Email & Messaging
European email services and messengers with real data protection – GDPR compliant, encrypted and without ad profiling.
Why Gmail & Co. are a privacy risk
The CLOUD Act requires US companies like Google and Meta to share data with US authorities – regardless of where servers are located. Additionally, Gmail analyzes your emails for advertising purposes. European providers are not subject to any of these regulations.
Quick Switch
Which US service do you want to leave?
All Providers in Detail
Hand-picked European email and messaging services – verified and compared.
Proton Mail
Open SourceEnd-to-end encrypted email service from Switzerland
- End-to-end encryption active by default
- No advertising analysis of your emails
- Open source & independently audited
- Custom domain support
Tuta Mail
Open SourceFully encrypted email service with eco-powered servers in Germany
- Full encryption including subject lines
- 100% green energy for all servers
- Open source – every line of code is public
- Encrypted calendar included
mailbox.org
Integrated business platform on German servers
- Servers exclusively in Germany
- Integrated office suite (Collabora)
- Custom domain included
- Video conferencing and calendar included
Mailfence
Email service with OpenPGP encryption from Belgium
- OpenPGP encryption and digital signatures
- Calendar, contacts and document storage included
- No advertising, no tracking
- Custom domain supported
Posteo
Privacy-focused email service from Berlin
- No IP addresses stored - genuine anonymity
- 100% renewable energy and wasteland compensation
- Email, calendar and contacts included
- Anonymous payment by postal mail possible
Threema
Open SourceMessenger without mandatory phone number registration from Switzerland
- No phone number required - fully anonymous
- End-to-end encryption for all messages
- No metadata storage
- Open source since 2020
Runbox
Norwegian email service with hydropower infrastructure
- Over 20 years of experience in secure email hosting
- 100% renewable energy (Norwegian hydropower)
- IMAP, POP3, SMTP and webmail access
- Custom domain supported
Quick Compare
| Provider | Country | Open Source | Alternative To | Price (From) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proton Mail | 🇨🇭 Switzerland | Yes | instead of Gmail | Free (1 GB) · Mail Plus from 3.99 €/month · Unlimited from 7.99 €/month |
| Tuta Mail | 🇩🇪 Germany | Yes | instead of Gmail / Outlook | Free (1 GB) · Revolutionary from 3 €/month · Legend from 8 €/month |
| mailbox.org | 🇩🇪 Germany | No | instead of Google Workspace | Light from 1 €/month · Standard from 3 €/month · Premium from 9 €/month |
| Mailfence | 🇧🇪 Belgium | No | instead of Gmail | Free (500 MB) · Entry from 2.50 €/month · Pro from 7.50 €/month |
| Posteo | 🇩🇪 Germany | No | instead of Gmail | 1 €/month - no free plans, a deliberate decision against advertising-based funding |
| Threema | 🇨🇭 Switzerland | Yes | instead of WhatsApp / Signal | One-time 4.99 € · Threema Work from 2.90 €/user/month |
| Runbox | 🇳🇴 Norway | No | instead of Gmail | Micro from 1.66 $/month · Mini from 2.49 $/month · Medium from 4.16 $/month |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I keep my Gmail address and still switch?
Yes – you can set up forwarding from Gmail to your new provider and switch gradually. Alternatively, you can offer contacts your new address and initially keep Gmail just for receiving.
Are encrypted emails more difficult to use?
No. Proton Mail and Tuta Mail encrypt automatically – as a user you won't notice anything. Emails between two Proton users are always automatically encrypted. For external recipients, there are simple password links.
What's the difference between Proton Mail and Tuta Mail?
Both are excellent. Proton Mail has a larger ecosystem (VPN, Drive, Calendar), while Tuta Mail also encrypts subject lines and runs on 100% green energy. Proton is based in Switzerland, Tuta in Germany.
Why is Threema better than WhatsApp?
Threema doesn't require a phone number – you remain anonymous. WhatsApp belongs to Meta and uses your metadata for advertising profiles, even if message contents are encrypted. Threema doesn't store metadata and has no US corporation behind it.