The best email encryption software protects the content of your emails and attachments so only the intended recipient can read them, while staying easy enough that staff use it every time. Some services are private mailboxes with encryption built in, others add encryption to Gmail or Outlook for regulated work in healthcare, finance or defence. Eleven options follow in no particular order.
Most business email travels in a way that's fine for a lunch invite but not for a medical report, a bank detail or a contract. Encryption closes that gap, as long as people don't find it so awkward they skip it.
The eleven tools below are listed alphabetically and in no particular order, and every description comes from the vendor's own website, read this week. My piece on protecting your company from phishing covers the other big email risk.
Email encryption software compared
I checked the free plan column on each tool's own website, as of Oct 2026. Yes means the site names a free plan, a free version, a free edition or an open source edition. Trial only means a time-limited trial. Not stated means the pages I read named neither, even where there's a button inviting you to try it, so check the vendor's page before you sign up.
| Tool | Type | Good for | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| DataMotion | Secure data exchange | Regulated organisations and secure forms | Trial only |
| Echoworx | Enterprise email encryption | Large firms with branding needs | Not stated |
| Egress | Email security and encryption | Anti-phishing plus encryption | Not stated |
| Galaxkey | Secure email and workspace | Controlling emails after sending | Not stated |
| Hushmail | Encrypted email and forms | Therapists and small practices | Not stated |
| Mailfence | Secure private email | Private email with a free plan | Yes |
| Paubox | HIPAA compliant email | US healthcare organisations | Not stated |
| PreVeil | Encrypted email and file sharing | Defence contractors and CMMC | Yes |
| Trustifi | AI email security service | Small IT teams wanting easy setup | Not stated |
| Tuta | Encrypted email and calendar | Open source private email | Yes |
| Virtru | Data security for email and files | Encrypting Gmail and Outlook | Not stated |
Eleven email encryption tools worth a look
DataMotion
Best for: Regulated organisations who want email encryption, secure forms and direct secure messaging on one data exchange platform.
Echoworx
Best for: Enterprises who want secure email encryption with several delivery methods, certificate and key management and their own branding.
Egress
Best for: Organisations who want encryption alongside anti-phishing and data loss prevention, from a KnowBe4 company.
Galaxkey
Best for: Regulated teams who want to encrypt and control emails end to end, inside and outside the organisation, plus a secure workspace.
Hushmail
Best for: Healthcare practitioners and small practices who want encrypted email plus secure web forms clients can sign.
Mailfence
Best for: Individuals and small teams who want a private, encrypted email service with no ads or tracking, starting on a free plan.
Paubox
Best for: US healthcare organisations who want HIPAA compliant encrypted email for Google and Microsoft accounts, plus email marketing.
PreVeil
Best for: Defence contractors and their partners who want encrypted email and file sharing for CMMC, with free accounts for outside parties.
Trustifi
Best for: Companies who want AI-powered email security with outbound encryption rules and data loss prevention set up from one console.
Tuta
Best for: Privacy-minded people and teams who want secure email, calendars and contacts with fully open source clients, starting free.
Virtru
Best for: Organisations who want to protect email, files and collaboration with a data security platform built on an open standard.
Which tool to try first
- Private mail with a free plan: Mailfence or Tuta.
- US healthcare and HIPAA: Paubox or Hushmail.
- Defence contractors and CMMC: PreVeil.
- Encrypting Gmail or Outlook: Virtru or Trustifi.
- Encryption plus anti-phishing: Egress.
- Enterprise branding and delivery options: Echoworx or Galaxkey.
- Secure forms and messaging: DataMotion.
Keys are where encryption goes wrong
The ICO's encryption guidance explains that encrypted email uses asymmetric encryption, so users have to exchange public keys before they can send an encrypted email. It also warns that if you lose the private key, you may be unable to decrypt emails encrypted with the matching public key.
It adds that encrypted content can cause problems for server-based malware scanning. So ask every vendor how keys are stored and recovered, and how encrypted messages are checked for threats, before you roll it out.
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Encrypted mailbox or add-on?
An encrypted mailbox replaces your email provider with one that encrypts by design. It's simple for small teams and privacy-minded individuals, but it means moving your address.
An add-on encrypts messages inside the Gmail or Outlook account you already use. It's easier for staff to adopt, and you can often trigger it automatically for messages that contain sensitive data.
Don't forget the other end. If your clients can't open a secure message on their phone in a couple of taps, they'll ask you to send it again in plain email, and you're back where you started.
Encryption protects the message, and our round-up of identity and access tools covers who gets to sign in to begin with.
What to check before you roll it out
- What sensitive data do we send by email?
- Can recipients read messages without installing anything?
- Can encryption trigger automatically?
- How are keys stored and recovered?
- Does it meet HIPAA, GDPR or CMMC needs?
- Does it work inside our current email?
For records that move between teams and test systems, our guide to data masking tools sets out tools that hide sensitive values.
When plain email isn't enough
- You email health or financial data. Encrypt by default.
- Clients send documents by email. Offer a secure route.
- Contracts demand it. Check CMMC or HIPAA needs.
- Staff use personal workarounds. Make the safe way easy.
Do you make email encryption or secure email services? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My plain advice on email encryption software
Pick the option your staff will use without thinking. Automatic encryption for emails that contain sensitive data beats a button people forget to press, and a reader experience that needs no software beats a perfect system clients ignore.
Then write down who handles lost keys and locked-out recipients. My piece on privacy strategies for digital communications covers the wider picture.
Frequently asked questions
What is email encryption software?
It scrambles the content of emails and attachments so only the intended recipient can read them, either in a dedicated secure mailbox or as an add-on to your existing email.
Is there free email encryption?
Yes. Some private email services offer free plans with encryption built in, and some secure platforms let outside parties join free.
Do recipients need special software?
Not always. Many services let recipients read messages through a secure web page without installing anything.
What happens if I lose my private key?
The ICO warns you may be unable to decrypt emails encrypted with the matching public key, so key recovery matters.
Is encrypted email HIPAA compliant?
Encryption helps, but HIPAA compliance also depends on agreements and settings, so check what each vendor covers.
Can encryption be automatic?
Yes. Many tools encrypt outgoing email automatically when it matches rules, such as containing account or health data.
