I know no one here can accurately predict the future of any one company discussed on this forum.

servermx.com. Multiple Domain name, Roundcube and Squirrelmail, Sieve server-side filters, Calendar and Address book calDav and cardDAV with SOGo. Support ok.

I contacted servermx.com, and they responded very quickly. Unfortunately, they require that users bring their own domain, and do not offer to host accounts on one of their domains.

Well, a domain costs some $15/year..... And you can move it to another provider, keeping the same email address(es)

Roller Network. VFEmail. MXroute if you ask the same question next year (based on potential).

Fastmail or Runbox? they both seem not hosted in the US.
Or you give a try on @mail.china.com ? they provide free email with this domain name.
It certainly not in the US as everyone can see.

The New York Internet Company.

Yes, Fastmail's production servers are in New York City, USA

OK thanks for letting me know.

And for the OP's question, I was thinking a good solution is to buy a domain and host the email on Gandi or Yandex or Mail.ru, all of them are free. (Gandi requires you buy the domain from them.)

If you'd like I can provide the email account at @cloudcache.net (yandex) or @mail2000.us (mail.ru) for free.

I thought the requirement of fast tech support respone was intended as a swipe at Fastmail, so I didn't mention them earlier. I'm generally happy with them and they've been around a long time, but I do have to agree that their tech support is slow.

I think it is best to receive email at your own domain. That lets you move around from one mail host to another without having to change your email address. Otherwise you're locked in.

Roundcube and squirrelmail are nowhere near as nice to use as Gmail. Fastmail is comparable to gmail though maybe slightly less slick. Right now there's unfortunately no non-proprietary webmail application that's comparable, but it is bound to happen sooner or later.

If you have your own domain, mxroute.com is ridiculously cheap, though relatively new.

Jeffpan, Yandex says Cloudcache.net does not exist. This has been true for months. I sent you a PM here asking about it a few months ago but you did not reply. I see you are currently active on the forum, and I'm glad you are OK, so I'll ask the question in this thread --

What is the status of cloudcache.net? Did you decommission it?

Can you continue to use @yedujuan.com which is hosted by aliyun?
I saw you have an account which begins with nep*** there.
Thanks.