If you're searching for a more private and secure email service, you've likely come across or heard of Proton Mail. But what exactly is Proton Mail, and what sets it apart from other email service providers?
Proton Mail is akin to Signal in the realm of email services, offering the utmost security and privacy for email communications. Much like how Signal is known as the most secure messaging app, Proton Mail is recognized as the most secure and private email service.
In this concise guide, we'll provide an overview of what Proton Mail is and delve into the distinctive features that set it apart from other email service providers.
What is Proton Mail?
Proton Mail is an encrypted email service that focuses on providing secure and private email communication.
Founded by scientists and engineers from CERN, Proton Mail's goal is to offer a more secure alternative to traditional email providers. Proton provides encrypted email, calendar, file storage, and VPN services as part of its comprehensive suite of offerings.
Proton Mail is used by individuals and organizations seeking enhanced email security and privacy, particularly those concerned about protecting their data from surveillance and unauthorised access.
How is Proton Mail different from other mainstream email providers?
Proton Mail distinguishes itself from mainstream email providers by offering true end-to-end encryption and zero-access encryption. These features ensure that only the sender and recipient can decrypt and access email content, enhancing user privacy.
Here are some of the unique features offered by Proton Mail:
End-to-end encryption
Proton Mail provides end-to-end encryption for emails. This means that the contents of your emails are encrypted on your device and can only be decrypted by the recipient, ensuring that even Proton Mail itself cannot access the content of your messages.
Zero-access encryption
Unlike many email providers that have access to your email's encryption keys, ProtonMail employs zero-access encryption. This means that Proton Mail doesn't have the ability to decrypt your emails, enhancing your privacy and security.
Self-destructing emails
Similar to messaging apps like WhatsApp, Proton Mail lets you send self-destructing emails that automatically delete themselves after a specified time, adding an extra layer of privacy for sensitive information. This feature is not common in other email services.
Open source and Swiss data centres
The codebase for the Proton Mail is open source, allowing for community review and scrutiny, which can enhance trust and security. Furthermore, Proton Mail's servers are located in Switzerland, a country known for its strict privacy laws.
Is Proton Mail better than Gmail?
Proton Mail is better than Gmail in terms of privacy due to its robust end-to-end encryption and zero-access encryption features.
Google's Gmail scans the content of your emails and uses it to deliver targeted ads. In contrast, Proton Mail takes a different approach, refraining from email scanning, ad sales, and data sharing, which can enhance user privacy.
While Gmail does offer client-side end-to-end encryption, it is not enabled by default (for obvious reasons). In contrast, Proton Mail provides automatic client-side end-to-end encryption as the default setting, prioritizing user privacy and security.