Encrypted Email Guide

Looking for a secure place with enough privacy for your emails? If so, this article is exclusively for you. Let's start by discussing how different providers handle security and privacy.

Basically, there are freemail service providers with less-than-ideal security. Among the most promoted with the best security is Gmail. But as you probably suspect, it's too good to be free, so what's the catch? It lies in the fact that you don't pay with money, but with your privacy. Reading emails, profiling, sharing data with advertisers - that's just the tip of the iceberg of how you pay Google for its services. On one hand, you have no privacy with Google, but on the other, you have one of the best-secured emails with a very good spam filter. So what now? Where to go? Does anyone offer a comparable encrypted email solution with privacy in mind? Fortunately, there are alternatives, so let's take a look. Among the highest-rated are Tuta and ProtonMail.

Table 1: Comparison of email provider features

Why ProtonMail comes out on top?

• Swiss jurisdiction - Switzerland has some of the strictest privacy laws in the world. Germany (Tuta) is in the EU, which is good, but Switzerland is not an EU member and has stronger protection against US data requests.
• Complete ecosystem - ProtonMail is not just email. It offers VPN, Drive, Calendar, and Pass. Tuta doesn't have VPN or Drive. Gmail has everything, but without privacy.
• Tor/.onion support - ProtonMail is the only one of the three that has an official .onion address for access via the Tor network. For maximum privacy, this is crucial.
• Easy Switch migration - ProtonMail has a tool for easy transition from Gmail. Tuta doesn't.
• Proton VPN - If you want comprehensive protection, Proton offers VPN both free and paid. Gmail and Tuta don't have VPN.
• Proton Drive - Encrypted cloud storage with E2EE. Tuta doesn't have it, Google Drive is not encrypted.
• Sentinel - Advanced account protection against attacks, which Tuta doesn't have to the same extent.

Tuta is a great alternative, but ProtonMail offers a more complete solution for digital privacy.

Proton Transparency Report

Proton operates under strict Swiss law, is fully transparent, but at the same time protects the most important thing through encryption: the content of your messages.

Here is a table based on official data from the Proton Transparency Report (updated January 6, 2026):

Table 2: Transparency report

These numbers may look frightening at first glance - Proton "complied" with thousands of orders. But it is absolutely crucial to explain what exactly Proton handed over and what it can never hand over:

1. What Proton CANNOT hand over (even if it wanted to):

• Email content: All messages, attachments, and files are encrypted end-to-end (or zero-access). Proton has no access to them and cannot decrypt them. A Swiss court cannot force them, because it is mathematically impossible.
• IP addresses: If a user logs in via Tor (.onion) or VPN, Proton doesn't know the IP address.

2. What Proton CAN hand over (if the order is valid under Swiss law):

• Account metadata: For example, date and time of account creation, date of last login, plan (Free vs. Paid).
• Recovery email address: If you provided one.
• IP address at login: If you didn't log in via Tor/VPN and Proton had active IP logging at that moment (Proton only logs IP addresses when a Swiss court monitoring order is placed on the account, never preventively).

How Encrypted Email Works in ProtonMail

Communication within ProtonMail (End-to-End Encryption)

When you send an email to another ProtonMail user, the message is encrypted in your browser using the recipient's public key before it leaves your computer. Only an unreadable encrypted "blob" is stored on Proton's servers. When the recipient opens the email, their password unlocks their private key, which decrypts the message.

Result: Proton as a provider has absolutely no access to the message content. It cannot hand over data even under a court order, because it cannot read it.

Incoming messages from outside (Zero-access encryption)

Regular emails (e.g., from Gmail) arrive over the internet unencrypted. As soon as they reach Proton's servers, Proton immediately and automatically encrypts them using your public key and stores them in this form.

Result: Your inbox functions as a vault. Even if a hacker gained access to Proton's servers and stole your email database, without your password (and thus your private key) they would see only incomprehensible code. No one but you can read these messages.

Outgoing messages (Password-protected Encryption)

Standard email protocols (SMTP) do not support end-to-end encryption. If you send an email from ProtonMail to Gmail, Proton must send the message as regular unencrypted text.

ProtonMail solves this with the Encrypt to Outside feature. If you set an encryption password when writing an email to Gmail, Proton encrypts the message and sends the recipient not the text itself, but a link to a Proton web page. The recipient clicks the link, enters the password (which you must communicate via another secure channel, e.g., SMS), and the message is decrypted directly in their browser. You can also set an expiration (e.g., the message is deleted after 5 days).

Result: You can securely send sensitive data even to people who don't use ProtonMail, and ensure that no one opens it in transit.

Tutorial on sending encrypted email: proton.me/support/send-messages

Account setup and security (Practical guide)

ProtonMail offers several plans that differ in various parameters, see the comparison table below. With paid plans, you can choose to pay in BTC, avoiding the need to enter personal payment details.

Plan selection

Table 3: Pricing plans

Recovery phrase

It is a unique cryptographic key generated when you create an account (or you can generate it later in settings). It serves to unlock your private key, which encrypts all your emails.

When you need it:

• You forget your password and can't log in
• You lose access to your 2FA device (phone with authenticator)
• Your account has been compromised and you need to recover it

Since Proton doesn't know your password (zero-knowledge), it can't recover it. The Recovery phrase is the only way to unlock your encrypted data. Without it, your data is permanently lost. Store it in a password manager or print it on paper.

Sentinel

Proton Sentinel is an advanced account protection system that Proton launched in 2023. It is essentially an intelligent bodyguard for your account that uses artificial intelligence and behavioral analysis to detect attacks in real time. It monitors IP addresses, devices, and geographic location, and if it detects suspicious activity, it automatically blocks the login or requests additional verification.

Regular email services (Gmail, Seznam) have some protection, but it's often only at the level of "copied logins" and rate limiting. Sentinel goes further - it learns from patterns and can recognize even sophisticated attacks that a regular system would let through.

Who has it:

• Paid accounts: Sentinel is fully active for all paid users (Mail Plus, Unlimited, Business).
• Free accounts: They have a basic version of protection, but not as advanced.

2FA

A password alone is no longer sufficient protection today. Two-factor authentication (2FA) is a necessity. ProtonMail offers two ways to set it up.

TOTP (Mobile app)

These are classic one-time codes that change every 30 seconds in an app on your phone.

How it works: You scan a QR code, the app (I recommend open-source Aegis) generates codes.
Vulnerability: This method is vulnerable to an attack called phishing. If a hacker lures you to a perfect copy of the ProtonMail login page and you enter your 6-digit code there, the hacker immediately uses it on the real Proton and gets in.

FIDO2 / Hardware key (YubiKey, Nitrokey)

FIDO2 is a modern standard that uses a physical hardware key (e.g., YubiKey). It is the gold standard of security.

How it works: You must physically insert the key into a USB port (or tap it on NFC) and press the button on it. The key cryptographically verifies that you are on the real ProtonMail website and not on a fake page.
Why it's the best: A hardware key is 100% immune to phishing. Even if you were on a perfectly fake page, the key would detect it and not send the code. The hacker simply can't get further, because they don't have your physical piece of plastic in their hand.

How to set it up in ProtonMail:

1. In ProtonMail, click on Settings → Account and password.
2. Scroll down to the Two-factor authentication section.
3. Here you can choose whether to use a TOTP app or a hardware security key.
4. Important: Proton allows you to register multiple keys at once. If you use YubiKey, definitely register a backup key that you store in a safe in case you lose the main one.

My recommendation: If you use ProtonMail as your main center of digital identity (where bank passwords and other account credentials come), invest in a YubiKey. It costs a few euros and elevates the protection of your email to a level that an ordinary user has no chance of breaking.

Migrating from Gmail: Why you no longer need to fear switching thanks to Easy Switch

The biggest obstacle to switching to a private email is not the price or learning a new interface. It's the fear of data loss. When you have 10 years of history on Gmail, thousands of contacts, and a linked calendar, the idea that you have to manually forward or export everything deters most people.

That's why Proton came up with the Easy Switch tool. I don't need to describe every button here, because Proton has a perfect guide right in its app, but from a practical standpoint, it works like this:

• Secure connection (OAuth): The tool logs you into your Google account via secure OAuth. Proton thereby obtains only temporary permission to download your data, it doesn't see your password.
• What gets transferred: You can choose what exactly to copy. Whether it's emails, contacts, or events from Google Calendar. Data is downloaded and immediately encrypted on your Proton account.
• Structure preservation: Easy Switch ensures that your folders and labels from Gmail are preserved, so you don't get lost in the new account.

My advice for a smooth transition (Practical tip)

Although Easy Switch works great, I don't recommend doing the migration in a rush during a workday. Here is my process for doing it stress-free:

• Phase 1: Mirroring (Import). Launch Easy Switch and let it import your history. If you have a huge inbox, the import can take several hours. Proton will inform you by email when it's done.
• Phase 2: Transitional period (Forwarding). Right after the import, set up automatic forwarding of all new messages from Gmail to your ProtonMail. During the following 1-2 months, you'll have the assurance that nothing escapes you, and you'll have time to gradually change your contact email at banks, social networks, and e-shops.
• Phase 3: Disconnection. Once you find that you no longer go to Gmail at all and everything runs through Proton, you can safely delete your Google account (or keep it just as a backup for Google services if you desperately need them).

Easy Switch of course also works for migration from Yahoo Mail, Outlook, and other IMAP providers, not just Gmail.

Easy Switch takes away the biggest headache. Instead of transferring data manually, Proton does the heavy lifting for you, and you can focus only on gradually switching your important accounts to the new, encrypted address.

Link to Easy Switch guide: proton.me/support/easy-switch

Advanced features and privacy

Tor

Basic premise: You don't have to trust anyone. Not the Tor project, not Proton. Even if Proton secretly logged IP addresses (which they claim they don't), they would only get the IP address of the Tor exit node, which is useless. This property is called Zero-Knowledge.

But when you use a .onion address, the connection never leaves the Tor network. From your browser, it goes encrypted into Tor, passes through nodes, and connects directly to Proton's servers, which are physically part of the Tor network. There is no "exit node" that could eavesdrop on traffic. It is absolutely bulletproof.

If you want to access ProtonMail via Tor, install Tor Browser and before logging in, click the purple .onion available icon (see image below) next to the address bar. The browser will connect you to your encrypted email inbox via Tor.

Fig. 1: Connecting to ProtonMail via Tor

Open-source

When an app is open-source and its code is publicly on GitHub, it means you don't have to take Proton's word for it. Independent security experts and the community can examine the code at any time and verify that:

• It doesn't contain hidden "backdoors" through which Proton or the government could secretly access your data.
• The encryption is implemented correctly and actually does what it claims.

Closed-source code (like Gmail or Outlook) is a "black box" - you have to trust the corporation that it's not spying on you. Open-source replaces blind trust with verifiable transparency.

Proton Bridge

If you have a paid account, you can use Proton Bridge - an application that allows you to connect ProtonMail to desktop email clients like Thunderbird, Apple Mail, or Outlook. Bridge locally decrypts messages and passes them to the client, so your data remains encrypted even when using a classic email program.

Link to Proton apps: protonapps.com

Crypto payment

Crypto payment: Anonymous upgrade to a paid account

If you want to enjoy the benefits of a paid plan (custom domain, more storage, Proton VPN), you would normally pay by card. The problem? Payment gateways require your name and address, which would give Proton your identity and link it to your account.

Proton solves this with its own cryptocurrency processing. You can pay with Bitcoin directly to Proton, completely without KYC (without identity verification).

• How it works: Proton generates a Bitcoin address for you. You send the required amount there and Proton activates your paid plan.
• Why it's important: By not using third parties (like Coinbase), your payment doesn't go through any regulated entity that would require documents. Proton thus doesn't know who actually paid for the account, and your identity remains separated from your financial history. It's an important step for preserving true privacy.

Ecosystem: Proton VPN, Drive, and Calendar

Proton is no longer just email. It's an entire private ecosystem that allows you to completely leave Google without losing convenience - it's a complete and encrypted replacement for Google:

• Proton VPN: Hides your IP address while surfing (included in the Unlimited plan).
• Proton Drive: Encrypted cloud storage (alternative to Google Drive), where even Proton itself can't see your files.
• Proton Calendar: Encrypted calendar, where no one knows what meetings you have or where you plan to be.
• Proton Pass: Encrypted password manager with email alias.
• Proton Authenticator: 2FA app.

Account recovery when you lose your password (Recovery)

Since Proton doesn't know your password (zero-knowledge architecture), it can't simply "reset it and send it to your backup email" like Gmail. Your password encrypts the private key that unlocks all your emails.

Scenario A: You forget your password but have your Recovery phrase

1. You click "Forgot password" on the login page.
2. Proton prompts you to enter your Recovery phrase.
3. The Recovery phrase unlocks your private key, Proton lets you set a new password.
4. All your emails and data remain preserved. You lose nothing.

Scenario B: You forget both your password and Recovery phrase

1. Your data is permanently lost. Proton can't help you, because it can't decrypt the data.
2. The only thing Proton can do is reset your account - delete all your emails and set up new encryption keys for you. The account will work, but it will be empty.

Therefore it is critical to:

• Store your Recovery phrase in a safe place immediately after registration (password manager, paper in a safe).
• Never store it in email or Google Drive.
• If you don't want to memorize your password, store it in a password manager too. The Recovery phrase is a lifeline for extreme situations, not for everyday use.

A backup email (or phone) serves to verify identity, not to recover data.

How it works:

• Identity verification: Proton sends a verification code to your backup email (or phone). This proves that you are indeed the account owner.
• Account reset: After verification, Proton lets you set a new password. But since the old encryption keys are irrevocably locked behind the forgotten password, Proton creates new keys.
• Result: The account works, the address is preserved, but all old emails are gone. New messages will arrive normally.

Link to Recovery phrase creation guide: proton.me/support/recovery-phrase

Conclusion

ProtonMail is not just email, it's a return to privacy.

Leaving Gmail means taking the first and most important step toward no longer being a product whose data is sold to advertisers. With end-to-end encryption, open-source apps, and Swiss jurisdiction, you regain control over your digital identity. Your encrypted email becomes what it should be - your private property.

But privacy on the internet is not just about email. It's about your entire digital life.

If you're interested in how to spend crypto without the bank knowing, how to separate your identity from your money, read my review of ether.fi Cash Card. And if you want to know how to set up a secure cloud, check out my article on Encrypted Storage.