Proton Mail vs Gmail: Which Has The Best Security And The Most Features?

Gmail was first released in 2004, and since then it has grown to become the most popular email platform with billions of personal and business users around the world. While Gmail is easy to use, and offers a wide range of useful features, there are numerous, safer email alternatives available today. Proton Mail and Tuta Mail are just two of the best private email providers, but in this comparison we will focus on Proton Mail vs Gmail security, privacy, and features; and also compare the two against Tuta Mail here and there.

The question you need to ask yourself is: Do you want to sign up for a mainstream email service or choose a private email solution? This comparison of Gmail and Proton Mail will help you decide because when choosing the best email provider, one size doesn’t fit all.

Maybe you want to move away from the tech giant Google and its ad-based surveillance and are looking for a Gmail replacement, or maybe you’re interested in opening an additional email account for more private matters – we have all your questions covered in this ultimate comparison, including which is cheaper to host your custom domain with!

In this guide we take a look at ProtonMail vs Gmail, the pros and cons of each of these popular mail providers as well as the key differences.

ProtonMail vs Gmail: Main differences

ProtonMail and Gmail, two popular email providers, differ significantly in features and security.

Proton Mail places a strong emphasis on privacy, offering end-to-end encryption and zero-access encryption for stored emails, ensuring that even the provider cannot access the content. Users can create accounts anonymously (though if you try to register via the Tor browser, you need to provide a phone number or donate to Proton), and the service operates under Swiss jurisdiction, which is known for its good privacy - but thisconcept os “Swiss privacy” is over-hyped as the data protection laws in Switzerland are none better compared to the legal situation in the European Union.

Gmail, on the other hand, is based in Silicon Valley, United States, which part of the Five Eyes and known for its NSA surveillance. This means that your data stored on Google’s US servers is easily accessible to US law enforcements - even without court warrants. Gmail is ad-supported, known formaking its huge profits with targeted ads. While Gmail employs security measures like TLS, two-factor authentication and offers convenience with its integrated ecosystem, Gmail lacks default end-to-end encryption, raising concerns about data protection.

So let’s take a deep dive into ProtonMail vs Gmail security to decide, once and for all, which is better.

Is Proton Mail safer than Gmail

First things first: Proton Mail boasts some of the best security, but can it stack up against the tech giant Google? When it comes to security, both email providers have things on offer. Here are the main pros and cons regarding the security of Gmail and Proton Mail.

Comparison of security features of Gmail, Proton Mail and Tuta Mail: TLS, encryption at rest, end-to-end encryption ( zero access), quantum-safe encryption, two-factor authentication, password-protected emails, IP logging, ads.

So the question that many will ask is: Is Proton safer than Gmail? As the above table shows, the answer is yes, but the full truth is also that Tuta Mail is even more secure - due to its quantum-safe encryption that can protect emails also from the threat of “Harvest Now, Decrypt Later” attacks. Encrypted providers like Proton Mail and Tuta Mail far outrun Gmail because Gmail does not have end-to-end encryption. The difference of end-to-end encryption compared to normal TLS encryption and encrypting data at rest - which Gmail also does - is thatwith end-to-end encryption, only the senders and recipients of an email have access to the encryption keys, making the messages including their attachments unreadable to anybody else, even to the email provider. In this, Tuta Mail goes a step further than Proton by also encryptingmetadata such as subject lines end-to-end. This makes these two private email services the more secure option compared to Gmail.

Read more details on the differences between Tuta Mail and ProtonMail here!

Proton Mail Review

Proton Mail, the much lesser known email provider compared to Gmail was created in 2014 by scientists and engineers at CERN in Switzerland with a strong focus on privacy and security. Over the years, it has increased its products and added ProtonVPN, Proton Calendar, Proton Drive and Proton Wallet, and acquired SimpleLogin. Like Tuta Mail, Proton Mail has become a popular email provider for individuals and organizations who prioritize privacy and security.

A key selling point for Proton Mail is their security features; they use end-to-end encryption, which means only the intended email recipient is able to decrypt and view the messages. In addition to end-to-end encryption, unlike most email providers, Proton does not collect heaps of personal data, you can sign up anonymously (but Proton will ask for your phone number if you sign up via the Tor browser) and in general there’s no IP address logging.

If you’re looking for an anonymous email provider that never asks for your phone number, check out this article.

While we’ve let you in on the benefits of ProtonMail, it’s only fair to mention that there are some downsides and disadvantages. In the next section we take a deeper look at the pros and cons of ProtonMail.

Proton Mail offers a free email plan as well as a Proton Unlimited paid plan.

Proton Mail Advantages

• End-to-end encryption: Proton Mail has a zero-access encryption system which means that only the intended recipient can view and decrypt the email contents. Even Proton itself isn’t able to view the contents of the emails. In 2014, they started building Proton Mail using PGP encryption based on AES and RSA to secure emails, and in 2019, they brought out elliptic curve cryptography allowing for faster speeds and better security.

• Anonymous sign-up: When you sign up for Proton’s free email accounts, you don’t need to give them any personal information which means you can remain anonymous. However, if you try to register via the Tor browser for a free email account, it might be difficult as Proton Mail will not let you create an email address absolutely anonymously without at least forcing you to donate to the service or entering a phone number.

• No IP address logging: In general, Proton Mail doesn’t log IP addresses when accessing their services. However, when also using Proton VPN, keep in mind that this is the same company as Proton Mail, meaning if law enforcement requests the IP address of the user, it will be easier for them to get hold of it. Here’s a risk of “putting all eggs in one basket”, so to say.

• Free account access: While Proton’s free account is limited to only 500 MB, no email alias addresses, and no filters, Proton Mail is allowing users around the world to protect their right to privacy for free which is a major push in the right direction if you ask us!

Proton Mail Disadvantages

• Use of AI: In 2024, Proton Mail introduced the AI tool Proton Scribe. This new feature can be booked by business customers, and it helps them to summarize or compose emails. As with all features in relation to artificial intelligence, the privacy community was unpleasantly surprised when Proton released this feature. After all, AI does not only use (and possible abuse) users’ data for training purposes which raises a lot of questions in regards to data ownership and privacy rights. Thus, introducing AI completely defies the purpose of a private, secure email service such as Proton Mail - which is also the reason why we at Tuta do not plan to introduce AI functionalities.

• Daily message limit: Users on the free email plan are limited to sending 150 emails daily. For individual use, this number should be sufficient, but if you are an email power user, the free offer will not work for you. Enterprise and individual users have the option to get a paid Proton Mail subscription which allows you to send up to 1000 emails per day.

• Limited storage: With the free Proton Mail account, users initially get 500 MB storage space and Proton gradually allows you to unlock up to 1 GB of total storage space. Users also have the option to get a Mail Plus account which offers 15 GB total storage for 3.99 €/mt or a Proton Unlimited account which offers 500 GB total storage space for 9.99€/mth. This pricing struggles to compete with email providers like Google’s Gmail and even with Tuta Mail’s offering who offer much larger packages in the free version and less expensive plans for increased storage space.

• Limited integrations: Proton Mail can integrate with some third-party services but this is limited and a lot fewer compared to Gmail. Proton Mail supports IMAP so that you can use popular email clients like Outlook or Thunderbird with it. However, to use this feature, you first need to have a paid plan and second need to install the Proton bridge (for decrypting your emails before they are sent to Outlook or Thunderbird), which is a bit clunky, particularly on Linux. The IMAP integration also raises the question, can you use Proton Mail but keep your Gmail account? The short answer is: No, you can not use Gmail within your Proton Mail account. The long answer is: If you check your emails on a desktop client like Outlook or Thunderbird, you can - theoretically - connect your Proton and your Gmail account to the desktop client via IMAP. However, this process is complex and needs to be set up correctly; plus, you will not be able to see whether emails in Proton Mail are end-to-end encrypted as the third-party email clients are not able to show whether an email was sent encrypted or not. This is why the other popular encrypted email provider, Tuta Mail, has decided not to build a bridge for third-party desktop clients, but has instead focused on developing its own native desktop clients for Windows, Apple and Linux - and these work like a charm and are completely free (but also here you can not use Gmail in the Tuta desktop clients).

Gmail Review

Gmail, owned by the big tech giant Alphabet, has been around for years and is the free email provider of choice to billions of people around the world. It first came on the market in 2004, and at the time the 1 GB storage space Google offered with Gmail as well as conversation threads was super modern and advanced compared to other popular providers like Yahoo or Hotmail (now Outlook).

Number of Gmail users from 2012 to 2024: Google’s Gmail was created in 2004, and is currently the world’s most used and popular email service provider around the world. However, its growth has recently come to an end - a first sign that people today want more than “just an email provider that works”: privacy.

You can get a free Gmail account for personal use which offers generous storage space, good organizational features and a powerful search function. Particularly if Proton Mail’s free version is too limited for your taste, this legacy email provider makes a good Proton Mail alternative. For professional email use, you can pay for a Google Workspace subscription, where you not only have your Gmail account but also access to all Google Workspace tools, too. For many people the free Gmail account works well, but if you need access to Google Workspace and all its tools then you’d need to pay a subscription fee.

Google has a wide range of other applications like Google Drive, Google Calendar and Google Hangouts which all integrate and work effortlessly with Gmail. Google offers so many features and apps, it’s no surprise it’s a super useful and popular provider for enterprises and individuals.

While Gmail has a great user-interface and nice features and services, what’s often overlooked is its lack of privacy. Because Gmail’s email service is supposedly free, it means you’re paying with your privacy – Google can mine tons of your data, and use it for ad-targeting. This is how you pay for Google to be free.

Gmail offers a free email service, but if you’d like to use it professionally, along with the Google Workspace tools, then you will need to pay a subscription fee.

Below we’ve reviewed this email provider in detail and put together pros and cons about Gmail.

Gmail Advantages

• Ample storage space: Gmail gives its free and paid users plenty of storage space, including 15 GB of free storage, allowing you to store a good amount of emails and attachments. For many, the storage offered for a free account is more than enough.

• Google service integration: Google has a wide range of other services like Google Calendar, Google Docs, and Google Drive which all integrate seamlessly allowing users to access various productivity tools, schedule events or collaborate on documents at ease from the email interface.

• Great user-interface: Gmail is super user-friendly, and it has an intuitive interface making it easy for users to navigate and manage their account. Gmail is constantly updating and creating new features to enhance the user experience. The interface design is organized, clean and easy to navigate.

• Spam protection: Gmail is known for its good Spam protection. The Silicon Valley email provider was also the first to introduce a “Newsletter” tab so that newsletters are no longer received in the main inbox, but in the Newsletter folder instead.

Gmail Disadvantages

• Use of AI: Similar to Proton Mail - and unlike Tuta Mail, the truly private email service - Gmail uses artificial intelligence. In fact, Google recently faced a scandal where its AI tool Gemini claimed that it was accessing private Gmail emails to produce its answers.

• Lack of user privacy: Gmail scans the content of your emails – yes, you read right. Gmail actually tracks everything you buy, but here you can find out how to delete this information. In addition, if you use the free version, Google has started to place annoying ads directly in your mailbox. For this, of course, Google has a profile about you, generated from all your activities on all the Google services you use. So when you see adverts that seem far too similar to what you’ve been talking about in your emails or on other Google services, it’s because Google analyzes your every click on the web and target you with relevant ads to increase revenue. If this makes you uncomfortable, you should truly consider a privacy-first email provider like Tuta Mail or Proton Mail as an alternative!

• Expensive paid subscriptions: Gmail does have a free plan which is usually adequate for personal use, but if you want to make the most of Gmail you can get a basic plan which starts at 5.75€ per month. The Google price plans are a bit more expensive compared to their competitors and if you’re an enterprise, the price increases quickly.

For many people, Gmail’s lack of privacy is a big turn off, and it should be! If in search for a more private alternative, check here to see how Tuta Mail compares to Gmail and why it’s the best choice for private and secure emails!

Proton vs Google features: Is Proton Mail a good Gmail alternative?

Comparison table: Proton Mail vs Gmail at a glance: privacy, user interface, integrations, IMAP support, encryption, pricing, custom domain support.

Now that we have briefly reviewed the pros and cons of Proton Mail vs Gmail, it is becoming clearer that ProtonMail (and Tuta Mail!) is excellent for user privacy whereas Gmail is excellent for its user-interface, its large storage, and its integration with the Google suite. Both email providers are a solid choice depending on your needs, so at the end of the day it’s up to you, and you need to decide what fits best for you. In this next section we highlight thekey differences between both providers Gmail and Proton Mail, but you can also check the summary in the table above.

Privacy

Remember, Gmail is a product of tech giant Google whose business model is based around using data for targeted advertising to push revenue. When you sign up for a free Gmail account, you are required to put in a lot of personal details, whereas ProtonMail requires only a username and password. So although Gmail’s features are great, using their products comes with a loss of privacy. This compares to ProtonMail who like Tuta Mailprioritizes privacy. In addition, Google is based in the US, a country known for its surveillance and being part of the Five Eyes.

User Interface and Integration

Google has a wide range of products in its ecosystem, and it works effortlessly with these useful products, particularly for professional email use. Gmail has many useful features and an easy-to-use interface which is customizable for your needs. Proton Mail also has a user-friendly interface, but it has fewer features and isn’t as customizable as Gmail. Additionally, it doesn’t have as many integration options.

IMAP support

Both, Gmail and Proton Mail come with IMAP support so that you can link your mailbox to third-party clients like Thunderbird, Outlook and Apple Mail. However, Proton Mail limits access to this feature to paying users so that Gmail is the better option if you want to use your emails for free in Thunderbird or K9 on Android, for example.

Encryption

Gmail uses Transport Layer Security (TLS) to encrypt data when it’s sent between the user device and Google’s servers. Using TLS is standard practice for emails, it’s creating a tunnel where the emails are being sent through protected with a layer of encryption. However, within this tunnel, the emails are still sent in plain text, so not encrypted, and are at risk of being scooped up by malicious actors or three letter agencies like the NSA. Gmail also encrypts emails on Google servers, but has access to the encryption keys. Proton Mail uses TLS as well to send normal emails. However, in Proton Mail you also have the option to end-to-end encrypt emails to other Proton Mail users or with PGP, and you can send password-protected emails to, for instance, Gmail users, which are then also end-to-end encrypted.

Pricing

Gmail and Proton Mail both offer a free plan, but Gmail’s free version is much more generous with 15 GB of storage and lots of features included for free. Proton Mail, on the other hand, limits a lot of features like number of sent emails per day, labels, IMAP support and more so that the free version is not really usable if you are a power user. Prices for individual use start at €3.99/month at Proton Mail and at €6.99/month/user if you want to use this private email provider with multiple user. Gmail professional subscriptions start at €5.75/month/user.

Custom domain support

Cost for hosting my domain in Gmail, Proton Mail and Tuta Mail with multi-user support.

The Proton Mail vs Gmail cost is not so easy to compare and whether Gmail or Proton Mail is cheaper for you * *depends on the number of users ** that you would like to have. This is due to the fact that Proton’s pricing structure is quite complex and can’t be easily compared to Gmail’s prices. But we’ll break it down for you:

To host your domain on Proton Mail for individual use, it’s only €3.99/month so definitely cheaper than Gmail with its price of €5.75/month/user. However, Gmail’s version already comes with multi-user support. So if you want to host your domain with Proton Mail and use it with your family, for instance, you need to pick a different plan - either Proton Mail’s cheapest business plan at €6.99/month/user or the dedicated planProton Family at €23.99/month for up to six users.

So in the end, it depends on how large or small your family is: If you are three people that want to share your domain, Gmail is the cheaper option. If you are only 1 person or six people in your family, the cost at Proton Mail is lower for hosting your own domain with them.

This should answer your question of how much does Proton charge for hosting my domain and whether Gmail is more expensive.

However - and we have to say this here - if you want a fully encrypted, privacy-first email provider to host your custom domain, it does not have to be as costly or as complex as with Proton Mail. The prices of Tuta Mail are very affordable and pretty straightforward: You can host your domain at Tuta Mail starting at €3/month/user. This price is unbeatable and the best option available, compared to both, Gmail and Proton Mail.

Check out the best of both worlds and sign up for Tuta Mail now

TL;DR: Which is best for you - Proton or Gmail?

Quick overview of Gmail and ProtonMail features: interface, labels, folders, customization, devices.

As this ProtonMail vs Gmail comparison shows, each email service has its pros and cons and not one is better than the other in general. In the end, which is best depends on your needs and personal preference.

Both Gmail and Proton Mail have an easy-to-use interface and can be used on all devices, including apps for Android, iPhones and iPads. The free Gmail version includes lots of features like labels and customizations, users can even create their own custom theme. In Proton Mail lots of features like labels and folders (Gmail does not have folders at all) are hidden behind a paywall, and themes are more limited than in Gmail.

So in the end, your choice is down to one simple question: Do you want better privacy, or as many features as possible?

If privacy is your number one concern, then Proton Mail is hands down better, but Tuta Mail is even better. 😉

If you’re looking for an email provider that has lots of features, is user-friendly and has great integrations with other services, then Gmail is your go to!

And, if you’re not ready to choose your favorite email alternative to your current provider, we’ve created a guide of the ten best private email services available in 2024 that might be of interest to you.

The best replacement for both – Tuta Mail!

You have come here to decide which email provider is best for you: Gmail or Proton Mail. We have to say there is one option that is even better than these two: Tuta Mail.

But we do not only claim that Tuta is better, we can also back this up with facts:

Tuta Mail is better than Gmail because it’s secure, private and we at Tuta respect you and your right to privacy. At Tuta, you are not just one more of billions of users, but you matter to us not just as a user, but as a person and as a member of our community.

Check this detailed comparison of Gmail vs Tuta Mail to make your choice.

While being better than Gmail was easy, with Proton Mail we have to be more granular as to where the differences are and why Tuta is better because we both encrypt all your data end-to-end to make sure no one can abuse your data.

At Tuta, we want to enable everyone to take back their privacy - whether they can pay for email or not. That’s why the following features in Tuta Mail stand out compared to Proton Mail:

• Tuta offers free desktop clients for Linux, Windows and Apple while Proton’s desktop clients are only available if you pay.

• Tuta comes with zero Google integrations; we’ve built our own captcha and even our own push notification service on Android whereas Proton’s Android app uses Google Push.

• Tuta Mail is the first email provider to offer quantum-safe encrypted emails so that we can already protect your data from the threat of “Harvest Now, Decrypt Later” which Proton Mail can’t.

• When you send password-protected emails with Tuta Mail, all emails are stored in one, single mailbox so that the external recipient can access the entire message thread all at once while in Proton, they can only view the latest message when decrypting it with the shared password.

• At Tuta we are committed to sustainability; all our servers are powered with 100% renewable energy.

Don’t settle for less in a post-quantum world, sign up for a Tuta Mail account now.