FrozenSpam vs SaneBox
Honest comparison between two opposed mail filtering philosophies. Updated May 2026.
One-sentence verdict — SaneBox tidies the mess. FrozenSpam prevents the mess from arriving. Fundamental philosophical difference. SaneBox is better if you want a "smartly sorted inbox". FrozenSpam if you want the spam folder to cease to exist.
Two opposed philosophies
SaneBox is a smart sorting assistant. It connects your webmail (Gmail, Outlook, Apple Mail) via OAuth, analyzes your habits, and moves emails into folders (`@SaneLater`, `@SaneBlackHole`). All emails still arrive, they're just sorted. The spammer gets confirmation that your address is active.
FrozenSpam is an MX gateway that intercepts between Internet and your mail server. Spam never arrives in your mailbox. The spammer is stopped at the door and doesn't even know your address exists (except on SPF/DMARC failure).
Detailed comparison
| Criterion | FrozenSpam | SaneBox |
|---|---|---|
| Main mechanism | MX gateway + challenge-response | OAuth + probabilistic sorting |
| Does spam arrive at your mailbox? | ✓ No, blocked at the door | ✘ Yes, just sorted into a folder |
| Does the spammer learn your address is active? | ✓ No | ✘ Yes (the mail was delivered) |
| Outbound auto-whitelist | ✓ native | ≈ history-based |
| Works for my pro domain at OVH/Gandi? | ✓ Universal MX gateway | ✘ OAuth webmails only |
| Works for Exchange / SmarterMail? | ✓ | ✘ |
| Solo / month price | €4.90 excl. VAT | ~$7.00 (~€6.50) |
| Pro / month price | €3.90 excl. VAT/box (10 boxes) | ~$25.00 (~€23) |
| Hosting | France | ✘ US |
| Mail content not analyzed | ✓ by default | ✓ headers only (claimed) |
| GDPR | ✓ native | ≈ SOC2 but US transfer |
| Identified author | ✓ Emmanuel Daunizeau | ✘ anonymous US team |
| Start | €1 first month, 15-day refund | 14-day trial, no card |
| Commitment | ✓ None | ≈ Annual at -43%, monthly available |
What SaneBox does better
- Works on consumer Gmail/Outlook in 30 seconds via OAuth — no DNS config. Faster to try if you only have a personal Gmail.
- SaneLater folder — Different philosophical approach: instead of blocking everything, offers a "later" folder. Some prefer this.
- SaneBlackHole — One-click "never see this again" from your webmail. Handy.
- SOC 2 Type II — Recognized certification we don't have yet.
- 98.5% accuracy claimed — Good precision for probabilistic sorting.
What FrozenSpam does better
- Spam doesn't arrive at all — No "spam folder to check". It doesn't exist anymore. You open your inbox; all mail is wanted mail.
- The spammer doesn't learn your address is active — SaneBox delivers the mail to the server. The spammer gets 250 OK and marks your address "live". FrozenSpam rejects at the door; your address looks dead.
- Works for your pro domain at OVH, Gandi, M365 Business, SmarterMail, Exchange, FastMail, Zoho — any mail host. SaneBox only does OAuth webmails.
- France hosting, native GDPR — SaneBox is US. For a French lawyer or medical practice, it's a deal-breaker.
- Identified author — You call Emmanuel directly. SaneBox is a US team behind email support.
- 3-5× cheaper on the SMB Pro plan.
- Explicit outbound auto-whitelist — Technical guarantee that your contacts are never blocked.
When to choose which
Choose SaneBox if...
- You only have a personal/pro Gmail and want smart sorting in 30 seconds
- You like the idea of a "later" folder for semi-important mail
- You're US/UK and GDPR isn't a criterion
- You value global brand recognition
Choose FrozenSpam if...
- You want spam not to arrive at all (not sorted, not arrived)
- You manage your own pro domain (any mail host)
- You value France hosting and GDPR
- You want to talk to the author, not a tier support
- You pay less (€4.90 Solo vs ~€6.50 SaneBox)