Updated September 28, 2026 · ShieldCue Editorial Team
addy.io vs Proton AG
addy.io vs Proton AG: the differences
| Compare |  addy.io |  Proton AG |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan limits | Unlimited standard aliases, 10 active shared domain aliases, 1 recipient, 2 alias domains, 10MB monthly bandwidth | No data or speed limits, no ads, no time limit, 1 device, servers in 10 countries randomly selected, medium speed. |
| End-to-end encryption | No end-to-end encryption of stored mail; optional GPG/OpenPGP encryption of forwarded messages to the recipient's own public key, including attachments and optional encrypted subject | The VPN connection from the user's device to Proton's servers; Proton also markets Proton for Business with end-to-end encryption. |
| Jurisdiction | GB | CH |
| Price from | $1 | Not confirmed |
| Custom domains | Yes | Not confirmed |
Same on both: Open source (Yes).
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Key differences
- addy.io scores higher overall: 9.5 vs 9.3.
- Support channels: only Proton AG offers Chat.
- Pricing model: only addy.io offers Budget.
Our verdict on each
addy.io
addy.io suits people who want a fresh address for every site without a new mailbox for each one, and it starts on a free plan. Paid tiers begin at $1, under the €4.38 secure email median, though stored mail is not end-to-end encrypted.
Proton AG
Proton AG suits readers who want a published no-logs audit, a free tier and a bundled privacy suite rather than a bare tunnel, with the company based in Switzerland. Paid plans reach servers in from 140 countries and cover 10 devices, alongside free storage of 5 GB.
Score breakdown
| Area | addy.io | Proton AG |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.9HigherEntry is $1 against a €4.38 secure email median, and the free plan covers unlimited standard aliases. | 9.3 |
| Offer | 9.1 | 9.4HigherTerm choice runs to 24 months with a 30-day refund window, and a free plan anchors entry pricing. |
| Privacy | 9.5Higher | 8.9 |
Where each is licensed and available
| Country | addy.io | Proton AG |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | United Kingdom | Switzerland |
How they place
| Ranking | addy.io | Proton AG |
|---|---|---|
| Privacy tools | 63 of 280 | 24 of 280 |
| Secure email and messaging | 13 of 60 | 5 of 60 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | addy.io | Proton AG |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Free, BudgetCovers more | Free |
| Legal entity | Not confirmed | Proton AG |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom | Switzerland |
| Founded | Not confirmed | 2014 |
| Support channels | Email, Help centre, Community | Email, Chat, Help centre, CommunityCovers more |
Privacy tools
| Fact | addy.io | Proton AG |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Platforms | iOS, Android, Web, Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari, Raycast | Windows, MacOS, Linux, Chromebook, Android, iOS, Chrome, Firefox, Android TV, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV |
| Protocols | Not confirmed | WireGuard, OpenVPN |
| Logging policy | Self-hosted Umami analytics with no cookies or personal data, no Google Analytics; Nginx access and error logs record IP addresses, rotated daily and retained 3 days, used only to improve the service and prevent abuse | No activity logs |
| Privacy tool type | Not confirmed | Ad blocker |
Password managers
| Fact | addy.io | Proton AG |
|---|---|---|
| Family plan | Not confirmed | Pass Family: up to 6 users, 6 Pass Plus accounts, admin panel |
| Passkeys | Not confirmed | Yes |
| Security audit | Not confirmed | Independently audited by third-party experts; audit reports public |
| Encryption | Not confirmed | Zero-knowledge end-to-end encryption, 256-bit AES-GCM vaults, OpenPGP with ECC Curve25519 for vault keys |
| Features | Not confirmed | Kill switch, Split tunnelling |
| Zero-knowledge encryption | Not confirmed | Yes |
Encrypted storage
| Fact | addy.io | Proton AG |
|---|---|---|
| Free storage | Not confirmed | 5 |
| Compliance certifications | Not confirmed | GDPR, HIPAA, ISO 27001 |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | addy.io | Proton AG | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price from | $1lowest quarter | Not confirmed | $4.99 |
Median across 29 listed providers.
Pros and cons
addy.io
Pros
- The free plan allows unlimited standard aliases, plus shared domain aliases and alias domains, so building a large set of addresses costs nothing.
- Custom domains are supported, so aliases can sit on a domain you already own instead of a shared one.
- Open source, so the alias and forwarding logic can be read and checked by anyone.
Cons
- Support runs on email, help centre and community, so anything urgent waits for a written reply or a community thread.
- The free plan's recipient limit and monthly bandwidth allowance are tight, so more than light forwarding means paying.
- Jurisdiction is GB, which puts the contract and any dispute under a single country's rules.
Proton AG
Pros
- No-logs claims are audited rather than asserted: Securitum's audit (Securitum, 2026) sits behind a No activity logs policy.
- Free limits come with no caps on data or speed, no ads and no time limit.
- 10 simultaneous devices, above the ranked VPN median of 8.
Cons
- Support runs on email, chat and help centre, and there is no phone line among them.
- The free plan limits put you on a single device at medium speed with randomly selected countries, so constant use points at a paid plan.
- End-to-end encryption is marketed for Proton for Business, while the consumer plan encrypts only the connection from your device to Proton's servers.
Who each suits
addy.io
Who it suits
- People signing up to lots of sites who want a new alias for each and can begin on the free plan.
- Readers who want custom domains on an address they own, with apps across browsers rather than a system-level setting.
- Users happy to forward mail onward and who judge the service on open source and price rather than on encrypted storage.
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone who needs end-to-end encrypted mail storage: addy.io encrypts only forwarded messages, and Posteo at €1 is the other option here at a close entry price.
- Apple users already set up inside that ecosystem, where Apple's alias generator at $0.99 is the shorter path, while addy.io's $1 buys open source aliases across iOS, Android and Web.
Proton AG
Who it suits
- Readers who want a VPN, a passkey vault and encrypted storage under a single account instead of separate subscriptions.
- Families sharing storage, since Pass Family covers several users and Pass Plus seats through a single admin panel.
- Teams buying under a business audience (business) who need GDPR, HIPAA and ISO 27001 certifications on file.
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone needing more devices on a single account: Proton covers 10, while ESET Brasil plans run 3 to 25 devices.
- Readers choosing purely on server spread: AVG lists from 100 countries, a base close to Proton's from 140.
- Readers who want a different audit trail to compare: Session Technology Foundation lists Quarkslab 2021 against Proton's Securitum, 2026.
Current offers
addy.io
Current offer
Discount code
Notesnook 25% off first year: 25% off first year
addy.io paid subscribers (Lite, Pro, Duo or Family) only; no commission received by addy.io
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Free trial
Windscribe 3 month Pro trial then annual Pro plan: 3 month Pro trial, then 49 USD per year
addy.io paid subscribers only
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Free trial
Kagi 3 months of Professional plan free: 3 months free
addy.io paid subscribers only
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Discount code
Tuta 25% off first year: 25% off first year
addy.io paid subscribers only
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Discount code
EasyOptOuts 25% off for life: 25% off for life, 5 sign-ups per coupon
US customers only; addy.io paid subscribers only
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Questions about each
addy.io
Is there a free plan, and what comes with it?+
Yes. The free plan allows unlimited standard aliases, and adds shared domain aliases, alias domains, a recipient limit and a monthly bandwidth allowance. That is enough for light use without paying anything. Beyond that, paid plans in the free and budget range start at $1.
How much does addy.io cost at the entry point?+
Entry is $1, which sits under the €4.38 median for secure email brands and below the €8.94 upper marker. You can also stay on the free plan as long as the allowance suits, which is the practical way to judge the service first.
Proton AG
What does Proton VPN cost, and how long are the commitments?+
The longest plan runs 24 months, the service is listed on a free model, and paid plans carry a 30-day money-back window. Across the ranked VPN field, monthly pricing has a median of €7.02 and long-term pricing a median of €3.97, which frames any quote you see.
Is there a free plan, and what are its limits?+
Yes. The free plan has no caps on data or speed, no ads and no time limit. It runs on a single device, reaches servers in a randomly selected group of countries and delivers medium speed, so the paid tier, which covers 10 devices, is the practical step for constant use.
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