Email Privacy
Your email contains your most sensitive information. Learn why secure email providers are essential and discover alternatives that respect your privacy.
Why Email Privacy Is Critical
Email is the backbone of digital communication, containing everything from personal conversations to financial documents, passwords, and sensitive business information. Without proper protection, your emails are vulnerable to surveillance and data mining.
What Secure Email Protects:
- End-to-End Encryption: Message content encrypted from sender to recipient
- Zero-Knowledge Architecture: Provider cannot access your encrypted data
- No Tracking: No behavioral tracking or data collection
- Secure Storage: Encrypted storage with strong security measures
What to Avoid:
- Free Email Services: Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo Mail scan your emails for ads
- Surveillance Countries: Services based in countries with extensive surveillance
- No Encryption: Emails stored in plain text on servers
- Data Mining: Content analysis for advertising and profiling
Email Privacy Best Practices
- Choose Encrypted Providers: Select email services with end-to-end encryption
- Verify Zero-Knowledge: Ensure the provider cannot access your data
- Use Strong Passwords: Create unique, complex passwords for your email
- Enable Two-Factor Authentication: Add an extra layer of security to your account
- Check Jurisdiction: Choose providers based in privacy-friendly countries
Recommended Email Providers
Proton Mail
Free (premium plans available)Proton Mail is a secure email service with end-to-end encryption. It's based in Switzerland and offers a free tier with 500MB storage. The service is open-source and has a strong focus on privacy.
Privacy Features:
• End-to-end encryption
• Zero-access encryption
• Open source
Web, iOS, Android
Visit SiteTutanota
Free (premium plans available)Tutanota is a secure email service that encrypts all emails end-to-end. It's open-source and based in Germany. The free tier includes 1GB storage and one custom domain.
Privacy Features:
• End-to-end encryption
• Zero-knowledge
• Open source
Web, iOS, Android
Visit SiteStartMail
Paid only (7-day free trial)StartMail is a private email service run by the makers of Startpage (private search). Based in the Netherlands, it offers strong encryption, aliases, and no ads. Unlike Proton or Tutanota, it's not free—but it's easy to use and highly private.
Privacy Features:
• Alias support
• No ads or tracking
• IMAP support
Web, IMAP-compatible apps
Visit SitePosteo
€1/monthPosteo is a German email provider that focuses on privacy and sustainability. It offers anonymous registration, strong encryption, and is powered by green energy. Posteo is known for its strong privacy stance and refusal to cooperate with surveillance requests.
Privacy Features:
• Anonymous registration
• Green energy
• German privacy laws
Web, IMAP/SMTP compatible
Visit SiteMailbox.org
€1/monthMailbox.org is a German email and groupware provider that offers business-friendly privacy features. It provides email, calendar, contacts, and cloud storage with strong encryption and German privacy protection.
Privacy Features:
• Business features
• Groupware
• German privacy laws
Web, IMAP/SMTP compatible
Visit SiteReady to secure your email communications?