Show HN: Happymail – We made email simple again

[samset7]

https://happymail.tech/concept/

Eight years ago, I was job hunting and felt embarrassed by my Gmail address. I tried registering firstname.lastname — taken everywhere. So I thought: "I'm in IT, I'll set up my own domain with my own IMAP/SMTP. How hard could it be?"

A lot went wrong. Forgotten renewals. rocky DNS mistakes. I ended migrating toward Google Workspace, but in the end it felt overkill, having a subscription there plus the whole registrar subscription, and the whole GAFAM sticker on it. Moreover, the final price was way too high for me at the time.

Six months ago, someone approached me and related to that issue, then said: "What if we automated all of that? Want to build it together?" I said yes.

So Happymail was born. Anecdotal, My wife did found this name, excellent one!

You search for an available email address using simple keywords (like your name), pick one, and you're set up in minutes. That's it.

Zero config – works instantly with Outlook, Thunderbird, any mail app. Just email + password.

You own your data – no GAFAM, no tracking, ever

We handle the hard stuff – DNS, deliverability, renewals, domain reputation

How it works

We own and manage the domains — registrations, renewals, DNS, reputation — so you don't have to. Multiple people can share a domain without affecting each other (e.g., john@doe.re and jane@doe.re coexist independently). You get the benefits of a custom domain without any of the technical responsibility or even the whole registrar yearly fee upfront.

Privacy by design

GDPR-compliant – fully hosted in France under strict EU privacy laws

We can't read your emails – Isolated from our main infrastructure, only you have the password.

Backend secured on Azure France – isolated, heavily guarded, no US jurisdiction

We never store your password – we set it up, you control it. You can reset it, but even we can't retrieve it.

No backdoors – only a serious court order could compel a password reset (extremely rare)

Your inbox is yours. We're in the business of infrastructure, not surveillance.

Pricing

€2 to €6.99/month depending on the domain (TLD costs vary). No hidden fees. We pay registrars, and infrastructure — you get a real email address you actually own.

What's not ready yet

We're launching early to get real feedback. The main missing piece: a migration tool to import your old emails from Gmail, Yahoo, GMX, etc. It's coming soon, but not today.

We didn't want to build in the dark. We have enough to be useful — now we want your criticism.

FAQ

What if Happymail shuts down? We've planned for the worst. We have reserved funds in a locked account specifically for this scenario. If we ever have to close: first we stop accepting new subscriptions, then everyone gets at least a year's notice to export their data and get their affairs in order. Let's hope it never happens.

Can I bring my own domain? No — we manage the domains to keep things simple and hassle-free.

Why not Proton or Fastmail? They're great, but you're still @protonmail.com or @fastmail.com. With Happymail, you're @yourself — no branding, ever.

What's the long-term business model? Subscriptions only. No ads, no data selling, ever. We plan to add optional extras down the road (more storage, a simple personal page for resumes, etc.), but the core stays simple.

The new year is coming, and what better realistic new resolution than having a clean email that you are proud of? Happy new year! Happymail!

[grenran]

Most people ditch GAFAM because they want to own their digital identity and not just trade one gatekeeper for another, even if it's "hassle free" to start off with.

And with the setup of Happymail renting out individual email addresses under the same domain to different users, it makes it impossible for them to leave the platform. Have you considered letting people own their domains?

[samset7 → grenran]

Thanks for the thoughtful feedback, grenran. You're right that domain ownership is the gold standard for digital sovereignty. We considered it, but realized it creates the exact complexity we're trying to eliminate: DNS management, registrar renewals, deliverability issues, etc. That said, your point about lock-in is valid. Here's our thinking: Portability matters. Your emails are yours. You can export everything via IMAP anytime, no artificial barriers. If you leave, you take your data. We're not gatekeeping your identity. We're providing infrastructure. Think of it like renting an apartment vs. buying a house, both are valid, and renting doesn't mean your landlord owns your furniture. For power users who want domain ownership, you're probably better served by Fastmail, Migadu, or self-hosting. We're not trying to replace those. We're targeting people who just want firstname@lastname.re without learning what an MX record is. The tradeoff is real: simplicity vs. full ownership. We chose to optimize for the 95% who want email to "just work." But we hear you, and we're exploring options like letting users transfer their address to their own domain if they ever want to graduate to full control. Would that kind of "graduation path" address your concern?