OnionMail: A Specialized Email Service on the Tor Network

OnionMailOnionMail is a niche email service that operates entirely within the Tor network, using onion addresses and hidden services for full anonymity. It supports standard protocols like IMAP, SMTP, and POP3 while requiring no personal information to create an account. Designed for maximum privacy rather than convenience, OnionMail offers protection from surveillance but comes with slower speeds and limited adoption. It stands as an example of how email can function entirely inside an anonymous network. More (or Onion Mail) is a project created as an alternative email system that operates entirely within the Tor network. Unlike mainstream services such as Gmail or Proton, OnionMailOnionMail is a niche email service that operates entirely within the Tor network, using onion addresses and hidden services for full anonymity. It supports standard protocols like IMAP, SMTP, and POP3 while requiring no personal information to create an account. Designed for maximum privacy rather than convenience, OnionMail offers protection from surveillance but comes with slower speeds and limited adoption. It stands as an example of how email can function entirely inside an anonymous network. More is designed specifically for onion addresses and hidden services, making it unique among email platforms.

Core Concept

The main goal of OnionMailOnionMail is a niche email service that operates entirely within the Tor network, using onion addresses and hidden services for full anonymity. It supports standard protocols like IMAP, SMTP, and POP3 while requiring no personal information to create an account. Designed for maximum privacy rather than convenience, OnionMail offers protection from surveillance but comes with slower speeds and limited adoption. It stands as an example of how email can function entirely inside an anonymous network. More is to provide users with a fully anonymous channel for sending and receiving email. It relies on onion services, ensuring that both sender and recipient IP addresses remain hidden.

The service was envisioned as a decentralized alternative to traditional email, accessible only via Tor and without reliance on the clearnet.

Key Features

• Web interface via onion addresses. Users access their inbox and messages exclusively through onion links.
• Support for standard protocols. IMAP, SMTP, and POP3 are implemented for use within the Tor network.
• Default anonymity. No personal information is required to create an account.
• Open-source components. Parts of the project’s code are publicly available for security auditing.
• Hidden federation support. Enables message exchange between OnionMailOnionMail is a niche email service that operates entirely within the Tor network, using onion addresses and hidden services for full anonymity. It supports standard protocols like IMAP, SMTP, and POP3 while requiring no personal information to create an account. Designed for maximum privacy rather than convenience, OnionMail offers protection from surveillance but comes with slower speeds and limited adoption. It stands as an example of how email can function entirely inside an anonymous network. More users and other onion-based services.

Advantages

• Maximum privacy. All traffic is routed through Tor, and the web interface is onion-only.
• Protection from surveillance. ISPs and governments cannot track communications.
• Focus on anonymity. Unlike mainstream providers, the project is built for strict confidentiality rather than mass adoption.

Limitations

• Speed. Tor routing makes communication slower than with traditional email.
• Complexity. Configuration may be challenging for non-technical users.
• Limited adoption. Compared to ProtonMailProtonMail, launched in 2014 by scientists from CERN and MIT, is one of the world’s most trusted encrypted email services. Built under Swiss privacy laws, it offers end-to-end encrypted email, calendar, cloud storage, and VPN as part of the broader Proton ecosystem. With features like self-destructing messages and password-protected emails, Proton ensures users keep full control of their data. Guided by the principle “Your data, your rules,” Proton has become a global symbol of digital privacy and security. More or RiseupRiseup is a secure digital platform created by activists to provide privacy-focused tools like email, mailing lists, VPN, and file sharing. It publishes official onion addresses for IMAP, POP3, and SMTP, ensuring anonymous and secure access through Tor. Unlike commercial services, Riseup is independent, funded by donations, and committed to protecting privacy without logging or selling user data. It has become a vital resource for activists, human rights groups, and social movements worldwide. More, OnionMailOnionMail is a niche email service that operates entirely within the Tor network, using onion addresses and hidden services for full anonymity. It supports standard protocols like IMAP, SMTP, and POP3 while requiring no personal information to create an account. Designed for maximum privacy rather than convenience, OnionMail offers protection from surveillance but comes with slower speeds and limited adoption. It stands as an example of how email can function entirely inside an anonymous network. More has a smaller user base and support community.
• Stability. Dependence on Tor and hidden services can lead to occasional downtime.

Significance

OnionMailOnionMail is a niche email service that operates entirely within the Tor network, using onion addresses and hidden services for full anonymity. It supports standard protocols like IMAP, SMTP, and POP3 while requiring no personal information to create an account. Designed for maximum privacy rather than convenience, OnionMail offers protection from surveillance but comes with slower speeds and limited adoption. It stands as an example of how email can function entirely inside an anonymous network. More is both an experiment and a practical solution for those seeking an email system that exists entirely within an anonymous network. It demonstrates how Tor can be used not only for websites and chats but also for full-fledged email infrastructure.

Conclusion

OnionMailOnionMail is a niche email service that operates entirely within the Tor network, using onion addresses and hidden services for full anonymity. It supports standard protocols like IMAP, SMTP, and POP3 while requiring no personal information to create an account. Designed for maximum privacy rather than convenience, OnionMail offers protection from surveillance but comes with slower speeds and limited adoption. It stands as an example of how email can function entirely inside an anonymous network. More is a niche yet important project, showing what an email service can look like when privacy and anonymity are prioritized over convenience and speed. While it is not meant for mass audiences, its existence underscores the fact that users do have a choice when it comes to maximum confidentiality — even in something as fundamental as email.