Get Rid of Gmail With These Alternatives
It’s not hard to assume that you probably use Gmail – it looks like most people in the world do this these days. This reality has caused horror with some recent privacy and security changes in Gmail and Google Chrome.
This is not a sudden turnaround. Over the years, Gmail and Chrome have changed from what were once some of the most flexible and open web tools to something more proprietary, and in some cases less secure.
These privacy concerns are part of an era of data security risks that go deeper than just Google, and for some it’s a matter of government privacy. However, as terrifying and troubling as the government has access to our data, most people do not come to the attention of the NSA. And if so, it doesn’t matter which postal service you use. On the contrary, the real threat to the privacy of most people is companies and individuals who want to buy, sell and mine your data. Here’s a random example: say maybe Google is analyzing your inbox so it can better advertise to you, for example?
We don’t blame you if you want to end this, so let’s take a look at the best Gmail alternatives currently available.
Is Gmail Really That Bad?
To be honest, while this post is inherently “anti-Google” (since we’re trying to replace its proprietary email service with something else), there are still many benefits to using Gmail and other Google services – this post is, in fact, it was mostly written in Google Docs. The point here is not necessarily to harm Google or its privacy policy, but rather to offer viable alternatives that can address a number of Gmail’s weaknesses in general. In the following sections, you’ll find both paid and free alternatives that cover everything from advanced security features to deep customization tools for individuals and businesses.
Paid alternatives
Why pay for a free alternative? Well, because these email services do as much, if not more, than Gmail, but without ad support and with stronger privacy protections. Plus, you won’t be spending more than $ 5 or $ 6 a month on average on most of these services. If you need an updated email solution, then it is probably worth donating a cup of coffee every month.
A quick summary that applies to most of the services here: if the email client you’re interested in doesn’t track your data, it doesn’t store your password either. Be sure to keep this written down in a safe place and, if necessary, set up backup accounts just in case.
Colab now
This Swiss company has arguably the most compelling and competitive Gmail alternative currently available (and the Microsoft Office Suite for that matter). Users will have access not only to the email service, but also to a whole suite of online applications without ads, such as calendars, file editors, and more, which can be synced across all your devices and shared, just like in Google Docs.
Any privacy concerns you have with Gmail will not be accepted with Kolab Now. Kolab Now not only ensures that your data and files are safe from the prying eyes of businesses, but the email servers are also hosted in Switzerland, a country with incredibly strict data privacy laws. The service only saves debug logs when needed – otherwise it is completely automated. Plus, it was all built on open source software.
There are two packages available: the Individual plan (about $ 4.56 per month depending on currency conversion), which includes all of the aforementioned features, and the group plan (about $ 5.56 per user per month), which adds custom domain support, admin tools and support for up to 100 users on one plan. You can also test any option with a 30-day free trial.
Proton mail
Proton Mail is another Swiss company, but it focuses exclusively on secure email, not the software package that Kolab Now provides. Users can register completely anonymously, all email is completely encrypted and the service does not track any IP information, and since it is hosted in Switzerland, access to your mail server is denied.
In addition to the web client, there are also Proton Mail apps available for Android on iOS, all of which are open source and offer the same strong security and encryption.
Users can sign up for a free account that provides up to 500MB of storage per user, but imposes a daily limit of 150 messages and reduced technical support. However, the paid options are much more attractive:
- Plus: $ 5 a month or $ 48 a year. Includes support for one user, 5 addresses, 5 GB storage, up to 1000 messages per day, email and auto-reply features, and improved technical support.
- Professional: $ 8 per month or $ 75 per year. Supports up to 5000 users, 5 addresses per user, 5 GB storage per user, unlimited messages and folders, and priority technical support.
- Visionary: $ 30 per month or $ 288 per year. Supports a maximum of 6 users, 50 addresses and 20GB of storage, but adds access to ProtonVPN and all professional grade features.
You can also select additional storage, addresses, and domains at additional monthly rates.
FastMail
FastMail is a very popular email service and is probably the first name you see mentioned if you’re looking for a serious paid Gmail alternative. The service provides full mobile sync for push notifications and contacts, as well as real-time technical support for each of its subscription packages, which are rated as follows:
- Basic: $ 3 / month or $ 30 / year per user
- Standard: $ 5 / month or $ 50 / year / user
- Professional: $ 9 / month or $ 90 / year per user.
There is a 30-day trial, but only for the standard version and covers a maximum of five users.
The basic package gives you 2GB of storage per user, while the standard and professional offer 25GB and 100GB respectively. Professional subscribers also get unlimited archiving and storage space.
Keep in mind that $ 5 and $ 9 subscribers can use their own domain addresses, while $ 3 users can only use Freemail addresses. The company recycles @freemail addresses when they are no longer in use, so if you cancel your freemail account, it is possible that someone else may be using it. While unlikely, it can pose a potential privacy threat, so if you can use your own domain, we recommend that you do so. No matter which package you choose, Fast Mail does not track your data or use ads.
Tutanota
While some of the options here include business options and in some cases are tailored specifically for them, Tutanota is primarily aimed at individuals or small groups, and its pricing reflects that. Users start by creating a free account that includes 1 GB of mailbox storage and a Tutanota domain address. From there, you can upgrade your account to Premium ($ 1.20 to $ 1.40 per month) or to Pro ($ 5.88 to $ 7.06 per month), plus the option to further customize your subscription with expandable storage and more email aliases.
In addition to pricing flexibility, security is the main benefit here. Like Proton Mail, Tutanota provides end-to-end encryption for your email. It hosts your emails in Germany, which has stricter EU data laws than the US.
Zoho mail
Zoho Mail is primarily focused on the needs of businesses, not individuals (although free email-only accounts are available to individuals). So the $ 3 monthly Standard Zoho Workplace includes multi-account access to the Zoho Office Suite for all subscribers, which provides document editing, spreadsheet and slideshow applications, password protected sharing, cloud drive storage, and Zoho Cliq live. messaging app.
The $ 8 / month Professional tier complements the deal with three other apps: Zoho Meeting for video conferencing, Zoho Connect for task management (like Trello or Asana), and Zoho ShowTime remote meeting software.
There are also free email-only accounts available that support up to five users, limit users to one domain address, limit attachment size to 25MB, 5GB storage per user, and can only be accessed via the web client.
Microsoft Exchange Online
Yes, we know the move from Gmail to Microsoft isn’t a big change, but in terms of software, data and analytics packages, and overall power, Microsoft Server Exchange is a clear competitor. You’ll shell out $ 12.50 a month for each user, but in addition to email services, you’ll get the entire Microsoft Office and Services Suite.
Business-class email options are also available, with a $ 4 monthly subscription providing 50 GB of mailbox storage per user, while paying $ 8 monthly gives you 100 GB per user.
Free alternatives
When it comes to free email options, few can match Gmail’s breadth of features, flexibility, and ubiquity. However, rather than heading over to something like Yahoo, we recommend checking out the free packages available from some of the above companies, specifically Tutanota , Proton Mail, and Zoho Mail .
The only other free option we’ll recommend is iCloud. When it comes to data collection, Apple has a much more user-friendly privacy policy. It is also available on almost every iOS and Apple device and provides almost the same functionality as other Google Drive services. If you want to do your best and completely change platforms, switching from Google Drive to iCloud is not a bad idea. It won’t give you the same level of flexibility or privacy as some of these luxury Swiss options, but it’s a viable alternative nonetheless.
Otherwise, what’s left are the “other guys” from the email world: AOL, Yahoo, Outlook, AOL, Mail.com, GMX, Yandex, etc.
These options are ad-supported, hosted in the United States, Russia, or other countries with more lenient data privacy laws, and most are owned by larger companies with their own potentially harmful tracking methods. So yes, AOL, Outlook, and Yahoo may be technically viable free alternatives to Gmail in the simplest sense, but it would be disingenuous to say they don’t have their own basic red flags – Yahoo, for example, seems to have a tricky track record when it comes to dealing comes to protecting the data of its users from hackers. However, if you use Gmail and just want something new, they’ll give it to you for free.
Hosting your own mail server
Another final option to consider is hosting your own mail server. If you are considering this option, you are a brave soul. Hosting a mail server can be a complex and complex project requiring at least intermediate knowledge of the Linux operating system (Ubuntu in particular), server software, and PC hardware.
There is one service called Mail-in-a-Box that aims to simplify the setup process and reduce some of the hardware requirements that running your own mail server entails.
However, despite the fact that Mail-in-a-box optimizes most of the process, the entire project still takes several hours, not counting the time it takes to assemble the server computer itself.
Also, if you decide to give Mail-in-a-box a try, pay attention to the project goals stated by the creators on the official page:
- Make it easy to deploy a good mail server.
- “Promote decentralization, innovation and privacy on the Internet.”
- “Have an automated, controlled and idempotent system configuration.”
- “Don’t build a completely unhackable NSA-protected server (but check out our security practices).”
- “Don’t do something customizable by power users.”
The last two are important, especially if they conflict with your ultimate goal of running a private mail server. Technically, there are methods to create a mail server that comes close to digital Fort Knox, but only seriously experienced users should try to do something like this. In fact, unless you specifically came here for tips on setting up your own private mail server, it’s best to leave that to the professionals.