Best European Privacy-First Email Providers
Leave Gmail behind and discover European email providers that respect your privacy, offer end-to-end encryption, and keep your communications secure.
MadeByEU Editorial
Editorial Team
Email is the backbone of our digital identity, yet most people trust it to Google - a company whose business model depends on analyzing your communications. European email providers offer a privacy-first alternative with end-to-end encryption and strict data protection.
Why Switch from Gmail?
Gmail reads your emails to serve targeted ads. European providers like ProtonMail and Tutanota can't read your emails even if they wanted to - they're encrypted end-to-end. Plus, your data stays in Europe under GDPR protection.
Top European Email Providers
1. ProtonMail (Switzerland) 🇨ðŸ‡
Best for: Security-conscious users and professionals
Founded by CERN scientists, ProtonMail pioneered encrypted email. Zero-access encryption means even Proton can't read your emails. Swiss privacy laws add another layer of protection.
Proton
Swiss privacy giant. Email, VPN, and Calendar. Strict privacy laws.
- Pricing: Free tier available, Plus from €3.99/month
- Storage: 500MB free, up to 500GB paid
- Key Feature: Zero-access encryption, Swiss servers
- Extras: VPN, calendar, drive included in paid plans
2. Tutanota (Germany) 🇩🇪
Best for: Budget-conscious privacy seekers
German-made Tutanota offers the most affordable encrypted email. Open-source, ad-free, and encrypts more than just emails - your contacts and calendar are encrypted too.
- Pricing: Free tier, Premium from €1/month
- Storage: 1GB free, expandable
- Key Feature: Fully open-source, German jurisdiction
- Unique: Encrypted calendar included free
3. Mailbox.org (Germany) 🇩🇪
Best for: Business users and power features
Mailbox.org offers full office suite integration with email, calendar, contacts, cloud storage, and document editing. Perfect for businesses migrating from Google Workspace.
Mailbox.org
German privacy-focused email with calendar, cloud storage, and office suite included.
- Pricing: From €1/month
- Storage: 2GB to 100GB
- Key Feature: Full office suite integration
- Best for: Business and power users
Feature Comparison
| Provider | Free Tier | Encryption | Custom Domain | Open Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ProtonMail | ✓ 500MB | End-to-end | Paid only | ✓ Yes |
| Tutanota | ✓ 1GB | End-to-end | Paid only | ✓ Yes |
| Mailbox.org | ✗ No | PGP | ✓ All plans | Partial |
Migration Tip: All three providers offer easy import tools for Gmail. ProtonMail even has a bridge app that lets you use your favorite email client.
Conclusion
Switching to a European email provider is one of the most important privacy decisions you can make. Start with a free tier and gradually move your important communications over.