Proton Mail vs Librem One
Proton Mail wins on privacy, Proton Mail wins on price and Proton Mail wins on features. Every fact below was checked on or before 23 October 2026.
Which should you choose?
- Go for Proton Mail if you'd like end-to-end encryption built in; your email to stay in Switzerland; and a cheaper plan, at $3.99 a month, yearly ($4.99 monthly).
- Librem One is the better pick if you want the choice of any mail app over IMAP.
| Feature | Proton Mail | Librem One |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 4.5 | 2.0 |
| Privacy | 5.0 | 1.0 |
| Price | 4.0 | 2.5 |
| Features | 4.5 | 2.5 |
| Cheapest plan | Mail Plus $3.99 a month, yearly ($4.99 monthly) | Librem One $7.99 a month |
| Free plan | Yes, 1 GB, no own domain | No |
| Storage | 15 GB | Not confirmed |
| Your own domain | ✓ 1 | No |
| End-to-end encryption | ✓ Built in | No |
| Company based in | Switzerland | United States |
| Your data is kept in | Switzerland | Not confirmed |
| Founded | 2014 | Unknown |
| Free trial | Free plan; 30-day refund on paid plans | Unknown |
| Funded by advertising | No | No |
| Works in any mail app | With Proton Bridge on paid plans | ✓ IMAP and SMTP |
| Calendar and contacts | ✓ Yes | No |
| Aliases | 10 addresses | Yes |
| Open-source apps | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Sign up without ID | ✓ Yes | No |
| White label | No | Unknown |
| Reader offer | Offer Proton's current deals | None |
| Last checked | 23 October 2026 | 22 October 2026 |
Want to add another? Open this in the compare tool.
The key differences
- On price: Proton Mail Mail Plus at $3.99 a month, yearly ($4.99 monthly), against Librem One Librem One at $7.99 a month.
- Proton Mail has a free plan (1 GB, no own domain); Librem One has no free plan.
- Space: Proton Mail gives 15 GB of storage, Librem One storage not confirmed.
- Data location: Switzerland for Proton Mail, Not confirmed for Librem One.
- The companies sit under different laws: Proton Mail in Switzerland, Librem One in United States.
- On encryption, Proton Mail encrypts mail end to end, whereas Librem One doesn't encrypt mail end to end.
- You can use your own domain with Proton Mail, but not with Librem One.
- Mail apps: Proton Mail works in other mail apps through Proton Bridge on paid plans; Librem One works in any mail app over IMAP.
- Aliases: Proton Mail offers 10 addresses, Librem One yes.
Common questions
Is Proton Mail more private than Librem One?
Proton Mail scores 5 out of 5 for privacy and Librem One 1. Proton Mail gives you end-to-end encryption built in, your email to stay in Switzerland and to sign up without proving who you are.
Is Proton Mail cheaper than Librem One?
Proton Mail is cheaper. Its Mail Plus plan is $3.99 a month, yearly ($4.99 monthly), against $7.99 a month for Librem One's Librem One. Proton Mail also has a free plan. Check the renewal price before you pay, as some first-year prices go up.
Can I use my own domain with Proton Mail or Librem One?
Only Proton Mail does (1 domain on its cheapest plan that allows one). With Librem One your address stays on its own domain.
Where is my email stored with Proton Mail and Librem One?
Proton Mail keeps it in Switzerland. Librem One keeps it in Not confirmed.
Can I use Proton Mail and Librem One in Apple Mail or Outlook?
Proton Mail works in other mail apps through Proton Bridge on paid plans. Librem One works in any mail app over IMAP.
Prices and the latest news
I haven't seen either change its price since I started checking on 22 October 2026.
The latest headlines: Proton Mail news · Librem One news.
Not sold on either? Try these
Proton Mail vs mailbox.org · Librem One vs mailbox.org · Proton Mail vs Posteo · Librem One vs Posteo · Proton Mail vs Tuta · Librem One vs Tuta
Switching between them
Moving to Proton Mail · Moving from Proton Mail. Or see all my switching guides.