Updated September 29, 2026 · ShieldCue Editorial Team
Proton Mail vs Runbox
Where Proton Mail and Runbox differ
| Compare |  Proton Mail | Runbox ReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $4.99 | €1.66 |
| Free plan limits | Unlimited logins, notes, credit cards and devices; 10 hide-my-email aliases; passkeys on all devices; no vault or item sharing | Free trial only (30 days): 1 GB email storage, 100 MB file storage, 20 recipients per day; no permanent free plan |
| 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 | No default end-to-end encryption; email is encrypted in transit only, and true E2EE is opt-in per message via S/MIME or PGP between sender and recipient |
| Jurisdiction | CH | NO |
Same on both: Custom domains (Yes), Open source (Yes).
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Key differences
- Runbox scores higher overall: 9.4 vs 9.0.
- Founded is lower at Runbox: 2000 vs 2014.
- Pricing model: only Proton Mail offers Free.
Our verdict on each
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.
Runbox
Runbox suits readers who want a full inbox with a custom domain, open source code and apps across every major platform, and who can accept that mail is encrypted in transit rather than end to end by default. The budget plan starts at €1.66, and there is no permanent free tier.
Score breakdown
| Area | Proton Mail | Runbox |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.1 | 9.7HigherBudget plan entry of €1.66 against a median of €6.84 and a long term median of €3.97. |
| Offer | 9.1 | 9.1 |
| Privacy | 8.9 | 9.3Higher |
How they place
| Ranking | Proton Mail | Runbox |
|---|---|---|
| Privacy tools | 11 of 280 | 68 of 280 |
| Secure email and messaging | 2 of 60 | 15 of 60 |
Where each is licensed and available
| Country | Proton Mail | Runbox |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | Switzerland | Norway |
What we checked
Proton Mail
- proton.me: 10 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- privacyjournal.net: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
Runbox
- runbox.com: 10 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- help.runbox.com: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Proton Mail | Runbox |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Free, BudgetCovers more | Budget |
| Legal entity | Proton AG | Runbox Solutions AS |
| Headquarters | Switzerland | Norway |
| Founded | 2014 | 2000Lower |
| Support channels | Email, Help centre, Community | Email, Help centre, Community |
Privacy tools
| Fact | Proton Mail | Runbox |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | YesHas it | No |
| Platforms | Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Web app, Command line interface, Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge, Brave | Web, iOS, Android, Windows, Macos, Linux |
| 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 | Server logs for system administration only; email delivery logs kept 10 days, web interface usage logs 1 month; no third-party tracking, no web beacons |
Pros and cons
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.
Runbox
Pros
- Custom domains are supported, so the mailbox can run on an address on a domain the reader owns.
- The web interface is open source, so the client side can be read rather than taken on trust.
- Apps cover web, ios and android, so one mailbox works in a browser and on phones and desktops.
Cons
- End-to-end encryption is a per message setting: email is encrypted in transit, and true end-to-end encryption is opt-in per message via S/MIME or PGP between sender and recipient, so key handling falls to the reader on the budget plan at €1.66.
- Free plan: no, so the cheapest way in is a time-limited trial with a fixed allowance of mail and file storage and a cap on recipients per day, rather than a mailbox that stays free.
- Support runs on email, help centre and community only, so there is no live chat or phone line for anything urgent.
Who each suits
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.
Runbox
Who it suits
- Readers who want a full mailbox on a domain they own, with apps on web, ios and android and support on email, help centre and community.
- People who treat transport encryption as enough and will set up S/MIME or PGP for the conversations that need more.
- Long-standing account holders who value that the web interface is open source and that logs are kept for system administration only.
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone who needs end-to-end encryption switched on by default, since here it is opt-in per message through S/MIME or PGP between sender and recipient.
- Price-first readers who can live with something simpler: addy.io lists $1 and Apple Hide My Email lists $0.99, both under the budget plan at €1.66.
- Readers unwilling to start on a trial, since the free plan is no and the budget plan at €1.66 is the entry.
Current offers
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
Runbox
Current offer
Free trial
30-day free trial of all plans: 30 days free, no credit card required
Every new Runbox account starts with a free 30-day trial so you can try the service before committing. No payment details are required to start.
Source, checked September 26, 2026
First period offer
First month free when subscribing during the trial: 1 month free
You can skip the trial and pay for your selected plan right after signing up, and still receive your first month free.
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Bonus
60-day full money back guarantee: 60 days
We also offer a 60-day full refund policy, so if you subscribe and change your mind you can request a full refund within 60 days.
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Questions about each
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.
Runbox
How much is Runbox at the start of a subscription?+
The budget plan starts at €1.66, and that is the entry figure used when comparing providers. Custom domains are supported on the plan, so the mailbox can run on an address the reader owns. For orientation, the median entry price across the brands compared is €6.84, which places Runbox below the middle of the group.
What happens to the price at renewal?+
The published figure is an entry price of €1.66 for the budget plan, with no separate renewal rate stated alongside it. Across the brands compared, the median long term price is €3.97 and the median first year price is €49.95. Check the plan terms before the first bill rather than assuming the entry figure carries over.
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