Fact check: What’s the difference between Tuta and Fastmail?

1. Summary of the results

Both Tuta (formerly Tutanota) and Fastmail are privacy-focused email providers ^[1], but they have several key differences:

• Location & Infrastructure: Tuta operates from Germany ^[2], while Fastmail is based in Australia with US offices ^[3]
• Encryption Approach: Tuta offers end-to-end encryption using AES and RSA standards, with encryption happening directly on the device ^[2]. Fastmail uses encryption for operations and storage but doesn't specify end-to-end encryption ^[3]
• Open Source Status: Tuta is 100% open-source, while Fastmail is closed-source ^[4]
• Pricing: Fastmail's plans range from $3 to $9 per user monthly, offering up to 100GB storage ^[3]

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question doesn't address several important factors that users should consider:

• Government Jurisdiction: Being based in different countries (Germany vs Australia/US) means different privacy laws and regulations apply to each service ^{[2] [3]}
• Transparency Philosophy: Tuta emphasizes open-source transparency for independent auditing and trust-building ^[4]
• Marketing Focus: While both emphasize privacy, they position themselves differently:
• Fastmail markets itself as "Fast, private email that's just for you"
• Tuta promotes itself as "Secure, green and ad-free" ^[4]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The question itself is neutral, but users should be aware that:

• Both services benefit financially from positioning themselves as privacy-focused alternatives to mainstream email providers ^[1]
• The comparison should be based on multiple factors including "security, privacy, features, and company values" rather than just one aspect ^[5]
• Tuta's open-source nature allows for independent verification of security claims, while Fastmail's closed-source approach requires more trust in the company itself ^[4]