Updated September 29, 2026 · ShieldCue Editorial Team
Apple Hide My Email vs Proton Mail
Proton Mail
Apple Hide My Email
Higher score in this comparison
Where Apple Hide My Email and Proton Mail differ
| Compare | Apple Hide My EmailReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives | Proton MailReviewVisitVisit |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $0.99Lower | $4.99 |
| Free plan limits | Free 5GB iCloud plan excludes Hide My Email; it is included only with iCloud+ | Unlimited logins, notes, credit cards and devices; 10 hide-my-email aliases; passkeys on all devices; no vault or item sharing |
| End-to-end encryption | None of the mail is end-to-end encrypted: aliases are relayed and forwarded by Apple, which states it does not read or process message content except spam filtering | All fields end-to-end encrypted: passwords, usernames, web addresses, credit cards, note contents and metadata; 256-bit AES-GCM vaults; only the user can decrypt, Proton cannot |
| Jurisdiction | US | CH |
| Custom domains | No | YesHas it |
| Open source | Not confirmed | Yes |
We earn a commission when you sign up through links on this site. Partner status can affect where a brand appears in our rankings. Partners with a live offer in your country come first, then every other brand by score.
Key differences
- Apple Hide My Email scores higher overall: 9.4 vs 9.0.
- Price from is lower at Apple Hide My Email: $0.99 vs $4.99.
- Custom domains: only Proton Mail.
- Support channels: only Apple Hide My Email offers Phone.
- Support channels: only Proton Mail offers Email.
- Founded is lower at Apple Hide My Email: 1976 vs 2014.
- Pricing model: only Proton Mail offers Budget.
Our verdict on each
Apple Hide My Email
Apple Hide My Email suits Apple users already inside iCloud+ who want an alias per shop or newsletter and will accept a free tier that excludes the feature. At $0.99 it is the cheapest paid entry in this group, though the relayed aliases carry no end to end encryption.
Proton Mail
Proton Mail suits readers who want a password manager that is open source, free to start and end-to-end encrypted on every field, metadata included. Support runs on email, help centre and community, and the budget plan starts at $4.99, while the group median monthly price is €6.47.
Score breakdown
| Area | Apple Hide My Email | Proton Mail |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 10.0HigherEntry price of $0.99 sits under the category median of €4.38, and free keeps the base tier free. | 9.1 |
| Offer | 8.5 | 9.1Higher |
| Privacy | 10.0Higher | 8.9 |
What it costs in practice
A year on the entry plan
Apple Hide My Email
$11.88
12 × $0.99
Proton Mail
$59.88
12 × $4.99
Apple Hide My Email costs $48 less.
Worked out from the stated prices and rates; your own total depends on how you use it. Facts checked September 26, 2026.
How they place
| Ranking | Apple Hide My Email | Proton Mail |
|---|---|---|
| Privacy tools | 49 of 281 | 11 of 281 |
| Secure email and messaging | 14 of 60 | 2 of 60 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Apple Hide My Email | Proton Mail |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Free | Free, BudgetCovers more |
| Legal entity | Apple Inc. | Proton AG |
| Headquarters | United States | Switzerland |
| Founded | 1976Lower | 2014 |
| Support channels | Phone, Help centre, Community | Email, Help centre, Community |
Privacy tools
| Fact | Apple Hide My Email | Proton Mail |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Platforms | iOS, IPadOS, MacOS, VisionOS, TvOS, WatchOS, Web | Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Web app, Command line interface, Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge, Brave |
| Logging policy | Apple does not read or process relayed message content except standard spam filtering; messages deleted from relay servers after delivery, usually within seconds | No permanent IP logs by default; temporary IP logs kept to combat abuse and fraud; authentication logging off by default; Proton states it has no technical means to access encrypted passwords or notes |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Apple Hide My Email | Proton Mail | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price from | $0.99lowest quarter | $4.99at the median | $4.99 |
Median across 29 listed providers.
Pros and cons
Apple Hide My Email
Pros
- Entry price of $0.99 undercuts addy.io at $1 and Session at $2.99
- A free plan is listed and free marks the base tier as free
- Support covers phone, help centre and community, including phone and community
Cons
- Apple relays and forwards every alias, and states it processes content only for spam filtering, so the protection sits at the address level rather than the message level
- The free plan limits put Hide My Email beyond the free iCloud plan, with the feature reserved for iCloud+ subscribers
- Custom domains are not supported, so every alias sits on a domain Apple controls
Proton Mail
Pros
- End-to-end encryption covers passwords, usernames, web addresses, credit cards, note contents and metadata, and only the user can decrypt.
- The client is open source, and by its logging policy the company has no technical means to reach encrypted passwords or notes.
- Paid entry is light: the budget plan starts at $4.99, and custom domains are supported.
Cons
- Support runs on email, help centre and community, with no phone line and no live chat in that list.
- The free plan limits leave out vault and item sharing, so a free account suits one person rather than a household.
- By its logging policy, temporary IP logs are kept to combat abuse and fraud, and authentication logging is off by default.
Who each suits
Apple Hide My Email
Who it suits
- Apple households already paying for iCloud+ who want an alias per store or newsletter
- Readers who want alias forwarding with no separate account to set up
- People who keep most browsing inside Apple platforms and want a native app
Who should look elsewhere
- Non-Apple households, where addy.io is a separate option at $1 and iOS, iPadOS and macOS centres on Apple devices and the web
- Readers who want a standalone alias subscription rather than a bundle, where Posteo sits at €1
- Teams needing end-to-end encrypted mail, since this relay forwards through Apple and keeps the message body on that path
Proton Mail
Who it suits
- Readers who want open source, end-to-end encrypted storage with a free plan to start on.
- Single users on a budget: paid entry starts at $4.99 on the budget plan.
- Readers who want a named operator: Proton AG, founded in 2014 and under CH jurisdiction.
Who should look elsewhere
- Apple Hide My Email, which arrives inside iCloud+ rather than as a standalone vault and whose free plan limits leave it out of the entry iCloud plan.
- Apple Inc. for anyone shopping only inside the Apple ecosystem, since the free plan limits exclude Hide My Email from the entry iCloud plan.
- addy.io, whose free plan limits cap recipients, alias domains and monthly bandwidth, so it suits lighter alias use.
Current offers
Apple Hide My Email
Current offer
Free trial
3 months of Apple One free: 3 months Apple One free
New and qualified returning subscribers only; offer good for three months after eligible device activation; plan automatically renews until cancelled; not available if previously accepted an Apple One three-months-free offer
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Proton Mail
Current offer
Free trial
30-day money-back guarantee on Pass Plus and Proton Unlimited: 30 days
Applies to premium Pass Plus and Proton Unlimited plans; cancel and request refund within 30 days
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Discount code
Pass Plus discount on yearly plans: 40% off
Pass Plus annual billing
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Questions about each
Apple Hide My Email
How much does Apple Hide My Email cost?+
Entry sits at $0.99 through iCloud+, and that subscription is the route to the alias feature. A free plan is listed, but the free plan limits keep Hide My Email outside the free iCloud plan, with the feature reserved for iCloud+ subscribers. Treat it as a paid add-on inside an Apple bundle rather than a standalone subscription.
Is Apple Hide My Email end to end encrypted?+
End-to-end encryption sits outside this product. Apple relays and forwards every alias, and states it processes content only for spam filtering, so the guarantee covers the address you publish rather than the body travelling through the relay. Aliases mask identity; they do not create a private mailbox.
Proton Mail
How much does Proton Mail cost?+
There is a free plan, and the budget plan starts at $4.99. For context, the median monthly price across secure email brands in this group is €6.47, and the median long-term rate is €4.67. Entry pricing sits below that group median.
Can Proton Mail read my passwords?+
No. End-to-end encryption covers passwords, usernames, web addresses, credit cards, note contents and metadata inside AES-GCM vaults, so only the user can decrypt. By its logging policy, Proton states it has no technical means to reach encrypted passwords or notes, and the client is open source under CH law.
Other options to compare
Other matchups
- Proton Mail vs NordVPN
- Proton Mail vs NordVPN Threat Protection
- Proton Mail vs PureVPN
- Apple Hide My Email vs addy.io
- Apple Hide My Email vs Runbox
- Proton Mail vs Apple Inc.
- Proton Mail vs Surfshark
- Proton Mail vs Surfshark Alert
- Proton Mail vs Surfshark One (Antivirus)
- Apple Hide My Email vs Proton
- Apple Hide My Email vs Proton Pass
- Apple Hide My Email vs Proton AG
Proton Mail
Apple Hide My Email