Proton Mail
By Proton AG, Switzerland
End-to-end encrypted email from Swiss company Proton AG, with zero-access storage and open-source apps.
At a glance
- Cheapest plan per year
- $47.88
- Mail Plus, same price at renewal
- Your own domain from
- $47.88/yr
- Mail Plus
- Works in Apple Mail and Outlook
- With Bridge app
- Only through the Bridge app
- Who can read stored mail
- Only you
Good to know
- Stored mail is encrypted with keys only you hold
- Subject lines are not end-to-end encrypted
- Apple Mail and Outlook need its Bridge app
- All apps are open source
- 2021: Under a Swiss order, Proton logged and handed over the IP address of a French climate activist.
Where it stands among 24
Each fact with every provider's answer. Proton Mail is outlined.
Who can read your stored mail
Only you
Only you 3
Only you, if switched on 4
The provider can 16
Not stated 1
Ads on the free plan
Free, no ads
Your own domain
On a personal plan
On a personal plan 12
Only on a business plan 3
Not offered 2
Works in Apple Mail and Outlook
Through a bridge app
Yes, standard IMAP 17
Through a bridge app 1
No, its own apps only 3
Where the company is based
Switzerland
European Union 7
Switzerland or Norway 5
Elsewhere 4
Plans and prices
In USD, as listed by Proton Mail on 2026-10-16.
Free
Free
1 GB. 1 address; 150 messages a day; no IMAP/SMTP (Bridge is paid only); no ads; no phone number needed
Mail Plus
$47.88/yr
- People
- 1
- Storage
- 15 GB
- Own domains
- 1
- IMAP
- Bridge app
- Renews at
- Same price
$3.99/month billed annually. The annual price renews unchanged.
Proton Family
Not stated
- People
- 6
- Storage
- Not stated
- Own domains
- Not stated
- IMAP
- Bridge app
- Renews at
- Not stated
Duo (2 users) or Family (up to 6); current prices not established.
Who can read your mail
- Provider can't read stored mail
- YesYes
- Subject lines encrypted
- NoNo
- Encrypted between its own users
- YesYes
- Encrypted mail to outsiders
- YesYes
- Built-in PGP
- YesYes
- Ads on the free plan
- NoNo
- Mail used for ads
- NoNo
- AI and your mail
- Not stated
Who you're trusting
- Owner
- Proton AG
- Operating company
- Proton AG
- Based in
- Switzerland
- Mail stored in
- Switzerland, Germany, Norway
- Open-source apps
- All appsAll apps
- Transparency report
- YesYes
- Latest audit
- Securitum, 2021
- Known incidents
- 2021
Apps and features
- Web Yes
- iPhone Yes
- Android Yes
- Windows Yes
- macOS Yes
- Linux Yes
- Works in Apple Mail, Outlook, Thunderbird
- Only through the Bridge appOnly through the Bridge app
- POP3
- NoNo
- Exchange ActiveSync
- Not statedNot stated
- Security key or passkey sign-in
- YesYes
- Authenticator-app 2FA
- YesYes
- Extra addresses
- 10–15+ extra addresses on paid plans
- Hide-my-email aliases
- Through a partner serviceThrough a partner service
- Catch-all for your domain
- YesYes
- Calendar
- YesYes
- Contacts
- YesYes
- File storage
- YesYes
- Sieve filters
- Not statedNot stated
- Scheduled send
- YesYes
- Undo send
- YesYes
- Import from Gmail or Outlook
- YesYes
- Export your whole mailbox
- Not statedNot stated
- Auto-forwarding
- Paid plans onlyPaid plans only
Where we recommend it
Best email provider for your own domain
The cheapest way to have your own domain with zero-access encryption: Mail Plus is $47.88 a year with 1 domain. Apple Mail and Outlook work only through Proton's Bridge app.
Most private email provider
Zero-access storage with open-source apps, from Swiss Proton AG. Mail between Proton users is end-to-end encrypted automatically, and you can send a password-protected message to anyone. Subject lines are not end-to-end encrypted. A paid plan adds the Bridge app for Apple Mail and Outlook.
Best free email provider
No ads and zero-access storage, with no phone number needed to sign up. The free plan is small: 1 GB, 1 address, 150 messages a day, and no IMAP (Bridge is paid only).
Best Gmail alternatives
If privacy is the reason: zero-access storage, open-source apps, a free plan without ads, and Proton's own import tool for Gmail. Mail Plus is $47.88 a year.
Compare Proton Mail
Sources (12)
- Proton Mail privacy policyVendor, checked 2026-10-16
- Proton Support: who owns ProtonVendor, checked 2026-10-16
- Research summary of the provider's pages (no single link)AI-assisted research, spot-checked, checked 2026-10-16
- Proton Mail encryption explainedVendor, checked 2026-10-16
- Proton Mail on GitHubSource code, checked 2026-10-16
- Proton blog: security auditAudit, checked 2026-10-16
- Wikipedia: Proton MailNews or reference, checked 2026-10-16
- Proton Mail pricingVendor, checked 2026-10-16
- Proton Mail BridgeVendor, checked 2026-10-16
- Research summary of the provider's pages (no single link)AI-assisted research, spot-checked, checked 2026-10-16
- Proton MailVendor, checked 2026-10-16
- Proton SupportVendor, checked 2026-10-16