ProtonMail vs Gmail for Business 2024: Pros and Cons + Cost
For a business that values maximum privacy and security, ProtonMail is what you need. It offers end-to-end encryption, which simply means emails your business sent are encrypted on the user's device and can only be decrypted by the recipient.
This isn't the case with Gmail, which doesn't offer end-to-end encryption by default even though it has TLS encryption which protects emails in transit. Also, ProtonMail's zero access encryption means it doesn't read your emails and can't hand them over to third parties.
With its headquarters in Switzerland, it's protected by Swiss privacy laws, which is one of the strongest in the world. Unfortunately, Google has access to your emails and while it has stopped scanning them for advertising motives, it can still use them for other purposes that serve its interest. As a company based in the US, it's subject to US laws, meaning that it can hand over your business data to the US government if need be.
As an online business owner, I have used both ProtonMail and Gmail and I can tell you that the only advantage Gmail has over ProtonMail is the ability to integrate and collaborate with other Google services like Google Analytics and Google Docs plus other productivity tools businesses often use.
So stick around as I compare ProtonMail to Gmail for business use, explore their pros and cons, and cost while sharing my experience and findings using them. I aim to help you make an informed decision.
Comparison Table: ProtonMail vs Gmail for Business
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Pros and Cons of ProtonMail for Business Use
Pros:
End-to-end encryption: Offers end-to-end email encryption, which protects emails and ensures only the sender and the recipient can access them. Neither ProtonMail nor third parties can see it, which is safe for businesses that handle sensitive data.
Zero access architecture: It operates based on zero access encryption, an additional layer of security for businesses, and it means that even ProtonMail as your email provider can't decrypt your email.
Privacy: ProtonMail is headquartered in Switzerland, a country in Europe that is well known for strong privacy laws. So you have peace of mind that your business data and information cannot be revealed to any third party even the government in any form. This makes ProtonMail less vulnerable to government surveillance compared to Gmail, which has its headquarters in the United States.
Open source: It has an open source code, meaning that any cybersecurity expert can investigate and review its operations to verify and confirm its safety and transparency. This builds trust with businesses that deal with sensitive data, so they have peace of mind that their data is safe and secure always. Many cybersecurity firms, including Securitum have investigated ProtonMail and confirmed that it's end-to-end email encryption.
Operating system compatibility: It works seamlessly on Android, Windows, macOS, and iOS operating systems. This makes it easier for businesses to access their emails from any device of their choice.
Integration with other Proton services: Just like Gmail, it integrates with other Proton products like ProtonVPN and ProtonDrive to enhance secured communication and storage of sensitive files businesses use.
Custom domains: Businesses need custom domains for their email addresses to build trust, show professionalism, and offer seamless customer services. As a business, you can use your own domain names, which makes your business email addresses look professional.
Multiple user support: It supports businesses to create multiple accounts for team members, which facilitates easy and secure communication and collaboration while handling projects.
User-friendly interface: ProtonMail has a user-friendly interface. This makes it easier for your employees to use it without training or technical know-how.
Ad-free: If you are on the free plan of Gmail, you will always see ads when you open your inbox. This isn't so with the free plan of ProtonMail. It's ad-free, which creates a great user experience and prevents all forms of distraction. Mostly, especially, blocks advertisers from interrupting or tracking business communications.
Cons:
Limited integration: ProtonMail's integration with third-party tools is limited. For example, it doesn't integrate with CRM, which many businesses connect with their emails to enhance communication and boost productivity. This is one area Gmail has an advantage over, and can be a setback for businesses that rely on these integrations for their day-to-day business operations.
Storage limits: While ProtonMail offers different storage plans, the free plan and paid plans offer lower storage limits. For example, the free plan offers 1GB of storage while the Mail Plus plan offers 15GB of storage for €3.99/month. When you compare it to Gmail which offers 15GB for its free plan and the Basic Plan which costs $1.99/month and offers 100GB storage, you will see that it may not be sufficient for businesses that handle large volumes of emails and attachments.
Pros and cons of Gmail for Business use
Pros:
Integration with Google Workspace: Give it to Gmail when it comes to integration with Google Workspace. It connects seamlessly with other productivity tools Google offers like Google Docs, Google Meet, Google Calendar, Google Sheets, etc. which businesses use almost daily. And nothing is more simple than having businesses manage various business tasks using these tools from a single platform.
Generous storage: Gmail is more generous when it comes to storage, which businesses need to handle large volumes of emails and attachments. The free plan offers 15 GB as against ProtonMail's free plan which offers 1GB storage. The paid plans even offer higher storage. For example, the least paid plan offers 100GB, while ProtonMail's least paid plan offers 15 GB.
Custom domains: Just like ProtonMail, Gmail supports custom domains, which allows businesses to use their own domain names with Gmail. This shows professionalism and builds trust. For example, your business address can be: [email protected]
Spam filtering: Gmail's spam filtering is highly effective at keeping unsolicited and unwanted emails out of your inbox, thereby reducing distractions for employees. It's common for spammers to copy business email addresses on your websites and spam them with irrelevant emails. Gmail ensures these emails don't make it to your inbox, rather they remain in your spam box until you decide to open your spam box and check them out. It even flags emails in your spam box that look phishing and are likely to be tricks scammers use to defraud your business.
Multi-platform availability: It's available on all platforms - web, Android, macOS, Windows and iOS. This makes it easier for employees to access their email anytime without issues.
Easy collaboration: It integrates with Google Docs, Google Sheets, and Drive which enables real-time collaboration on business documents, data on spreadsheets, presentations on slides, and access to files which makes management of team projects easier.
Search and organization: You can easily find sent and received emails easily on Gmail. This makes the organization of email communications and references to previous emails and attachments easier. It recently added a sort feature that helps you find emails within a specified time.
Flexibility and scalability: Gmail allows you to make changes as your business grows, especially when working on a project. You can add and remove users, upgrade to higher plans, and integrate other tools seamlessly.
Reliable uptime: Google guarantees 99.99% uptime in its SLA (service-level agreements). This prevents downtime and ensures that email communications are fast and smooth without interruptions.
Cons:
Privacy: Many business owners including me worry about privacy issues with Gmail. Google has been accused in the past of mining user data for advertising motives. While emails are protected while in transit, it isn't end-to-end like ProtonMail. Another source of worry is that Google is headquartered in the USA, and it can be compelled by the government or other third parties to hand over user information.
Limited offline access: Gmail has limited offline capabilities. You need an internet connection to access its full functionality. This can be a setback for businesses that have remote workers in areas where internet connection isn't reliable.
ProtonMail vs Gmail for business: What are the differences between them?
There are major differences between the two email service providers that every business that wants to use them should know.
Privacy and Security: This is the top-most difference between the two, of which ProtonMail is better than Gmail.
ProtonMail is designed for email privacy and security. This is why many small and large enterprises trust it over Gmail.
Why is it so?
ProtonMail is based in Switzerland, a country that has strict privacy laws, one of the best in Europe. It will never hand over your business information to the government or any third party. It's end-to-end email encryption, meaning that it doesn't scan and read your emails. Securitum, an independent cybersecurity audit firm, has also confirmed it after several investigations.
Gmail, which is a Google product, is based in the United States and is subject to US laws. This raises security concerns among businesses that use it, as your data can be handed over to the government or third parties when it becomes extremely important. Also, even though Gmail protects emails while in transit, it doesn't offer end-to-end encryption by default. This means Google has access to your business emails and can still use it for other services that benefit them.
Storage Capacity: Gmail has an edge over ProtonMail when it comes to storage capacity. I enjoyed 15GB of storage while using the free plan of Gmail. On ProtonMail, the free plan offered only 1GB. On the paid plans, Gmail still offers more storage space. For example, the least paid plan of Gmail offers 100GB storage, while the least paid plan of ProtonMail offers 15GB storage. That's a difference of 85GB. For a business that prefers storage space to end-to-end email encryption, Gmail is what you need.
Open source code: ProtonMail is open source, which means cybersecurity experts can easily investigate its operations to determine its transparency, especially when it comes to privacy and security. So far, Securitum and other independent audit firms have analyzed and investigated ProtonMail and their report shows that ProtonMail is an end-to-end encryption which means it doesn't see or read your emails and can't access your data and information. This is why many businesses prefer it. On the other hand, Gmail isn't open source. Hence, the reason some businesses doubt using it for email communications. Its infrastructure and codebase remain closed, making it hard for independent cybersecurity experts to investigate and report on their operations.
Additional security features: ProtonMail is fortified with additional security features that businesses need to protect their sensitive details. On the Proton Business Suite, which I recommend for any business that wants to use ProtonMail, there is a password manager to store sensitive details you use in the daily operations of your business and use them safely on any device. This saves the cost of subscribing to standalone password managers like NordPass and 1PASSWORD. There is also a VPN service that allows connection of up to 10 devices for users. Plus manager user permissions and access and advanced account protection. These features aren't available on Gmail, although Google has strong security features to protect your business email accounts.
What I observed here is that just like Gmail supports collaboration with other Google products to boost productivity, ProtonMail collaborates with other of its security products to offer businesses maximum privacy and security.
Cost: While both offer forever-free plans, their cost for paid plans vary. Proton Business Suite which is the best plan for businesses that want ProtonMail costs €12.99/month/user. It has advanced security features like a password manager, VPN connection for 10 devices, 1TB storage, a Proton Scribe writing assistant, and other features businesses need.
The Business Standard Plan which I recommend for businesses that want to use Gmail costs $12/month/user. It offers advanced features like 2 TB storage, support for video meetings, and collaboration with other Google products like Google Meet, Google Docs, Google Calendar, etc.
Looking at their costs, you will notice that ProtonMail is a little bit expensive compared to Gmail (Google Workspace).
ProtonMail vs Gmail for Business: Similarities
Both have similar features and capabilities, which I shared with you below.
Multi-platform support: Gmail and ProtonMail are available on different operating systems and platforms. You can access them on the web, Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS.
Custom domains: Both email service providers allow you to create custom emails. This means you can use your domain name on your Gmail address. This shows branding, and professionalism, and also helps your audience distinguish between your business and hackers who have cloned your business email address to defraud unsuspecting customers.
Customer support: Gmail and ProtonMail offer custom support for businesses that use the paid plans. You can contact them via email or chat in the community and have a customer representative resolve the challenges you face.
Spam filtering: They have robust filtering systems that automatically identify, sort, and block phishing, spam, and unsolicited emails from making it to your inbox. They push them to the spam box, which keeps your inbox tidy and saves you time of interacting with irrelevant emails.
Transport layer security: ProtonMail and Gmail have TLS support, which provides maximum security for emails while in transit. This ensures emails are encrypted while being transferred between servers.
Specific plans for business: They have plans specifically meant for businesses. ProtonMail has the Proton Business Suite, which I recommend to any business that wants to use ProtonMail.
It costs €12.99/user/month and offers advanced features businesses need like 15 custom email domains, advanced account protection, 1TB storage per user, Proton Scribe writing assistant, and access to other Proton security solutions like ProtonVPN, Drive, Calendar, and Pass.
Gmail has the Business Standard plan, which costs $12/month/user. It offers custom domains, 2TB storage, security and management control, video meeting support for up to 150 participants, access to other Google productivity tools like Google Doc, Google Meet, and Google Sheet, plus Gemini - an AI email writing assistant that is similar to ProtonMail's Proton Scribe writing assistant.
Data protection law complaint: Both ProtonMail and Gmail comply with data protection regulations like GDPR, which ensures businesses meet the legal requirements when handling customers and employees data.
Attachment support: While sending emails on ProtonMail and Gmail, you can attach and share files using Google Drive for Gmail and ProtonDrive for ProtonMail. Keep in mind that you will require more storage space if your business shares large files.
ProtonMail vs Gmail for Business: What users say on Reddit
I jumped on Reddit to check on businesses that use ProtonMail and Gmail to get a feel for how valuable they find each of them.
Many businesses that use ProtonMail agree with what I told you here, ProtonMail is an email provider that focuses solely on privacy and security, which are what businesses care about when it comes to choosing an email provider. A business owner who has been using ProtonMail for 2 years says the end-to-end email encryption and open-source code which makes everything transparent is the deal for him.
Why should I use ProtonMail instead of Gmail?
Privacy and security are the main reasons you should use ProtonMail instead of Gmail. ProtonMail offers end-to-end encryption, which means they don't scan or read your emails, and they will be transmitted safely from the sender to the receiver. Gmail doesn't offer end-to-end encryption. Even though it protects emails while in transit, it can still access your data and use it for other services that benefit Google.
Another is that ProtonMail is headquartered in Switzerland, a country known for its strict privacy laws. So you can rest assured that your data is safe and can't be handed over to the government or third parties. I can't say the same about Gmail - owned by Google, which is subject to US laws, meaning your data can be handed over to the government or third parties when it becomes necessary.
Also, ProtonMail is open source. This allows cybersecurity and IT experts to investigate their operations to confirm their strict data privacy policy and end-to-end email encryption. Securitum, a well-known cybersecurity firm, has already audited the operations of ProtonMail and reported that it's truly end-to-end email encryption. Gmail isn't open source, and so it's difficult for independent cybersecurity firms to investigate and report on their operations.
Lastly is that ProtonMail is built around security and privacy and its business plans integrate with other security products it offers like ProtonVPN, Drive, Calendar, etc.
What's the downside of ProtonMail?
The downside of ProtonMail is that it doesn't integrate with plenty of productivity tools like Gmail does. So if you plan to use it for team projects and collaborations, keep in mind that there are limitations to tools you can connect it to.
This is where Gmail has an advantage over it. It connects with lots of productivity and collaboration tools Google offers. Examples are Google Docs, Google Meet, Google Sheets, and Google Calendar. Another downside is that it's expensive compared to Gmail, and this is understandable considering the advanced security features it has. Proton Business Suite costs €12.99/user/month. This is just the least plan for packages designed for businesses.
Is ProtonMail good for business?
Yes, ProtonMail is good for any business that prioritizes privacy and security. You are 100% sure your data is safe and won't be handed over to the government or third parties. It's end-to-end encryption, meaning ProtonMail even as your email provider can't see or read your emails. Plus it offers you other security products like ProtonVPN, Drive, and Calendar which businesses need to enhance privacy and security while sharing information and files.
Why are people leaving Gmail?
Gmail isn't open source and end-to-end email encryption. This is why some people are leaving it for alternatives like ProtonMail. Many people have complained of Google accessing their data for advertising motives while using Gmail, especially the free version.
Why switch from Gmail to ProtonMail?
Privacy and security are the major reasons to switch from Gmail to ProtonMail. ProtonMail is end-to-end encryption and is headquartered in Switzerland, a country with strict privacy laws. Gmail doesn't have end-to-end encryption, is not open-source like ProtonMail, and is headquartered in the USA, where it's subject to US laws.
What is special about ProtonMail?
End-to-end encryption, open source code, built around privacy and security, and headquarters in Switzerland, a country with strict privacy laws, are the special things about ProtonMail that are lacking in Gmail.
Final thoughts
If you are a business that is concerned about privacy and security, ProtonMail is your best bet, and Gmail is no match for it on that front. It offers end-to-end encryption, it's open source and integrates with other security products it has like ProtonVPN, Drive, and Calendar, headquartered in Switzerland - known for strict privacy laws.
If you care about integration and collaboration with tools that can boost productivity among employees in your business, then Gmail is what you need.