The Safest Email Providers in 2025

Unlike standard email services, which may store data in unencrypted formats or scan your content for advertising purposes, secure email providers offer end-to-end encryption and other privacy and security features, such as open-source clients and email aliases. These features help keep your mail private and your data safe in an age where data breaches are all too common.

To further protect your privacy, you can pair a secure email service with a virtual private network, which helps encrypt all of your internet traffic and hide your IP address. The best VPNs work well with secure email to establish a robust foundation for digital privacy and safety.

Here are our top picks for the safest email providers.

1. Proton Mail: Best overall secure email provider

Proton is a staple in the privacy world, offering a suite of tools designed to keep users safe and secure online. Proton Mail is the company’s email offering, and it’s our pick for the safest email provider. The monthly price is reasonable, and you can also save some money by bundling Proton Mail with other Proton services, such as the excellent Proton VPN.

What we liked

Proton Mail is made by a reputable company in the online privacy space, which is reassuring. The company is based in Switzerland, which has some of the strictest privacy laws in the world. Additionally, it’s open source and has been independently audited for security, which provides further peace of mind. Features aren’t lacking either, with the ability to schedule or snooze emails, unsubscribe from mailing lists with a single click, and create aliases to keep your email address private and reduce spam.

What we didn’t like

Our main complaint with Proton Mail is how limited the free tier is. Users on the free plan are limited to 1 GB of storage, which will fill up quickly if you send or receive a large number of files or media. You also can’t utilize many of the advanced features, such as email aliases or custom domains.

2. Zoho Mail: Best for businesses

Zoho Mail is part of the Zoho Workplace, a suite of products aimed primarily at businesses. Zoho bills itself as a simpler and more focused alternative to competitors like Office 365 and Google Workspace. It’s reasonably priced and feature-rich, bundling mail with calendar, to-dos, notes, and contacts. All this makes it one of the safest email providers for businesses.

What we liked

Zoho Mail offers a fairly generous free tier, featuring 5 GB of storage and support for up to five users. Zoho always uses end-to-end encryption for your data, ensuring that no unauthorized party can access it at any point. Pricing for the paid versions of Zoho Mail (or the entire suite) is also very reasonable, starting at just $1.00 per month.

The company offers a wide range of apps, making it a solid all-in-one option for businesses. Software includes email, an office suite, a calendar, cloud storage, and more. There are also specialized tools geared toward sales, marketing, finance, and other specific teams.

What we didn’t like

Navigating Zoho’s different offerings feels a little more convoluted than it should. Much of this comes down to the website's layout. Of course, once you’ve signed up, this won’t really be an issue. We have also seen some complaints about customer support, but that doesn’t seem to sway the overall opinion that Zoho provides a great service.

3. Tuta Mail: Best for open-source enthusiasts

Tuta Mail (formerly Tutanota) is an email provider that’s deeply dedicated to open-source software and philosophies. The code for all of the company’s mail clients is publicly available, and the software is published under the GPLv3 license, meaning that anyone is free to copy, modify, or distribute the software. The service is also heavily privacy-focused, with strong encryption of all data, even the subject and recipients.

What we liked

Tuta’s email encryption is very thorough. Combined with the open-source nature of the software, this makes Tuta a very secure choice for anyone concerned about email privacy. The company is committed to open-source software, which many will appreciate. Tuta also offers a solid free plan, along with two paid options.

What we didn’t like

Tuta is slightly more expensive than other options, particularly if you need to store a large amount of mail or send and receive numerous large files. The cheaper plan option, called Revolutionary, offers only 20 GB of storage, so many users will need to bump up to the more expensive Legend tier.

4. Hushmail: Best for HIPAA compliance

Hushmail is somewhat unique in that it primarily focuses on fields that deal with sensitive information, such as healthcare and law. It’s the only provider on this list that explicitly ensures HIPAA compliance. If you’re in a field where that’s relevant, such as healthcare, Hushmail is a great option.

What we liked

Hushmail offers several plans tailored to specific use cases, such as healthcare, law, small business, and personal use. Encryption is solid, and the service is simple and easy to use. Hushmail also offers the ability to create encrypted forms, which is perfect for gathering sensitive information about clients.

What we didn’t like

Our biggest complaints about Hushmail are around its pricing. First, there’s no free tier. There’s a free trial and a 60-day money-back guarantee, but to continue using the service, you’ll need to pay. Additionally, the prices are rather high compared to other options. If you need that HIPAA compliance, though, it could be worthwhile.

Why use a secure email provider

There are several reasons why you might want to use a secure email provider, not just for business purposes, but also for personal use.

• Secure email providers keep your data private. They won’t mine your emails for personal data.
• End-to-end encryption ensures your communications stay between intended recipients only.
• They make life easier for businesses where strict data privacy is important.
• They can offer better protection from malware, phishing, and other cyberattacks.
• You retain control over your data.
• You won’t have to worry about intrusive ads in your inbox.

Best VPNs for online security and privacy

If security and privacy are a concern for you, don’t stop with secure email — consider using a virtual private network (VPN), as well. VPNs encrypt your internet traffic, hide your IP address, prevent tracking, and help keep your online activity private.

FAQs

Bottom line

Ultimately, we think Proton Mail is the best secure email provider for most users. It offers all the key features a secure mail service should, including end-to-end encryption, email aliases, phishing protection, and more.

For even stronger security, make sure to pair your secure email with a VPN. The right VPN can help ensure all of your traffic is encrypted and private.