Updated September 28, 2026 · ShieldCue Editorial Team
Fastmail vs Proton
What sets them apart
| Compare |  Fastmail |  Proton |
|---|---|---|
| Devices | 6 | 10Higher |
| Jurisdiction | AU | CH |
| Protocols | JMAP, IMAP, POP, SMTP, CalDAV, CardDAV, WebDAV, OAuth 2.0 | WireGuard, OpenVPN |
| Platforms | Windows, MacOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Web browser | Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Web app, Command line interface, Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge, Brave |
| Owner | Independent company, founder Rob Mueller | Proton Foundation |
| Longest plan (months) | 36 monthsHigher | 24 months |
| Monthly price | €6 | Not confirmed |
| Long-term plan price | €4.67 | Not confirmed |
| Server countries | Not confirmed | 140 |
| Money-back period | Not confirmed | 30 days |
| Features | Not confirmed | Kill switch |
| Streaming services | Not confirmed | Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Hulu |
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Key differences
- Devices is higher at Proton: 10 vs 6.
- Protocols: only Fastmail offers JMAP, IMAP, POP.
- Protocols: only Proton offers WireGuard, OpenVPN.
- Platforms: only Fastmail offers Web browser.
- Platforms: only Proton offers Web app, Command line interface, Chrome.
- Longest plan (months) is higher at Fastmail: 36 months vs 24 months.
- Support channels: only Proton offers Chat, Community.
- Founded is lower at Fastmail: 1999 vs 2014.
Our verdict on each
Fastmail
Fastmail is a paid email service for anyone who wants their own domain, standard protocols and a well supported inbox with no free plan. It suits solo users and small teams that will pay a subscription, with plans starting at €4 and a free trial to try first.
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 | Fastmail | Proton |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.2The entry point of €4 sits under the site's median starting price of €6.84, so cost reads as fair rather than cheap. | 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 | 9.1 | 9.5Higher |
| Privacy | 9.6Higher | 9.1 |
Where they rank in our lists
| Ranking | Fastmail | Proton |
|---|---|---|
| VPNs | 25 of 232 | 13 of 232 |
| Privacy tools | 23 of 280 | 10 of 280 |
| Secure email and messaging | 4 of 60 | 1 of 60 |
| Free VPNs | 21 of 189 | 9 of 189 |
Which one suits you
Pick Fastmail if privacy and longest plan (months) matter most.
Pick Proton if offer and devices matter most.
Where these facts come from
Fastmail
- fastmail.com: 13 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Proton
- proton.me: 17 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Fastmail | Proton |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Not confirmed | No logs, Streaming, Travel |
| Audience | Business | Business |
| Pricing model | Not confirmed | Free |
| Legal entity | Fastmail Pty Ltd (ACN 142 646 580) | Proton AG |
| Headquarters | Australia | Switzerland |
| Founded | 1999Lower | 2014 |
| Support channels | Email, Help centre | Email, Chat, Help centre, CommunityCovers more |
Privacy tools
| Fact | Fastmail | Proton |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | €4 | $4.99 |
| Free plan | No | YesHas it |
| Free plan limits | No free plan; 30-day free trial | 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 |
| Logging policy | Logs technical data such as IP addresses and client identifiers for security, troubleshooting and auditing; IP logs retained for up to one year | 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 |
| Open source | No | YesHas it |
Secure email
| Fact | Fastmail | Proton |
|---|---|---|
| End-to-end encryption | No end-to-end encryption in Fastmail's own apps; PGP or S/MIME only via third-party apps | 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 |
| Custom domains | Yes | Yes |
Password managers
| Fact | Fastmail | 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 | Fastmail | 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 | Fastmail | Proton | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | €6below the median | Not confirmed | €7.99 |
| Long-term plan price | €4.67above the median | Not confirmed | €3.99 |
| Devices | 6below the median | 10at the median | 10 |
| Server countries | Not confirmed | 140highest quarter | 62 |
| Money-back period | Not confirmed | 30 daysat the median | 30 days |
| Longest plan (months) | 36 monthshighest quarter | 24 monthsabove the median | 12 months |
Median across 139 listed providers.
Pros and cons
Fastmail
Pros
- Monthly billing costs €6, and the long-term plan costs €4.67 with the longest term offered running 36.
- Standard clients keep working because the service speaks JMAP, IMAP and POP.
- Apps run on Windows, macOS and Linux, so one account covers a browser, desktops and phones.
Cons
- End-to-end encryption is available as PGP or S/MIME, and Fastmail's own apps leave that setup to third-party apps.
- Support runs on email and help centre only, with no chat or phone line listed.
- Technical data such as IP addresses and client identifiers is kept for security, troubleshooting and auditing, and IP logs are held for a period.
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
Fastmail
Who it suits
- Solo users and small teams that want a work inbox on a domain they own.
- People who rely on their own mail software, since the standard protocols are supported.
- Subscribers ready to commit, since the long-term plan is priced below monthly billing.
Who should look elsewhere
- Readers shopping on price alone: Apple Inc. lists $0.99 and Sinew Software Systems lists $1.99, both below Fastmail's €6.
- Anyone counting on device breadth rather than an inbox, where ESET Brasil covers 3 to 25.
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
Fastmail
Current offer
Free trial
Free trial on signup: 30 days
Offered on all plans; no refunds for unused subscriptions
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Discount code
Pay yearly and save: EUR 12 (Individual), EUR 24 (Duo), EUR 36 (Family)
Applied when paying 12 months in advance on Individual, Duo, Family and business plans; all prices tax-inclusive
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
Fastmail
What does Fastmail cost month to month?+
Fastmail's monthly plan costs €6, and the long-term plan is priced at €4.67 per month. Entry pricing starts at €4, and the longest commitment offered runs 36, so the term you pick drives most of the cost.
Is there a free plan or a free trial?+
There is no free plan on Fastmail, so every account is paid and a free trial is the only route in without paying first. Paid pricing begins at €4 a month, and the monthly plan itself costs €6.
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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