First and foremost, the security of privacy remains a priority of most individuals who are spending much of their time on the internet. The internet is a place where your privacy can be easily compromised. Since we live in the digital era, a whole lot of information is shared among people via email. When it comes to email, the first service provider in the field that hits our mind is Gmail. It is popular among most people due to its user-friendly nature. Yet, if you are caring about your privacy over the user-friendliness here in this article, we bring you some secure Gmail alternatives.
Why do You need Gmail Alternatives?
Not for a moment think that just because you have a solid password to your Gmail account, your data is safe. For instance, when a person installs certain apps such as add-ons, he/she unknowingly expose their accounts to other companies. These companies are one of the main-stream incomes for organizations like Google. Unsecure emails can expose your entire life to advertising companies that are linked with Gmail.
It’s not long ago a similar incident took place. As recently as 2018, the Wall Street Journal has uncovered an incident where thousands of emails had been read by engineers to make a certain algorithm. Even Though Gmail is not peeking into your account after that incident, these companies still do. The fault concerned with this is, Gmail does not have end-to-end encryption on emails.
What do secure email providers offer you?
Why make your privacy vulnerable? Before selecting a secure alternative to Gmail, explore what makes a secure email. A secure email provides you,
End to end encryption on emails
When the emails are end-to-end encrypted, no one can read your email without a password-like thing called an encryption key. Gmail does encrypt your email. However, it is only till the email reaches their server.
Open-source
In contrast to ‘closed source,’ this feature enables the user to inspect the code. The services that are open source are desirable over closed source when dealing with security issues.
Server location
Does the server location of the service provider matter? Of course, it does. Servers located in countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia, etc., were revealed to be breaching into your private space. Policies that honor your privacy are maintained by the countries such as Switzerland, Sweden, Germany, Norway, etc.
No ads
If the email service provider lets no ads pop up in your private space, that is more likely to be trustworthy.
Metadata handling
Believe it or not, a single piece of metadata may reveal a whole lot of things about your activities. Metadata may contain a lot of information, including your computer and even data related to the recipient. If you are using a secured service provider, there is nothing to worry about since they make sure metadata includes as little data as possible.
Best Gmail Alternatives in 2023
Protonmail
Protonmail is an email service that guarantees that your privacy is protected.
- Based in Switzerland, it safeguards your privacy with the Swiss Federal Data Protection Act.
- It delivers you trustworthy services with end-to-end encryption on your emails, even among cross-platforms. So even an email you send to another service provider will be safe.
- It not only protects your data by giving you the encryption key but also saves you from paid advertisers that feed on your private data.
- Being open-source, it even establishes its reliability.
It renders both free and paid services to the users, whereas the paid versions are much more sophisticated with security features and ideal if you carry data with significant value.
Visit here: https://protonmail.com/
Tutanota
This is another popular email service provider with guaranteed safety of your data. Its services are just as good as Protonmail and even cheaper.
- With end-to-end encryption, Tutanota ensures that your emails are safe and your data is secured.
- Two-factor authentication fortifies the security of your account.
- Being open-source, anyone can ensure that the data is safe and sound.
- The android app is Google-free. And it makes Tutanota one of the most secure email services.
- No space for nuisance of popping up ads to distract you.
- It also allows you to create anonymous email addresses, and you don’t want to provide any of your personal information.
Visit here: https://tutanota.com
Startmail
This is another secure alternative to Gmail that honors your privacy.
The server location is in the Netherlands and is abided by EU GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation ) privacy laws.
- Provides unlimited aliases: if you feel like you don’t want to reveal your real email address, you can create disposable email addresses and keep the inbox free of spam.
- PGP encryption ensures the privacy of your emails.
- It also reinforces the security by 2-factor authentication
- There is no room for tracking and advertising. Hence your data is safe from third parties.
- It gives you no free versions. Yet you can experience its services by signing up for a 30-day trial version.
Visit here: https://www.startmail.com
Zoho mail
This email service provider also renders services with a secure platform for your data.
- Provides security by complying with DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance) protocol. The authenticity of the email message is certified by Sender Policy Framework (SPF) and Domain Keys Identified Mails (DKIM).
- Fortified with malware detection and bounces the messages if malware is detected and restricts the user to upload files with certain extensions to prevent spreading of malware.
- Two-factor authentication enhances the security of your data.
- Free and paid versions are available, and the paid version gives you 1 TB of storage.
Visit here: https://www.zoho.com/mail
Conclusion on best gmail alternatives
Privacy is a top priority, and it is a human right. Yet a lot of prying eyes are on you to steal your valuable data. On the internet, there is a myriad of ways that your data can be leaked, and your privacy can be compromised. However, these email service providers extend safe platforms to keep your data safe from theft. Have a great day!
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