FastMail.fm

The issue is that once a email provider has you as a customer they know that you give out your email and potentially hundreds of people know it to contact you. If you change it, they know it's a huge hassle and they have you by the balls. They offered me a free account for many many years then suddenly they decide it's uneconomical for them. So they basically say pay up or lose your email. This is what the danger is. Even if it's a paid account they still can raise the price on you as they wish because you are locked in or at least they think so.

Better off staying on an email provider that is based on advertising for their revenue like Gmail, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail ect. It (almost) assures you that it will stay free.

BTW, their GUI looks like it was designed by a pimple faced 14 year old sitting in his mothers basement.

Four months ago, I went searching for an email provider that wasn't Gmail. I was hoping for a free service, so I tried AOL, Mail, GMX, Lycos, Yandex and Zoho. All had some significant problem. I upped my search into the realm of paid providers. Finally, I found Fastmail.

It was easy to use. It's good-looking. The calendar (essential item) was simple to use. My mail from Yahoo, Outlook and Gmail could be sucked into it, also essential. And responses could be sent out from the original email to fool folks.

Fastmail is incredibly well-organized. Though not a free service, the prices are very reasonable for individual use, starting at just $10 U.S. Then there's a $20 plan, and a $40, which comes with priority tech support. I got the $20 version. Priority tech support starts with the $40 plan. During my free trial, I was using the $40 plan. Twice I requested tech support, and it came quickly and efficiently. My $20 plan does not have priority support, but if I ever was in need of it, I'd simply upgrade to the $40 plan. So, far -- seven months in -- the system is working great. And it's noticeably faster than my Gmail.

I've become a big fan. (For some reason this review appears to be for fastmail.fm, but I use fastmail.com.)

... the good reviews are unfortunately outdated.
Or maybe just ok for techies - but for ordinary working moms running a small business and needing reliable with good customer service NOT the way to go.
Let me start by saying - i think its crazy to try and get a service as important as email for free!

I have used and paid for fastmail for nearly 13 years - way before it was bought by opera
I used to love fastmail.
The aliases, the kids could have different accounts
The speed of setting up imap accounts, even for me to sync with tablets and phone
The interface - none of that nested nonesense

But over the last three years its gone downhill not by standing still but by changing for the worse.
1.the interface. Simply put - my 10 old year gets lost
2. My mobile experience is too different to the desktop
3. The imap somehow caused a conflict with the new gmail app (which I have to have as work has google professional something or other) meaning I randomly do not get emails. My IT department at work banned me having fastmail
4. Oh and customer service is a no show

SO fastmail gets 1 star out of 5