ProtonMail Reviews

ProtonMail – encrypted email service

If you value your online privacy, it is recommended that you use an encrypted email service. ProtonMail is a popular choice for email encryption with end-to-end protection. It offers accessible features for both individuals and businesses, and it is an open-source solution. ProtonMail provides features such as custom labels, multiple layouts and themes, quick filters, and archives.

When it comes to security and email encryption, it uses open-source cryptography, hardware-level security, and self-destructing messages. Additionally, if you are migrating from another email service, ProtonMail provides migration tools that make importing easy. In our review of ProtonMail, we will take a closer look at what it offers.

ProtonMail is a Swiss-based secure email service provider that offers end-to-end encryption and critical features such as self-destructing emails, custom labels, easy migration, and quick filters. It uses zero access architecture, which means that it does not store any user information and provides excellent data privacy.

Encrypted emails are transferred through secure lines. Additionally, it is an open-source solution that uses open-source cryptography algorithms to ensure complete security and confidentiality. It follows a freemium model, allowing individuals to try the service with limited features, while paid plans better suit businesses and teams. Let us take a closer look at ProtonMail in our review.

About ProtonMail

ProtonMail is a secure email provider based in Switzerland. It is an open-source service provider that offers freemium plans. Swizz is well-known for its data security and neutrality, so your privacy is secure. However, ProtonMail records IP addresses for the emails but only shares them with the Swizz government if the original user permits it. It uses end-to-end encryption to secure emails, using open-source cryptography algorithms to power the encryption.

ProtonMail is open-source, making it more reliable and trustworthy than the other closed email service provider ecosystem. With ProtonMail, you can maintain multiple email accounts without switching providers. Moreover, it offers productivity options such as Drive and Calendar, directly integrated for better management.

Want to know more? Then, keep reading our ProtonMail review.

How secure is ProtonMail?

ProtonMail uses different types of techniques to secure your email. The key features that ensure your email include no or minimum information logging, end-to-end encryption, open-source code, independently audited solution, SSL-secured connections, and zero access architecture. As a user, your primary concern is whether ProtonMail is secure or not. The three key aspects that make ProtonMail the worthy choice is

• Switzerland-based with one of the strictest privacy laws
• Data secured in highly secure data centers
• End-to-end encryption.

However, ProtonMail does log some basic information such as IP address, device identification number, and date when the email is created. But, they do not reveal any email contents as they are encrypted, and no one can decipher them. One such instance occurred in 2021 when French authorities requested information about French climate activists.

Initially, they rejected the request, but Interpol got directly involved, leading the Swiss government to reveal that information per the local law. Overall, ProtonMail does the basic logging that almost every email service provider or service provider generally does. If you are worried about this type of situation, you can overcome it by using a VPN provider when using ProtonMail or any other service. This way, you are entirely secure.

How to use ProtonMail?

If you are new to the secured email service provider, you may be confused about using ProtonMail “effectively.” In this section, we will take a closer look at using ProtonMail.

1. The first step is to sign up for ProtonMail. If you are already signed up, you need to do a Protonmail sign-in by going to their official site or using the ProtonMail app on Android or iOS to log in.
2. Now, you need to create a new email. You can email another ProtonMail user or someone outside of ProtonMail. If you select another ProtonMail user, you do not have to worry about encryption, as ProtonMail takes care of it.
3. If you send an email to non-ProtonMail users, you need to set up PGP, which is easy. All you need to do is ensure that the “Attach Public Key” option is enabled. The choice is presented in the more section. You can also set up the opportunity to work automatically by going to Settings and then Security. There, you need to enable “Automatically attach the public key.” Of course, this only works if the recipient also sends their public key, and you need to trust the key to secure the communication between you and the recipient. 

You can also send password-protected self-destructing emails as well. But, again, you need to read ProtonMail documentation on the steps to do it securely.

ProtonMail Detailed Features

ProtonMail is primarily aimed at providing excellent Security for email collaboration, which is why it offers security features in addition to the standard email features. In this section, we will take a closer look at what ProtonMail has to offer. But first, let’s list the ProtonMail features below.

For productive people, it is essential to organize their mailboxes, and that’s where custom labels come in. ProtonMail understands that and offers custom label support, which you can use to group your emails quickly. Traditionally, you can use folders to group emails, but they are not enough to manage your email address. To manage your email, you can add custom labels to emails. This will ensure proper categorization, and if you later decide to remove the title, it will not be removed from the folder.

ProtonMail also supports basic customization when it comes to layouts and themes. Initially, ProtonMail only supported layout, but it came with more options with time. You can choose from six different themes. Once you select your theme, you can choose the layout of your choice—the layout changes composer, inbox, and icon sizes — independently changeable to suit your requirements.

ProtonMail utilizes end-to-end encryption to ensure email security at all times. Also, the messages are stored in the ProtonMail server, wholly encrypted using the highest security encryption possible. In addition, all the communications between the server and the users are entirely encrypted. This means you can adjust the different aspects of the email and make it look like Gmail if you need to.

ProtonMail encrypts all the data so that it is not even accessible to ProtonMail employees. To achieve this, ProtonMail follows zero access architecture. The architecture ensures that all data is encrypted at all times, making it inaccessible to unauthorized personnel and ProtonMail employees. The zero user data access means ProtonMail offers excellent privacy and gives complete control to the user. However, the only side effect of the approach is that if a user forgets their password, ProtonMail cannot recover or access the content within the account.

With Quick filters, you can effortlessly search your emails. With it, you can input email addresses, dates, keyboards, or boxes to find the message. However, you need to note that email content cannot be searched as ProtonMail uses zero-knowledge encryption, which doesn’t index the email content and hence cannot index them.

ProtonMail’s easy migration tools let you quickly move from other email services to ProtonMail. However, many individuals and businesses must import their emails before using the new email service provider. The proprietary app lets you easily import or export data from Outlook, Yahoo, or Gmail. Also, the migration tools are only available on paid plans.

You can further enhance your productivity by learning the keyboard shortcuts offered by ProtonMail. These shortcuts let you quickly go to previous mail, open or save a new draft, or scroll through your mailbox.

ProtonMail recently introduced a new encrypted attachments option. All the attachments are auto-encrypted when uploaded and decrypted when downloaded with this option enabled. These updated features truly bring Security to a new level – providing end-to-end encryption to your emails.

Another new feature is the Archive folder. This folder is added to five folders: Inbox, Sent, Spam, Drafts, and Trash.

ProtonMail secures your email using open-source cryptography. These open-source algorithms are trusted, and ProtonMail uses RSA, AES, and OpenPGP to ensure its servers. The open-source nature of the algorithms means you can trust them, as everyone can check what the algorithms do in terms of Security.

You must enable two-factor authentication(2FA) to secure your email entirely, and this layer requires an additional input code when logging in to your email. To enable 2FA, you need to install 2FA apps such as FreeOTP, Authy, and Google Authenticator.

ProtonMail also equips its server with hardware-level Security. Their data centers are kept at secure locations, and only personnel with biometric data can access the site. In addition, the hard disks used here are fully encrypted while utilizing multiple password layers.

If you want a message to self-destruct after a specific period or after being read, you can do so with ProtonMail. The self-destructing messages technology works with both secure and unsecured notes.

ProtonMail Cost

ProtonMail, a leading encrypted email service, offers both free and paid plans, ensuring users get the utmost security regardless of their choice. While the free plan provides basic features, the paid plans fund the infrastructure, ensuring the platform’s sustainability without compromising user privacy.

Let’s go through the ProtonMail plans one by one.

ProtonMail Free

ProtonMail offers an individual plan that gives you access to 500 MB of storage. With this plan, you can take advantage of all that the software has to offer, including the ability to send encrypted emails to recipients worldwide.

In ProtonMail Free, you do not access custom domains or additional addresses. Also, the short email domain can only receive messages with access to 1 active custom filter. The Free version doesn’t sell your data for advertisement, which means your privacy is protected even if you use the Free plan.

Paid Plans

ProtonMail offers a suite of paid plans designed to cater to a variety of users, ensuring top-notch privacy and security in digital communication. These plans are meticulously crafted to meet the needs of individuals, families, and businesses, with each tier offering distinct features and benefits.

For individuals, ProtonMail presents the Mail Plus plan at $4.99/month, providing 15 GB of storage, support for custom domains, and a host of advanced features, including free VPN access. For those seeking a more comprehensive package, the Proton Unlimited, priced at $12.99/month, offers an impressive 500 GB of storage, support for multiple custom domains, and access to all premium Proton services.

Families can opt for the Proton Family Plan, starting from $19.99/month. This all-inclusive package ensures online privacy for up to six family members, granting them a combined 3 TB of storage and access to a range of Proton services, from secure email to VPN.

Businesses have a choice of three tiers. The Mail Essentials plan, tailored for professionals and small businesses, starts at $7.99/user per month, offering 10 email addresses per user and 15 GB of storage. The Business plan, starting at $12.99/user per month, is a more extensive suite providing 500 GB storage per user and support for 10 custom domains. Large enterprises with specific requirements can explore the Enterprise plan, a customizable option that encompasses all premium Proton services with dedicated account management.

In essence, ProtonMail’s paid plans are a testament to its commitment to providing secure, encrypted email solutions for every user type. Whether you’re an individual, a family, or a business entity, ProtonMail ensures your digital communication remains private and protected.

Alternatives to ProtonMail

ProtonMail is an excellent choice for those who value security and privacy. However, it is not the only option available. There are several alternatives to ProtonMail that provide secure email services. Many startups and companies have recognized the importance of privacy and are offering secure email services to users.

One disadvantage of ProtonMail is its daily message limit. Additionally, it does not support POP3. Lastly, the visionary plan can be expensive, which may discourage those interested in a family plan.

So, what options do you have? Let’s list the ProtonMail alternatives below:

Tutanota is one of the best ProtonMail alternatives. Like ProtonMail, it is also a privacy-oriented email service that offers excellent security features, including end-to-end encryption. It also comes with a fantastic onboarding process and easy import functionality. Also, it is an open-source solution that makes people trust the solution more than other proprietary 3rd-party solutions. Finally, the prices start cheap at $1 per month, in addition to the free base account.

Disroot offers an overall great package when compared to ProtonMail. It is a cloud-based solution that provides code hosting, voice chat, office tools, a search engine platform, video conferencing, and file hosting & sharing. All these are secure using high-level Security, privacy, and decentralization. In addition, the email service is completely protected with SSL encryption. You can use Disroot email for free up to 1 GB of storage. However, the paid plan starts at $15 per month.

If you are looking for a private company offering email services that provide better support than open-source solutions, then you can choose Barracuda. It provides secure email services that protect against all threats, including malicious websites, spam, spear phishing, ransomware, and more! It also comes with an Email Threat Scanner that identifies any compromises within your email.

ProtonMail vs. Tutanota

ProtonMail and Tutanota are two prominent secure email providers out there. Of course, you cannot go wrong if you choose any of them. But what makes them different from each other? This section will go through the key differences between the two industry-leading providers.

• Encryption

ProtonMail uses RSA 2048-bit end-to-end symmetrical encryption for emails when it comes to encryption. As for non-email users, it uses the standard AES 256-bit. Moreover, ProtonMail also supports OpenPGP — not so secure encryption method. Tutanota, on the other hand, also uses RSA 2048 for end-to-end user emails and AES 128-bit for non-users. In addition, Tutanota also supports PGP but covers its flaws by encrypting subject lines.

• Anonymity

As for anonymity, both Tutanota and ProtonMail do a good job when it comes to anonymity. Both do not trace IP addresses when sending or receiving messages, and ProtonMail does log IP as a requirement from Swiss government requests, but you can easily overcome it by using a good VPN service.

• Spam filtering

Tutanota offers a good spam filter feature that identifies spam and blocks it. However, many users have complained about the spam filtering abilities of Tutanota. ProtonMail, on the other hand, uses a spam detection system for blocking unwanted messages. If you find ProtonMail spam detection too strict, you can easily add emails to its allowlist.

• Privacy

ProtonMail, a Switzerland company, offers excellent privacy-oriented features, including protecting the servers in a safe and secure place. Tutanota is a German company, but it is protected by the German Federal Data Protection Act, which ensures that users’ data is protected and can only be collected after the user’s explicit permission.

• Features

As for features, both tools offer standard email services and elements, including custom domain aliases and autoresponders. However, both of them do have some unique features to offer. For example, Tutanota offers SecureConnect, which lets you create web forms that can be included in a site with the same security levels as Tutanota offers. ProtonMail, on the other hand, offers a VPN subscription, making it a good combination for those who want to secure their online experience. Besides that, ProtonMail offers Bridge that automatically encrypts and decrypts messages in SMTP and IMAP-supported applications.

• Pricing

When it comes to pricing, both offer competitive pricing. However, if you are looking for more simplistic pricing, ProtonMail is a good choice. Overall, both are good picks for secure email service providers.

ProtonMail Review Conclusions

Email service providers that are mainstream do not provide end-to-end encryption, which is where email services like ProtonMail come into play. ProtonMail is an excellent tool for those who value their privacy and security. Besides, it offers great import features that simplify the process of importing your emails to the new service provider.

The product is easy to use, and it offers good encryption. Our review of ProtonMail revealed that it is an excellent encrypted email service. So, if you are looking for an encrypted email service, ProtonMail is the perfect pick!