StartMail Logo PNG
The StartMail logo is one of the main advertising tools for the mail service because it reveals the brand’s essence. It is a nonverbal signal to users, urging them to send letters and not be afraid that confidential information may be in the hands of intruders.
StartMail: Brand overview
StartMail launched in 2014 from the team behind the privacy-focused search engine StartPage. Led by StartPage founder Robert Beens, the service was created in response to growing concern about email providers collecting and analyzing user data for targeted advertising. Its core idea was an encrypted email based on OpenPGP, a standard linked to Pretty Good Privacy, developed by American scientist Philip R. Zimmermann.
Before the public release, a selected group tested the beta version in early 2014. The official launch followed later that year. Based in the Netherlands, StartMail positioned itself around strict privacy rules, end-to-end encryption, and disposable email addresses, giving users more control over personal communication and online identity.
The service continued to add security and usability features over the next several years. In 2015, it supported PGP-compatible encrypted messages with other providers. In 2016, it introduced aliases, allowing users to create additional addresses tied to a single main account. In 2017, the interface and mobile experience were improved, followed by two-factor authentication in 2018.
StartMail continued to update its infrastructure and tools after that. In 2019, it improved spam filtering and server capacity. In 2020, it added email scheduling and better mailbox organization through tags and filters. In 2021, iOS and Android updates improved mobile security and usability. In 2022, the platform expanded API support and compatibility with third-party email clients, while by 2023, it remained focused on stronger encryption and private email protection.
Meaning and History
StartMail lets you generate an unlimited number of disposable email addresses. Moreover, it is intended for everyday communication and for many companies that provide special business accounts on the platform. The email service has much in common with Startpage because it was launched by the same person, David Bodnick, co-founder of Surfboard Holding BV. Both services aim to protect privacy and do not collect user data.
StartMail launched in 2013, much later than Startpage. However, Gravita Creative Ltd. worked on its modern visual identification. In this regard, both brands share a similar concept. They even share the same color scheme: white, light blue, and dark purple.
What is StartMail?
StartMail is an email platform that protects its users’ privacy. It was created in 2013 and, along with Startpage.com, is owned by the Dutch company Surfboard Holding BV. The founder of the web service is software developer David Bodnick.
2013 – 2017
The StartMail logo, used since 2013, represents the company’s entry into the secure email service market. The main goal was to highlight the service’s security, ease of use, and reliability, which were the key focuses when creating the visual identity.
At the center of the design are two main elements: the text and a lock. “start” is written in bright red, symbolizing energy, dynamism, and innovation. The red color emphasizes that the company offers a fresh and modern approach to protecting users’ data. The word “mail” is in blue, reflecting the reliability, calmness, and security that the service provides.
The logo’s font stands out with its contrast. For the word “start,” a simple yet dynamic sans-serif font was chosen to symbolize the service’s openness and accessibility. In contrast, the word “mail” uses a more traditional serif font, adding stability and underscoring the company’s serious approach to security. This combination of fonts successfully merges innovation with time-tested technologies.
A key element of the logo is the lock icon, positioned to the right of the text. The lock symbolizes protection and privacy, reflecting the service’s primary mission of protecting users’ correspondence from prying eyes. In 2013, as concerns about data privacy and security grew among the general public, this logo became a distinctive mark highlighting the importance of data protection in the digital age.
2017 – 2019
This updated logo reflects the changes the company has made to its image. It continues to focus on security and ease of use, but with a new, more minimalist approach. Unlike the first visual identity, there is no lock, the symbol of security that was once a clear focal point. Now, the emphasis is placed on the brand name itself, with security remaining an underlying message rather than an explicit visual element.
The color palette has become softer and more muted than the previous bright logo. The red color of the word “start” still symbolizes dynamism and readiness for action, but now the shade is more subdued, making it less aggressive and more approachable. The blue color of the word “mail” has also become lighter and more pastel, reflecting calmness and reliability without sharp contrast. These changes highlight the company’s shift toward greater elegance and subtlety.
The font has been completely redesigned. Previously, it featured more traditional, sharp lines with serifs, but now a soft, rounded sans-serif font has been chosen. This new font conveys a sense of technological advancement while remaining friendly and easy to read. The rounded shapes of the letters signal that the company is staying current and adopting more modern design solutions.
The absence of the lock suggests that the company no longer needs to emphasize its security as overtly as it did in earlier years. By 2017, as cybersecurity concerns became widely discussed, users began to expect high data protection from such services. The logo has become simpler and refined, likely to foster greater user trust.
2019 – 2020
Another updated version of the StartMail logo, introduced in 2019, marked a new phase in the brand’s development, highlighting its commitment to minimalism and modern trends. This was the company’s third visual identity, and its creation reflected a shift in approach to visual branding: the style became simpler, and the colors more subdued. The main goal of this update was to emphasize the company’s focus on technology and user-friendliness, with a strong emphasis on the service’s transparency and reliability.
The most noticeable change was the font. It became even more modern and softer, without sharp edges or serifs. The rounded shapes symbolize the company’s openness and friendliness towards its users. The lines of the letters became slightly thicker, giving the logo confidence, while the words “start” and “mail” were written in the same font. This underscores the brand’s unity and cohesiveness.
Previously, red was associated with dynamism and passion, but it has now been replaced by a cooler, calmer lavender shade, symbolizing reliability and security. The lavender color of the word “start” was carefully chosen because data protection and online security had become particularly relevant at the time.
2020 – today
The current StartMail logo has two parts. On the left is a stylized square letter envelope with rounded corners. It is divided into two halves by a white line that curves downwards like a boomerang. This strip resembles the middle of the capital “M,” and the imagination completes the side strokes of the letter: they run parallel to the edges of the quadrangle. Here comes the association with the Gmail logo.
The bottom of the envelope looks like a dark purple rectangle with a notch in the middle. The top is a light blue triangle pointing at a 90-degree angle into the recess directly below it. The Gravita designers reviewed many StartMail logo concepts with different shapes and combinations before settling on this one. Their designs included paper airplanes, origami, and the blue “M.” However, the agency staff abandoned all versions in favor of the current emblem.
To the right of the graphic sign is the service name. It is also two-tone: the first half (“Start”) is light blue, and the second (“Mail”) is dark purple. Each part starts with a capital letter. The designers chose a sans-serif font to design the inscription. It could be called simple if they did not round all the corners. This decision makes the logo visually soft.
Font and Colors
Logically, the email service uses a logo with a picture of a mail envelope. In this case, it symbolizes information protection, serving as an opaque shell that hides the letter’s contents from strangers. Dividing the drawing into two parts made it possible to play with negative space: if you look closely, you can see that the capital “M” is hidden within the negative space, the first letter of the word “Mail.”
Initially, Gravita designers planned to combine three elements in the lower half of the sign: an envelope, a fortress tower, and a heart. So, the protruding edges of the dark purple fragment can be considered stylized teeth of a fortress or halves of a heart. Fortification provides reliable protection, and the heart symbolizes love for users.
Both parts of the service name are set in the same font: grotesque with rounded corners. It resembles Adobe’s Myriad Arabic Regular in shape; only the “M” has a slightly lower middle diagonal. Similar typefaces are Webnar Medium by The Northern Block, Drive Regular by Fontyou, and Noto Sans Display Medium by Google. However, the designers at Gravita have rounded the letters to make the lettering seem smooth and streamlined.
The British agency’s staff paid no less attention to the color scheme. They chose a purple theme for StartMail (and its sister service, Startpage), complemented by white and light blue.