Gmail seems to be the big fish in a sea of web-based email clients. However, they’re not your only option for free email services, and there are many benefits to taking a look at competitors to see if you could benefit from making the switch. The main problems you may encounter with Gmail are lack of customer support, spam filtering, and lots of promotional emails that seem too irrelevant every morning you check your inbox. Most users also speculate the limited storage is one of the big problems they may face in the future. Better late than never, you should do the switch and choose any of these Gmail Alternatives mentioned here.
1. Protonmail
Protonmail is a secure email service that uses end-to-end encryption to protect your messages from prying eyes. They promise to protect your data and let you store unlimited files and folders, including images, videos, documents, audio recordings, even backup copies of the messages themselves. Unlike some other email services, you’ll be able to delete everything on the server at any time. Protonmail is a part of the same company as Proton Exchange, which provides different ways to store and access your data. For example, you can store your passwords in a safe and secure place with their password manager. In addition, with the self-hosted email server package, you can easily set up your own email servers at no additional cost.
2. AOL Mail
AOL is one of the best alternatives to Gmail; it is free, gets great reviews, is widely used, and offers everything you’d expect from a modern email service. Unlike Google, Outlook.com, or Hotmail, they don’t track your email. Instead, you can download the entire mailbox on your computer as a ZIP file and move it to another provider if you want or sync it with your mobile devices. Also, unlike Hotmail, you can use the Outlook.com online password manager to set up complicated passwords for your email and other online accounts. You can also set up a secondary email address on the same account and redirect all emails, making it a good choice for contacts. It has strong security, many online tools, and a great mobile client.
3. GMX Mail
GMX is a well-established international provider. Unlike in the US, it’s not owned by AOL but rather by France’s Mail.com. GMX offers many great features like IMAP, mobile syncing, and offline access despite the name. It also provides two free email addresses on one account and a special address dedicated to promotional use. Compared to Gmail, GMX is slightly more straightforward to use. This email client is extremely strong security, has large free storage and free IMAP. It’s free for up to 1GB of storage, though you can get more space by paying for extra features. All in all, it’s a value for money if you want a professional mailing service.
4. Yahoo Mail
Yahoo Mail has been on the best recommendations for years, but it has always lacked a proper Windows desktop client even though it’s the best email service. That changes with Yahoo Mail 4.5, which comes to Windows at last. Yahoo Mail is one of the oldest email services still around. The last version was released in 2004, but it’s still extremely popular among internet users. It’s not surprising, as Yahoo is the go-to destination for news and advertising on the web. However, Yahoo Mail for Windows is primarily aimed at those who want access to its full range of features, like support for many email accounts, integrating social media accounts, etc.
5. Zoho Mail
Zoho is a better alternative to Gmail with all the bells and whistles you would normally find in a desktop application. However, the latest version comes with many exciting new features and improved performance. In addition, the latest version is a significant upgrade to the previous one. Zoho comes with Multiple Account Support, which you can access anytime. It has a unified inbox that lets users see all the emails in one place. Zoho is perfect for enterprise-level and business use, and its security feature keeps messages from junk or malware. You can access all your favorite features accessible through a single interface. The web application has improved its user interface and keeps updating from time to time.
6. Outlook
If you’re looking for a great Gmail alternative that offers great privacy, Outlook is a great choice. It has a user-friendly interface and account management, and you can use it standalone with Outlook Premium for just $19.95 per year. In addition, the mail service from Microsoft has made a big push to get users from competing services to come over, with a special promotion that lets you grab a free year of the service. That said, it’s still the priciest mainstream email provider out there. And for the first time, you can get the Outlook apps for Android and iOS for free if you’re willing to put up with advertisements.
7. Tutanota
Tutanota is the most secure email provider in the world. It can encrypt all emails by default, and users can choose between OpenPGP and a new version of PGP called Standard. Tutanota is a Gmail alternative that provides data encryption, extending to your mails in your mailbox and your contact list. The Premium plan costs €12, roughly $14 per year, and offers great features like increased storage and an ad-free experience. Tutanota also has a browser extension that functions as a native mail client.
8. Mailbox.org
Mailbox.org is a free web-based mail application that makes it easy to send and receive emails from your personal computer, mobile device, or service provider. Mailbox.org stores all the emails on their servers, and in case of a breach, users can choose from a form of data protection, such as no access to the data for advertising, not shared with third parties, and stored in a non-EU country. Mailbox.org is currently only available for Windows, Mac, and Linux operating systems.
9. Posteo
Posteo is one of the best email alternatives for privacy-seeking people and businesses. This free web-based mail application is available for Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS. Once you register on the service, you can install the Posteo app on your mobile device and start to receive encrypted emails from other users in Germany and Europe. Emails sent to the email address can be imported into a Posteo account, and the encrypted data will be stored forever. If you want to use Posteo but do not want to commit a monthly fee, you can use their free plan.
10. iCloud Mail
The iCloud mail system is a good alternative to the standard Apple mail service, supporting only one email account. It is similar to Gmail, but in addition to its usual features, iCloud allows you to store your mailboxes in the cloud. This means that if your iPhone is ever damaged or lost, you will still be able to access your Mail. You can also import your emails from other email providers into iCloud, and Apple’s service provides advanced search and filtering features. In addition, iCloud Mail supports attachments, multiple email accounts, and a wide range of spam filters, which is why businesses often use it.