Neir

Neir is a Swedish private-email service combining webmail, a desktop application, standard mail-client access, Tor and a no-JavaScript webmail. It suits individuals who value low-data account practices and flexible access, provided they understand that its encryption does not make ordinary email end to end secure.

Overview

Neir encrypts webmail message-body copies and attachments to the account’s OpenPGP key. That protection is narrower than end-to-end email: incoming messages arrive over SMTP in plaintext, and the service processes ordinary SMTP and IMAP mail in plaintext while retaining protocol-compatible mailbox copies. Choose Neir for encrypted stored webmail copies, not for confidential delivery between correspondents.

Signup does not require a legal name, phone number, recovery email, birth date or identification document. Neir says web and mail-login logs omit account IP addresses, and that it does not create advertising profiles or use third-party analytics. It stores one-way verifiers of the Account Key and recovery phrase instead of the original values. These practices limit the account data Neir says it keeps, but they do not remove standard-email exposure.

Key features

Broad access, with a capable desktop app

Webmail is supplemented by Tor access, a no-JavaScript webmail, and clients using IMAP, POP3 or SMTP, including Thunderbird, Apple Mail and Outlook. That breadth fits people who move between devices or already have a preferred mail program. The open-source desktop app, released under AGPL-3.0, adds native notifications, automatic locking and a local cache sealed with a key from the system vault.

Separate credentials and transport safeguards

Mail clients use revocable app passwords rather than the Account Key, limiting the damage if a client credential must be withdrawn. Neir requires encrypted connections on every port. It checks incoming mail for spam and malware and defers delivery when those checks are unavailable, prioritizing screening over immediate delivery.

Retention and sending constraints

Trash and Spam are emptied automatically after 30 days, although rotating backups may retain deleted items for a limited recovery period. Free accounts can send to Neir addresses only; sending to outside addresses requires Pro. That restriction is decisive for anyone using email with ordinary external contacts.

Pricing

The Free tier works for a very light, Neir-only mailbox and testing the service, but 10 MB is quickly restrictive and external sending is unavailable. Pro is the practical choice for a primary address: it expands storage five-hundredfold, removes the sending restriction and adds controls and support. Neir also quotes paid access from $4.25 per user per month; the listed Pro price is 4.99 USD monthly, with cryptocurrency prepayment terms. There is no free trial.

Platforms

Neir supports Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, Windows and the web. Standard IMAP, POP3 and SMTP support adds compatibility beyond its own applications.

Who it's for

Neir is a good fit for privacy-conscious individuals who want anonymous-style signup requirements, IP-history-free login records, encrypted webmail copies and the option to use established mail clients. It is less suitable for businesses or correspondents that require end-to-end protection of ordinary messages, or for anyone who needs to send externally while staying on a free plan.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Flexible access: webmail, Tor, no-JavaScript webmail, desktop software and major mail clients cover varied workflows.
• Focused account privacy: signup avoids several identity fields, and Neir says login IP addresses are not recorded or used for advertising profiles.
• Useful desktop security: automatic locking and a system-vault-sealed local cache are paired with open-source AGPL-3.0 code.
• Revocable client access: separate app passwords can be withdrawn without replacing the Account Key.

Cons

• No end-to-end ordinary email: SMTP and IMAP mail is processed in plaintext and stored in protocol-compatible copies.
• Free sending wall: external recipients require Pro, making the free tier unsuitable as a general-purpose address.
• Very small free mailbox: 10 MB leaves little room for a lasting inbox.
• Cryptocurrency prepayment for Pro: paid terms require advance payment for selected periods rather than a free trial.

Alternatives

Aster Mail is the stronger pick if you want an open-source service with 10 GB of encrypted storage and five aliases on its free plan.

eclipso Mail Europe suits readers seeking a free European mailbox with 4 GB of storage and no minimum contract period.

PrivMail is an option when a paid 5 GB mailbox and cancellation at any time matter more than a free tier.

Proton Mail is preferable for readers prioritizing end-to-end encryption on a free plan, despite its smaller 1 GB allowance.

Disroot Email offers a free 1 GB mailbox with IMAP, SMTP, SMTPS and POP support plus optional PGP encryption.

NevTan Mail is an alternative freemium provider with 5 GB per mailbox and support for multiple mailboxes.

QeyeT provides a free preview centered on mail, chat, calendars and meetings.

Tuta Mail is the better match if a free plan with end-to-end encryption and 1 GB storage meets your needs.

For a wider comparison, see Secure Email Providers and Email providers.

Verdict

Choose Neir if you want unusually flexible access, restrained account-data requirements and webmail copies encrypted to your OpenPGP key. Look elsewhere if end-to-end protection for normal email or free sending to the wider internet is essential; those are fundamental limits, not optional settings.