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Alternaive to Fastmail (using a custom email domain)

I've been wanting to ditch Gmail for too long now. In the context of privacy, I had seen FastMail mentioned a number of times on HN and by all accounts it looked good from the outside. One of the key must-haves for me is the ability to use a custom email domain. FM has that. Great!

Note: My needs are only for me. There are no other team members - at least not at this time.

Unfortunately, I've run into a couple of things with FM that for me make it a bad fit.

1) I've set up my custom domain and have an address, [email protected]. Unfortunately, in the FM email client - web and mobile - the default send from is always [email protected], and I have to manually switch the send from to [email protected].

Since I'm using this for professional purposes, this is annoying and a deal breaker. I don't want to sending from [email protected] *at all*. At the very least, if I'm using my own custom domain why wouldn't that be the default? Bad product design?

2) Along the same lines, apparently there's no way to "decouple" [email protected] from [email protected]. That is, to get to [email protected] I have to log into [email protected]. But that means - on web and mobile. - my admin "stuff" is readily available.

I would prefer it if my [email protected] had its own password just for email, and that if I need to switch into [email protected] to do something "admin-y" there's at least a "please re-enter your password" or "please enter your admin pin". Something to prevent mistake. Something to add a bit of sec in the case, say, I lose my mobile device and someone guesses my PIN (or whatever).

As far as I can tell, the only way to get the "decoupling" effect would be to have two @fastmail.com accounts both on the $50 tier. But even so, as far as I can tell, I'm still stuck w/ their email client defaulting to @fastmail.com instead of @my-custom-domain.com - which just boggle my mind that something THAT simple isn't possible.

I want privacy.

But I also want some sense of security.

And some sense of UX.

Thanks.

( 6 comments | 2 points | on HN )
Re:Alternaive to Fastmail (using a custom email domain) by ljoshua on Sunday June 04, 2023 @03:08PM (#36188503)
Have you reached out to FM support? I have one $50 account at my custom domain and neither of those problems are issues for me at all. It always defaults to my custom domain, and I log in with my custom domain as well. I have several other aliases and domains that I can use as well, but those are not the default (and I've never used the @fastmail domain).

Support has always been very responsive in my experience. I'd try them first.

Re:Alternaive to Fastmail (using a custom email domain) by chiefalchemist on Sunday June 04, 2023 @03:56PM (#36188970)
I have some email into them, yes. I've been in the FM UI for the last X hours trying different settings, etc.

I don't see where / how I can make the @my-custom-domain.com email the default.

I don't see where I can set a different PW for that same email. Or do I use the same PW for the @fastmail.com address I used to "open" the account?

Re:Alternaive to Fastmail (using a custom email domain) by ale_jacques on Sunday June 04, 2023 @04:31PM (#36189309)
I also have registered 2 domains for the same account and I have no issues.

I also can't seem to find a fastmail.com domain registered for my account (I know it's probably a default one but I don't see it in my "Domains" settings page).

Re:Alternaive to Fastmail (using a custom email domain) by nmjenkins on Sunday June 04, 2023 @05:58PM (#36189992)
To change your default "From" address, go to: Settings -> Signatures & Compose -> Compose options and it's the very first setting at the top. (Direct link: https://app.fastmail.com/settings/sending/composing).

You always use your username for authentication. (But it's not special other than that; you can send from any of your addresses equally.) You can rename your user to your address at the custom domain in Settings -> Team & Sharing -> User management. (Direct link: https://app.fastmail.com/settings/team/users).

Re:Alternaive to Fastmail (using a custom email domain) by chiefalchemist on Sunday June 04, 2023 @07:45PM (#36190641)
Thanks.

Ah. I didn't think to look there. I was looking for a setting in the UI for the particular address.

I'll check this now.

Tho' I still don't like the idea that the email I'm using is auth'ed with my FM admin address. Meaning I'm also logged in as admin even tho I only want to be limited to using my custom domian email - nothing more, nothing less.

Re:Alternaive to Fastmail (using a custom email domain) by veratwiger on Saturday June 10, 2023 @04:22PM (#36274692)
You can make you your custom domain your account address and just delete the Fastmail address if you want.