Proton Mail
Your emails encrypted, hosted in Switzerland. The most direct Gmail replacement.
Description
Created by CERN researchers in 2014, Proton Mail is the most widely used encrypted email service in the world. Your emails are end-to-end encrypted: even Proton can't read them. The free plan is enough for personal use (1 GB, 1 address). The paid plan unlocks a custom domain and 15 GB of storage. Hosted in Switzerland, outside US jurisdiction.
Strengths
- Even the provider can't read your data
- Based in Switzerland, strong privacy laws
- Import tool for Gmail migration
- Complete ecosystem (Drive, VPN, Calendar, Pass)
Limitations
- Free plan limited to 1 GB and 1 address
- Search limited to metadata (encrypted content not searchable)
Recommended for
- Replacing Gmail with an encrypted alternative
- Users wanting a complete privacy ecosystem
Compared to alternatives
Proton Mail is the simplest choice for leaving Gmail: familiar interface, direct import, complete ecosystem (Drive, VPN, Calendar). Tutanota offers different encryption and lower prices. Infomaniak Mail is a Swiss option without E2E encryption but with an integrated office suite.