Outlook vs ProtonMail: A Detailed Comparison Guide

Both Outlook and ProtonMail are major business and personal email providers. Both these email providers offer various features and acknowledgeable paid plans. Outlook’s web version is free to access, but security is its major downside. On the other hand, ProtonMail’s approach towards data security and privacy is its major selling point. Keep reading this post on Outlook vs ProtonMail to know more about these two providers.

These email providers are highly recommended for business and personal use. Outlook offers integration with different Microsoft apps that make it easy to attach and share different file formats, whereas ProtonMail doesn’t offer any kind of integration. So, without any further ado, let’s start our comparison between Outlook and ProtonMail.

Outlook vs ProtonMail Tabular Comparison

Below is the tabular feature chart of both these email providers if you don’t prefer to go through the detailed comparison. However, if you still have doubts after going through the tabular comparison, it is recommended to go through the detailed one.

Outlook vs ProtonMail: Storage

Microsoft offers 15 GB of free email storage on every Outlook.com account. You can increase your storage limit by upgrading your outlook.com account with Microsoft 365 subscription. Microsoft 365 subscribers get around 50 GB of storage space.

On the other hand, ProtonMail offers only 500 MB of free space. It’s less, but probably enough if you keep deleting emails regularly and don’t receive high-resolution images and videos. ProtonMail also keeps you updated about how much memory you have used, so you’ll know when to start freeing up space.

Outlook vs. ProtonMail: User Interface

A very clean and minimalistic UI is offered by Outlook mail inspired by Microsoft. It divides your mailbox by default into focused and other, the focused section represents the most important messages. Some users may find the web interface convenient as it comes with most of these same features as the paid desktop version.

ProtonMail’s interface is also like Gmail. Its main features are end-to-end encryption that maintains the confidentiality of your data. With this level of security, not even ProtonMail can access your data. Custom domains are also supported, and you can use short email domains.

Outlook vs ProtonMail: Performance

Both Outlook and ProtonMail offer apps for Android and iOS, and you can also use the web version on your preferred browser. You can get Outlook’s desktop app by subscribing to Office 365 to unlock more performance-enhancing features. By subscribing to Office 365, you can automate repetitive tasks, like forwarding messages or moving them to a particular folder.

As mentioned before, ProtonMail’s main selling point is end-to-end data encryption. This feature makes the search choice limited in ProtonMail. On the other hand, Outlook allows you to search for old emails effortlessly. If searching for an email is something you need, Outlook is your go-to choice.

Outlook vs. ProtonMail: Pricing

The only way to increase Outlook’s storage is by subscribing to Office 365. Subscribing to Office 365 Outlook will offer you around 50 GB of storage space. Subscriptions start at $99 .99 for Office 365 Home and $5 per user/month for Office 365 Business. Users registering for Office 365 will have full access to Outlook and other Microsoft products (Outlook Calendar, Word, Excel, etc.).

Whereas ProtonMail’s paid plans are very expensive and provide less storage, they range from €48 to €288 yearly. The cheapest plan offers 5 GB of storage, 5 email addresses, 1000 messages per day, 200 folders, a custom domain with smart filters, an autoresponder support. Although the free plan won’t limit the number of emails you receive per day, you will need to buy a paid plan if the features of the free plan aren’t enough for you.

Outlook vs ProtonMail: Security

Security is an essential factor to consider while choosing an email provider. Outlook offers two-factor authentication and the ability to block certain senders. You can set permissions to allow others from accessing and editing your calendars, another Outlook feature, create password-protected folders within your Outlook account. Using Outlook, you can also create items in your account and keep them private from others on the exchange.

As discussed, security is ProtonMail’s main selling point. It offers end-to-end encryption, so not even ProtonMail can access your data. Many other features like minimum tracking for logging of personally identifiable information, open-source cryptography, zero architecture, and SSL secured connections are offered. If these are the features you are looking for in an email provider, ProtonMail is the best choice for you.

Outlook vs ProtonMail: App Integrations

Outlook can integrate with almost all Microsoft apps like OneDrive, Skype, and other Office products. A unique integration feature called add-ins is offered now for Mac devices as well. You can set up connections and actionable mail with integrations using apps like Trello.

On the other hand, ProtonMail doesn’t offer any app integrations as its system is heavily encrypted. Heavily encrypted systems face a downside when it comes to app integrations.

This was all about Outlook vs ProtonMail. As we can see, both Outlook and ProtonMail are equally good in certain aspects. It’s up to you which suits your needs the most. Do let us know which of these two you will be using in the comments section.

FAQ’s

1. Which one should I use: ProtonMail or Outlook?

Both platforms, ProtonMail, and Outlook, have almost similar features. But ProtonMail offers end-to-end encryption that makes sending and receiving emails through it more secure. If you are someone who prefers security, ProtonMail should be your go-to choice.

2. Is switching to ProtonMail worth it?

ProtonMail is one of the best email alternatives currently available on the market. Although its plans are a bit pricey, they are more secure than any other email service. The end-to-end encryption offered by ProtonMail is so effective that even ProtonMail can’t access your data.

3. Is Gmail end-to-end encrypted?

Yes, Outlook offers end to end encryption but allows users to turn on a feature that sends messages to a secure connection. Using this feature, Microsoft is shielding Outlook from cybercriminals and hackers.

4. Can Protonmail hand over my data to law authorities?

ProtonMail decrypts all your data so they cannot access them at all. In cases law enforcement asks ProtonMail for your data, there is a little they can do. Besides, they won’t let anyone access data requests unless approved by the appropriate Swiss Authority.