Google launched its own email service all the way back in 2004 (remember the hype around a free 1GB of email storage space?). In the years since, it’s become the default email service for many of us—in part because of its close ties to so other Google apps, like Google Drive, Google Maps, and Google Photos.
We’ve also seen plenty of competing products launch over the last two decades, so if you’re thinking about leaving Gmail, you have plenty of other options. Apple and Microsoft are two of the big names that will gladly take over the responsibility of managing your inbox.
Then there’s Proton Mail, part of the Proton suite of products that prioritizes privacy and security. We’ve previously compared Proton Docs and Google Docs, and here we’re going to take a look at how Proton Mail stacks up against Gmail. It may be worth your while to switch, especially if you’re unsure about Google’s privacy policies.
Gmail vs Proton Mail: The basics
Both services are available on the web, and have dedicated apps for Android and iOS. Both have free options, with premium plans also available: Proton Mail gives you 1GB of storage for free, while Gmail gives you 15GB (though bear in mind this is also shared with Google Drive and Google Photos).
Paid plans start at $1.99 a month for Gmail and $4.99 a month for Proton Mail, but it’s hard to do a straight comparison, as a lot of other upgrades are included. Google gives you more AI features as well as more storage room, for example, while Proton gives you more usage across its VPN, Calendar, and Drive tools in addition to the extra cloud storage.
If you prefer to use a third-party email client like Apple Mail or Outlook, this is easily done on Gmail and only takes a few steps. With Proton Mail, it’s more involved: You need to sign up for a premium subscription, and use the Proton Mail Bridge app. This ensures end-to-end encryption, so not even Proton itself can read your emails (this isn’t something Gmail offers by default).
Proton Mail focuses on security and privacy. Image: Proton
Gmail vs Proton Mail: Key features
When it comes to key features, both Gmail and Proton Mail have plenty to offer, though with Proton Mail your use of labels and filters is restricted on the free plan. It supports folders though, which Gmail doesn’t. And if you pay for Proton Mail, you can set up multiple email addresses to work through one inbox, which again Gmail doesn’t support.
It’s similar with the email scheduling and snoozing features, and automatic email forwarding to another inbox. This is all free in Gmail, and requires a subscription in Proton Mail. There is also an undo send feature on both platforms, free of charge, that you can use to quickly bring back messages you’ve sent in error.
Ideally, you need to be paying for Proton Mail: Otherwise you run into restrictions on filters, folders, and labels, and the number of messages you can send (150 per day). With Gmail, all of this is supported by advertising and data collection This is the distinction Proton focuses on: You’ll never see a single advert inside Proton’s products.
Gmail vs Proton Mail: Interface
Both Gmail and Proton Mail offer a clean, modern-looking app interface that’s easy to navigate around and intuitive in the way it works. Both platforms let you customize the interface too—so you can tailor the look and feel to suit yourself (Gmail does offer more in the way of tweaks, however).
Both email platforms support keyboard shortcuts on the desktop, which can be very helpful for powering through emails and clearing out your inbox. There’s also well-done integration with the other apps offered by these companies—including Google Drive and Proton Drive, and Google Calendar and Proton Calendar.
You could argue that the Gmail app is a little bit more polished, especially on mobile, but there’s not much in it. Both platforms support conversation grouping, where emails from the same thread are bunched together for easy reference (but both also let you turn this off, if you prefer the traditional approach).
Gmail vs Proton Mail: Privacy
While Gmail may be ahead on the scorecard up to this point, it’s here that Proton Mail strikes back. The Proton offering is way ahead here, and offers full end-to-end encryption for your emails, plus password-protected emails, and expiration dates for emails.
Gmail provides some of these features in a more limited way, but they’re not enabled by default, and aren’t as comprehensive as the Proton Mail equivalent. While Google’s email servers are encrypted, Google holds the decryption keys—so messages can be accessed by Google or agencies approved by Google. The full, end-to-end encryption that Proton Mail provides means no one but you can read your emails.
Both these platforms do well in terms of anti-spam and anti-virus protection for your inbox. But on other privacy and security features, Proton Mail wins: The VPN bundled with all plans (even the free one), for instance, and the complete absence of ads.
Gmail is packed with features and functions. Image: Google
Gmail vs Proton Mail: Verdict
As you can see, the primary reason to switch to Proton Mail from Gmail is privacy and security. And if that’s what’s most important to you, then you’ll probably be okay with paying a few dollars more a month to get those features, and to make sure you’re not being tracked or advertised to in your inbox.
There’s still a lot to be said for Gmail though. It’s ubiquitous and compatible with a host of third-party apps and tools, it’s got loads of customization options and other features to play around with, and if you can stick under the 15GB storage limit then you get unlimited use of everything for free, too.
You also need to think of the inconvenience cost, of course, and it may take a while before all your contacts are right up to date with your new email address. Of course, if there are some contacts you’d rather not hear from again in the future, then switch away.
The post Gmail vs Proton Mail: Is it worth switching if you care about privacy? appeared first on Popular Science.
