Email is a big part of our daily lives. knowing all the secure email providers out there is essential.
The average person spends more than five hours a day checking their work and personal email.
But while email is valuable and efficient, it’s not very secure. at least not if you’re using a standard email provider like gmail or outlook.
Email is one of the easiest ways for hackers to access your company data. To protect your email and all the information that is sent every day, you need a secure email provider.
This article introduces the top 14 secure email providers and helps you choose the right one for your business.
what are secure email providers?
A secure email provider has features designed to keep your email account and the content of your emails safe.
This is typically done using end-to-end encryption. end-to-end encryption means that email is encrypted all the way from sender to recipient.
However, there’s no standard definition of secure email — any email provider can call itself secure.
For that reason, when choosing a secure email provider, you should pay attention to the type of encryption and other security practices used.
The average person spends more than five hours a day checking their personal and work email. 😲 make sure your provider is the safest option ⬇️click to tweet
why do you need a secure email provider?
To understand why secure email is essential, let’s look at what happens when you send email from a standard provider like gmail.
It’s not that gmail doesn’t have security features. Emails sent from Gmail (and many other major providers) use Transport Layer Security (TLS) encryption to encrypt messages in transit between your computer and the server.
once it reaches the server, google encrypts the data at the network level. but google itself has access.
It no longer reads your emails to show you ads, as it did before 2017, but Google still analyzes the content of your emails to provide features like Smart Reply.
It’s also easy for gmail or other providers to give third parties access to your emails.
so now your email leaves the google server and travels to its destination. if the recipient’s email provider also uses tls, the email will still be protected in transit as most major email services do.
however, if the recipient is not using tls, the email will not be encrypted and will be easy to intercept.
And even if the email is protected in transit, it may not be secure once it reaches the recipient’s email server. some email providers do not encrypt emails on the server.
How do secure email providers protect your email?
The most secure email providers use end-to-end encryption to protect your email.
that means even the email provider itself doesn’t have access to your emails. the only person who can read encrypted emails is the recipient, who has authentication.
providers can also use sender policy framework (spf) to authenticate emails and further protect it.
with spf, when someone attempts to send an email on your behalf other than from a validated ip address, the recipient will be notified that the email is from an unauthorized user and will have the option to reject it. that.
do you have to change your email address to switch to a secure email provider?
In most cases, you’ll need to create a new email address when you switch email providers.
As long as your old email account exists, you can have your emails forwarded to your new inbox. but note that those forwarded emails go through the old provider’s servers, so they are not end-to-end encrypted.
Some secure email providers have additional features to help you migrate from your old email provider.
how to choose a secure email provider
Each secure email provider has a different set of features. here are some things to consider.
server location
Some countries, including the United States, collect and share intelligence obtained from email servers.
This may not be important to you if you are more concerned about hackers than government agencies.
But for activists and others who want to keep their emails out of the hands of the government, an email provider located in Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, Norway, or Sweden would be ideal. they all have stricter privacy laws.
encryption
We have already discussed the difference between end-to-end encryption and transport encryption like tls.
Within end-to-end encryption, there are different types.
for example, you can have symmetric or asymmetric encryption. Symmetric encryption uses a single key to encrypt and decrypt data. both the sender and the recipient must have this key.
Asymmetric encryption (also known as cryptography or public key encryption) means that two unique sets of keys are used to encrypt data.
The sender uses the recipient’s public key to encrypt the message. this public key is mathematically linked to a private key known only to the recipient. email can be decrypted with a private key.
Asymmetric encryption is not as simple or as fast as symmetric encryption, but it does add another layer of security.
two-factor authentication (2fa)
In addition to choosing a provider with strong encryption, it’s important to make sure your account credentials are protected.
Two-factor authentication means that stealing your password won’t be enough to access your email account. you will also need another form of authentication.
a factor is something you know, like a password. the other is something you have, like your mobile phone. One of the most common forms of two-factor authentication is to text you a unique code to use along with your username and password.
Metadata Header Stripping
An email typically contains metadata about its recipient and the sender’s computer, browser, and network.
many secure email providers remove this information.
open source
Open source software makes its source code available to users and developers. this means anyone can examine the product code to make sure it’s safe.
other encrypted functions
Your standard email provider may also provide you with other tools, such as Google Calendar and Google Drive with Gmail.
some secure email providers offer similar features but are encrypted, for example a secure calendar or secure cloud storage.
desktop and mobile usability
is moving to secure email for data encryption, but that doesn’t mean the user experience isn’t important.
If you want to check your email on a mobile device, choose an email provider that works well on mobile devices. You can’t always add a secure provider to your favorite mail client application.
Top 14 Secure Email Providers in 2022
Let’s break down the top 14 secure email providers, including their key features and pricing.
1. proton mail
protonmail is the most popular secure email provider.
is open source, based in Switzerland, and provides end-to-end asymmetric encryption. you can use protonmail for free if you send less than 150 messages per day and you don’t need a lot of storage.
an interesting feature of protonmail is the self-destruction of emails. sets an expiration date for an email and it is removed from the recipient’s inbox at that time.
With protonmail, your data is stored using zero access encryption. that means protonmail itself doesn’t know your password and can’t decrypt your emails. (It also means they can’t reset your password).
protonmail also offers a mobile app for android and ios.
Key Features
- Swiss-based servers
- open source
- end-to-end encryption
- zero-access encryption
- self-destructing emails
- mobile app
- custom domains with paid plans
price
- free: 1 user, 500 mb storage, 150 messages per day
- plus: $5/month for 1 user, 5gb storage, 1000 messages per day
- professional: $8/month/user for 1-5000 users, 5gb storage per user, unlimited messages
- visionary: $30/month for 6 users, 20 gb, unlimited messages
2. mailbox.org
mailbox.org is a secure email service aimed at business users looking for an alternative to google or microsoft tools. In addition to email, it offers encrypted cloud storage, video conferencing, an address book, a calendar, and a task planner.
This email provider uses pgp encryption, a public key encryption program that has become the standard for email encryption.
There is no free plan, but mailbbox.org is relatively affordable. you can register and make payments for the service anonymously.
mailbox.org is also proud to run on green power.
Key Features
- server based in germany
- pgp encryption
- encrypted cloud storage
- video conference
- calendar
- green
- no free plan
price
- standard: €3/month for 10 GB of mail storage and 5 GB of cloud storage
- premium: €9/month for 25GB of email storage and 50GB of cloud storage
- light: €1/month for 2GB of email storage, no cloud storage the cloud
3. center point
hubspot is often known for its all-in-one business solution that offers everything from email hosting and marketing services to customer support and content management. When it comes to email security, hubspot’s tools provide a bunch of different security measures to ensure that you and your customers’ data is safe and secure.
With hubspot’s email marketing tool, you can authenticate email using spf, dkim, dmarc and the latest bimi authentication standards. Every time hubspot transmits or stores your personal data, hubspot encrypts your data as it is exchanged with your computer and uses the best security measures to prevent unauthorized or unintended access to its network.
Not only are your emails safe, but hubspot also protects your entire toolset, whether you’re using your emails, cms, website builders and more.
Key Features
- two-factor authentication (2fa)
- enterprise single sign-on (sso)
- spf, dkim, dmarc and bimi authentication standards
- email recovery
- all-in-one crm solution
- data synchronization with marketing, sales and service centers
price
- Free tools available
- Beginner: $45/month, includes 1000 marketing contacts
- Professional: $800/month, includes 2,000 marketing contacts
- company: $3,200/month, includes 10,000 marketing contacts
4. zoho mail
zoho mail has a free version that anyone can use, but the service is valuable for business users. the workplace plan offers a word processor, spreadsheet software, webinar platform, chat function, and other collaboration tools.
encrypts your emails in transit and on zoho’s servers using a type of asymmetric cryptography called s/mime. a unique digital signature for each user ensures that the email is not forged.
zoho mail gets rave reviews for its ease of use. Your control panel allows you to manage settings for all mailboxes in your organization from one place.
Key Features
- servers located all over the world
- end-to-end encryption
- calendar
- contact portal
- tools collaboration
- email retrieval
- mobile apps
price
- mail lite: $1 or $1.25/month for 5gb or 10gb per month
- mail premium: $4/month for 50gb per user
- workplace: custom pricing starting at $3/month
5. tutanota
tutanota is another open source secure email provider with end-to-end encryption and two-factor authentication.
tutanota takes privacy very seriously. instead of pgp, it uses aes and rsa encryption. These systems use the same algorithms as pgp, but add an additional layer of security by combining symmetric and asymmetric keys.
Other security features include image blocking, header stripping, and phishing warnings.
The free plan is for private use only and gives you 1GB of storage and a single calendar.
Key Features
- server located in germany
- end-to-end encryption
- two-factor authentication
- metadata removal
- encrypted contacts and calendars
- add an encrypted contact form to the website
- custom domains on paid plans
- unlimited messages, even on the free version
price
- free: 1 gb of storage
- premium: €1/month for 1 gb of storage
- teams: €4/month for 10GB of storage
- many add-ons available
6. post
posteo is popular with activists and journalists who need to remain anonymous, as it allows you to register and pay anonymously.
posteo encrypts your data in transit and at rest. although posteo does not use end-to-end encryption by default, you can choose to enable it. pop and imap support allows you to use post in an email client like outlook.
If you’re switching from another email provider, Post Migration Service makes it easy by migrating your archived emails, folder structure, contact list and calendar.
According to the post, their servers and offices run entirely on green power from greenpeace energy.
Key Features
- server located in germany
- end-to-end encryption available
- open source
- subject cipher, headers, body, metadata and attachments
- supports pop, smtp and imap protocols
- allows anonymous cash payments
- no free plan
price
- €1/month for 2gb storage
- additional storage: €0.25/gb/month
- other add-ons available
7. thexyz
thexyz is a lesser known secure email provider. It doesn’t have end-to-end encryption built in, but you can use openpgp end-to-end encryption with a browser plugin called mailvelope. your email is also protected with spam filters and firewalls.
thexyz is Canadian with many of their servers located in the USA. uu. — not the best if you seek privacy from government agencies.
the migration service will help you move your email, calendar and contacts from office 365, gmail and other email providers.
Key Features
- servers based mainly in the us. us, with some in europe
- imap, pop and openpgp support
- two-factor authentication
- calendars
- spam filter
- ssl encryption
- restore deleted email
- mobile apps
- no free plan
price
- premium webmail: $2.95/mo for 25gb storage
- add-ons available
8. private mail
privatemail offers end-to-end openpgp encryption and other security features like self-destructing emails.
privatemail differs from other secure email services in its cloud storage. Your data is safe in the cloud, thanks to AES 256 encryption. When you download your files, you can decrypt them locally or leave them encrypted.
privatemail also enables secure file sharing with end-to-end encryption.
The downside of privatemail is that it is based in the US. uu. it’s also more expensive than most other options.
Key Features
- servers located in the usa. uu.
- end-to-end encryption
- secure cloud storage
- self-destructing emails
- aes 256 file encryption
- encrypted file sharing
- no free plan
price
- Standard plan: $8.95/month for 10GB of email storage and 10GB of cloud storage
- privatemail pro: $15.95/month for 20GB of email storage and 20GB of cloud storage
9. start mail
startmail is a secure email service run by the same people who operate the private search engine start page.
startmail uses pgp encryption and can work with other pgp clients. can send encrypted messages to non-pgp users if they know the answer to a secret question.
While startmail does not have a free plan, it does offer a 30-day free trial.
Key Features
- servers based in the netherlands
- simple pgp encryption
- imap and smtp support
- obscure ip address and hostname
- you can use your domain
- without free plan
price
- personal account: $35.99/year
- business account: $59.95/year
10. silence
hushmail is one of the oldest secure email providers and is known for being easy to use. uses openpgp encryption.
hushmail is popular in healthcare due to its focus on hipaa compliance. hushmail for health plan allows you to encrypt emails containing personal health information. To aid in auditing, create a separate archive account that keeps track of all email sent or received by all users in your domain.
There are also plans for personal use, small businesses, and attorneys.
Key Features
- servers based in Canada
- pgp encryption
- imap and pop support
- two-factor authentication
- spam filter
- secure web forms
- electronic signatures
- private message center
- mobile application
- support for hipaa compliance
price
- hushmail for healthcare: starting at $9.99/mo
- hushmail for small businesses: starting at $5.99/mo
- hushmail for law: starting at $9.99/mo
- hushmail for personal use: from $49.98/year
11. countermail
Cross Mail takes security seriously.
Like many of the providers on this list, countermail uses pgp encryption. it also enhances that encryption with aes and rsa algorithms. You can further protect your data by setting up a USB key for two-factor authentication.
countermail servers in sweden are unique in that they do not have hard drives, instead starting from a cd-rom for added security.
safebox is countermail’s password manager. All usernames and passwords in the vault are protected with a master password, which cannot be retrieved if you forget it.
You can get a free 10-day trial if you already know someone who uses countermail.
Key Features
- diskless servers based in sweden
- end-to-end encryption
- two-factor authentication
- anonymous email headers
- does not keep ip logs
- usb key option
- imap support
- password manager
- no plan free
price
- $29/6 months, $49/year or $79/2 years
- additional storage available starting at $19 for 250mb
12. near mail
mailfence is a secure email provider that offers end-to-end encryption and two-factor authentication. It has a free plan with 500MB of storage.
mailfence uses openpgp encryption and offers digital signatures. it also has a password manager.
It’s not the most secure solution out there, but it does offer a suite of office tools like calendars and messaging. For users who have been using Gmail or Outlook and want something more secure with a similar level of ease of use, Mailfence is a good option.
Key Features
- Belgium-based servers
- end-to-end encryption
- two-factor authentication
- pops, imaps and smtps support
- password manager
- calendars
- messaging
- document storage
price
- free: 500mb of emails and 500mb of documents
- admission: €2.50/month for 5gb of emails and 12gb of documents
- pro: €7.50/month for 20gb of email and 24gb of documents
- ultra: €25/month for 50gb of email and 70gb of documents
13. run box
runbox is an email provider based in Norway. protects your email using pgp encryption and two-factor authentication.
You can allow ip addresses to access your runbox account and see a list of the last successful and failed login attempts.
runbox is committed to being ethical and environmentally friendly, powering its servers with renewable energy from hydroelectric power plants.
Key Features
- servers based in norway
- two factor authentication
- ip allowed list
- virus and spam filters
- pop, imap, smtp and wap support
- no free plan
price
- micro: $19.95/year for 2GB of email storage and 200MB of file storage
- mini: $34.95/year for 10GB of email storage and 1GB of file storage
- average: $49.95/year for 25GB of email storage and 2GB of file storage
- max: $79.95/year for 50 gb of email storage and 5 gb of file storage
14. kolab now
kolab now provides secure email and a collection of tools like calendars, notes, and video conferencing.
Based in Switzerland, kolab now offers the option of end-to-end encryption and is gdpr, hipaa and pci compliant.
Key Features
- Swiss-based servers
- end-to-end encryption
- open source
- calendars
- notes
- contacts
- videoconference
price
- email only: 5.00 chf/month
- full kolab: 9.90 chf/month
the best secure email provider for your company
The best secure email provider for your business depends on your needs. Here are some recommendations to consider:
- for the best full featured secure email provider try protonmail or tutanota
- for the best email provider free secure email, try protonmail
- free plan for the most secure email provider, try countermail
- for a secure email provider with collaboration features for businesses, try zoho mail
summary
email is essential for business communication, but it has flaws. If you send any kind of private information via email, consider ditching your current provider for a more secure option.
Want to learn more about email strategy for your business? Check out these email marketing software recommendations and email marketing tips.