Email App Review: Proton Email App
Digital privacy and security are more important than ever in today’s world, and many popular email apps are lacking when it comes to encryption. Proton is a private email service that offers end-to-end encryption, but how does it stack up against popular apps like Gmail? In this review, we take an in-depth look at how Proton works and whether it’s worth it. We look at:
- What Proton is
- What features it offers
- How much Proton costs
- Pros and cons of the app
- A breakdown of user reviews
- Is Proton worth it?
What Is Proton?
Proton is a Swiss-based email service that end-to-end encryption as well as zero access encryption to ensure that their user communications are secure. They ensure that no one can access your inbox – not even Proton itself! This ensures you’re protected against data breaches and hackers. The company is based in Switzerland in order to take advantage of Swiss privacy and data laws, which are among the strictest in the world! The app is available for both iOS and Android, and the service is also available on a web app. A basic account is free, although you can upgrade to a paid account to access extra features.
Proton Email App Features
The Proton app has a range of strong security and privacy features, ensuring your data stays safe and secure. These include:
- End-to-end encryption: End-to-end encryption means your data is automatically encrypted before being sent, so it’s only able to be read by your intended recipient
- Password-protected emails: When emailing recipients who don’t use Proton mail, Proton offers a password-protected feature to ensure that your emails are not accessible by your recipient’s email provider
- Two-factor authentication: Proton Mail supports two-factor authentication (2FA) with the use of hardware security keys, including YubiKey and other U2F/FIDO2-compliant keys.
- Tracking protection: Proton mail blocks spy pixels and hides your IP address so that advertisers can’t access your personal information
- Zero-access encryption: Proton has absolutely no means of decrypting your emails, meaning it’s impossible for them to be compelled to hand over your emails to anyone
- Open source: Proton believes transparency is essential, so all their apps are open source to allow anyone to improve them
- Secure hardware: When you use Proton, your data never goes to the cloud – it’s all kept in highly secure data centers in Switzerland. The servers are fully encrypted and data security is protected even if the hardware were to be seized
- Key transparency: Proton automatically verifies the public keys of your contacts, so you can be confident you’re emailing who you intend to email.
Proton Email App Pricing
The Proton app offers three different tiers – Proton Free, Proton Mail Plus, and Proton Unlimited.
Proton Free
The most basic Proton account is available totally free, with no credit card required. This plan includes the following features:
- Up to 1 GB storage
- 1 free email address
- The ability to send 150 messages a day
- The ability to sync across devices
- Encrypted file sharing
- 1 medium speed VPN connection
- 2 vaults
- Up to 10 hide my email aliases
- The ability to share with up to 2 others.
Proton Mail Plus
Proton Mail Plus costs 3.99 € per month if you sign up for a year. With this plan, you get:
- 15 GB of storage
- 10 email addresses
- Unlimited messaging
- 1 custom email domain
- 25 shareable calendars
- Syncing across devices
- Encrypted file sharing
- 1 medium speed VPN connection
- 2 vaults
- Up to 10 hide my email aliases
- The ability to share with up to 2 others.
Proton Unlimited
Proton’s premium offering costs 9.99 € if you sign up for a 12-month period. With this plan, you get:
- 500 GB storage
- 15 email addresses
- Unlimited messages, folders, labels, and filters
- Support for 3 custom email domains
- Unlimited hide my email aliases
- 25 shareable calendars
- Syncing across devices
- Encrypted file sharing
- File version histories
- 10 high-speed VPN connections, as well as VPN access to streaming services around the world
- 20 vaults
- Unlimited hide-my-email aliases
- Integrated 2FA authenticator
- Share with up to 10 others.
Proton Email App Pros and Cons
While Proton Mail is undeniably an incredibly secure service, it’s essential to weigh up the benefits and limitations before deciding to switch to using the app. Here, we break down some of the pros and cons of the Proton email app:
Pros
👍 Incredibly secure: Proton uses both end-to-end encryption and zero access encryption to ensure everything is private and secure
👍 Swiss data protection: Proton is based in Switzerland, ensuring extra security for its users thanks to strict Swiss data protection rules
👍 Hardware security: Proton ensures your data doesn’t end up on the cloud, with highly secure server locations based in Switzerland to protect against third-party access
👍 Free options: Proton ensures its product is accessible to everyone, with tiered plans, including a free option
👍 Multiple security features: Proton offers password-protected emails when emailing on other platforms, as well as 2FA and key transparency.
Cons
👎 Cost: The cost of Proton’s unlimited plan is high compared to other similar services
👎 Usability concerns: Some users have complained that the app is glitchy and has issues with archiving messages
👎 Email address not accepted everywhere: There have been complaints that Proton email addresses are not accepted at some online stores
👎 Limited services on the free plan: Although Proton does offer a free option, the storage, and other features are limited compared to the paid options
👎 Subject lines not encrypted: Although all the email content and attachments are totally encrypted, Proton Mail does not encrypt subject lines, which means if a Swiss court order was served, Proton could turn over the subject headings of messages.
What Users Say About Proton Email App
Proton Mail user reviews are varied, with some users loving the app and some feeling like it doesn’t deliver. Overall, the app has 4.4 stars on Google Play and 4.6 stars on the Apple store, suggesting users are overall very happy with the app!
One App Store user, GoHealthyGuru, gave the app four stars, saying that they believe encryption is a basic human right and that Proton is a great source of email encryption.
They state that it is quite expensive to get the full service, however, especially compared to other apps.
Another App Store user gave the app four stars, stating that they love the app and that it’s great for privacy.
They stated that the only reason they don’t give five stars is that a couple of times they found companies such as online stores did not accept the Proton email address.
One user, Jobiasrkd, stated that while they like the Proton Mail service, particularly the privacy aspects, they think the app has issues with usability. They specifically stated that it is difficult and time-consuming to archive messages using the Proton Mail app.
Users of the Android app also had a variety of reviews, with a number of five-star reviewers praising the security. One reviewer, Hunter Lyons, called it ‘scarily secure’!
The app is not without its issues, however, with user Dwight A. Ernest stating they found the app to be glitchy. They stated they hope the issues get fixed as they don’t want to move to using Gmail again.
The Verdict On Proton Email App: Is It Worth It?
Whether or not the Proton Mail app is worth it is dependent on your needs and values. If privacy and security are highly important to you, Proton Mail is an excellent option.
Its comprehensive encryption and adherence to Swiss data protection offer excellent security, making it ideal for anyone handling sensitive information. If you’re concerned about privacy, we think it’s worth it.
If costs are an issue for you, Proton might not be worth the price. Although there is a free option, it has limited features compared to the paid option, particularly when it comes to storage.
Overall, if you highly value data security, Proton is an industry leader when it comes to data protection. If your security needs are lower or you find the price to be too high, a more budget-friendly email service might better suit your needs.
Sources
https://proton.me/mail/security
https://proton.me/mail/pricing
https://proton.me/support/does-protonmail-encrypt-email-subjects