Forward Email

Overview

Forward Email combines custom-domain forwarding with paid email hosting and encrypted mailbox storage. It is best suited to people who want domain-based addresses and may need sending, storage, or team controls; the free plan is only for forwarding incoming mail.

That split is the key buying decision: free covers unlimited inbound forwarding, but not sending or server-side storage. Paid plans broaden the service into hosted email, while self-hosted Docker email is also an option for people who want to manage deployment themselves.

Key features

Forwarding, sending, and protocols

Custom domains, catch-all forwarding, multiple recipients, and delivery logs make Forward Email useful for routing domain mail to existing inboxes. Paid options include Gmail send-as, SMTP, email-to-webhook delivery, and developer API access. Those integrations suit users who need more than redirection, though the free plan cannot send mail.

IMAP and POP3 support standard email clients, while CalDAV and CardDAV cover calendar and contact protocols. Native apps are offered for macOS, Windows, Linux, Android, and iOS, alongside a web app. That range gives users several ways to access hosted mail rather than tying them to one platform.

Storage, security, and compliance

Enhanced Protection includes 10 GB of pooled storage; each extra 10 GB costs $3 per month. That is a useful starting allowance for a personal mailbox or small operation, but users with larger archives should factor in the recurring storage charge.

Email traffic uses TLS 1.2 or higher, and stored email is encrypted at rest with ChaCha20-Poly1305 in SQLite files. Security controls include multi-factor authentication, DKIM, SPF, DMARC, spam filtering, real-time attachment virus scanning, and phishing detection. The service also states GDPR-compliant data handling, CCPA privacy controls, SOC 2 Type II audited processes, and a DPA for business customers. These controls make it relevant to organizations with compliance needs, although the listed safeguards alone do not establish that a particular deployment meets every organization's obligations.

Forward Email describes its service as built with open-source software and lists self-hosted Docker email. That gives technically capable users a self-managed route, rather than limiting them to the hosted plans.

Pricing

The Free plan is billed $0/month for unlimited domains. It provides unlimited inbound email, spam protection, and a 50 MB attachment limit, but supports forwarding only: it cannot send mail or store mail on Forward Email servers. It works for domain aliases that redirect elsewhere, not for users who need a complete mailbox.

Enhanced Protection costs 3.00 USD per month, billed $3/month for unlimited domains. It includes unlimited aliases, 10 GB pooled storage, 9000+ outbound / month, and API access. This is the clearest fit for individuals, freelancers, and small businesses needing hosted mail and outbound capacity. Additional storage costs $3 per month per 10 GB.

Team costs 9.00 USD per month, billed $9/month for unlimited domains. It adds unlimited team members, team permissions, shared organizational access, and priority support. Groups that need shared administration and priority requests have a reason to move up from Enhanced Protection; the listed plan details do not include a storage allowance or outbound quota.

Enterprise costs 250.00 USD per month, billed $250/month for unlimited domains. It includes unlimited API requests, a dedicated support chatroom, an enterprise contract, onboarding, and real-time engineering support. Its positioning for education, healthcare, government, and custom implementations makes sense for organizations needing close support, but the price is a substantial step up from Team.

Platforms

Forward Email supports Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, Windows, web, API, and self-hosted use. The native apps and standard mail protocols broaden device choice, while API access and Docker self-hosting address automation and self-management needs.

Who it's for

Choose Forward Email if you want addresses on your own domain and value a path from simple inbound forwarding to encrypted hosted mail. Enhanced Protection targets individuals and small businesses; Team is aimed at groups needing shared access, and Enterprise at organizations requiring dedicated support or custom implementations. It is a poor fit if your only requirement is a free sending mailbox, since the free tier cannot send or retain mail on its servers.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Unlimited domains on every plan make it possible to use the service across multiple domains without changing tiers.
• Pro: The free tier allows unlimited inbound forwarding and includes spam protection, useful for routing domain mail without paying for hosted storage.
• Pro: Paid hosting combines 10 GB pooled storage with outbound mail, API access, and broad protocol support.
• Pro: Security controls include encrypted storage, multi-factor authentication, and attachment scanning, with compliance measures that address common organizational concerns.
• Con: Free users cannot send mail or store messages on Forward Email servers, so forwarding alone will not replace a mailbox.
• Con: Extra storage costs $3 per month per additional 10 GB, which can raise the bill for large archives.
• Con: Enterprise at 250.00 USD per month is a large jump from Team at 9.00 USD per month, making its support and contract features difficult to justify for smaller groups.

Alternatives

For a broader comparison of routing services, see Email Forwarding Services.

• EForw is worth considering if a web-only service with a free one-domain plan, unlimited catch-all aliases, and SPF, DKIM, and DMARC pass is enough; its Personal plan is 1.99 USD per month.
• Forward may suit someone who wants a free one-domain allowance of 25 aliases, 500 forwards per day, seven days of logs, and one team seat.
• ImprovMX is another web and API option, with a free plan covering one domain, 25 aliases, 500 forwarded emails per day, seven-day log retention, API access, and a 99% uptime guarantee.
• InboxMail may be a better match for readers seeking a free plan that combines one custom domain and unlimited aliases with agent inboxes and campaign capacity.
• Mailcast offers a free one-domain plan with up to 25 aliases and a 10Mb attachment limit, but no sending from the domain or webhook support.
• MailerZ has a free plan with one domain, three aliases, a 14-day message store, and one seat; send-as, SMTP, and API are disabled on that tier.
• Cloudflare Email Routing is a free alternative for unlimited inbound routing, with a paid Workers option that includes 3,000 outbound emails per month.
• DNSExit Email Forwarding is another web-based forwarding alternative.

Verdict

Forward Email is a strong choice for people who want custom-domain forwarding now and the option to add encrypted hosted mail, outbound sending, or team controls later. Its free tier is useful for forwarding, but anyone who needs a mailbox that sends or stores mail must choose a paid plan; look elsewhere if forwarding alone is all you need and another service better matches your domain or alias limits.