We review vendors based on rigorous testing and research but also take into account your feedback and our affiliate commission with providers. Some providers are owned by our parent company.
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vpnMentor was established in 2014 to review VPN services and cover privacy-related stories. Today, our team of hundreds of cybersecurity researchers, writers, and editors continues to help readers fight for their online freedom in partnership with Kape Technologies PLC, which also owns the following products: ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and Private Internet Access which may be ranked and reviewed on this website. The reviews published on vpnMentor are believed to be accurate as of the date of each article, and written according to our strict reviewing standards that prioritize professional and honest examination of the reviewer, taking into account the technical capabilities and qualities of the product together with its commercial value for users. The rankings and reviews we publish may also take into consideration the common ownership mentioned above, and affiliate commissions we earn for purchases through links on our website. We do not review all VPN providers and information is believed to be accurate as of the date of each article.
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vpnMentor was established in 2014 to review VPN services and cover privacy-related stories. Today, our team of hundreds of cybersecurity researchers, writers, and editors continues to help readers fight for their online freedom in partnership with Kape Technologies PLC, which also owns the following products: ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and Private Internet Access which may be ranked and reviewed on this website. The reviews published on vpnMentor are believed to be accurate as of the date of each article, and written according to our strict reviewing standards that prioritize professional and honest examination of the reviewer, taking into account the technical capabilities and qualities of the product together with its commercial value for users. The rankings and reviews we publish may also take into consideration the common ownership mentioned above, and affiliate commissions we earn for purchases through links on our website. We do not review all VPN providers and information is believed to be accurate as of the date of each article.

5 Alternatives to Gmail: Keep Your Emails Private (2024)

Hendrik Human Updated on 9th August 2024 Cybersecurity Researcher

Gmail is the most popular email service available today, but it’s far from the best. When you use Gmail, Google mines your contacts to find out about your presence on various social networks.

Stealing your private information is just one of the many steps Google takes to invade your online privacy. Another way that Gmail does is this is by scanning your personal emails for certain keywords to show you targeted advertisements.

Should you desire to secure your personal information and avoid being monitored, it would be wise to explore more protective email alternatives.

Here are some great alternatives to Gmail that will let you stay connected (without depending on Google):

  1. Proton Mail
    With anonymous mail and end-to-end encryption, Proton Mail is the best secure email service available in the market. Its security is so tight that even Proton cannot decrypt and read your emails, giving you complete protection. Proton has an open-source code, and their basic accounts are free. You can upgrade to any of the paid accounts – Plus, Professional, or Visionary – if you need better storage and a bigger address book. Proton mail also has a handy mobile app that lets you check your email on the go.
  2. Zoho Mail
    Zoho is an amazing email service that mixes a clean and ad-free interface with powerful features, making it useful for personal as well as professional purposes. Zoho provides secure and ad-free email hosting in both free and paid versions. There is 20MB email attachment limit and only single domain hosting. Paid plans come in three types – Standard, Pro, and Enterprise – with the Enterprise edition being the most feature-rich. Zoho supports IMAP and POP and can work on all mobile devices.
  3. Tutanota
    Tutanota is very similar to Proton Mail. It is encrypted end-to-end, which means your contacts, email subjects and bodies, attachments, and contacts are all kept in an encrypted format. Tutanota is open source and completely free of cost. If you want a business email, you can get a premium account at affordable rates. You can access the inbox using any browser on a computer or mobile device. It has an easy interface and is very simple to use.
  4. Yandex Mail
    With a great interface and feature-rich application, Yandex is another great alternative to Gmail. It offers unlimited storage along with POP and IMAP so you can install it on your mobile device. It’s free and is accessible through a secure SSL/TLS connection. There are keyboard shortcuts for easier functioning and you can schedule messages to be sent later. You can attach up to 30MB with an email. It also comes with a document viewer that lets you open files in the mail.
  5. Fast Mail
    Fast Mail is a fast and easy way to stay connected – it offers syncing for contacts and calendar and can be installed easily on mobile devices. Fast Mail has 24/7 customer support services and offers three pricing plans. While the company doesn’t offer a basic free service, it has a free trial for 30 days. It supports all standard protocols including SMTP, IMAP, and CardDAV.

If you’re concerned about online privacy and security, and you use a VPN to protect your privacy, it makes sense to use a different email service than Gmail.

Try any of the services mentioned above to keep your email and activities secure.

We review vendors based on rigorous testing and research but also take into account your feedback and our affiliate commission with providers. Some providers are owned by our parent company.
Learn more
vpnMentor was established in 2014 to review VPN services and cover privacy-related stories. Today, our team of hundreds of cybersecurity researchers, writers, and editors continues to help readers fight for their online freedom in partnership with Kape Technologies PLC, which also owns the following products: ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and Private Internet Access which may be ranked and reviewed on this website. The reviews published on vpnMentor are believed to be accurate as of the date of each article, and written according to our strict reviewing standards that prioritize professional and honest examination of the reviewer, taking into account the technical capabilities and qualities of the product together with its commercial value for users. The rankings and reviews we publish may also take into consideration the common ownership mentioned above, and affiliate commissions we earn for purchases through links on our website. We do not review all VPN providers and information is believed to be accurate as of the date of each article.

About the Author

Hendrik is a writer at vpnMentor, specializing in VPN comparisons and user guides. With 5+ years of experience as a tech and cybersecurity writer, plus a background in corporate IT, he brings a variety of perspectives to test VPN services and analyze how they address the needs of different users.

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