Proton Mail
✓ Verified by EU AltsEnd-to-end encrypted email and productivity suite — a privacy-first alternative to Gmail.
Overview
Proton Mail is a Geneva, Switzerland-based European company building email, privacy, and security software since 2013. As an EU-headquartered provider, Proton Mail likely operates under GDPR. EU Alts has not independently confirmed its exposure to the US CLOUD Act — the ownership and hosting facts recorded for it do not establish that it is outside the Act's reach — see the Details section below for what's known so far.
Why European teams pick Proton Mail
Teams in Europe consider Proton Mail when they want a email provider that bills in EUR, operating since 2013. Its EU headquarters is a good sign compared with Gmail, but EU Alts has not independently verified Proton Mail's exposure to the US CLOUD Act — check the Details section for the recorded facts.
See more EU email tools or browse other startups from Switzerland.
About
Founded by scientists from CERN, Proton offers end-to-end encrypted email, calendar, cloud storage and VPN. All data is protected by Swiss privacy law.
Details
- Founded
- 2013
- Headquarters
- Geneva, Switzerland
- Ownership
- Independently owned (Switzerland)
- Hosting
- Proton's own datacenters, Switzerland
- CLOUD Act
- Not independently verified
- Verified
- 2026-07-31
- Last checked
- 2026-07-31
- Company size
- 200+ employees
Compare with the US product you may be replacing
Proton Mail is listed in a category that our US-product comparison pages cover. See every EU option side by side:
Also from Switzerland
2 other listed companies are based in Switzerland. In the same categories as Proton Mail:
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Frequently asked questions
What does Proton Mail do?
Proton Mail is end-to-end encrypted email and productivity suite — a privacy-first alternative to gmail. It is listed under email, privacy, and security on EU Alts because its core functionality serves teams looking for a European email tool with EU data residency, typically as a switch away from Gmail.
Is Proton Mail GDPR compliant?
Proton Mail is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland and falls under EU jurisdiction, so it likely processes user data under the GDPR by default. Customer data processing is supervised by Switzerland's data protection authority, the Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner (FDPIC). EU Alts has not independently verified Proton Mail's exposure to the US CLOUD Act, so we can't confirm it either way.
How do teams switch from Gmail to Proton Mail?
Teams considering a move from Gmail to Proton Mail are usually drawn by its email workflow fit. EU Alts has not independently verified Proton Mail's exposure to the US CLOUD Act, so treat any CLOUD Act or Schrems II conclusions as provisional. Plan a migration in stages regardless: export your data from the US incumbent, pilot Proton Mail with a small team, then move the rest once integration coverage is confirmed.
Where is Proton Mail based?
Proton Mail is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. The company was founded in 2013. Its main website is https://proton.me.