The importance of defending our privacy was highlighted when the extent of the NSA surveillance programs was revealed by Edward Snowden. Many were shocked at the thought of having their online conversations scrutinized and the concern over privacy has grown since then, prompting users to look for ways to ensure that their right to privacy and freedom of speech is not affected.
The Internet offers an incredible platform to express our opinions and to share knowledge and ideas with people from all over the world. This is why, it is worrying to think that our communications are not as private as we thought and that the freedom to use the internet anonymously is being attacked.
Fortunately, there are email providers that value the importance of privacy and are committed to offering a service that guarantees that your online conversations are secure. We present you with a list of email provider alternatives that respect your privacy.
Hushmail
One of the most popular private email solutions available. This Canadian company is known for its solid service which has been around since 1996. They offer different paid plans to encrypt your emails.
ProtonMail
The ProtonMail project started at CERN |(European Organization for Nuclear Research) in 2014 when a group of scientists got together to discuss their concerns about privacy online. Proton Mail is an encrypted email service based in Switzerland.
- ProtonVPN added 8 #Free, 3 Basic, and 5 Plus plan servers in Steenbergen, 3 Basic and 5 Plus plan servers in Madrid, and 3 Basic and 5 Plus plan servers in Paris. This adds up to 698 servers across 44 countries and 63 locations. You can find more information here.
- All of ProtonVPN’s apps are fully open source and have been independently audited.
- OpenVPN is now in beta on our iOS app.
ShazzleMail
Founded in 2006, this Arizona-based provider is committed to protecting the privacy of its users. You can download the email application for free and send private emails from your smartphone.
StartMail
The private search engine StartPage is currently in the process of launching its own private email service. StartMail is still in the testing phase but it is set to offer a great option to keep your email conversations secure.
TorGuard.net
It offers an anonymous email service that allows you to guarantee the security of your email conversations, as long as the other party is also using an OpenPGP-compatible email.
NeoMailBox
This Swiss company offers a secure and fast email service with high encryption and anti-virus protection. The features include IP hiding to maintain your privacy.
4SecureMail
4SecureMail promises the same level of security used by financial institutions and healthcare organizations.
RiseUp.net
RiseUP is a project that aims to offer online communications alternatives that allow people to keep control of their privacy. They offer secure and private email accounts.
Austici/Inventati
This Italian organization also stands for privacy and cyber rights and they offer communication tools, including a mailbox service, to enable people to protect their privacy online.
OpaqueMail.org
A free email library that offers encryption, message signing, and decryption to ensure that users can manage the security of their emails. Visit the link and you will be redirected to the GitHub repository where you can download the code or contribute if you’re able.
CounterMail
This easy-to-use email encryption service, offers a top level of security and privacy for your email communications.
CryptoHeaven
It offers secure email with end-to-end encryption and storage services. It offers free trial accounts as well as paid services that allow you to communicate privately.
S-Mail
A secure service that allows you to protect your communication from prying eyes. It offers top-grade protection that keeps all that data that your transfer secure and private.
KeptPrivate
With KeptPrivate you can send secure messages, even if the recipient does not use the same service. You can also encrypt messages stored on the server.
Special mention: Lavabit
Although Lavabit ceased to exist in 2013, after Edward Snowden revealed the magnitude of the NSA monitoring, the provider deserves to be remembered for its commitment to privacy. The company took the brave decision of shutting down after the government intervened to get access to their customer’s information. Lavabit is gone but the fact that it put the rights of its customers over its business demonstrates its strong position to defend online privacy.
Interested in learning more? Check out this longer guide on anonymous email.
