Proton Mail vs Stalwart
In short: Proton Mail wins on privacy, Proton Mail wins on price, and Proton Mail wins on features. The full comparison is below, last checked 25 October 2026.
Should you pick Proton Mail or Stalwart?
- Proton Mail suits you best if you want mail that's encrypted end to end without any setup; your mail kept in Switzerland; and to sign up without proving who you are.
- Stalwart suits you best if you want the choice of any mail app over IMAP.
| Feature | Proton Mail | Stalwart |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 4.5 | Not rated |
| Privacy | 5.0 | Not rated |
| Price | 4.0 | Not rated |
| Features | 4.5 | Not rated |
| Cheapest plan | Mail Plus $3.99 a month, yearly ($4.99 monthly) | Community Free (Enterprise from €2 per mailbox a year) |
| Free plan | Yes, 1 GB, no own domain | Yes, open source |
| Storage | 15 GB | Not confirmed |
| Your own domain | ✓ 1 | ✓ Yes |
| End-to-end encryption | ✓ Built in | No |
| Company based in | Switzerland | United Kingdom |
| Your data is kept in | Switzerland | Your own server |
| Founded | 2014 | 2019 |
| Free trial | Free plan; 30-day refund on paid plans | Free to download |
| Funded by advertising | No | No |
| Works in any mail app | With Proton Bridge on paid plans | ✓ IMAP and SMTP |
| Calendar and contacts | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| 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 | 25 October 2026 |
Want to add another? Open this in the compare tool.
Where they differ
- On price: Proton Mail Mail Plus at $3.99 a month, yearly ($4.99 monthly), against Stalwart Community at Free (Enterprise from €2 per mailbox a year).
- For free, Proton Mail gives you a free plan (1 GB, no own domain), and Stalwart a free plan (open source).
- Proton Mail comes with 15 GB of storage and Stalwart with storage not confirmed.
- Proton Mail keeps your mail in Switzerland, while Stalwart keeps it in Your own server.
- Proton Mail is based in Switzerland and Stalwart in the United Kingdom, so different privacy laws apply.
- Proton Mail encrypts mail end to end; Stalwart doesn't encrypt mail end to end.
- Proton Mail works in other mail apps through Proton Bridge on paid plans, and Stalwart works in any mail app over IMAP.
- For extra addresses, Proton Mail has 10 addresses and Stalwart has yes.
Common questions
Do Proton Mail and Stalwart work with my own domain?
Yes, both do. Proton Mail: 1 domain on its cheapest plan that allows one. Stalwart: Yes.
Where do Proton Mail and Stalwart keep my email?
Proton Mail keeps it in Switzerland. Stalwart keeps it in Your own server.
Do Proton Mail and Stalwart work in other mail apps?
Proton Mail works in other mail apps through Proton Bridge on paid plans. Stalwart works in any mail app over IMAP.
Price changes and news
Neither price has changed since my first check on 23 October 2026.
The latest headlines: Proton Mail news · Stalwart news.
Alternatives to Proton Mail and Stalwart
Proton Mail vs mailbox.org · Stalwart vs mailbox.org · Proton Mail vs Posteo · Stalwart vs Posteo · Proton Mail vs Tuta · Stalwart vs Tuta
Moving your email
Moving to Proton Mail · Moving from Proton Mail. Or see all my switching guides.