Three secure email alternatives to Google and Microsoft

The recent Optus data breach has reignited conversations around data storage and privacy here in Australia. While not a lot can be done if your personal details have been stolen, there are things you can do to strengthen security hygiene online — for yourself and for small businesses. And it starts with secure email services.

There are plenty of secure email client alternatives to the big conglomerates like Google and Microsoft. And they offer end-to-end encryption, custom domain names, multiple users and much more. And most even have a free option.

Here are three of the most popular services out there.

Proton Mail

Proton Mail is one of the most popular encrypted email providers in the world.

Proton Mail offers a zero-access guarantee, its servers are protected by Swiss privacy laws and it offers self-destructing emails.

While there is a free model, it also has business options for a cost that come with custom domains that come with extra features and tech support.

Proton Mail Unlimited also offers up to 500GB storage, up to 20 personal calendars and Proton Drive Proton VPN.

However, it’s worth noting that subject lines in are not end-to-end encrypted.

“If served with a valid Swiss court order, we do have the ability to turn over the subjects of your messages,” the Proton Mail FAQ reads.

If you’re looking for one of the slicker and more accessible encrypted email services, Proton Mail is a great option.

Here’s some of the key pros and cons:

Pros:

• Free option;
• Business options;
• Custom domain options;
• Catch all emails for paid plans;
• IMAP support for some desktop email clients through Proton Bridge;
• It has an app;
• Servers in Switzerland;
• Self-destruct feature;
• Password protection for individual emails;
• Open-source;
• 2FA options available; and
• Available in over 20 languages.

Cons:

• Limits on the number of email addresses, even for paid accounts. This makes it better suited for smaller organisations;
• It requires an email address or phone number to sign up, or you can donate to Proton instead; 
• It retains some metadata, such as sender and recipient email addresses and the IP address of incoming emails and the subject line; and 
• No POP3 Support.

Price: 0-€9.99 ($13.23) per month (plus extras).

Tutanota

Tutanota is similar, but much cheaper, than Proton Mail. It uses its own encryption standards, meaning it it will encrypt your subject line, and  also offers a fully encrypted address book and calendar, even on the free plan.

There is also a free option if you’re an individual who doesn’t need some of the extra bells and whistles.

If you’re after more users and a custom domain, Tutanota can do this for you. However, it’s less robust than Proton Mail. You can only get up to five alias accounts and 10GB of storage, even on the ‘Teams’ account. That being said, its only €4 a month — but adding extra users costs an additional €2 ($2.65) a month. This makes it a much better option if you’re working in a small team or start up.

Pros

• Free option ;
• Business accounts available;
• Custom domains supported;
• Option to create white label design for your inbox;
• Servers located in Germany are are subject to Germany’s strict privacy protection laws;
• Anonymous registration;
• IP addresses not logged, unless the company is presented with a German court order over suspected criminal activity;
• End-to-end zero knowledge encryption;
• Password hashing;
• Encrypted attachments;
• Encrypted contacts; and
• Web, iOS, Android, PC, Mac and Linux are all supported.

Cons:

• No email support for the free account; 
• Limited support in general;
• Registration can take up to 48 hours;
• Storage only goes up to 10GB, and that’s only on the most expensive plan; and
• Email rules only available on paid accounts.

Price: 0-€4 ($5.30) per month (plus extras).

Mailbox.org

If you’re looking for a secure, but more robust option, for your business, you might want to consider Mailbox.org.

Unlike Tutanota and Proton Mail, it contains an abundance of features, storage and support that are suited to an organistion. This includes encrypted and ad-free video conferencing, push notifications, and spam/virus protection.

It has a custom domain option as well as up to 25 users for the paid accounts, making in a decent option for small to medium-sized businesses.

It also offers mobile sync for your mail, calendars and contacts as well as the ability to use Word or OpenOffice documents and spreadsheets from your browser.

Being a more full-service provider, there is sadly no free option. However, the ‘Light’ plan starts at just €1 ($1.32). 

• Business-focused;
• Great extra tools and features to support businesses;
• Custom domains supported;
• Up to 25 users for paid accounts;
• Servers located in Germany are are subject to Germany’s strict privacy protection laws;
• Anonymous registration option;
• End-to-end and zero knowledge encryption;
• Eco-friendly;
• Encrypted contacts; and
• Web, iOS, Android, PC, Mac and Linux are all supported.

Cons:

• No free option;
• Storage only up to 25GB for mail and 50GB for cloud;
• Metadata isn’t encrypted; and
• Subject headings aren’t encrypted.

Price: €1-€9 ($11.92) per month.