Email remains one of the most widely used communication methods for exchanging information. Whether it is an individual or a small business, Email continues to be an important communication tool for personal and professional use. It provides a secure, reliable, and formal method for exchanging information and documents, as well as sharing files.

For most people, Google’s Gmail has become the preferred email service thanks to the many benefits it offers. However, some users find it poor due to privacy concerns, storage limitations, and other issues that Gmail brings with it.

If you are one of these users, do not worry. Fortunately, there are several other email services that are better than Gmail in some areas. In this article, we will present some of the best Gmail alternatives that offer unique features and benefits.

Why People Look to Replace Gmail

Users may be looking for Gmail alternatives for a variety of reasons. Here are some common reasons:

• Privacy concerns: Gmail is known to scan users’ emails to display personalized ads, which can be problematic for those who want to keep their email communications private.
• Security concerns: while Gmail has security measures in place to protect user data, it is not immune to hacking or privacy breaches. Some users may look for email services that offer stronger security features, such as end-to-end encryption.
• Need for customization: Gmail’s user interface and features may not meet the needs of all users. Some users may prefer email services that offer more customization options or different types of integrations.
• Branding: For businesses, using a custom email domain can help create a more professional image. Some Gmail alternatives offer this feature, which can be very interesting for companies that want to strengthen their branding.
• Cost: Gmail is free to use, but some users may be looking for email services that offer more features or storage at a lower cost.

Steps Need to Take Before Shifting to an Alternative to Gmail

Switching from Gmail to another email service can be a big decision, especially if you have a large number of contacts, important emails, and files stored in your current email address. It’s important that you take the necessary steps to ensure a smooth transition. Here are a few steps to keep in mind:

• Backup your Gmail: Before you switch to a new email service, be sure to back up your Gmail data. Many services offer data migration to transfer data from Gmail to their surface. Make sure you use the server or create a backup of your Gmail data yourself.
• Choose the right alternative: different email service providers offer different features. Some are free, while others require an upfront payment. In this guide, we compare the most important features.
• Setup your new email account: once you have decided on the best email service, set up your email account and migrate the data from Gmail if the service offers a data migration feature.
• Notify your contacts: let your contacts know that you have switched to the new email address. To make it easy for you, you can set up an auto-reply in the Gmail app to notify your contacts about your new email address.
• Update your Email: Make sure you update your email address in all the accounts you signed with your old Gmail account.

Best Gmail Alternatives

1. ProtonMail: Best for privacy-conscious users who value security and anonymity
2. Apple iCloud: Best for Apple users who want a simple email service that integrates seamlessly with their other Apple devices
3. Zoho Email: Best for small businesses that need a full suite of productivity tools at affordable prices.
4. Tutanota: Ideal for small businesses and individuals who want highly secure email communications.
5. Outlook.com: Best for Microsoft users who need an email service that integrates seamlessly with other Microsoft tools.
6. FastMail: Great for power users who need advanced features and customization options with flexible pricing (free email is not available).
7. Mailfence: Good for individuals and small businesses looking for a secure email solution.
8. Hushmail: Best suited for professionals in regulated industries that must comply with privacy laws.
9. GMX mail: Great for individuals who need a simple email service.
10. Yahoo Mail: The best option for individuals looking for a free email service with a large storage capacity.

Protonmail

Proton Mail is the best alternative to Gmail for users who value privacy and security over other features and customizations.

With Protonmail, you can send emails with end-to-end encryption. Only the sender and the recipient of the email can read the content of the email, which makes sending and receiving sensitive messages even more secure.

It uses open-source cryptography for encryption and complies with Swiss Privacy laws. Moreover, ProtonMail uses zero-access encryption, which means that not even Proton can read your emails.

The user interface is clean and user-friendly. Unlike Gmail, ProtonMail offers limited customization options. It has all the basic features but is limited in terms of third-party integration.

ProtonMail is available for free with limited features on Android, iOS, and the web. You can upgrade to Premium, which costs $9.99/month. You can send and receive up to 150 messages per day and can add up to 5 email accounts for free and up to 50 on the paid plan.

Signing up for Proton Mail is a bit different from other email services. Users must create an email address at Protonmail.com before they can integrate other email clients and import email from other services.

How to create ProtonMail

• Open your web browser and visit the ProtponMail Signup page
• Select Sign Up > Free > Select Free plan. If you are interested in the paid plan, you can tap on the Premium account
• On the Create Account page, enter the username of your email address and select the domain name. You can select multiple Proton domain names.
• In the Password section, enter the password and confirm it.
• Now enter the recovery email
• Select “Create account” to create an account in ProtonMail.

How to Migrate from Gmail to ProtonMail

Migrating from Gmail to ProtonMail is very easy. You can use Easy Switch, an email migration service offered by ProtonMail.

• Just visit mail.proton.me (works only on desktop). Open Settings → Go to settings → Import via Easy Switch.
• Now select Google under “Which service” and choose the files you want to import from Gmail, including emails, Contacts, and Calendars.
• Now log in to your Gmail account and grant ProtonMail the necessary access rights to start the migration.

iCloud Mail

Next, we have Apple’s iCloud, a great option for Apple users looking for a simple and secure alternative to Gmail that integrates seamlessly with other Apple products.

Similar to ProtonMail, iCloud uses end-to-end encryption to send and receive emails. However, its security standards are not as high as ProtonMail’s. Still, it provides a reasonable level of security for most users.

iCloud Email is available for iOS and is free with limited storage. It comes with 5 GB of free storage, and if you want, you can upgrade to the premium plan for additional storage. iCloud is compatible with Apple devices and iCloud.com.

How to create an iCloud email account

• Open your iPhone and go to Settings
• Tap on “Mail”
• Now tap on “Add account” and select iCloud from the list of available options.

Zoho Email

If you are specifically looking for a business-oriented email, Zoho Mail is the best choice for you. It easily integrates with other Zoho business integrations and apps to meet your business needs. Also, the free version of Zoho Mail is ad-free if you are looking for an ad-free experience in free email plans.

Zoho Mail is compatible with all major platforms, including Android, iOS, and the web. It is free to use with limited features. It offers up to 5 GB of free storage. You can send and receive up to 50 messages per day.

How to Create Zoho Email

• Visit Zoho Mail and select Personal Email
• Choose a username for the email address. The Zoho email address ends with zohomail.com
• Depending on the data center and your location Zoho automatically changes the email address for you. For example, if you are from India, the email address will be [email protected]. You can also sign up for a free email address through Google and other social networks.
• Now enter the password of your email address and confirm the password.
• Enter your mobile number and ask for verification. Enter the OTP you received.
• Finally, select the country and click on Sign up for free to create a free Zoho email.

Tutanota

Tutanota is another option for people looking for a secure and highly encrypted email service. All emails sent by Tutanota are automatically encrypted end-to-end on your device. Tutanota is owned by a German company that stores all data in the country and is compliant with the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation Act).

Tutanota Email also offers other features such as a calendar and contacts and also offers the ability to store files. It also supports custom domains, two-factor authentication, and spam filters.

Tutanota is compatible with Android, iOS, and the web. It offers up to 1 GB of free storage for a single private email account. You can send unlimited messages per day and sign up for the premium account to get additional storage and other benefits.

How to sign up for Tutanota Email

• Open mail.tutanota.com and click on “More” and select “Sign up.” Now select the free email option from the pop-up window.
• Now click on “I do not own any other Free account” and “I will not use this account for business checkboxes” and click OK.
• Now enter your username. You can choose different email domain names.
• Now enter the password and repeat it
• Agree to the Terms and Conditions, check the I am at least 16 years old box, and click Next to create a free account.
• It will take a few minutes for your account application to be processed. Once it does, you will see a tab with the recovery code. Copy the recovery code and save it. You can use the recovery code in case you forget your password.
• Now enter the password again and log in to your new email account.

Outlook.com

There is still an ongoing debate about which email service is better between Microsoft Outlook and Google’s Gmail. To put that to rest, at least for the readers of this article, Microsoft is better for people looking for more features and extra storage and for people who use the Microsoft Office suite. If you own other Microsoft applications, owning Microsoft Outlook Email can make things easy for you.

On the other hand, if you are looking for a more user-friendly interface with added security at a low price, Gmail is the best choice for you. It is also the best choice if you work in Google business applications.

More information Microsoft Outlook.com is free to use for individuals and small businesses. It offers up to 15 GB of free storage and an additional 5 GB of free storage on Microsoft One Drive. Similar to Gmail, the free version of Outlook includes advertising.

How to create a free Microsoft Outlook account

• Open your web browser and go to Outlook.com
• Select Create a free account.
• Enter the username for the email account
• If you want to change the domain name of your email account, you can click on the drop-down menu and choose between Outlook.com, Outlook.in and Hotmail.com
• Now choose your password, enter your first and last name, choose your country and date of birth, enter the CAPTCHA, and click Next.
• After successful creation, you will see the Outlook welcome screen.

FastMail

Fastmail is a good choice for those who want a highly customizable email service with advanced spam filtering and flexible pricing. There are no free emails with Fastmail. You must subscribe to at least a basic plan to use the fastmail.com email.

The best part I like about Fastmail is the advanced spam filtering. You can set up custom spam filters and also configure messages to go to specific spam folders. The advanced search filters let you search email messages by adding specific tags.

Moreover, you can also set up custom notifications for your email messages. You can add specific senders to your VIP list and give them priority over other contacts when you receive an email notification.

Fastmail doesn’t use end-to-end encryption, which can be a problem for some people who send sensitive data via email.

Fastmail is compatible with the web, Android, and desktops. The basic version of Fastmail offers 25 GB of email storage. You can send and receive up to 1000 messages per day.

How to sign up for Fastmail

• Open your favorite browser and go to fastmail.com
• Click on the Try free option
• Enter your name
• Now choose your email address. You can also use your own domain.
• Now enter the password and click on Start 30-day trial. (No credit card is required for a free trial).
• Now enter your mobile number on the next page for verification.
• Enter the code you received.

Mailfence

Mailfence is the best alternative to Gmail for individuals and small businesses looking for secure, end-to-end encrypted email and an alternative to G Suite apps.

For individuals, Mailfence offers end-to-end email encryption based on the OpenPGP encryption standard for a better and more secure connection. It also offers collaboration features for teams and small businesses, including email clients, enterprise communications, team collaboration, work management features, and more.

Mailfence offers a free email account that provides 500 MB of free storage. As of now, Mailfence is only available on the web. With the free account, you can send and receive up to 200 messages per day, and with the paid plan, it’s up to 1000 messages.

How to create a Mailfence e-mail account

• Visit the Mailfence email signup page.
• Enter the first and last name in the input text fields.
• Enter the email address username. Mailfence only offers a single email domain name.
• Enter the password and confirm your password.
• On the next page, enter the recovery email and click Continue
• Now enter the activation code you received to your mail address. If you do not receive the mail, check the spam folders and click on the text I did not receive the email at the bottom and tap Resend code.
• Click on the Continue button. You are now done. You have successfully created a new Mailfence email.

Hushmail

If you are looking for a professional email account that is more secure and complies with privacy laws such as HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act).

Hushmail offers three email categories that include specific emails for healthcare, small business, legal, and also personal. You can sign up for Hushmail’s basic personal plan and start using Hushmail. With the basic version of Hushmail, you get 10 GB of free storage. You can send and receive up to 50 messages per day. Hushmail also offers other integrations like web forms and digital signatures.

How to create a Hushmail account

• Open your browser and visit secure.hushmail.com
• Here you will see three main sections with the Account, Activate, and Done tabs
• In the Account section, enter the username of the email address, enter your password, and confirm the password.
• Select the package and click Continue
• In the Active section, enter the email and cell phone number and verify your account.

GMX Mail

GMX Mail is a better choice if you are looking for a simple email alternative to Gmail. GMX is completely free to use. It makes its money from email advertising instead of charging customers directly.

The free version of GMX Mail offers up to 65 GB of free email storage. This is useful for people who need more storage in the free version. You can attach up to 50 MB of file attachments to the email message. The interface of GMX Mail is simple, but for a new user, it may take some time to get used to it.

How to create a free GMX Mail

• Open your web browser and go to GMX.com website
• Click on Sign-up and go to the “Account create” page.
• Now enter the email address.
• In the Personal Data section, enter your first and last name, select your country and date of birth
• Now enter your password and confirm it.
• In the password recovery option, you can choose between mobile and email. You will receive a verification code. Enter the verification code. Complete the CAPTCHA and click Create an email account now to create your new email account.

Yahoo Mail

Finally, we have Yahoo Mail. First of all, Yahoo Mail offers a whopping 1 TB of free storage, making it the best option for anyone looking for an email service that can be used for a lifetime. You can also attach up to 100 MB file attachments to the email you want to send, which is an additional advantage over other email providers.

Yahoo Mail’s other features include a clear and user-friendly interface with support for Yahoo themes for a customized experience, spam protection, organizing emails into folders, an integrated search, and much more.

The only downside to Yahoo Mail is that your email account will be automatically canceled if you are inactive for 6 months. You can use Yahoo Mail via the web, Android, and iOS. Yahoo Mail also offers the ability to create custom business emails, which costs $3.19 per month.

How to create a Yahoo Email

• Open your browser and visit the Yahoo email homepage to create an account
• Click on Create account or click here to go directly there.
• Once logged in, enter the first name, last name, and email address username, enter your password and year of birth and click “Next.”
• To recover, enter your mobile number and tap on the code you received. Enter the code and click Verify.
• You are all set. You will be redirected to the Yahoo home page, where you can find your email address in the upper right corner. To access your Yahoo Mail directly, you can visit the Yahoo Mail website. 

Gmail vs Alternatives

Tip: Please scroll right if you are unable to see the complete data in the table below.

Note: The prices may vary depending on your location.

Find the Perfect Gmail Alternative

Almost everyone needs an email address to survive in this vast digital world. There are so many email providers in the market that offer email services, but for most people, Gmail is just an option, as Google facilitates access and uses Gmail for almost all the services they offer. We hope that with the help of this guide, you have found the best alternatives to Gmail. If you want to switch from Gmail to another email service, do not forget to follow the necessary steps we described at the beginning of the article to ensure a smooth transition.

FAQs on Choosing the Best Gmail Alternative

Further Reading:

• Best Gmail Add-ons You Must Try
• Gmail is full, what to do?
• How to Delete Gmail Account