FastMail is one of the oldest active email providers, still having a decent user base. It is a private email provider where you can manage your emails, contacts, and calendars. This is the longest stable email service. Still, many users want to switch to a Gmail account. In this blog, I am going to explain why people want to migrate from FastMail to Gmail and the ways to do it.

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Why Switch from FastMail to Gmail?

FastMail is known for its speed, privacy, and custom domain features, which make it a great software. But some people are switching to Gmail for several reasons.

  • FastMail does not provide you with a permanent free account like Gmail does. So, those who don’t have the budget to continue using FastMail. They shift to Gmail free account.
  • Because it is a paid email service, if you forget to renew the subscription. You may lose your account and data. To prevent that, copy their mailbox to Gmail.
  • If you have to use the Google native Google Workspace ecosystem. Then, you have to switch to Gmail, as it is deeply integrated into the productivity suite.
  • FastMail does not have a basic filtering option, like Gmail’s priority feature. Some find it odd for their work. That’s why they use Gmail for advanced filter options.
  • Sometimes FastMail creates duplicate or unfiltered push notifications before the rules are applied. However, there is no such issue in Gmail.
  • Gmail is more popular than FastMail and has a bigger user base. So, many prefer Gmail over FastMail.
  • FastMail recycles inactive email addresses on their own domains. However, Gmail permanently deletes the inactive address for any future issues.
  • The Masked feature of FastMail is incredible for privacy. But if you leave the service, then this feature traps your email address. Hence, you have to change to a new email address in Gmail.

Here are the reasons why people want to move from FastMail mailbox to Gmail. Transferring your mailbox manually can be difficult. Because Gmail doesn’t have a native option to import your emails from an IMAP account. So, your only manual option is to forward your emails.

Check Out: Guide on MDaemon Migration to Office 365

Manually Forward FastMail Emails to Gmail

Gmail has strict security rules, so there can be an issue when you directly forward emails. But FastMail uses SRS (Sender Rewriting Scheme) to handle forwarding safety. This makes sure that your forwarded emails will not get blocked by Gmail security protocols. To forward your specific emails. You can simply open the email.

  1. In the email, click on the Menu button. Then, select Forward or Forward as attachment.
  2. Enter the Gmail email address and click the Send button.
  3. You can set auto-forwarding with rules to forward upcoming emails. Go to Settings.
  4. Click Rules. Create a rule by choosing All messages in the If an incoming message matches section.
  5. Select Forward a copy to from the Do the following section. Enter your Gmail email address. Press the Save button.
  6. If you want to delete the forwarded email from FastMail. Edit the rule that you have just created.
  7. Click Add action and then the Permanently delete button. Hit Save.

So, this method would forward your emails, but it is not a proper migration process. The only manual option is drag and drop. You have to use an email client to sync both your accounts and then drag and drop the emails to their folder. But I have a better option than this, which is direct and can transfer multiple emails very easily.

Also See : How to Transfer Emails from Gmail to Gmail

Migrate from FastMail to Gmail with Professional Software

Professional tools like SysTools IMAP to IMAP Migration Tool are an easy and direct option to move your mailbox. The tool works on the IMAP protocol, where you can transfer from any email account to another. It is available for Windows and macOS systems. This software not only moves multiple users but also migrates specific emails based on a date range. It is a secure solution where your emails and folder hierarchy are preserved. Below are the working steps of the tool.

Working Steps of Professional Software

  1. Launch the tool and choose IMAP as the source and destination.Apply date filter to transfer email from Fastmail to Gmail
  2. In the source page, toggle the drop-down and select Others, then add the Fastmail server details like URL and port number. Validate and press Next.Select Gmail as the source IMAP server
  3. Likewise, do the same validation this time; select Gmail from the list. You won’t even have to add the details; the tool enters them automatically.Validate Gmail as the destination IMAP server
  4. Then, map the users with the help of the CSV template present inside the tool.Importing user list via CSV for migration
  5. At last, view the full user list, validate, and Start.Starting the professional Fastmail to Gmail migration process

Conclusion

FastMail is a nice email provider. However, due to preference or other reasons. Many want to move to Gmail. But Gmail doesn’t have a native option to transfer your emails. User can forward their emails or use an email client to manually transfer the files. They are used as a free way to get your emails, but they do not provide a proper migration experience. Professional software would be your best choice as it is created to migrate your emails without any issues.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Which is the most affordable plan that allows Fastmail to Gmail migration?
Get the 1-month Individual version of Fastmail, priced at $5 (cost may vary depending on your geographical location). It unlocks all you require to move Fastmail into Gmail. If your free Fastmail trial is about to end, then I suggest you act immediately and get it before it locks you out and deletes all your data.

Q: How long does it take to migrate Fastmail to Gmail?
Take a look at my discussion on email migration durations. There, I explain how your timeline changes linearly with the amount of data you have. Individual users can expect anywhere from 1 to 2 days at most. Businesses, on the other hand, take much longer to complete the transition.

Q: What folders can I export out of Fastmail?
You can select any folder, even custom ones. The only condition is that the folder needs to have emails in it. Fastmail does not allow export of empty folders; this rule applies weirdly, like parent folders are considered empty, even if their sub-folders contain emails.

Q: Can I migrate the messages from the free trial of Fastmail to Gmail?
Truth be told, there is no direct and free way to migrate from Fastmail to Gmail if you are still on the free trial. So, upgrade to the premium subscription before using any of the methods.