Fastmail vs ShieldBox
for Accounting Practices
in Australia
Accountants handle tax file numbers and sensitive financial data subject to strict Privacy Act and ATO obligations. See why Australian accounting practices are switching from Fastmail to ShieldBox.
Fastmail is Australian-owned but not Australian-hosted. Your emails sit on US servers — making them subject to the CLOUD Act and outside Privacy Act jurisdiction. No ASD Essential Eight alignment for regulated sector use.
Key Risks for Accounting Practices
Using Fastmail
Compliance Obligations for Accounting Practices
Why Fastmail cannot satisfy the compliance requirements of Australian accounting practices.
Tax file numbers in email are specifically protected under the Privacy Act's TFN Guidelines. Fastmail's offshore storage creates TFN exposure risk that cannot be mitigated contractually.
Tax-related email correspondence must be retained for 5-7 years and be producible on ATO audit request. Fastmail's offshore storage complicates ATO record production and creates APP 8 exposure.
Every email containing client financial information sent via Fastmail is an ongoing APP 8 cross-border disclosure. Australian hosting is the only complete solution.
Fastmail does not enforce DMARC at p=reject level by default. Without DMARC enforcement, your firm's domain can be spoofed for invoice fraud targeting your clients.
Why ShieldBox Wins for Accounting Practices
ShieldBox is the only email platform that satisfies Privacy Act TFN Guidelines, ATO record-keeping requirements, and DMARC enforcement obligations for Australian accounting practices.
Fastmail vs ShieldBox for Accounting Practices — FAQs
Can I use Fastmail for my Australian accounting practice?
No. Fastmail stores email on USA servers, creating ongoing APP 8 cross-border disclosure obligations for every client email containing personal or financial information. Tax file numbers in email are specifically protected under the Privacy Act's TFN Guidelines — offshore storage creates a specific TFN compliance risk.
Does Fastmail satisfy ATO record-keeping requirements for accountants?
No. The Tax Administration Act 1953 requires tax-related records to be retained for 5-7 years and be producible on ATO audit request. Fastmail's offshore storage complicates ATO record production and creates APP 8 exposure. ShieldBox's 7-year tamper-proof Australian-hosted archive satisfies ATO requirements.
How can I protect my accounting practice from invoice fraud when using Fastmail?
Fastmail does not enforce DMARC at p=reject level by default. Without DMARC enforcement, your firm's domain can be spoofed for invoice fraud targeting your clients. ShieldBox enforces DMARC p=reject as standard on all plans.
Why are Australian accounting practices switching from Fastmail to ShieldBox?
Australian accounting practices are switching from Fastmail to ShieldBox to satisfy Privacy Act TFN Guidelines, meet ATO record-keeping requirements, and prevent invoice fraud via DMARC enforcement. ShieldBox is the only email platform built specifically for Australian accounting compliance.
Switch from Fastmail to ShieldBox
Start for free — no credit card, no US servers, no CLOUD Act exposure. Built for Australian accounting practices.