Riseup Email

Riseup Email is a free, invitation-only mailbox aimed at activists, allies and privacy-conscious users who prefer community-run infrastructure. It is a strong fit when avoiding phone-based signup and network-address logging matters more than storage capacity; users who need automatic backups, end-to-end encryption by default or open registration should look elsewhere.

Overview

Riseup has operated since 1999 and describes its email as movement-run communication infrastructure, funded entirely by small donations from users. An account can be used in Riseup webmail or with a separate mail application. Registration depends on an invite code from a trusted person, and signup does not ask for a phone number or personal information. That approach reinforces a community boundary, but it makes the service impractical for a new organization that must provision accounts immediately.

Riseup says it does not log users’ internet addresses and does not place the sender’s IP address in outgoing mail. Its services provide Tor onion services, with messages to certain activist providers routed over those services. These measures are relevant to users concerned about network exposure, but they do not provide the confidentiality of end-to-end encrypted messaging on their own.

Key features

Mail access and quota

The mailbox provides 1 GB of storage. That is workable for ordinary correspondence and a modest archive, but large attachments and long-term retention will force regular deletion or local archiving. IMAP and POP support let users choose how mail is synchronized or downloaded, while SMTP handles outgoing messages. Riseup recommends Thunderbird and lists client options for Linux, Mac, Windows, Android and iOS, so the service can fit an established desktop or mobile workflow instead of locking users into a browser.

Privacy and encryption

Riseup says messages are individually encrypted on its servers and unlocked with the account password, a zero-access storage design that limits server-side access. It also clearly states that the service is not end-to-end or client encrypted unless the user adds Mailvelope or another OpenPGP solution. Anyone who needs message contents protected from the provider or intermediaries must therefore configure an additional encryption layer and ensure correspondents can use it.

Retention and data responsibility

Trash messages are removed after 21 days and Spam messages after seven days. Riseup does not keep backups of all old messages and puts responsibility for preserving data on the user. Those policies reduce the chance of recovering something deleted or lost, so important mail should be copied to a client or another secure archive. Help is handled through a support ticket rather than a published service tier.

Pricing

There is one free plan and no free trial because the service is already free. It is best for an individual or small community member who can secure an invitation and accepts the 1 GB ceiling. There is no paid upgrade described for additional seats or capacity, so teams needing predictable provisioning or larger shared quotas should choose a different provider.

Platforms

Riseup Email supports web access plus Android, iOS, Linux, macOS and Windows through webmail or compatible mail clients. The broad client coverage is useful for mixed-device households and activist groups, while IMAP, POP and SMTP preserve compatibility with standard applications.

Who it's for

Choose Riseup if you participate in an activist or allied community, can obtain an invite, and value minimal signup information, no internet-address logging and Tor access. It also suits users willing to manage their own archives and add OpenPGP when stronger message secrecy is needed. It is a poor match for people who want a large mailbox, provider-managed recovery, default end-to-end encryption, or an account anyone can create without an invitation.

Pros and cons

• Pros: free service with no phone or personal-information requirement; invite-based access supports a trusted community model; 1 GB zero-access server storage; IMAP, POP and SMTP support; no logged internet addresses according to Riseup; Tor onion services.
• Cons: 1 GB fills quickly with attachments; ordinary mail is not end-to-end encrypted without OpenPGP; Trash and Spam expire after 21 and seven days; incomplete backups leave recovery and archiving to the user; obtaining an invite can delay signup.

Alternatives

For a wider comparison, see Private Email Services.

• Aster Mail is the better choice if you want a free, open-source service with 10 GB encrypted storage, aliases and a custom domain.
• Disroot Email suits users seeking a free 1 GB mailbox with webmail, broad mail protocols and optional PGP.
• Proton Mail is preferable when a free plan with encrypted storage and a dedicated encrypted-mail focus is more important than Riseup’s invitation model.
• eclipso Mail Europe offers a free 4 GB mailbox with POP3/SMTP, IMAP and calendar/contact protocols.
• PreVeil is aimed at users who require end-to-end email and file encryption plus data restoration.
• Thelemail is another free email option with published open-source components.
• Tuta Mail is the stronger alternative for a free plan advertising end-to-end encryption and a calendar.
• Mailo provides a free 1 GB mailbox with aliases and IMAP4/EAS access, but includes advertising.

Verdict

Riseup Email is a compelling free choice for invited activists and allies who want donation-funded infrastructure, restrained signup data and network-privacy measures. Its 1 GB limit, short automatic-retention windows, incomplete backups and lack of default end-to-end encryption are substantial trade-offs; choose another provider if dependable recovery, larger storage or turnkey encrypted correspondence is your priority.