# Forward Email Backups privacy rating

Built-in mailbox backup and export for Forward Email accounts. Mailboxes are backed up as encrypted SQLite files, optionally to the user's own S3-compatible storage, and can be downloaded as encrypted SQLite or password-protected EML or MBOX archives with contacts and calendars.

> **Disclosure:** Privacy Ratings is maintained by the team behind Forward Email. This entry is scored by the same criteria as every other entry in this category, and changes to it are reviewed under the published conflict-of-interest rules.

## Summary

Forward Email Backups scores 85 out of 100 (grade B) on the email backup tools criteria. It meets 3 of 4 criteria: open source, no ads or data sales and independent audit. It partly meets no trackers or telemetry. It is based in the United States: Five Eyes member; subject to the US CLOUD Act.

- Website: https://forwardemail.net/en/faq#how-do-i-export-and-backup-my-mailbox
- Source code: https://github.com/forwardemail/forwardemail.net
- Jurisdiction: United States. Five Eyes member. Subject to the US CLOUD Act.
- Platforms: Web
- Home page trackers: none found
- Category: [Email backup tools](https://privacyratings.com/email-backup/)
- Also rated: [Forward Email](https://privacyratings.com/email-providers/forward-email/) (Email providers), [Forward Email](https://privacyratings.com/email-forwarding/forward-email/) (Email forwarding and aliases), [Forward Email](https://privacyratings.com/email-clients/forward-email/) (Email clients), [Forward Email Webmail](https://privacyratings.com/webmail/forward-email-webmail/) (Webmail), [Forward Email](https://privacyratings.com/mail-server-software/forward-email/) (Mail server software), [Forward Email](https://privacyratings.com/email-sending/forward-email/) (Email sending services), [Forward Email](https://privacyratings.com/newsletters/forward-email/) (Newsletter platforms), [Forward Email Calendar](https://privacyratings.com/calendars/forward-email-calendar/) (Calendars)
- Grade: B (85/100)

## Criteria

| Criterion | Answer | Note | Evidence |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Open source | Yes | All code is public, as part of the Forward Email service code. Core mail storage and protocol code is MPL-2.0 and the rest is under the source-available Business Source License 1.1 (BUSL-1.1), which becomes MPL-2.0 four years after each release. | https://github.com/forwardemail/forwardemail.net/blob/master/LICENSE.md |
| No trackers or telemetry | Partial | No third-party analytics. First-party anonymized analytics of page views and service usage is on by default. | https://forwardemail.net/en/privacy#analytics |
| No ads or data sales | Yes | Included with paid Forward Email plans. No ads, and the privacy policy states user data is not shared with third parties. | https://forwardemail.net/en/private-business-email |
| Independent audit | Yes | Cure53 audited the Forward Email service code, including the encrypted mailbox storage and the S3 backup storage settings. | https://cure53.de/pentest-report_forward-email.pdf |

Source: https://privacyratings.com/email-backup/forward-email-backups/
Edit: https://github.com/privacyratings/privacyratings.com/edit/main/ratings/email-backup/forward-email-backups.md