Kolab Now
Secure and private Swiss-hosted email, calendars and groupware
About Kolab Now
Kolab Now is a Swiss-hosted email and groupware service offering secure, private email, calendars, contacts, tasks, notes, file storage and video conferencing. Built entirely on the open-source Kolab groupware stack and operated by Kolab Systems AG in Zurich, it leans on strict Swiss privacy laws and supports open sync standards like ActiveSync, CalDAV and CardDAV.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Hosted entirely in Switzerland under strict privacy laws
- Built completely on free and open-source software (Kolab, Roundcube)
- Full groupware suite, not just email (calendars, contacts, files, video)
- Open sync standards (ActiveSync, CalDAV, CardDAV) work with any client
- 30-day free trial and flexible per-user group plans
Cons
- No free tier beyond the trial
- Pricing in CHF can feel higher than mainstream consumer email
- Interface is more utilitarian than polished consumer apps
- Smaller ecosystem and brand recognition than major providers
Key Features
Secure Email
Private email hosted in Switzerland under strict data protection laws, with server-side mail filtering.
Calendars
Personal and shared calendars with free/busy availability for scheduling without exposing details.
Contacts & Address Books
Contact synchronization and shared address books for teams via CardDAV.
Tasks & Notes
Task management and notes integrated into the groupware suite.
File Storage
Cloud file storage to share and sync documents alongside email and calendars.
Video Conferencing
Built-in video meetings as part of the collaboration suite.
Open Sync Standards
Works with ActiveSync, CalDAV and CardDAV plus IMAP/SMTP for any standard client.
Open-Source Foundation
Built completely on free and open-source Kolab groupware and Roundcube webmail.
Pricing
- Private Swiss-hosted email
- Server-side mail filtering
- IMAP/SMTP access
- 30-day free trial
- Calendar, contacts, tasks & notes
- File storage
- Video conferencing
- Scalable storage 2-100 GB
- Everything in Individual (per user)
- Admin login & domain management
- Shared calendars
- Shared address books
- 5 GB storage per user
Best For
Privacy-conscious individuals
People wanting a private, Swiss-hosted alternative to Gmail or Outlook for email and calendars.
Small teams and organizations
Groups needing shared calendars, address books and per-user admin under their own domain.
Open-source advocates
Users who prefer services built entirely on free and open-source software with open standards.
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