12 Gmail Alternatives You Should Check Out | Email Services Like Gmail

There is no denying that Gmail is the dominant force in the email industry today. But that doesn’t mean there are no worthy competitors. In fact, several email services are about as feature-rich as Google. For those looking for a fresh change, we bring you a list of the best Gmail alternatives.

The email services mentioned in this article cover an attractive variety for you to choose from. While some are strictly focused on privacy, others focus on delivering an intuitive user experience. Which alternative you go with would depend on which aspects you prioritize.

Why should I look for a Gmail alternative?

There are some solid reasons to consider moving to a different email provider. These range from privacy concerns to personal preferences in a user interface.

First and foremost, you might want to move on from Gmail due to data privacy and aggregation issues. Besides its email service, there are chances you already use quite a few Google products and services. This means that the tech giant has a significant pool of information about you. Much like the proverb, “Don’t keep all your eggs in one basket,” giving all your online data to one organization isn’t the best thing to do.

Besides this, another reason for switching to an alternate email could be the preference for a certain set of features that might not be there in Gmail. Some users also tend to pick another platform based on their experience with its user interface.

12 Gmail alternatives worth trying

Outlook — A competing service from tech giant Microsoft

Coming from fellow big tech firm Microsoft, Outlook is a strong competitor to Gmail. It bundles the email service with its calendar app to give users a unified and seamless experience. Additionally, it supports integration with several useful Microsoft apps such as Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Skype, etc. Apart from that, you also get end-to-end encryption for all your emails and active protection from malicious emails (Premium only).

Tutanota — An alternative that prioritizes security & privacy

Tutanota is an open-source email provider with a straightforward interface and a security-first approach. Users get end-to-end email encryption and two-factor authentication. Not stopping there, it goes a step further to safeguard user privacy by hosting its Android app on platforms other than the Play Store — making sure no data is shared with Google. Besides the free plan, it offers feature-rich paid plans for individuals and businesses.

Zoho Mail — Curated for the needs of business organizations

With an email service built with businesses in mind, Zoho Mail is unrelenting when it comes to productivity and data security. It packs game-changing features such as a sophisticated control panel, social media-like chatbox, email retention for up to 365 days, and end-to-end S/MIME email encryption. Users can choose between a free plan (sufficient for a small group of up to five) and a host of premium plans (suitable for medium to big teams).

Mail.com — Basic & lightweight email service

Probably the one with the catchiest domain name, Mail.com, is an easy-to-use, basic email provider. It gives you a built-in antivirus and spam filter to avoid receiving malware or unwanted emails in your inbox. Plus, it comes with two-factor authentication to better protect your account. It is a free email service, and once you create an account, you get bundled bonuses, including office apps, an organizer, and 65GB of cloud storage for emails.

Mailfence — No need to be on the fence about this one

If you value security over all other factors, then there’s no need to be on the fence about Mailfence. This is because it covers a spectrum of security features that ensure your data is as safe as possible. It provides data encryption and digital signatures to make sure your emails are not read by any third party, and no one can impersonate your email identity, respectively. It has bonus features, such as cloud storage, and offers free & paid plans.

ProtonMail — Email from the creator of ProtonVPN

As is the case with its VPN service, ProtonMail also values the right to anonymity. It is an open-source email provider with a focus on privacy. It uses end-to-end encryption and zero-access encryption to protect its users’ emails. While you can create a free account, you may try its paid plans with additional features such as organizer tools, priority support, and more.

Posteo — Privacy meets eco-friendly

Posteo is a unique email provider that gives you a secure inbox while saving the planet by using only green energy for its servers. For those who are actively into making environment-conscious decisions, this is a welcome option. In addition, the email service itself offers manual two-factor authentication support and one-click end-to-end encryption. Unfortunately, there isn’t any free plan yet, and it charges you $1 per month for the services.

StartMail — A user-friendly alternative with privacy features

StartMail is an email service with a neat and user-friendly interface. It emphasizes user privacy and provides end-to-end encryption, PGP signature, two-factor authentication, malicious link protection, etc. For ease of use, it comes with email organizing tools, a customizable inbox layout, a spam filter, and more. It’s worth noting that, unlike others on this list, StartMail is a fully paid email service. However, it does offer you a free 7-day trial.

Yahoo Mail — A long-time Gmail rival

Yahoo is a name that used to be very popular back in the day. As a result, its email service has been a competitor to Gmail for as long as many people can remember. It has a sophisticated and customizable user interface with features such as email grouping, theme, inbox spacing, email backgrounds, and more. For its free account users, it offers a generous amount of storage (1 TB) but with ads. There are premium plans that remove the ads and come with bonus features, including reply reminders and disposable email addresses.

Runbox — A Gmail alternative that runs on renewable energy

Runbox is another email service focused on both the ethical handling of user data and the use of eco-friendly energy. The service comes with a host of useful features such as two-factor authentication, Access Control List (a list of IP addresses that can log in to your account), virus & spam filter, etc. Saving the environment comes at a cost (literally) as Runbox is a paid email service that offers a month-long free trial.

CounterMail — Quaint look with high-level security

Countermail is not the most attractive email provider out there, but it is certainly severe when maintaining data security and user privacy. It relies on OpenPGP encryption to secure your data from unauthorized access. It also provides SSL-MITM protection, secure forms, an IMAP server, XMPP chat server, etc. There are a number of Countermail paid plans you can choose from.

Mailbox.org — Security, anonymity, and eco-friendly

Mailbox.org is yet another email service that strictly relies on green energy for its operations. Users get a range of features, including PGP data encryption, spam & virus filter, inbox tabs, etc. Like other eco-friendly email providers, it offers you various plans at different prices. New users also get a 30-day free trial period.

Notable mention: Spike

In case your search for a Gmail alternative is driven by the need to better optimize your email interactions and give them a more WhatsApp-like feel, you may check out Spike Now. It is a neat-looking and feature-packed email app that is available on the web, PC, Android, and iOS.

On Spike, free account holders can sync 2 email accounts, iCloud, Office 365, and more essentials. There are more built-in functionalities that can make your work efficient, such as the Notes & Tasks app, calendar app, and groups. Further, you get 1GB of cloud storage (via Notes & Tasks) along with a one-to-one video call feature.

For advanced features such as support for more than 2 email IDs, group video calls, increased storage space of up to 20GB, and increased upper limit for uploads of up to 1GB, you’ll have to buy a premium plan which starts from $5 per month (annual payment mode) or $8 per month (monthly payment mode).

Finally, this wraps up our catalog of Gmail alternatives worth checking out. If you think we missed out on any important name, mention it in the comments below. For more Gmail articles, check out our dedicated guide.