9 min read

Email is a must-have service required to fulfill your daily business and personal needs these days. It is considered one of the most professional ways to communicate with your clients or other businesses. Few people use third-party email service providers such as Gmail for free and personal use, but it is not an official email for business. You have to create emails ending with your business domain name that you need to register a domain name and hosting package to set up your business website and several professional emails. In this guide, I will share prominent features of the top 10 secure email providers to choose one of them as per your requirements.

On average, people spend more than 5 hours per day checking personal, promotional, business, or work emails. Hackers mostly attack your personal or business email to collect useful information to access your company’s data. Most of the users use Gmail or Outlook for free, which is a less secure option, so you have to protect your valuable information sent daily via a secure email provider. So let’s start with a basic introduction to secure email providers.

What Are Secure Email Providers?

As the name indicates, a secure email provider is specially designed to keep the email account and information of your emails secure. Hackers also try to hack your email’s data when sent between two nodes. To secure the data when sent from one point to another, end-to-end encryption is used, which means email is fully encrypted from sender to recipient.

Like all web hosting providers claim that they all provide 100% uptime, every email provider is calling itself secure. It is the basic reason I am sharing the main points of the top 10 secure email providers so that you can read them and choose one of the best suited. You can check their encryption protocols and other security practices they are using.

Why Do We Need Secure Email Providers?

Suppose you send an email containing your data using a standard email provider such as Gmail. However, those standard email providers also deliver security, but they use the Transport Layer Security (TLS) encryption method to secure your emails in transit between you and the server.

When your email is safely transferred to the server, Google encrypts the data at a network level and sends it to the concerned recipient. Google itself has access to your data which can be risky for a few people. It is stated they no longer read your emails for ads, as they did before the year 2017. But still, Google scans your email’s content to deliver you additional features such as Smart Reply. They can also provide access to other third parties to access your emails.

So, let me complete the complete cycle; your email is now traveling to the destination and leaving Google’s server. If the receiver uses the same transport layer security, it will continue to be protected. If your recipient is not using the same TLS security, your email will be unencrypted and intercepted easily. In another scenario, your email may not be the same when it reaches the recipient’s email server because some email providers don’t encrypt emails on servers.

How to Choose a Secure Email Provider?

Many factors are considered to check which email provider fulfills the specific requirements.

Encryption Method

There are different methods used for end-to-end encryption and decryption. Mainly there are two types of encryptions which are symmetric and asymmetric.

Symmetric encryption uses two different and unique sets of keys to encrypt the data, and it is also known as public-key encryption. In this scenario, the user will send an email using the public key of the recipients. He will receive the email and decrypt the email using a private key mathematically linked to his public key.

Asymmetric encryption is not simple compared to symmetric because it adds an extra layer of security to keep the emails more secure. So, you have to check which email provider is offering asymmetric or symmetric encryption, and you can choose one of them per your required level of security and encryption.

Two-Factor Authentication

It is extra protection to make sure that account credentials are fully protected. 2FA means that if someone hacks and steals your credentials, it won’t be enough to get into the email account. He will also need to steal your phone to log into your email. When you try to log in to your email account, an authentication code will be sent on the mobile to verify that it’s you.

Open-Source Code

It means, that if an email provider is open-source, then their source code will be available publicly, and anyone can examine it and ensure that it is secure.

Metadata Header Stripping

The email header contains all the information related to the recipient, browser, network, and sender’s computer. Many secure email providers know the importance of this meta information, and they strip this info out.

Mobile and Desktop Usability

Although you need a secure and encrypted email, you will also need a better user experience. So, a great email provider can never ignore both mobile and desktop usability.

Top 10 Secure Email Providers in 2023

ProtonMail

It is based in Switzerland and uses end-to-end asymmetric encryption to perform the most secure email communication. You can use it for free if you need extra storage and less than 150 messages per day.

ProtonMail itself does not store your password; even they don’t know it and can’t decrypt your email content to deliver the highest level of security. Moreover, you can set an email expiry date, which will destroy your emails from the recipient’s inbox.

Main Features:

• Located in Switzerland
• Open-source
• Self-destructing emails
• Mobile app for Android & iOS
• Custom domains option
• Asymmetric End-to-end encryption

Pricing:

• Free: For a single user with 500 MB storage and 150 daily messages
• Plus: $5/month for a single user with 5 GB storage and 1,000 daily messages
• Professional: $8/month/user for 1–5,000 users with 5 GB storage per user and unlimited daily messages
• Visionary: $30/month for 6 users with 20 GB storage and unlimited messages

Zoho Mail

Zoho Mail comes with a free version and offers a word processor, spreadsheet software, chats feature, and webinar or other collaboration tools in its workplace plan. It also uses asymmetric encryption which is called S/MIME. It is very popular due to the ease of use and the option to manage settings for all the company’s mailboxes from a single place.

Main Features:

• Servers located all over the world
• Asymmetric end-to-end encryption
• Calendar & Word processor
• Contact portal and chat features
• Collaboration tools
• Email recall option
• Mobile apps for iOS and Android

Pricing:

• Mail lite: $1 per month for 5 GB or $1.25 for 10 GB per month
• Mail premium: $4/month for 50 GB storage per user
• Workplace: Custom pricing starts from $3/month

Mailbox.Org

It allows the business community to get encrypted cloud storage, video conferencing options, calendars, task planners, and other tools. Mailbox.org uses PGP encryption which is a public key encryption program. It has no free plan, but it is relatively affordable, and you can pay for it without showing your identity.

Main Features:

• Germany based servers
• PGP public key encryption
• Encrypted cloud storage
• Calendar & Videoconferencing
• Eco-friendly Energy
• No free plan

Pricing:

• Standard: €3 per month for 10 GB mail storage and 5 GB secure cloud storage
• Premium: €9 per month for 25 GB mail storage and 50 GB secure cloud storage
• Light: €1 per month for 2 GB mail storage and no secure cloud storage

Tutanota

It is an open-source secure email provider with two-factor authentication and more secure end-to-end encryption. Unless using PGP, it uses RSA and AES encryption to combine symmetric and asymmetric keys. Tutanota allows 1GB of storage and a calendar for free. It has amazing features, including image blocking, phishing attack warnings, and header stripping.

Key Features:

• Germany based servers
• End-to-end encryption
• Two-factor authentication option
• Header stripping
• Encrypted contacts and calendars
• Add an encrypted contact form to the website
• Custom domains available in paid plans
• Unlimited messages, even in the free version

Pricing:

• Free: 1 GB of storage
• Premium: €1 per month for 1 GB storage
• Teams: €4 per month for 10 GB of storage
• Numerous add-ons available

CounterMail

CounterMail uses PGP encryption and is enhanced with AES and RSA encryption algorithms. Moreover, you can also add an extra layer of security by configuring a USB key for two-factor authentication. You can get a 10-day free trial if you know a person who uses CounterMail.

Main Features:

• Sweden based Servers with CD-ROM
• End-to-end encryption
• Two-factor authentication options
• Anonymous email headers
• It doesn’t store IP logs
• USB key authentication
• IMAP email protocol support
• Password manager
• No free plan is available

Pricing:

• $29/6 months, $49/year, or $79/2 years
• Added storage available starting at $19 for 250 MB

Hushmail

It is one of the oldest secure email providers, and it is popular due to its simplicity. Hushmail uses OpenPGP encryption, but it is most widely used in the healthcare niche due to HIPAA compliance. There are multiple plans for multiple domains, such as business, lawyers, and personal use, so you can choose one of the required plans.

Main Features:

• Canada based servers
• PGP encryption
• Support for IMAP and POP
• Two-factor authentication
• Spam filtration
• Secure web forms
• Digital signatures
• Private message center
• A mobile version is available
• HIPAA compliance Email provider

Pricing:

• Hushmail for Healthcare: From $9.99 per month
• Hushmail for Small Business: From $5.99 per month
• Hushmail for Law: From $9.99 per month
• Hushmail for Personal Use: From $49.98 per year

Mailfence

It also has end-to-end encryption along with two-factor authentication options to keep your emailing experience safe and secure. You will get 500MB of storage with a free plan. Mailfense uses OpenPGP encryption, and it is not the most secure solution in the market, but it is a secure choice for those who want office tools and use Gmail or Outlook platforms.

Main Features:

• Belgium based servers
• End-to-end encryption
• Two-factor authentication
• Support for POPS, IMAPS, and SMTPS protocols
• Password manager
• Calendars & Messaging
• Documents and file storage

Pricing:

• Free: 500 MB of storage for emails and 500 MB for documents
• Entry: €2.50 per month for 5 GB storage for emails and 12 GB for documents
• Pro: €7.50 per month for 20 GB storage for emails and 24 GB for documents
• Ultra: €25 per month for 50 GB storage for emails and 70 GB for documents

Startmail

StartMail is managed by the same community that manages and operates a private search engine’s Startpage. It uses PGP encryption with an additional option to send encrypted messages to non-PGP users, but they have to answer a secret question. StartMail doesn’t come with a free plan, but you can get their 30-day free trial.

Main Features:

• Netherlands based servers
• Easy PGP encryption
• Support for IMAP and SMTP
• Can use your domain name
• No free plan but a 30-day trial

Pricing:

• Personal account: $35.99 per year
• Business account: $59.95 per year

PrivateMail

It has a self-destructing feature along with OpenPGP encryption and other valuable features. PrivateMail allows users to store their data in a secured environment using AES 256 Encryption. However, you can download your encrypted files and store them on your laptop in encrypted form or decrypt them as per your own decision. It also allows users to share files with end-to-end encryption. It is more expensive than any other option due to the servers located in the USA.

Main Features:

• U.S based servers
• End-to-end encryption
• Secure cloud storage
• Self-destruction of emails
• Uses AES 256 file encryption
• Encrypted & secured file sharing
• No free plan

Pricing:

• Standard Plan: $8.95/month for 10 GB email storage and 10 GB cloud storage
• PrivateMail Pro: $15.95/month for 20 GB email storage and 20 GB cloud storage

Runbox

It is a Norway-based email provider that uses PGP encryption and two-factor authentication. You can add IP addresses to access your Runbox account, and further, you can check the latest login and failed attempts made for the sake of peace of mind. It is environment-friendly and uses hydroelectric power plants to power its servers with renewable energy.

Main Features:

• Norway based servers
• Two-factor authentication
• IP allows listing
• Virus & spam filters
• Support for POP, IMAP, SMTP, and WAP
• No free plan

Pricing:

• Micro: $19.95 per year for 2 GB storage for emails and 200 MB for file storage
• Mini: $34.95 per year for 10 GB storage for emails and 1 GB for file storage
• Medium: $49.95 per year for 25 GB storage for emails and 2 GB for file storage
• Max: $79.95 per year for 50 GB storage for emails and 5 GB for file storage

Final Words

I added all popular, secure email providers, but many other options are available. So, If you know a secure provider that is not listed here, you can ask me to add it to this list by writing the name in the comment section below. Each email provider claims that they are the only option in the market to deliver secure emails, but you have to read all the features before finalizing one of them. Suppose you have any questions or want to share valuable feedback, you can contact me. I would love to reply to all of you.