First, a mandatory disclaimer: this is not a sponsored post (there are none in this blog, btw), just me telling the story of how I became a happy Proton user during the past 5 years; I’m not affiliated with them in any way.
I subscribed to Proton Mail back in January 2019. I thought the idea of a Swiss-based secure email service was utterly brilliant, and I’ve been surprised and delighted ever since about how much Proton evolved as a company and as a productivity suite. These days? My wife and I are very happy with a Proton Family plan. Their service is solid, stable, and reliable. What else?
At the beginning, there was only “ProtonMail” as it was spelled back then. Shortly thereafter they added their VPN service, as part of the same package; fast-forward a few years later, and besides their excellent encrypted email service now they also offer cloud storage, calendar, and even a cross-platform password manager. Oh, and did I mention that they actually do care about Linux users, too?
The original value proposition of Proton Mail (still active and valuable) is their commitment to full encryption and user privacy, reflected in their “we’re not Google” stance on the subject. Based on this (very important) vision, they delivered a solid set of apps that actually make you more productive.
Let me repeat this point: the Proton suite makes you safe and productive online. It’s a value proposition that’s hard to beat.
But there’s more: I’m also a big fan of SimpleLogin, another godsend from this brilliant company registered in Geneva, Switzerland. It solves a simple yet annoying problem: using your email to register online for stuff, like newsletters, report downloads, product trials, or any other kind of stuff. Their solution is simple: create an alias! That way, should they become spammy (or disrespectful of your unsubscribe wishes) just delete the alias and forget about them.
When you create your account using your Proton login, SimpleLogin automatically links all your aliases to your Proton Mail account.
And even better: thanks to the SimpleLogin browser extensions (for Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge) you just right-click on the “email” field of the form and request a new ad hoc alias on the spot. Their mobile apps (iOS and Android) enable you to keep using the service on the go. Very handy. Oh, and did I mention it is open source?
Of course there are plenty of features I’d love to see in the suite (such as a humble to-do app, with sharing capability, or calendar support on the Proton Mail Bridge app) but I understand that the Proton team takes the time to evaluate them, particularly how they will impact the privacy and security of their users. I know they deliver, slowly but steady, and they have a long-term vision that I can only subscribe to; in those terms, I’m willing to accept tradeoffs and wait for their (sometimes longer than desired) release cycles.
Anyway, to summarize: the yearly subscription I pay for the Proton suite is one of the greatest investments I make every year. It’s not a cost, it’s an investment in security, privacy, and productivity.
Update, 2024-04-12: Proton and Standard Notes just jointly announced their merger!