Business email
How to use E-STAGE Mail in Gmail, Outlook or Apple Mail
Last reviewed: By Cluesfinders Editorial Team
Since October 2026, the mailbox on your own domain in E-STAGE Mail can also open in the email apps you already use: the iPhone Mail app, the Gmail app, Outlook, Thunderbird or Mac Mail. It is off by default, because the default setting is the most private one. This guide shows where the switch is, what you gain, what you give up, and how to decide.
Disclosure: Cluesfinders is an independent affiliate of E-STAGE and may earn a commission if you sign up through our links, at no extra cost to you. That relationship does not change the facts we report about other platforms.
The two privacy settings, side by side
| E-STAGE apps only (default) | Any app | |
|---|---|---|
| Where you read mail | E-STAGE Mail in the browser today; E-STAGE mobile and desktop apps are on the way | Gmail app, Outlook, Apple Mail, Thunderbird and other IMAP apps |
| Who can read stored mail | Nobody but you: zero-access encryption, so E-STAGE cannot read it | Still encrypted, but mail passes through the server to reach your apps |
| Mail between two E-STAGE mailboxes | End-to-end encrypted | Same protection level as Gmail or Apple Mail |
| If E-STAGE received a legal request | It has no way to hand over the contents | Contents could be provided, as with other mainstream providers |
| How you connect | Nothing to set up | IMAP and SMTP with an app password, guided per app |
As explained by E-STAGE on October 1, 2026. Confirm the current wording inside your own mailbox settings.
Why it starts on the strictest setting
Every new mailbox is set to E-STAGE apps only. In that mode your mail is protected with zero-access encryption: it is not readable on E-STAGE servers, and mail sent between two E-STAGE mailboxes is end-to-end encrypted.
E-STAGE used a simple example in the live: if a company like Google or Apple receives a court order for a mailbox, it can hand over the contents. On the default E-STAGE setting there is nothing readable to hand over. That is the trade-off you are choosing between.
Where to find the setting
- Open your mailbox: from Email Box at the top of the Genesis dashboard, or from your domain inside a project.
- Click Settings at the bottom of the mailbox.
- Open Privacy. It shows E-STAGE apps only, selected by default.
- Choose the option that allows other apps and confirm with I understand.
Connect your app step by step
After you allow other apps, a setup guide opens inside the mailbox. You pick your app (iPhone, the Gmail app, Outlook, Thunderbird or Mac Mail) and it gives you the exact steps and server details for that app.
The connection uses IMAP to read and SMTP to send, with an app password instead of your main mailbox password. For Apple Mail there is a one-download setup. Copy the server details from the guide in your own mailbox rather than from another website, so they always match your account.
Should you turn it on?
- Keep E-STAGE apps only if you handle sensitive client information (health, legal, financial or coaching notes) or simply want the strongest privacy.
- Allow other apps if you need your business email on your phone today and you are comfortable with the same protection level as Gmail or Apple Mail.
- A middle path: keep the default now and switch later, once the E-STAGE Mail mobile app is available.
- You can change the setting at any time from the same Privacy screen.
Also new in the E-STAGE Mail webmail
- Gmail-style keyboard shortcuts, listed at the bottom of the webmail.
- A compose window in three sizes: small, medium and full screen for long emails.
- An address from a deleted mailbox can be reused right away.
- Storage is 5 GB per mailbox.
Business email on your own domain, inside your hub
Get a domain, create mailboxes like hello@ and support@, and keep them next to your site, community and CRM.
See Domains and MailCluesfinders is an independent affiliate of E-STAGE and may earn a commission from links on this page, at no extra cost to you.
Frequently asked questions
Can I read my E-STAGE business email on my iPhone?
Yes. In the mailbox Settings, open Privacy, allow other apps, and follow the iPhone steps in the setup guide. The mail then appears in the iPhone Mail app like any other account.
Can I add E-STAGE Mail to the Gmail app or to Outlook?
Yes. The setup guide has steps for the Gmail app, Outlook, Thunderbird and Mac Mail. It connects with IMAP and SMTP and an app password.
Is my email still private if I use another app?
It is still encrypted and protected, at the same level as mainstream providers like Gmail or Apple Mail. What you give up is zero-access: in the default mode E-STAGE cannot read your stored mail at all.
Why is it off by default?
Because the default, E-STAGE apps only, is the most private setting. Turning on other apps is your choice, made in the Privacy screen.
How much storage does each mailbox have?
5 GB per mailbox, as stated by E-STAGE on October 1, 2026.