4 Best Secure Email Providers in 2024 - (Updated in September 2024) (2024)

In a hurry? Here’s the best secure email provider in 2024:

ProtonMail (38% off here in September 2024) is currently the best secure email service on the market. Not only does it have true end-to-end encryption, it also comes with other useful features. I particularly love its encrypted calendar, VPN, and its slick, intuitive user interface. I also like its ability to send encrypted messages to people who have no ProtonMail email account.

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As a full-time digital nomad who often exchanges sensitive data with other parties, I rely on secure email services for my emails. Now, I've used different email services over the years. But one thing I learned is that not all so-called secure email service providers are as secure as they claim to be. For instance, some send encrypted messages, but they’re not true end-to-end encryption.

Because of this realization, I decided to go on a constant search for the best secure email providers on the web. Why is it a constant search? As I made my way through this journey, I realized that the secure email provider landscape changes from time to time. The best secure email provider this year may not be the best next year. What I'm sharing with you here are the top 4 based on my latest tests. These 4 are head and shoulders above the rest in providing secure email service.

Right now, the best secure email provider is ProtonMail. However, the other three are not far behind. You still won’t go wrong if you pick any of these as your go-to secure email service for the rest of the year.

If you want more detailed info, you’ll be pleased to know I also wrote extensive reviews for each of these top secure email providers. The observations I wrote in those reviews were all from firsthand experience. You can read those unbiased, personal reviews by clicking the links provided after each section featuring a secure email provider. For full disclosure, some of the links you’ll encounter are affiliate links. That means they’ll allow you to avail of awesome discounts while I get a small commission to keep the site going.

How to Choose the Best Secure Email Provider

To help you understand how I came up with the best secure email provider, let me share with you my thought process. I personally tested many email providers and then ranked them based on 5 major criteria. My criteria revolves around security, features, user experience, customer support, and cost. Let me explain a bit further.

Give priority to robust email security

We’re not just choosing any email provider here. We're choosing the best secure email provider, so our top criteria has to be security. You can bet every provider in this list are among the most secure email providers in the world. Every email provider mentioned here has true end-to-end encryption. Each one can protect your email account with two factor authentication. Even the data centers hosting these email providers are heavily fortified.

Look for meaningful features

Whenever I use an encrypted email service, I don't just send encrypted email. I perform other work-related tasks too. So, when I choose a secure email service provider, I check if they support other features that are meaningful to me. For example, I like email providers that offer custom domains, a calendar, and file storage. These features add value to the secure email service and complement each other well.

Seek a user interface that offers a great user experience

I prefer secure email services that offer clean, user-friendly interfaces. I like it when an email service is easy to navigate, use, and configure. Its security features should not be difficult to learn. For instance, if I have to use PGP encryption, I want the process of using it to be as simple as possible. I don't want to have to grapple with encryption keys and other complicated stuff.

Prioritize secure email providers offering quality customer support

You'll never know when you'll need assistance. For example, you might want help in setting up two factor authentication and other security features. In my experience, most secure email providers offer standard customer support. A combination of email support and knowledgebase articles works in most cases. But when I find myself needing assistance in a pinch, it would be nice if my secure email service provider is there to help me. Hence, it's a big bonus if email providers offer real-time priority support. I know this type of service isn't free. But for me, the added peace of mind is worth the extra cost.

Get a secure email service that offers excellent value for your money

I always look for the best deals, so a secure email provider that offers a good bang for the buck always catches my eye. Price is important to me because, as a full time digital nomad, I still have to buy other security tools like a VPN and a password manager. All these tools are important, but the costs can add up. Any email service that offers solid security at an affordable price is a good deal.

The 4 Best Secure Email Providers in 2024

Thank you so much for getting this far. I’m now about to introduce you to the best encrypted email services in 2024. Let’s start with the top secure email provider on this list, which is no other than ProtonMail.

1. Proton Mail — Best Secure Email Provider in 2024 Proton Mail

Try Proton Mail risk-free!

Proton Mail is the best secure email provider for 2024. It combines rock-solid security, a seamless user interface, and the best customer support in the industry. Give its free version a test run or try the premium version with a 30-day guarantee now.

score

4.9

/ 5

Try ProtonMail Now! Up to 38% off, risk free

Of all the secure email providers I've tried recently, ProtonMail clearly stands out. It combines top-notch security measures with a nice selection of complementary features. It also offers excellent customer support and provides a seamless user experience. All that, packaged at a reasonable price.

Proton Mail Email Security

ProtonMail Security
End-to-end encryption
Zero access encryption
Encrypted emails to non-ProtonMail users
Two-factor authentication
Spam filtering

I feel completely safe with ProtonMail’s email service. Even its free version gets first-class security. It features end-to-end encryption, two-factor authentication, and even a VPN. A VPN can add another layer of security to your encrypted email. It's worth noting that other secure email providers don’t offer a VPN, so this is a big advantage for ProtonMail.

I love how ProtonMail's attention to security reaches deep into the core of its data centers. There, our data is protected by zero access or zero knowledge encryption. It means no one in those data centers have access to our data or our encryption keys. That reduces risk to data breaches. What's more, ProtonMail is based in Switzerland. Meaning, our data is protected by strict Swiss privacy laws.

I also love how I can send encrypted email to non-ProtonMail users. When I send an encrypted email to a non-subscriber, that person receives a link. As soon as that person clicks that link, that person will be redirected to my inbox through an encrypted channel known as TLS or Transport Layer Security. It's the same encrypted channel used in secure websites. To top it all, only the recipient can read the email because it's protected with a password.

I really hate spam, so ProtonMail's advanced anti-spam functionality is a big plus for me. This feature is driven by machine learning. It learns from what we ourselves consider spam and builds a sort of spammy profile based on our actions. ProtonMail then blocks incoming messages that fit that profile.

Proton Mail Additional Email Provider Features

ProtonMail Additional Features
Calendar
Cloud storage
Custom domain
Web forms

In my opinion, a calendar and an email service complement each other perfectly. It's one of the biggest reasons why ProtonMail is at the top of my list of secure email providers. Its encrypted email service already comes with a built-in calendar. Other secure email services like StartMail and Hushmail lack this feature. They're also very good secure email services. But because they lack a calendar, they’re not my number one choice.

Every ProtonMail subscription also comes with Proton Drive, Proton's encrypted cloud storage. The lowest individual paid plan gives you 15 GB of storage space per user. That's really awesome. Other secure email providers don't offer any integrated file storage at all. As a globe trotting street food blogger, I use up more storage space than other people. But that's ok. I was able to subscribe to the Unlimited Plan, which gave me 500 GB of storage. As far as I know, 500 GB is currently the biggest secure cloud storage space in the market! Proton Drive also supports secure file sharing. You can share the files you store there with a password-protected link.

I prefer to use my own domain in my email address instead of the default ‘@proton.me'. That's why I love the fact that ProtonMail supports custom domains. This feature is useful for businesses or individuals who want a consistent brand image.

It's good to know that, if I wanted to, I could equip my desktop email client with end-to-end encryption. This is possible through ProtonMail Bridge. ProtonMail Bridge integrates with Apple Mail, Outlook, and Thunderbird.

The Proton Mail User Experience

My experience with ProtonMail has been nothing short of outstanding. Their user interface is slick, modern, and easy to use. For instance, PGP encryption used to be something only highly technical people could handle. ProtonMail simplifies PGP encryption for ordinary people like you and me. I absolutely love how this encrypted mail service prioritizes security without sacrificing usability. And with its dedicated mobile apps, sending an encrypted message on mobile devices is easy as pie. We can do it in just a few taps.

Proton Mail Customer Support

ProtonMail Customer Support
24/7
Live chat
Phone
Email
Social Media/Forum
Knowledgebase

I can say with utmost confidence that ProtonMail has the best customer service. Of all top secure email providers, it offers the most complete customer support package. You can reach them through live chat, email, phone, and social media. Most of all, its customer support team is available 24/7. This allows ProtonMail support staff to provide assistance in real-time. And if you're more of a Do-It-Yourself type of person, they also have a knowledgebase.

Proton Mail Pricing

ProtonMail Pricing
Plan Lengths	1 month, 1 year, and 2 years
Lowest Price for Paid Plans	€3.99/month/user (2-year plan)
Free Version
Money-back Guarantee

When I first saw ProtonMail's price, my first reaction was that it was too expensive. Most secure email providers offer secure email at half the price. But once I took a closer look at the paid plans, I realized that I was actually getting more than just secure email. I was also getting other essential features and services that complemented email perfectly.

One of the things I like about ProtonMail is that its free version is already packed with features. I'm not just talking about a free encrypted email service. Aside from end-to-end encryption, the free service also comes with a calendar, a VPN, and a password manager. As a traveler who spends a lot of time online, I can tell you that all these features are important. If you're still scouting for a secure email provider, I suggest you try the free version first. It will give you a pretty good sense of what the paid plans offer without spending a dime.

While the free plan is pretty awesome, it does have some limitations. For instance, while you can receive unlimited messages, you can only send up to 150 messages per day. You can only send unlimited messages if you upgrade to any of the paid plans.

Read my full ProtonMail review

2. StartMail — End-to-End Encryption, Simplified StartMail

Try StartMail Mail risk-free!

Start Mail delivers a highly secure email service at a very affordable price. At only $5/month, you already get end-to-end encryption, two factor authentication, spam filtering, and more!

score

4.9

/ 5

Try StartMail Now! 7 days, risk free

I strongly considered choosing StartMail as the best secure email provider for 2024. It's one of the most secure email providers you'll ever find. It already provides end-to-end encryption. It also lets you send encrypted email to non-subscribers. It even provides two factor authentication and spam filtering. And yet it’s so easy to use.

StartMail Email Security

StartMail Security
End-to-end encryption
Zero access encryption
Encrypted emails to non-StartMail users
Two-factor authentication
Spam filtering

Like all secure email service providers on this list, StartMail offers end-to-end encryption. An email that's end to end encrypted is safe from prying eyes from your device all the way to your recipient. Not all so-called secure email service providers offer this level of protection. An email provider with no end-to-end encryption can't protect your data when it goes through your ISP. That email provider can't protect your data from bad people in its team either.

I really like how StartMail allows me to send encrypted email to non-subscribers. For example, I can send encrypted email to contacts who are using Yahoo Mail or Zoho Mail. The email you send is protected by a password, which acts as an encryption key. You get to choose the password and share it with your recipient. That person can decrypt your email using that password. As long as you and your recipient keep that password secret, your emails will be safe from prying eyes.

Junk mail make me sick. That's why I highly recommend StartMail. Most secure email providers are already equipped with modern spam filtering features. But StartMail's spam and ad blocking feature set comes with the whole shebang. For instance, it blocks tracking pixels and warns of malicious links. You don't have these capabilities in other secure email services.

StartMail Additional Email Provider Features

StartMail Additional Features
Calendar
Cloud storage
Custom domain
Web forms

StartMail offers 20 GB of storage space. While I personally find that too small, that's because I deal with a lot of large files. It's part of my work as a street food vlogger. Not everyone has a workflow that involves high definition videos though. If 20 GB of storage is enough for you, you should really give StartMail a try. Its strengths more than make up for its storage space limitations.

Another feature that I find really useful is the ability to create email aliases. These are throwaway email addresses that you can link to existing email accounts. So, when you sign up for an online service, you don't have to reveal your real email address. You can just enter an email alias instead. That way, if the email alias receives too much spam, you can simply get rid of it. Also, since aliases allow you to hide your real email address, they minimize your digital footprint.

The StartMail User Experience

I rank StartMail's user experience or UX number one. It slightly edges ProtonMail in that department. That said, the UX in these two email services are far superior than the rest. In StartMail, I was able to set up two factor authentication right after I created an account. Why did I do that? Because the process, like all other processes in StartMail, was really so easy. I was done in less than a minute.

StartMail Customer Support

StartMail Customer Support
24/7
Live chat
Phone
Email
Social Media/Forum
Knowledgebase

I never felt the need to contact customer support while testing StartMail. Like I said, the service is so easy to use. Still, you'll be happy to know their customer support team is available 24/7. You can reach them through email. Also, if you just need to look up something, you can use their knowledgebase.

StartMail Pricing

StartMail Pricing
Plan Lengths	1 month and 1 year
Lowest Price for Paid Plans	$5.00/month /user(1-year plan)
Free Version
Money-back Guarantee

Although StartMail doesn’t have a free plan, it does offer a 7-day free trial. You can try StartMail's features within 7 days. If you like the experience, you can choose one of the premium plans. There's the $5 per month Personal plan and the $5.85 per month Custom Domain plan.

I noticed two major advantages in the Custom Domain plan. First, you can use your own domain, like @example.com. Second, you can use unlimited custom aliases with your custom domain address. If you'll be using StartMail in your business or professional communications, go for the Custom Domain plan. The price difference isn't that much. However, you can already use your own custom domain in your email address. Your emails will look more professional that way.

Read my full StartMail review

3. Hushmail — A Secure Email Provider Suited for Both Personal and Professional Use Hushmail

Try Hushmail risk-free!

Hushmail offers premium security that meets strict industry standards. Its unique feature set makes it suitable for both personal and professional use. Backed by an industry-leading 60-day money-back guarantee.

score

4.8

/ 5

Try Hushmail Now! 60 days, risk free

When I heard about Hushmail, I knew I had a to sign up for an email account and give it a try. This secure email provider is popular among healthcare and business professionals. However, it's also gained a noteworthy reputation among privacy-minded individuals. After having tested it, I can say it's a solid candidate for the most secure email service.

Hushmail Email Security

Hushmail Security
End-to-end encryption
Zero access encryption
Encrypted emails to non-Hushmail users
Two-factor authentication
Spam filtering

Hushmail is one of the most secure email services I've ever encountered. Not only that, it's the only secure email provider in this list that is HIPAA-compliant. HIPAA is a security standard in the US Healthcare industry. Being HIPAA-compliant means following an extensive set of rules for protecting patient data. If an email provider is secure enough for a regulated industry like Healthcare, it must be secure enough for us too.

Hushmail meets my most basic requirement for the best secure email provider. It supports end-to-end encryption. Hushmail uses TLS and PGP to achieve this. TLS encrypts data while it's sent across the internet, while PGP encrypts stored data. When your email is end to end encrypted, even people working in your ISP or your email provider can't view your data.

Another thing I like about Hushmail is its e-signature feature. Hushmail is the only secure email provide that has a feature like this. It allows you to sign web forms using a digital signature. Digital signatures add authenticity to those web forms. They can help ensure that the person who filled out your form was the intended recipient. I'll elaborate more about those web forms in the next section.

Hushmail Additional Email Provider Features

Hushmail Additional Features
Calendar
Cloud storage
Custom domain
Web forms

Maxing out at 15 GB, Hushmail's cloud storage capacity is even smaller than StartMail's. Again, my cloud storage requirements are much higher than the average person. So my perception of size might be a bit biased. You should check what your current storage consumption looks like right now. If it's below 15GB, then Hushmail should suit you just fine.

One of the key features that differentiate Hushmail is its Secure Web Forms. If you're running a business, you can create web forms that your customers can then fill out. You can send the forms to your intended recipients through your email account. These forms can simplify your surveys and other data collection activities. As mentioned earlier, recipients can then digitally sign the web forms they fill out using the e-signature feature.

Like ProtonMail and StartMail, Hushmail also lets you create unlimited email aliases. I've been using it to reduce spam and other unwanted emails. More importantly, it allows me to reduce my digital footprint. If I don't want to reveal my real email address when I register to a particular online service, I use an email alias.

The Hushmail User Experience

Hushmail's user interface isn't as visually appealing as ProtonMail's. However, it's definitely as intuitive. I didn't encounter any difficulty navigating through the various menus. More importantly, I found it easy to send secure emails and even build and send secure web forms. In fact, I was able to build forms with a few mouse clicks and by dragging and dropping form elements.

Hushmail Customer Support

Hushmail Customer Support
24/7
Live chat
Phone
Email
Social Media/Forum
Knowledgebase

I personally prefer live chat over any other customer support method. So it's great that Hushmail has it. They even offer phone support! That said, I wish their customer support staff was available 24/7. They only cover 7AM-5PM Pacific Time, so it's quite challenging if you're on the other side of the globe. No one will reply to you if you need help outside the covered time. You can of course search for answers in their knowledgebase.

Hushmail Pricing

Hushmail Pricing
Plan Lengths	1 year and 3 years
Lowest Price for Paid Plans	$3.30/month/user (3-year plan)
Free Version
Money-back Guarantee

Hushmail chose a unique approach to pricing. Most secure mail providers use a tiered pricing model. Instead of using that, Hushmail offers plans targeting specific market segments. For example, they have a plan for healthcare organizations and professionals. They also have another plan for lawyers, and so on.

Hushmail also has a Personal Plan for individuals, and it only costs $49.98, paid annually. That computes to around $4.17 per month, making it one of the more affordable options out there. Just bear in mind that this personal plan lacks a calendar, which is already included in other email services. But if that's not a deal breaker for you, then you should definitely check it out.

If you do plan on checking it out, you'll be happy to know that Hushmail offers a 60-day money-back guarantee. That's the longest guarantee I've ever encountered. Sixty days is definitely more than enough duration for testing an email service. You can test every single feature thoroughly.

Read my full Hushmail review

4. Tutanota — Exceptionally Innovative Secure Email Service Tutanota

Try Tutanota risk-free!

Tutanota is an exceptionally innovative secure email provider. Aside from supporting comprehensive end-to-end encryption, spam filtering, and a zero knowledge encryption policy, it also allows you to run searches on encrypted email.

score

4.5

/ 5

Try Tutanota Now! 60 days, risk free

I've tried many secure email providers and have tested all their features. Tutanota stands out because of its innovative features. One perfect example is its ability to run searches against encrypted messages. It's the only email service provider I know with that capability. More importantly, it runs those searches without compromising security. That's huge.

Tutanota Email Security

Tutanota Security
End-to-end encryption
Zero access encryption
Encrypted emails to non-Hushmail users
Two-factor authentication
Spam filtering

I'm sure you already expect this secure email provider to have end-to-end encryption. Yes, it does. What's amazing about it is that email subject lines are end to end encrypted as well. Not all secure email providers perform this level of encryption. ProtonMail, for instance, doesn't encrypt subject lines. Subject lines can still offer clues about an email's contents. So it's really good for privacy if no one can read them.

When I scout for a secure email provider, I already know what features to look for. One of my top priority features is the ability to send secure email to non-subscribers. I find that important because I know some of my contacts will have different email providers. I still want to communicate with those contacts in a secure manner. That's why I like Tutanota. It allows me to use end-to-end encryption even when my recipient's email address is from a different provider.

As you know by now, one of my top qualifications for a secure email provider is that it blocks spam. So, yes, I'm happy to declare that Tutanota has a spam filtering feature. That means it has the ability to keep your inbox ad-free.

Tutanota also supports two factor authentication (2FA). All other secure email providers support 2FA. In case you're not familiar with it, 2FA is a stronger method of authentication. When you logon to your email account, you'll be asked two credentials. The first will be your account password. The second will be another credential like a biometric scan, a PIN, or a one-time password (OTP) sent through text. That's a good thing because it adds another layer of protection to your email account. Even if your password is stolen, that second layer can still prevent the hacker from taking over your account.

Tutanota Additional Email Provider Features

Tutanota Additional Features
Calendar
Cloud storage
Custom domain
Web forms

Tutanota is the only other secure email service on this list that has a calendar. The other being ProtonMail, and we know it's currently the best. That should say something about Tutanota. Even Tutanota's free plan has a calendar, so you can try it out without making any commitments. A calendar is the only major feature that I believe complements email well. So I'm glad Tutanota has it.

I really love Tutanota’s storage capacity. If you subscribe to the Legend paid plan, your email account will already get 500GB of storage space. With that, Tutanota ties ProtonMail for the largest storage space in the market. Some of us often send or receive large files for personal or professional reasons. So, having a large storage capacity can be a big plus.

As I hinted earlier, Tutanota lets you run searches against your encrypted mailbox. Let me explain further why that's a big deal. Normally, it's not possible to search encrypted content. So, if you need to look for something in an old email, you can't. Other online services apply techniques that allow encrypted searches. However, those techniques run searches on the server. This allows the server to view certain information about your encrypted data. Unfortunately, some of that information is supposed to be confidential. Tutanota does searches differently. Tutanota creates an encrypted search index, which it stores on your device. Thus, its searches are done on your device. That's fine, because it means Tutanota will not be able to view your data or any information related to it.

The Tutanota User Experience

Tutanota's user interface is not as sleek as ProtonMail's or StartMail's. However, everything is intuitive enough. I spent less time figuring out where everything was and more time communicating.

Tutanota Customer Support

Tutanota Customer Support
24/7
Live chat
Phone
Email
Social Media/Forum
Knowledgebase

Customer support is one category Tutanota definitely has to improve on. It has no 24/7 support, no live chat, and no phone support. You can however reach them through email, social media, and their forum. You can also search for answers in their knowledgebase. During my Tutanota test runs, I was never in any situation where I needed help in a pinch. However, the lack of real-time customer support doesn't inspire confidence. It's one of the reasons why, although it's among my top 4, Tutanota ranks 4th.

Tutanota Pricing

Tutanota Pricing
Plan Lengths	1 month and 1 year
Lowest Price for Paid Plans	€3.00/month/user (1-year plan)
Free Version
Money-back Guarantee

If you're scouting for a secure email service, I suggest you try Tutanota's free plan. It already has end-to-end encryption, 1GB of storage, and one calendar. That free plan should give you a taste of what Tutanota offers. If you find it worth your money, you can simply upgrade to a paid plan.

Tutanota paid plans of course have more features. You get multiple email addresses, custom domains, and calendars. You also get priority support, calendar sharing, an autoresponder, and many others.

Read my full Tutanota review

Quick Comparison of My Top Picks

*Please make the necessary conversions

	ProtonMail	StartMail	Hushmail	Tutanota
Lowest Price (per user per month)	€3.99/month	$5.00/month	$3.30/month	€3.00/month
Plan lengths	1 month, 1 year, and 2 years	1 month and 1 year	1 year and 3 years	1 month and 1 year
Free plan
Money-back guarantee
End-to-end encryption
Zero knowledge encryption
Secure emails to non-subscribers
Two-factor authentication
Spam filtering
Calendar
Cloud storage
Custom domains
Web forms
24/7 support
Live chat support
Phone support
Email support
Social media/Forum support
Knowledgebase support

What Can I Use a Secure Email Service for?

Corresponding with other people

Just like any regular electronic mail service, you can use it to send and receive messages with other people. You can use it for both personal and professional correspondence.

Sending and receiving confidential information

Because most of these secure email services support end-to-end encryption, you can them to send and receive confidential information. Encryption will prevent hackers from viewing your messages.

Avoiding spam and phishing attacks

Most secure email services come with spam filtering features. This will keep your inbox ad-free. And because some spam emails are also phishing emails, you can also use those features to prevent phishing attacks as well.

Reducing digital footprint

Many online services identify us through our email address. So, every time we use our email address, we increase our digital footprint. Email aliases can help reduce our digital footprint by allowing us to use a throwaway email address when we sign up for an online service.

Fending off hacking attempts

Two factor authentication can make it more difficult for a hacker to take over our email accounts. Even if a hacker knows our password, that hacker will still be unable to log on to our account if it can’t submit the second credential.

TREVOR JAMES

Full Time Digital Nomad

the Food Ranger