TL;DR
Gmail scans your emails to sell ads. Google reads every message you send to build advertising profiles and track your behavior. Your emails aren't private—they're a product.
Proton Mail encrypts your emails end-to-end. Not even Proton can read your messages. No ads, no tracking, no data mining. Protected by Swiss privacy laws.
Both are free to start. But only one actually respects your privacy.
Over 1.8 billion people use Gmail. Most of them have no idea that Google reads every email they send.
Not by humans, of course—but by sophisticated algorithms that scan your messages to serve targeted ads, build behavioral profiles, and feed data to third parties. Your private conversations, receipts, travel plans, and medical information all become part of Google's advertising machine.
Proton Mail takes the opposite approach: end-to-end encryption ensures that nobody—not even Proton—can read your emails. Let's compare the two and see which one actually protects your privacy.
The Core Difference: Who Can Read Your Emails?
Gmail: Google Reads Everything
When you send an email through Gmail, Google's servers have complete access to your message content. Here's what they do with that access:
- Scans emails for advertising - Google analyzes your messages to serve targeted ads across their entire platform
- Builds behavioral profiles - Your email content helps Google understand your interests, purchases, relationships, and habits
- Shares with third parties - Gmail integrates with countless services that can access your data
- Complies with data requests - US law requires Google to hand over your emails when requested
⚠️ Gmail's "Privacy" Isn't Really Private
In 2017, Gmail announced they would "stop scanning emails for ads." But they still scan your emails—they just use the data differently. Google still reads your messages to categorize them, suggest responses, and feed their AI systems. The surveillance never stopped; it just got rebranded.
Proton Mail: True End-to-End Encryption
Proton Mail uses zero-access encryption, meaning your emails are encrypted on your device before they're sent. Here's what that means in practice:
- Only you can read your emails - Messages are encrypted before leaving your device
- Even Proton can't access them - Your emails are useless to anyone without your encryption key
- No data mining or profiling - There's nothing to scan because everything is encrypted
- Protected by Swiss law - Switzerland has the world's strongest privacy laws, far beyond US jurisdiction
Complete Privacy Comparison
Feature
Gmail
Proton Mail
Reads your email content
✗ Yes
✓ Never
End-to-end encryption
✗ No
✓ Yes
Scans emails for advertising
✗ Yes
✓ No
Builds user profiles
✗ Yes
✓ No
Shares data with third parties
✗ Yes
✓ No
Open source code
✗ No
✓ Yes
Subject to US surveillance
✗ Yes
✓ No
Free plan available
✓ Yes
✓ Yes
Data stored
USA (weak privacy)
Switzerland (strong privacy)
Feature Comparison: Beyond Privacy
Privacy isn't the only difference. Here's how they compare on everyday features:
Storage & Limits
- Gmail Free: 15GB shared across Gmail, Drive, and Photos
- Proton Mail Free: 1GB for email only (500MB for new accounts)
- Winner: Gmail for storage, but remember—that storage comes at the cost of your privacy
Interface & Usability
- Gmail: Familiar interface, fast search, smart categorization
- Proton Mail: Clean, modern interface that feels similar to Gmail. Migration tools make switching easy
- Winner: Tie—both are easy to use
Mobile Apps
- Gmail: Available on iOS and Android, deeply integrated with Google services
- Proton Mail: Available on iOS and Android with full encryption on mobile
- Winner: Tie—both have excellent mobile apps
Custom Domains
- Gmail: Available through Google Workspace (paid)
- Proton Mail: Available on paid plans starting at $3.99/month
- Winner: Proton Mail for affordability
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The Business Model Difference
How Gmail Makes Money
Gmail is free because you are the product. Google makes money by:
- Analyzing your email content to serve targeted ads across Google services
- Building detailed profiles of your behavior, interests, and relationships
- Integrating with advertisers and third-party services that access your data
Google made over $200 billion from advertising in 2023. Your emails help fuel that machine.
How Proton Mail Makes Money
Proton Mail is funded by paid subscriptions. This means:
- You are the customer, not the product
- No need to monetize your data or serve ads
- Incentives are aligned with protecting your privacy, not violating it
- Free users are subsidized by paid users who want premium features
Security & Transparency
🔒 Gmail Security
Proprietary: Closed-source code means you have to trust Google
TLS Encryption: Protects in transit but Google can still read everything
2FA Available: Strong account protection
🛡️ Proton Mail Security
Open Source: Code is publicly audited by security researchers
Zero-Access Encryption: Nobody can read your emails, period
2FA + More: Password protection on emails, self-destructing messages
Legal Protection & Jurisdiction
Gmail: Subject to US Surveillance
Gmail is based in the United States, which means:
- Subject to FISA courts and secret surveillance orders
- Must comply with NSA data requests
- Part of the "Five Eyes" intelligence sharing agreement
- Can be forced to hand over data without notifying you
Proton Mail: Protected by Swiss Law
Proton Mail operates under Swiss jurisdiction, offering:
- Strongest privacy laws in the world
- Not subject to US or EU data-sharing agreements
- Cannot be forced to build backdoors
- Requires Swiss court order for any data requests
Who Should Use Each Service?
Stick with Gmail if:
- You're deeply integrated into Google's ecosystem and can't switch
- You need maximum storage and don't care about privacy
- You're comfortable with Google reading your emails
Switch to Proton Mail if:
- You want actual privacy and encrypted communications
- You're a journalist, activist, lawyer, or handle sensitive information
- You're tired of being surveilled by Big Tech
- You want to support privacy-focused technology
Make the Switch Today
Free plan includes 1GB storage and full encryption. No credit card required.
Create Free Account →
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Proton Mail really free?
Yes. Proton Mail offers a permanently free plan with 500MB-1GB storage and 150 messages per day. Paid plans start at $3.99/month for more storage and features.
Can I import my Gmail emails to Proton?
Yes. Proton's Easy Switch tool allows you to import all your emails, contacts, and calendar events from Gmail automatically.
Will people know I switched from Gmail?
Your email address will change (e.g., from @gmail.com to @proton.me), but you can keep forwarding from Gmail during the transition. Many paid plans let you use your own custom domain.
Is Proton Mail as easy to use as Gmail?
Yes. Proton Mail's interface is intentionally designed to feel familiar to Gmail users. Most people adjust within minutes.
Does end-to-end encryption slow down email?
No. The encryption happens instantly on your device. Proton Mail is just as fast as Gmail for everyday use.
The Bottom Line
Gmail is convenient, but that convenience comes at the cost of your privacy. Every email you send helps Google build a detailed profile of your life—your interests, relationships, purchases, travel, health, and more. This data fuels a $200+ billion advertising empire.
Proton Mail offers the same convenience without the surveillance. Your emails are encrypted end-to-end, protected by Swiss law, and completely private. Even Proton can't read them.
The choice is simple: Do you want an email service that treats you like a product to be monetized, or one that treats you like a customer whose privacy deserves protection?
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