- Proton Mail alternatives compared
- Nine private email providers to consider
- Encrypted, private or simply ad-free?
- Don't treat a free mailbox as an archive
- Moving your email without losing anything
- Privacy beyond the inbox
- Questions to ask a private email provider
- Aliases: the easiest privacy upgrade
- My plain advice on leaving Proton Mail
- Frequently asked questions
A good Proton Mail alternative gives you private, ad-free email with the security features you need, such as encryption, two-factor login and your own domain. Check where data is stored, whether it supports normal email apps and how easily you can export your mail. This page lists nine providers in no particular order.
Privacy-focused email has grown from a niche into a real choice for businesses and individuals who don't want their inbox scanned for ads. The providers differ more than you'd think on encryption, apps and custom domains.
These nine Proton Mail alternatives are listed in no particular order, sorted alphabetically. Some offer end-to-end encryption between users, others focus on being ad-free and privacy-friendly with standard email apps. Each description comes from the provider's own website, re-checked today. If you also send marketing email, my round-up of email marketing stats shows what readers respond to, whichever provider you use.
Proton Mail alternatives compared
In the free plan column, Yes means the provider's own site describes a free plan or free account. Trial only means a free trial before a subscription. No means neither is stated.
| Tool | Type | Good for | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Disroot | Community email service | Free, community-run email | Yes |
| Fastmail | Email provider | Fast, ad-free email with your domain | Trial only |
| Hushmail | Encrypted email | Secure email and web forms | Trial only |
| Mailbox.org | Email and office suite | Privacy-friendly email with office tools | Trial only |
| Posteo | Email provider | Green, anonymous sign-up email | No |
| Runbox | Email provider | Private email with lots of domains | Trial only |
| StartMail | Private email | Unlimited aliases for privacy | Trial only |
| Tuta | Encrypted email | End-to-end encrypted mailbox and calendar | Yes |
| Zoho Mail | Business email | Ad-free business email with a free tier | Yes |
Nine private email providers to consider
Disroot
Best for: Individuals who want a free, privacy-minded mailbox run by a volunteer community.
Fastmail
Best for: Small businesses and families who want ad-free email, calendars and their own domain.
Hushmail
Best for: Health and legal professionals who need encrypted email and secure forms.
Mailbox.org
Best for: People who want private email bundled with calendar, storage and office tools.
Posteo
Best for: People who want simple, ad-free email they can sign up for without personal details.
Runbox
Best for: Freelancers and families who want private email with several domains and aliases.
StartMail
Best for: People who want disposable aliases to keep their real address private.
Tuta
Best for: Individuals and teams who want encrypted email and calendar with a free start.
Zoho Mail
Best for: Small businesses that want ad-free email on their own domain with a free plan for a few users.
Encrypted, private or simply ad-free?
- End-to-end encrypted providers encrypt messages so only sender and recipient can read them, usually between users of the same service.
- Privacy-focused providers don't scan your mail for ads and limit what they collect.
- Ad-free business email mainly gives you a clean inbox on your own domain.
Most people need the second or third, and a few need the first. Be clear which one you're buying.
Don't treat a free mailbox as an archive
Here's the catch with any free account. Proton's own support page on inactive accounts explains what happens to an account that's been inactive for more than 12 months, and other free providers have inactivity rules too. If you keep a free mailbox for old receipts or account logins, sign in regularly, and keep a local export of anything you can't lose.
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Moving your email without losing anything
- Export or copy your old mail before you close anything.
- Set up the new mailbox and add your domain if you're using one.
- Update your domain's email records and test sending and receiving.
- Forward the old address for a few months and tell your contacts.
- Change the login email on your important accounts.
Privacy beyond the inbox
Email privacy also depends on your domain and your habits. Turn on two-factor login, use aliases for sign-ups, and keep your domain registration details private. My explainer on what WHOIS privacy protects covers the domain side.
Questions to ask a private email provider
- Where are your servers, and which country's laws apply to my data?
- Do you support my own domain, and on which plans?
- Can I use standard email apps, or only your own apps?
- How do I export all my mail if I leave?
- Do you offer two-factor login and recovery options I can trust?
- What happens to my account if I stop signing in?
Their help pages usually answer these. If a provider is vague on export or account deletion, treat that as a warning sign, because those are the two things that matter most on the day you want to leave.
Aliases: the easiest privacy upgrade
An alias is an extra address that forwards to your main inbox. Use a different alias for each shop or newsletter and you'll see who shares your address, and you can switch one off without changing your main email.
Do you make a private or secure email service? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My plain advice on leaving Proton Mail
Decide which kind of privacy you need first. If it's encryption, compare the encrypted providers. If it's simply a clean, ad-free inbox on your own domain, you've got more choice. Either way, export your mail before you move and keep the old address forwarding for a while.
Frequently asked questions
What's a good alternative to Proton Mail?
It depends on whether you need end-to-end encryption, privacy-friendly email or ad-free business email. This list covers all three.
Is there a free Proton Mail alternative?
Several providers here describe a free plan or account. The table shows what each site states.
Can I use my own domain with private email?
Many providers support custom domains, sometimes only on premium plans. Check each provider.
What happens to inactive free email accounts?
Providers have inactivity rules. Proton's support page covers accounts inactive for more than 12 months, so sign in regularly.
Can I use private email in normal email apps?
Some providers support standard email apps, while some encrypted services need their own apps or a bridge.
How do I move my emails to a new provider?
Export or import your old mail, set up the new mailbox, update domain records and forward the old address for a while.
What is an email alias?
An extra address that forwards to your main inbox, so you can give a different address to each shop or newsletter.
Does private email stop phishing?
No provider stops every scam. Private email reduces tracking and ad scanning, but you still need to check senders and links before you click.
