# Forward Email privacy rating

Self-hosted version of the Forward Email service, installed with a script that deploys Docker containers. It includes MX, SMTP, IMAP, POP3, CalDAV and CardDAV servers, encrypted SQLite mailboxes, a web interface and optional backups to S3-compatible storage.

> **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 scores 85 out of 100 (grade B) on the mail server software 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/self-hosted
- Source code: https://github.com/forwardemail/forwardemail.net
- Jurisdiction: United States. Five Eyes member. Subject to the US CLOUD Act.
- Platforms: Linux
- Home page trackers: none found
- Category: [Mail server software](https://privacyratings.com/mail-server-software/)
- 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 Backups](https://privacyratings.com/email-backup/forward-email-backups/) (Email backup tools), [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. 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. BUSL-1.1 allows production use except offering the software as a hosted service that competes with Forward Email. | https://github.com/forwardemail/forwardemail.net/blob/master/LICENSE.md |
| No trackers or telemetry | Partial | The self-hosting guide states no information is sent outside the server. The forwardemail.net website runs first-party anonymized analytics by default, with no third-party analytics. | https://forwardemail.net/en/self-hosted |
| No ads or data sales | Yes | Free to self-host. The company is funded by paid plans of its hosted service, with no ads. | https://forwardemail.net/en/private-business-email |
| Independent audit | Yes | Two independent Cure53 audits are published. The latest covers the full forwardemail.net code repository, including the self-hosting setup. | https://forwardemail.net/pentest-report_forward-email.pdf |

Installation is supported on Ubuntu and Debian servers. The [self-hosting guide](https://forwardemail.net/en/blog/docs/self-hosted-solution) lists the components and system requirements.

Source: https://privacyratings.com/mail-server-software/forward-email/
Edit: https://github.com/privacyratings/privacyratings.com/edit/main/ratings/mail-server-software/forward-email.md