ProtonMail: advantages and disadvantages

Every day, more and more users are interested in taking advantage of online services that protect their privacy and give their online information proper importance. Regarding email, ProtonMail is the platform that does this for emailing, by keeping personal data completely, accounts and messages confidential, encrypted and safe.

In details, ProtonMail is an end-to-end and zero-access encrypted email platform on the client side based in Switzerland, which thanks to these architectural features and location provides a high security and privacy level.

With this platform, accessing, selling, recollecting, tracking and monitoring users´ online personal information is almost impossible. Therefore, third parties and governments gaining access for profit and surveillance purposes is not on the table.

Advantages of ProtonMail

Let´s review the many advantages of a service like ProtonMail, in terms of usability, architecture and approach that make the platform the most secure email solution online, reaching 25 million users up to date:

• General encrypted service: ProtonMail is an encrypted service in general, with end-to-end and zero-access encryptions on the client side, meaning that decryption of messages occurs on the browser and therefore the platform cannot access or read messages. Encryption is also involved respecting servers and networks.

• Hardware level security: the platform provides a hardware level security, with data centers located in Switzerland only with biometric access and data never getting uploaded to the cloud. Hard disks are heavily encrypted.

• Open source: ProtonMail is an open source platform, as well as its cryptographic libraries. Therefore, only secure and certified implementations are utilized as OpenPGP, RSA, SSL, and AES. Like this, encryption algorithms are safe to use with no back door or any other risking technology.

• Data security and neutrality: since ProtonMail is a service based in Switzerland, strict privacy laws from this country are guaranteed, without the US or EU having any valid jurisdiction to ask for already limited user information. The Swiss Federal Data Protection Act or DPA is an example.

• Anonymous email: since privacy is the biggest concern, the platform provides a completely anonymous and untracked email service, with no IP or personal information log or recollection for commercial purposes. This is impossible since messages in ProtoMail cannot be read, not even by them. So, targeted ads or giving in personal information to register is not required.

• Ease of use and modern design: the fact that the platform is focused on privacy does not mean it has to be hard to use or intuitive. In fact, ProtonMail has a very intuitive layout with clear functions and a modern inbox, so checking messages is as easy as in any other email solution.

• Free option: ProtonMail offers a free account with plenty of benefits, so users can start taking advantage of it, with also other paid plans for premium characteristics.

Disadvantages of ProtonMail

While the platform per se does not have any clear disadvantage, there are some drawbacks that can be mentioned:

• Fully-featured service is paid: the free account does not include all the available features of the platform, although available characteristics are more than enough to start.

• Service outage: in 2021, ProtonMail had a service outage in Spain.