FlowCrypt vs Proton Mail (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, we pick Proton Mail: it is third in our ranking of email apps, and they share a 3.0 GPA.
Checked Oct 4, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
FlowCrypt grades higher on value for money and the free plan. Proton Mail grades higher on ease of use and platforms. They get the same grade on features.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
FlowCrypt
OpenPGP encryption for Gmail, as an extension and mobile apps
Proton Mail
End-to-end encrypted email service based in Switzerland
Which one is for you
Pick FlowCrypt if
- Fits if you use Gmail and want to send encrypted messages to anyone
- Works for a company under 100 users that wants it free
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you use Outlook, as that version is on a waitlist
- Watch out: Workspace Key Manager is priced apart, €799 a year for 10 seats and €899 for 20
- Watch out: Google's client-side encryption needs a Workspace Enterprise Plus, Education Standard or Education Plus licence
- Tight if you're a company over 100 users, as that's sold through sales with no published price
Pick Proton Mail if
- Fits if you want email that the company running it can't read
- Works for leaving Gmail, Outlook or Yahoo, as Easy Switch imports old mail on the free plan
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you stay on Free: 1 address, up to 1 GB (500 MB until setup is done) and 150 sent messages a day
- Not for you if you want Apple Mail, Outlook or the desktop apps without paying, as Bridge and the apps are paid
- Pricey if you subscribe inside the iPhone app, where Mail Plus is $5.99 a month against $4.99 on Proton's site
- Skip it if you forget passwords and won't write down a recovery phrase, as old mail can stay locked
- Watch out: some banks and shops refuse Proton addresses, the Linux app is beta, and there were outages in mid-2026
How we grade them
| 3.0GPAFlowCryptVery good | 3.0GPAProton MailVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree for companies with under 100 users per domain, with password-protected messages and 25MB attachments. Enterprise is quote-only. | BMail Plus is $3.99 a month on the yearly plan, inside the lowest-priced quarter of a category whose middle is $8, for 15 GB, 10 addresses and your own domain. Gmail and Outlook do give you 15 GB for nothing, mind, and in the iPhone app it's $5.99. |
| Free plan and trial | AFree outright for domains under 100 users, with encrypted Gmail, password-protected messages, an encrypted contact page and a mobile app. | CFree for good with no ads. The caps are ones you'll meet, though: one address, up to 1 GB of mail and 150 sent messages a day, and the desktop apps are for paying customers after a 14-day trial. |
| Features | CEncryption inside Gmail, password-protected messages, an encrypted contact page, mobile apps and enterprise administration. It does that job fully, but it's a smaller job, and it covers Gmail only. | CThe basics, with encryption that runs without any setup: tracker blocking, throwaway aliases, a calendar, snooze, send later and Easy Switch to import your old mail. The gap Proton names itself: there's no IMAP or SMTP at all without Bridge, and Bridge needs a paid plan. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. You set up keys, and recipients without FlowCrypt open messages with a password, so there's a learning curve. | A4.8 from about 48,500 App Store ratings, a touch above Gmail's own app. It works like any inbox, and Easy Switch brings your old mail over for you. |
| Platforms and integrations | BA browser extension plus iOS and Android apps, with Gmail, Google Workspace, Auth0 and OneLogin connections. No desktop app. | AWeb, Mac, Windows, Linux, iPhone and Android, plus Outlook, Thunderbird and Apple Mail through Bridge and the rest of Proton's suite. The desktop apps do need a paid plan, and the Linux one is still beta. |
| Best for | encryption inside Gmail | email your provider can't read |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: FlowCrypt and Proton Mail. How we grade
Where they differ
- Proton Mail is open source, according to its own site.
- Proton Mail also covers calendar.
At a glance
| FlowCrypt | Proton Mail | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | Not published | $3.99 per month, billed every 12 months ($47.88); $4.99 billed monthly |
| Free plan | Free for companies with fewer than 100 users, including password-protected messages and attachments up to 25MB. | Proton Free: 1 email address, up to 1 GB of mail storage (500 MB until the setup steps are completed), a limit of 150 sent messages a day and 3 personal calendars. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | FlowCrypt a.s. | Proton AG |
| Price read from | flowcrypt.com | proton.me |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Oct 4, 2026 |
Worth knowing
FlowCrypt
- It works with Gmail only; an Outlook version is on a waitlist.
- The free tier covers fewer than 100 users per domain and is described for companies below that size.
- Workspace Key Manager is priced separately in euros: €799 a year for 10 seats and €899 for 20.
- Using Google's client-side encryption needs a Workspace Enterprise Plus or Education Standard or Plus license.
Proton Mail
- The free plan is limited to 1 address, up to 1 GB of mail storage and 150 sent messages a day.
- Custom domains and IMAP/SMTP access through Bridge need a paid plan.
- The desktop apps need a paid plan; free accounts get a 14-day trial of them, and the Linux app is labeled beta.
- Buying in the iOS app costs more: the US App Store lists Mail Plus at $5.99 monthly, against $4.99 on Proton's site.
Key features
FlowCrypt
- Encryption inside Gmail
- Send and read OpenPGP-encrypted messages from the Gmail interface, using the Chrome extension or the Firefox extension.
- Password-protected messages
- Send an encrypted message to anyone who does not use OpenPGP, choose when it expires, and let them reply without a plugin.
- Encrypted contact page
- Receive messages and files through a page where senders can write to you without installing anything.
- Mobile apps
- Android and iOS apps are listed on the download page, along with extensions for Brave, Edge and Opera.
- Enterprise administration
- An admin panel with domain-wide restrictions, custom security rules, SSO through OIDC, and key management on your own server.
- Workspace Key Manager
- A separate key service for Google Workspace client-side encryption of Gmail, Drive, Docs and Calendar.
Proton Mail
- End-to-end and zero-access encryption
- Messages are encrypted so that only you can read them. Proton states that not even it can read your email.
- Tracker blocking and aliases
- Blocks the email trackers that report what you open and click. Hide-my-email aliases keep your real address off sign-up forms: 10 on Free and Mail Plus, unlimited on Proton Unlimited.
- Custom domains and extra addresses
- Mail Plus supports 1 custom email domain and up to 10 addresses. Proton Unlimited raises that to 3 domains and 15 addresses.
- Easy Switch import
- Imports existing mail from Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo or Apple accounts. The import assistant is included on the free plan.
- Proton Mail Bridge
- Paid accounts can use the Bridge app to read and send encrypted mail in Microsoft Outlook, Mozilla Thunderbird or Apple Mail over IMAP and SMTP.
- Calendar and scheduling tools
- Proton Calendar is included, with 3 personal calendars on Free and up to 25 on Mail Plus. Mail also supports scheduled sending, undo send and snooze.
Plans
FlowCrypt
Free$0
Encrypted Gmail messages, password-protected messages to anyone, encrypted contact page, mobile app; under 100 users per domain.
EnterpriseCustom
Adds over 100 users per domain, admin panel, domain-wide rules, server key management, SLA and DPA; sold through sales.
Proton Mail
Proton Free$0
1 address, up to 1 GB of mail storage, 150 sent messages a day, the Easy Switch import tool and 3 calendars.
Mail Plus$3.99
per month, billed every 12 months ($47.88); $4.99 billed monthly
1 user with 10 addresses, 15 GB of storage, 1 custom domain, unlimited folders, labels and filters, and Bridge for IMAP/SMTP clients.
Proton Unlimited$9.99
per month, billed every 12 months ($119.88)
500 GB of storage, 15 addresses and 3 custom domains, bundled with Proton's VPN, password manager and cloud storage.
Ways to pay less
FlowCrypt
No public discounts listed.
Proton Mail
- Annual discount
20% off Mail Plus on the 12-month plan
Proton's pricing page lists Mail Plus at $3.99 a month when billed every 12 months ($47.88), against $4.99 billed monthly.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, FlowCrypt or Proton Mail?
As of Nov 12, 2026, FlowCrypt publishes no starting price, and Proton Mail starts at $3.99 per month, billed every 12 months ($47.88); $4.99 billed monthly.
Which has a free plan, FlowCrypt or Proton Mail?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both FlowCrypt and Proton Mail have a free plan.
Which platforms do FlowCrypt and Proton Mail run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only FlowCrypt lists a browser extension and only Proton Mail lists a web app and macOS, Windows and Linux apps. Both list iOS and Android apps. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.