Proton Mail Review: Is It Still the Gold Standard for Private Email?
I started looking at Proton Mail for the same reason I tried Surfshark One; I wanted to simplify my online security while cutting ties with services that trade privacy for profit.
Gmail works fine as an email client, but it’s also one of Google’s biggest data funnels.
Every search, every email, every calendar entry feeds into a profile that advertisers pay a premium to access.
I wanted something that did the opposite; an email service that prioritized me, not ad revenue. Proton Mail seemed like the answer because, like Gmail, it focuses heavily on UX design and usability.
Other privacy-focused email clients, Thunderbird, for instance, are a little more “open-source” looking in their aesthetic, trickier to setup etc.
What Proton Mail Does
Proton Mail is a privacy-first email service built around end-to-end encryption and zero-access architecture.
In plain English, that means even Proton itself cannot read your emails.
The service runs out of Switzerland, which is known for its strict privacy laws, and everything about Proton Mail is designed to reduce exposure of your data.
No one can read your emails, access is encrypted at the core, and even if the authorities wanted access to your data, Proton wouldn’t have to play ball because it’s based in Switzerland, and the Swiss don’t bend the knee when it comes to privacy.
What I like most about Proton Mail is that it doesn’t feel like stepping back in time, as some privacy-focused, open-source email clients do.
The UX is modern and nice to look at, it runs perfectly on iOS and Android and desktop, and it has many of the features and capabilities modern users expect from an email client.
You get an intuitive webmail client, mobile apps, and the option to use custom domains if you’re a paying customer.
Proton’s free tier is fairly generous: 1GB of storage and up to 150 emails a day which is enough to test whether it’s worth your while making the switch, but the real power comes with the paid plans.
Proton Mail Plus lifts the limits, supports multiple addresses, and unlocks advanced features like custom filters.
Why It’s Useful
The appeal of Proton Mail is simple: it gives you back control over your email privacy. If you’re tired of Big Tech combing through your inbox, Proton Mail is an alternative that doesn’t rely on ads or tracking.
For professionals, activists, or anyone dealing with sensitive information, this is the kind of email you SHOULD be using. Yahoo will literally burn you the moment the feds come knocking. And worse, it’ll shove ads into your inbox as well.
Gmail is the most popular email on the planet for a variety of reasons. Workspace is Gmail for business users, bringing branded domains. But from a privacy perspective, it’s Google and that means all bets are off.
Even for everyday users, knowing your messages are locked down and not feeding an algorithm is a refreshing change.
Benefits and Unique Selling Points
- End-to-end encryption; no one but the sender and recipient can read the message.
- Zero-access architecture; Proton can’t decrypt your emails, even if it wanted to.
- Based in Switzerland; some of the toughest privacy laws in the world apply here.
- Open source; Proton’s code is public and audited, which builds trust.
- Integrated ecosystem; Proton Drive, Proton VPN, and Proton Calendar all plug into the same account.
- Regular transparency reports; they publish legal requests and how they handle them.
- Stands up for privacy; Proton has resisted government pressure, even at the cost of being blocked in certain countries.
Where It Falls Short
Proton Mail isn’t perfect. The free tier has strict limits; casual users may find it enough, but anyone sending or storing a lot of emails will need to upgrade to a paid plan.
This isn’t a deal-breaker. It just depends on the value you place on keeping your personal data and information private and secure. The free tier is more than enough to test it out, get a feel for things.
If you dig the way Proton does things, and I believe most people will, you can upgrade to a paid plan (like I did). But you don’t have to; 1GB of storage, for email, should last you a good, long while.
Integrations are another sticking point; Proton Mail doesn’t play well with third-party apps or CRMs, which can feel restrictive if you’re used to plugging Gmail into everything.
The user experience is smooth but not as polished or feature-packed as Google Workspace or Microsoft Outlook.
And then there’s cost. At €4 a month for Proton Mail Plus, it’s not expensive, but compared to “free” Gmail, it’s another subscription to manage.
That said, you’re paying for privacy, not ads, and that feels fair.
Who It’s For (And Who It’s Not For)
- Anyone that wants to get away from Big Tech tracking, ads, and surveillance.
- Journalists and activists that need total privacy and protection of their data.
- Enterprise users that just need email that’s private and nothing too fancy on the integrations front.
Proton Mail is perfect for anyone who values privacy over convenience. Journalists, lawyers, activists, and security-conscious users will find it particularly compelling.
It’s also great for individuals who want to break free from the ad-driven models of Google and Microsoft.
It’s less suitable for people deeply embedded in the Google or Microsoft ecosystems.
If you rely on tight integrations with productivity tools, shared calendars, or plug-ins, Proton Mail may feel limiting. Businesses that need advanced collaboration features might prefer a bigger platform with wider integrations.
Final Verdict
Proton Mail delivers exactly what it promises: a secure, private, and reliable email service. It’s not trying to be Gmail with extra privacy features; it’s trying to be the antithesis of Gmail, and in that regard, it succeeds.
I switched, paid the small premium, and haven’t looked back. I still use Workspace for my business; I need all those useful integrations. But the moment Proton Mail ups the ante in this context, I’d switch in a heartbeat.
For most people, Proton Mail offers more than enough to replace Gmail or Outlook; it covers the essentials, adds serious security benefits, and integrates smoothly with Proton’s other tools.
It’s not flawless—limits on the free tier and fewer integrations will frustrate some—but if privacy is what you’re after, Proton Mail is still the benchmark in 2025.