A quick roundup:
ProtonMail: Swiss-based privacy with zero-knowledge, end-to-end encryption.
Tutanota: Proprietary open-source encryption with encrypted search feature.
Mailbox.org: End-to-end PGP encryption with full business functionality.
Zoho Mail: Secure email with complete productivity suite.
Mailfence: GDPR compliant and OpenPGP encryption with productivity suite.
Do you want a secure email provider because you hate spam? Or because you want nobody (except recipients) to read your emails?
If it’s the latter, you’re at the right place. Email services like Gmail or Yahoo add some layers of encryption to your emails—but not so much they can’t read them if they want to. Because they track your email activity, you get those annoying ads you never asked for.
Worse, this level of security exposes your email account to phishing and other cyberattacks. Need true security and privacy? You want emails with end-to-end encryption. This is a crucial feature in the email providers we’ve listed here.
But before we dive into the most secure email providers of 2024, let’s understand why they made the cut:
How To Choose The Best Secure Email Provider In 2024
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Privacy
How well does the provider protect your privacy? That’s what you should ask. Look for services that don’t collect your personal data or track your IP address. Read their privacy policies closely. If they mention anonymization and strong data deletion practices, you’re on the right track. For example, email providers like ProtonMail and Tutanota won’t scan your emails in order to send you personalized email ads—which a service like Gmail does.
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Security
A good email provider doesn’t just offer encryption; it locks your data with the latest technology. Look for multi-factor authentication (MFA) and regular security audits. Certifications like ISO 27001 or SOC 2 are good signs that your data is safe.
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Encryption
Encryption keeps your emails safe from prying eyes. End-to-end encryption (E2EE) is best—it encrypts your data from the sender to the recipient. Some services only encrypt emails in transit (TLS). This leaves your emails vulnerable to an extent. Look for providers that offer full E2EE for emails, attachments, and even subject lines.
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Jurisdiction
Your email provider’s data center location and jurisdiction matter. Countries like Switzerland and Germany offer better privacy protections than places like the US, where surveillance laws are more intrusive. The laws in your provider’s country of operation affect how much they can protect your data. Choose providers in jurisdictions with strong data protection laws.
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Open Source
If a provider is open source, third-party experts can verify their encryption and security claims. This transparency builds trust. Go for services with open-source encryption protocols so you know exactly how they’re protecting your data. If it’s closed source, there could be hidden vulnerabilities.
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Device Compatibility
Does the provider have an encrypted app for every device? Whether you’re on Android, iOS, Windows, or Linux, you need secure access to your inbox. Check for device compatibility and ensure encryption extends to the app.
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Features
Security should come with functionality. Check for services with encrypted calendars, contact management, and file storage. This way, you keep more of your sensitive data protected without sacrificing convenience.
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Customer Support
Fast customer support can be a lifesaver. Providers should offer timely support via email, chat, or a comprehensive knowledge base. If you’re dealing with encrypted data, responsive help is crucial.
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Pricing
Free services often mean your data is the product. Paid services usually offer better security features and more privacy protection. It’s worth the investment if you really want your communications private.
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Data Sovereignty and Retention Policies
The provider should offer transparent data retention and deletion policies. You should be able to permanently delete your data without backups stored elsewhere. Check forums and ask support for how long your emails are stored and whether they’re kept even after deletion.
Best Secure Email Services in 2024
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ProtonMail
Why It’s Great:
ProtonMail is one of the strongest privacy options. Based in Switzerland, it follows the country’s strict privacy laws, which means your data is protected from surveillance.
All emails are end-to-end encrypted, meaning not even ProtonMail can read them. Although subject lines aren’t encrypted, attachments and contacts are. The platform is also open-source, so anyone can review the code for transparency.
Key Features:
- strong>End-to-End Encryption: Encryption covers email content and attachments. You need to use the “Password-protected Emails” feature for emails sent to non-Proton users.
- No Data Logging: ProtonMail does not log your IP address, further ensuring anonymity.
- Open Source: The encryption technology is open. Anyone can inspect it.
- User-Friendly Apps: Available across platforms (iOS, Android, Windows, and Web).
- Nifty Features: You get a calendar, drive storage, online document, VPN, and password manager.
- Zero-Knowledge Architecture: No third party (not even the email provider) can read your emails apart from you and the recipient.
Drawbacks:
- Limited Free Plan: ProtonMail’s free plan comes with only 500 MB of storage, 150 daily messages, and no priority support. You can’t use the Password Manager and VPN on the free plan.
- Some Metadata Not Encrypted: Subject lines and email addresses aren’t encrypted end-to-end.
- Bridge: It needs a bridge to work on desktop platforms like Windows and macOS, which compromises security, making it more vulnerable.
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Tutanota
Why It’s Great:
Tutanota is in a league with ProtonMail as one of the biggest secure email providers. It’s based in Germany—another country with strong data protection laws. Tutanota does it all—emails, subject lines, contacts, and even calendars are fully encrypted.
The provider, however, doesn’t rely on PGP encryption, choosing instead to build its own open-source encryption technology. There’s also an encrypted search feature. This lets you search emails without compromising security. Plus, it’s completely open source, making its code visible to all.
Key Features:
- Complete Encryption: Emails, attachments, subject lines, and even your calendar are encrypted end-to-end.
- Zero Ads: Unlike Gmail and other mainstream providers, Tutanota never scans your emails for advertising purposes.
- Affordable Paid Plans: Generous storage plans with lower pricing than ProtonMail.
- Environmentally Friendly: Their data centers run on renewable energy.
- User-Friendly Apps: Works on Android, iOS, macOS, Windows, and Linux.
Drawbacks:
- Limited Interoperability: Tutanota’s encryption is proprietary, meaning it doesn’t use PGP. This might be a limitation for some users.
- Limitations: The free plan provides just 1 GB of storage.
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Mailbox.org
Why It’s Great:
Mailbox.org is also based in Germany. What sets this provider apart? It provides secure email with full business functionality. Apart from a calendar and address book for contacts, you also get an office suite, cloud storage, and video conferencing.
Mailbox uses PGP, so you can easily enable encryption for your inbox. Unlike ProtonMail and Tutanota, it’s a bit more flexible for business and personal use.
Key Features:
- Business Functionality: Offers a full suite of productivity tools—cloud storage, collaborative documents, spreadsheets, a calendar, and tasks—all within the encrypted ecosystem.
- User Control Over Encryption: Users can choose between enabling PGP for end-to-end encryption or TLS encryption in transit.
- GDPR Compliant: Like Tutanota, Mailbox.org benefits from Germany’s strict data protection laws.
Drawbacks:
- User Experience: While feature-rich, the user interface is less modern or intuitive than ProtonMail or Tutanota.
- Not Fully Encrypted: Not all emails are end-to-end encrypted by default, though users can enable PGP encryption.
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Zoho Mail
Why It’s Great:
Zoho Mail is part of the larger Zoho ecosystem, so it’s an attractive option for businesses. You can handle all applications, including secure email, from a central location.
What do users of Zoho Mail get? Ad-free email. SSL encryption for email in transit and TLS to secure your communication. While it isn’t strictly privacy-centric like ProtonMail or Tutanota, it does offer advanced anti-spam features. Users can enable email encryption and digital signatures using S/MIME.
Key Features:
- Business Tools: As part of the Zoho suite, it integrates seamlessly with other Zoho business tools such as CRM, notes, and a task manager.
- Privacy Focus: Not as hardcore on encryption as ProtonMail, but it doesn’t scan emails. It’s also anti-spam.
- Affordable Business Plans: The business plans are feature-rich and quite affordable compared to what’s on the market. So, they’re great options for small businesses and marketing agencies.
Drawbacks:
- Not Fully Encrypted: Doesn’t provide end-to-end encryption by default. It only encrypts data during transit with TLS or S/MIME if configured.
- Jurisdiction: Zoho is based in India, which doesn’t offer the same legal privacy protections as Switzerland or Germany.
- No Zero-Knowledge Architecture: There’s no complete guarantee that the email provider isn’t privy to your emails.
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Mailfence
Why It’s Great:
Based in Belgium, Mailfence benefits from strong European privacy laws and is fully GDPR-compliant.
It offers end-to-end encryption with OpenPGP, so only the recipient can read your emails. It also supports digital signatures. This adds an extra layer of verification. Any extra features? Yes. You get a calendar, address book, documents, and file storage.
Key Features:
- End-to-End Encryption: Uses OpenPGP for email encryption, ensuring privacy between the sender and receiver.
- Collaborative Suite of Tools: Offers integrated calendars, contacts, file storage, and documents for collaboration.
- Digital Signatures: A way to verify the authenticity of emails. Useful for business and legal communications.
- GDPR Compliance: Strictly adheres to European data privacy laws, adding an extra layer of protection.
- No Ads: The platform is ad-free. No tracking or data harvesting for advertising purposes.
Drawbacks:
- Limited Free Plan: Mailfence’s free plan is restricted to 500MB of storage.
- Encryption Not Automatic: Users need to manually configure and manage encryption keys. This may be a learning curve for those unfamiliar with OpenPGP. However, you can encrypt your emails symmetrically using a password for recipients who don’t know how to use PGP encryption. The recipients won’t have to manage PGP keys manually.
- Not Open Source: The encryption mechanisms are strong, but it’s not entirely open-source. So, users can’t fully inspect the code.
What is the most hacked email provider?
Yahoo Mail takes the crown. In 2013, Yahoo experienced a massive breach that exposed over 3 billion accounts. This attack revealed the personal data and email contents of these accounts. Other major players like Gmail and Outlook have also had their moments, but nothing compares to the scale of Yahoo’s breach. Gmail is also a common target for phishing and credential-stealing attacks.
What is the most private email service?
ProtonMail is widely known for its privacy. Based in Switzerland, it benefits from the country’s strict privacy laws. ProtonMail uses end-to-end encryption, meaning only the sender and receiver can read the emails. They can’t even access your data themselves. Tutanota and Mailfence are solid options, too.
Is ProtonMail more private than Gmail?
Absolutely. ProtonMail offers full end-to-end encryption, meaning only the intended recipient can read your messages. Gmail, on the other hand, scans emails for ads and doesn’t offer the same level of encryption. ProtonMail is governed by strict privacy policies. It also doesn’t track users, unlike Gmail, so it’s far more private.
Does a VPN secure or protect my email from tracking?
A VPN hides your IP address and encrypts your internet connection. This helps with general online privacy. However, it doesn’t encrypt your email itself. If you’re using an email service without end-to-end encryption (like Gmail), your emails can still be read by the provider or intercepted. A VPN is useful, but pair it with encrypted email services for full protection.