Proton Mail review
Updated September 28, 2026 · ShieldCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026
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Our verdict
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.
Key facts
- Best for
- A free, open source vault that encrypts every field, metadata included.
- Price from
- $4.99 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Free plan limits
- Unlimited logins, notes, credit cards and devices; 10 hide-my-email aliases; passkeys on all devices; no vault or item sharing (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- End-to-end encryption
- 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 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Jurisdiction
- CH (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Custom domains
- Yes (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Open source
- Yes (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Legal entity
- Proton AG (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Headquarters
- Switzerland (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Founded
- 2014 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Support channels
- Email, Help-centre, Community (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Pricing model
- Free, Budget
- Official website
- proton.me
Privacy tools
- Price from
- $4.99 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Free plan
- Yes (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Free plan limits
- Unlimited logins, notes, credit cards and devices; 10 hide-my-email aliases; passkeys on all devices; no vault or item sharing (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Platforms
- Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Web app, Command line interface, Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge, Brave (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Logging policy
- 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 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Jurisdiction
- CH (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Open source
- Yes (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Legal entity
- Proton AG (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Headquarters
- Switzerland (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Founded
- 2014 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Support channels
- Email, Help-centre, Community (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Pricing model
- Free, Budget
Apps and profiles
- Get the app
- App StoreGoogle Play
- Elsewhere
- WikidataWikipediaLinkedInXgithub.com
Pros and cons
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 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.
How Proton Mail compares
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Frequently asked questions
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.
Where is the company based?+
The operator is Proton AG, founded in 2014 and headquartered in Switzerland, with CH recorded as the jurisdiction. Readers who care about where a vault sits legally find the same country named in both places.
Which platforms are supported?+
Apps run on Windows, macOS and Linux. That covers desktop, mobile and browser use, plus a command line interface for people who script their own setup. Cross-device use is the norm here rather than a single-platform app.
What support can I get?+
Support runs on email, help centre and community. There is no phone line and no live chat in that list, so a stuck vault is handled by email or the community rather than by a person on a call. The help centre carries most of the load.
Can I use a custom domain?+
Yes, custom domains are supported, which matters for anyone who wants an address on a domain they control. Hide-my-email aliases are already inside the free plan limits, so alias use is covered before any paid tier is added.
Who is this suited to?+
It suits readers who want open source, end-to-end encrypted storage and a plan they can start on without paying, since the free plan is there and the budget plan starts at $4.99. It suits readers less who need live chat or phone support, because support runs on email, help centre and community.
Sources
- proton.me/about checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Founded, Headquarters, Legal entity
“Proton was born in Switzerland in 2014 when a team of scientists who met at CERN decided to build a better internet”
- proton.me/legal/privacy checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Logging policy
“By default, we do not keep permanent IP logs in relation with your Account.”
- proton.me/pass checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Support channels
“Proton Pass support; Contact us; Social media”
- proton.me/pass/pricing checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Custom domains, Free plan, Free plan limits, Pricing model, Platforms
“Your custom domain for aliases”
- proton.me/pass/security checked September 26, 2026
Backs: End-to-end encryption, Jurisdiction, Open source
“Proton Pass doesn't just encrypt the password field but applies end-to-end encryption to all fields, including usernames, web addresses, and all data contained in your encrypted notes”
- privacyjournal.net/proton-pass-review checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Price from
“Proton Plus costs $4.99 per month when billed monthly.”
Compiled from 6 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.