HIPAA email cost (2026)
What a small practice actually pays for email that comes with a BAA: from about $11 a month for one encrypted mailbox to $32 per user for a full business suite with message encryption.
HIPAA email cost at a glance
HIPAA email for a small practice costs from about $132 per year for one Hushmail for Healthcare account to $32 per user per month for Microsoft 365 Business Premium with Copilot, which includes message encryption. Paubox costs $32–$75 per month for up to five senders. All three offer a BAA; what changes the price is the number of senders, whether encrypted delivery to patients is included, and bundled extras such as forms and archiving.
| Cheapest single mailbox | Hushmail for Healthcare — $131.89/year (Basic) |
|---|---|
| Encryption for up to 5 senders | Paubox — $32–$75/month |
| Business suite | Microsoft 365 — $7–$32/user/month |
| Hidden cost | Encrypted delivery or enforced MFA as add-ons |
| Prices checked | 2026-10-05, vendors' own pricing pages |
Typical ranges
| Option | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Encrypted healthcare mailbox — Hushmail for Healthcare, one account | $131.89–$197.89 / year | Healthcare Basic to Healthcare Growth, billed yearly. Growth adds required 2-step verification for all accounts. |
| Encryption on top of your existing email — Paubox, up to 5 senders | $32–$75 / month | Standard to Premium, billed annually; flat price for up to 5 senders. |
| Business suite — Microsoft 365 | $7–$32 / user / month | Business Basic ($7) needs an add-on for message encryption; Business Premium with Copilot ($32) includes it. Paid yearly. |
What drives the cost
- Number of people sending email with client information.
- Whether encrypted delivery to clients is included or an add-on.
- Bundled extras: secure forms, e-signatures, archiving, data loss prevention.
- Annual vs monthly billing — annual plans are usually cheaper.
- Whether you keep your current email and add encryption, or switch providers.
Prices are list prices in US dollars from each vendor’s own pricing page, before taxes and discounts. Vendors change plans often — every figure links to its source and shows when we checked it.
The cheapest option is not always the cheapest outcome. A plan that leaves encrypted delivery or enforced MFA as an add-on can cost more once you add what a practice actually needs — compare against the HIPAA email criteria, not just the headline price.
Frequently asked questions
How much does HIPAA compliant email cost?
For a small practice, roughly $11–$17 per month for a single encrypted healthcare mailbox, $32–$75 per month for an encryption service covering up to five senders, or $7–$32 per user per month for a business suite, depending on what is included.
Is HIPAA email included in Microsoft 365?
Microsoft's BAA covers Exchange Online on business plans. Message encryption for patients is included in Business Premium and E3/E5; Business Basic and Standard need an add-on.