NetCell MailGuard vs. Proofpoint — data sovereignty instead of US cloud
Proofpoint is a US cloud email-security vendor (Sunnyvale, California). NetCell MailGuard runs self-hosted on your server in Germany — without US jurisdiction and without a per-user cloud subscription.
NetCell MailGuard processes email self-hosted on your server in Germany; Proofpoint is a US cloud service. For organisations under strict GDPR/BDSG supervision the key point is: with MailGuard, content never leaves your infrastructure, and no question of foreign jurisdiction arises.
Direct comparison
| Criterion | NetCell MailGuard | Proofpoint |
|---|---|---|
| Deployment model | Self-hosted on your own server | Cloud / SaaS (vendor cloud) |
| HQ / jurisdiction | Made in Germany | USA (Sunnyvale, California) |
| US CLOUD Act | Not affected — runs on-prem | US company — generally subject to the CLOUD Act (assess case by case) |
| Data location | Your server, made in Germany | DCs in North America & Europe (region selectable) |
| Anti-spam approach | Open rspamd stack (Bayes 6 classes, neural, RBLs, TLD reputation) | Proprietary cloud gateway service |
| Attachment sandbox | Local, on your server | In the vendor cloud |
| High availability | Yes — active-active without a master, on your nodes | Vendor-side in the cloud |
| Cost model | Self-hosted; free edition for 1 domain, Pro as a plan | Per-user/year subscription (pricing on request) |
Frequently asked questions
Why MailGuard instead of Proofpoint?
Because email is processed on your own server in Germany — no pass-through of a US cloud, no foreign jurisdiction, predictable self-hosted cost instead of a per-user subscription.
Is Proofpoint subject to the US CLOUD Act?
As a US company, Proofpoint is generally subject to the CLOUD Act; the exact scope must be assessed legally case by case. Proofpoint states it does not grant US authorities direct, unrestricted access. With MailGuard the question doesn't arise, because email never leaves your server.
Proofpoint and related trademarks belong to die Proofpoint, Inc.. NetCell MailGuard has no business affiliation with die Proofpoint, Inc.. Information without warranty, as of 2026; competitor feature scope, editions and terms may change and should be verified with the respective vendor.
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