Last updated - April 13, 2023
Gmail is a competent tool for email communication and while it may be working great for you, there might be a few reasons you are looking to switch to a different email service provider. If you are someone who takes online privacy seriously, one of the main concerns of Gmail is that as a Google product, your data can be used for targeted advertising and other marketing purposes.
Gmail has also faced security breaches in the past and depending on a single service makes you vulnerable to a single point of failure, that is if Gmail is down or compromised, it can affect your workflow because of dependency on a single provider for email communications.
Lastly, while Gmail has a lot of features to make it a decent email service, you may not be a fan of its interface or need specific features that are not available in Gmail. This can be another reason for you to look for an alternative.
Whatever brought you here, know that there are quite a lot of alternatives to Gmail in the market. We have compiled a list of alternatives to Gmail and let us take a look at them now.
Outlook
Outlook is one of the oldest email service providers having been released in 1997 and was a big name in email before the boom of Gmail. It is still a widely used software by businesses and it is available as a desktop application on Windows. This means you don’t need a web browser to access Outlook. Outlook is also a webmail service and email client, unlike Gmail which is exclusively a webmail service.
ProtonMail
ProtonMail is a privacy-focused email service provider so if you are unsatisfied with Gmail’s privacy issues, ProtonMail can be the right choice for you. This tool is from Proton, a Swiss company that is known for its privacy-friendly tools with unparalleled privacy features.
ProtonMail is end-to-end encrypted which means your emails are encrypted even before it reaches Proton’s servers. This is a feature that is not yet available in Gmail. You are also not required to give your personal information while signing up for ProtonMail. Additionally, you can access ProtonMail via Tor, making it even more secure.
Yahoo Mail
Yahoo Mail, similar to Outlook was also a really popular and common email service provider before email and is still a great alternative to Gmail. Yahoo Mail offers more customization in themes and background colors than Gmail. It also offers 1 TB of storage as opposed to the 15 GB provided by Gmail. Yahoo Mail also integrates with Yahoo News. Search, and Yahoo Finance, making it convenient to access all the services from one account.
Zoho Mail
Zoho Mail is another popular choice if you are a business owner. Not only does Zoho Mail offer better privacy than Gmail it is also cheaper. Zoho Mail does not scan your emails the way Gmail does for advertising purposes but also gives you custom domain names for your email addresses.
In addition, the service also integrates easily with other Zoho products like Zoho CRM and Projects. Zoho Mail also protects you against spam and other malicious emails and promises a 99.9% uptime, making it a powerful alternative.
iCloud Mail
If you have used any Apple device like an iPhone or a MacBook, you know Apple takes privacy seriously and their email solution, iCloud is no exception. With end-to-end encryption and the option to choose between three email aliases, you get a safe, secure, and competent email solution with iCloud Mail.
iCloud Mail also integrates across Apple devices, making it easier to manage work. It has a clean and minimal interface and also offers effective spam filtering.
Tutanota
Tutanota is another end-to-end encrypted email solution like ProtonMail. Tutanota is a German email service provider and has stricter privacy laws much like Proton, making it a top choice for users focusing on privacy and security. It is an open-source software unlike Gmail and relies on donations and premium subscriptions, so you don’t have to worry about your data being used for advertisements.
Mailfence
Next on the list is Mailfence, another email provider that is focused on privacy and works without advertisements, and is also open source. It focuses on privacy and security with features like OpenPGP support and protection against phishing and spam. You can also migrate your domain and choose custom domains with Mailence.
GMX
GMX, short for Global Mail Exchange is another service that does not compromise on your privacy while allowing for larger file attachments, drag-and-drop schedule management, and an online address book to store contacts. GMX also offers unlimited storage for emails and attachments, which is a bonus as Gmail has limited storage and you have to pay for additional space.
Yandex Mail
Yandex is a Russian tech company that started with a search engine and a web browser and its email service is also a reputed one. It offers custom domains, encryption, two-factor authentication, and privacy. Yandex Mail is also easy to operate because of its clean and simple user interface. Another advantage of using Yandex Mail is that it integrates with other tools of Yandex like Yandex Disk, browser, and search engine.
Posteo
Posteo is a service provider running on 100% green energy and is ad-free and affordable, starting at €1 per month to sustain its green energy motive. You also get more storage space and a cleaner user interface. Posteo also offers custom domains and doesn’t use your personal data as it does not work in an advertising-based model.
Whether you are unsatisfied with Gmail for its features or don’t like the data collecting practices by Google, it is worth trying alternatives that focus on openness and privacy. Open source alternatives are built and work on the collective interest of tech and privacy enthusiasts, making them both technically sound and ethical alternatives to Big Tech solutions.
Do you know any other privacy-focused email service providers that didn’t make it to this list? Let us know in the comments.
