Updated September 28, 2026 · ShieldCue Editorial Team
Apple Hide My Email vs Proton
Apple Hide My Email vs Proton: the differences
| Compare | Apple Hide My Email ReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives |  Proton |
|---|---|---|
| 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 and password health alerts; no 2FA authenticator, secure sharing, file attachments or dark web monitoring |
| 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 |
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Key differences
- Apple Hide My Email scores higher overall: 9.4 vs 9.3.
- Price from is lower at Apple Hide My Email: $0.99 vs $4.99.
- Custom domains: only Proton.
- Support channels: only Apple Hide My Email offers Phone.
- Support channels: only Proton offers Email, Chat.
- Founded is lower at Apple Hide My Email: 1976 vs 2014.
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
Proton bundles a password manager, VPN and encrypted storage in one account, with Pass starting at $4.99 and a free tier. It suits readers who want passwords, private files and a VPN in a single subscription, and who can live with free plan limits that leave out an authenticator, password sharing and file attachments.
Score breakdown
| Area | Apple Hide My Email | Proton |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 10.0HigherEntry price of $0.99 sits under the category median of €4.38, and free keeps the base tier free. | 9.2Entry at $4.99 sits under the site median of €6.84, with storage at $95.88 per TB per year and a free plan. |
| Offer | 8.5 | 9.5Higher |
| Privacy | 10.0Higher | 9.1 |
Pick Apple Hide My Email if, pick Proton if
Pick Apple Hide My Email if cost, privacy, and price from matter most.
Pick Proton if offer and custom domains matter most.
Licences and countries
| Country | Apple Hide My Email | Proton |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | United States | Switzerland |
How they place
| Ranking | Apple Hide My Email | Proton |
|---|---|---|
| Privacy tools | 65 of 280 | 10 of 280 |
| Secure email and messaging | 14 of 60 | 1 of 60 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Apple Hide My Email | Proton |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Free | Free |
| Legal entity | Apple Inc. | Proton AG |
| Headquarters | United States | Switzerland |
| Founded | 1976Lower | 2014 |
| Support channels | Phone, Help centre, Community | Email, Chat, Help centre, Community |
Privacy tools
| Fact | Apple Hide My Email | Proton |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Protocols | Not confirmed | WireGuard, OpenVPN |
| 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 |
VPN
| Fact | Apple Hide My Email | Proton |
|---|---|---|
| Devices | Not confirmed | 10 |
| Server countries | Not confirmed | 140 |
| Features | Not confirmed | No logs, Streaming, Travel |
| Audience | Not confirmed | Business |
| Money-back period | Not confirmed | 30 days |
| Features | Not confirmed | Kill switch |
| Streaming services | Not confirmed | Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Hulu |
| Owner | Not confirmed | Proton Foundation |
| Longest plan (months) | Not confirmed | 24 months |
Password managers
| Fact | Apple Hide My Email | Proton |
|---|---|---|
| Family plan | Not confirmed | Pass Family: up to 6 users, includes 6 Pass Plus accounts and an admin panel |
| Passkeys | Not confirmed | Yes |
| Security audit | Not confirmed | Independently audited by third-party experts (Cure53 audit published July 2023), open source under GPLv3, public bug bounty |
| Encryption | Not confirmed | End-to-end encryption; 256-bit AES-GCM encrypted vaults; OpenPGP with ECC (Curve25519) for vault keys |
| Zero-knowledge encryption | Not confirmed | Yes |
Encrypted storage
| Fact | Apple Hide My Email | Proton |
|---|---|---|
| Free storage | Not confirmed | 5 |
| Price per TB per year | Not confirmed | $95.88 |
| Compliance certifications | Not confirmed | ISO 27001, SOC 2 Type II |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Apple Hide My Email | Proton | 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
Pros
- A single account covers a password manager, a VPN and end-to-end encrypted storage, with a free plan to start.
- Passkeys, custom domains and a Family plan with an admin panel suit single-user and shared use.
- Vaults use AES-GCM encryption with OpenPGP and ECC keys, and only the account holder can decrypt.
Cons
- Support runs on email, chat and help centre with no phone line.
- Free plan limits leave out the authenticator app, password sharing, attachments and dark web monitoring.
- Extra storage costs $95.88 per TB per year beyond 5 GB free.
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
Who it suits
- Readers who want a password manager, a VPN and private files under a single subscription rather than separate products.
- Households and small teams that need shared accounts, since the Family plan bundles several Pass Plus accounts and an admin panel.
- Buyers who care about open source under a copyleft licence, outside security audits and a public bug bounty.
Who should look elsewhere
- Apple Hide My Email at $0.99 if email aliasing is the whole job, since Proton adds a VPN, storage and a password manager.
- Apple Inc. at $0.99 when aliasing is the priority; Proton's $4.99 entry brings a VPN, storage and password manager in the same account.
- EasyOptOuts at $19.99 for a single higher priced subscription, against Proton's $4.99 entry and a free plan.
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
Current offer
Discount code
40% off Pass Plus: 40% off
Shown on the Proton Pass pricing page alongside a 30-day money-back guarantee; applies to the Pass Plus paid plan
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
How much is Proton Pass at the entry price?+
Proton Pass starts at $4.99, and there is a free plan beside it. The paid tiers widen the set of features, so the entry price only pays off if you want more hide my email aliases, passkeys and password health alerts.
What does the free plan leave out?+
The free plan covers as many logins, notes, cards and devices as you like, but it leaves out the authenticator app, sharing with other people, file attachments and dark web monitoring. Those sit on paid Pass plans, where entry starts at $4.99.
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