[arbitrage]

Fastmail is a paid solution, and you are comparing it to the ad-laden version of gmail. They are absolutely going to be different experiences.

You do in fact appear to be heavily biased based on your previous involvement with google, it shows.

[rcMgD2BwE72F]

I have to use Gmail at work and we are definitely paying for this crap.

We're actually looking at replacing Google Workspace with Fastmail or some alternatives.

We'll only miss Google Sheet but we'll still have to use some of their development tools and services (due to Android being completely closed – no way you can publish apps without Google Play Services these times).

[delduca]

There's no such thing as free; when you don't pay for something, you're the product.

[crisply5706]

Gmail is also a paid solution, and it's pure concentrated garbage whether or not you pay for it.