Sustainable Substitutes for Gmail

A free email service developed by Google, utilised for harvesting and analysing user information.

Reasons to avoid Gmail

Avoid Gmail due to privacy risks—your emails are scanned for ads and AI training and end-to-end encryption is missing for most users. Recent breaches and phishing attacks further expose user data. Opt for privacy-focused, sustainable email alternatives like ProtonMail or Tutanota.

Ethical and Sustainable Gmail Alternatives

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  • Feasibility: How easily can the average user switch to this substitute? Higher feasibility results in a higher ranking.
  • Editor's Rating: How sustainable is the substitute? The more sustainability attributes it fulfils, the higher it is ranked.

Posteo

A German eco-friendly email provider with optional encryption.

Posteo does not track users or display personalised ads. It offers encrypted mailboxes and allows anonymous registration.
Posteo uses renewable energy to power its servers, reducing its carbon footprint.
Posteo is completely ad free.
Posteo is based in Germany, ensuring compliance with GDPR and strong privacy laws.
Posteo supports open-source standards and transparency, allowing independent audits.
Website

Tuta

A German email and calendar provider with encryption by default powered by green energy.

Tuta uses green energy to power its servers, reducing its environmental impact.
Tuta allows management of custom domain emails for paying users. The domain must be registered elsewhere though.
Tuta is ad-free, providing a clean and distraction-free email experience.
Tuta offers one email address with 1GB of storage free of charge and promises that this will not change.
Tuta is based in Germany, ensuring compliance with strong privacy laws and ISO/IEC 27001-certified data centers.
Tuta does not track users or display personalised ads, it offers end-to-end, quantum-safe encryption, ensuring a private email experience.
All Tuta clients are open-source, allowing for transparency and community contributions.
Website

Mailbox

A German email provider with optional encryption running on renewable energy.

Mailbox offers self-hosting options for enterprises, giving full control over data.
Mailbox allows using custom domain emails through its service for all users except those on a lite plan without family. Domains must be registered through a registrar.
Mailbox is ad-free, providing a clean and distraction-free email experience.
Mailbox is based in Germany, ensuring compliance with strong privacy laws.
Mailbox does not track users or display personalised ads. It offers optional PGP Email encryption.
Mailbox uses renewable energy to power its servers, reducing its carbon footprint.
Website

Soverin

An ISO-certified Dutch email provider with optional encryption.

Soverin is ad-free, providing a clean and distraction-free email experience.
Soverin allows to register custom domains or manage an existing domain's emails through its service.
Soverin is ISO 14001 certified. No evidence could be found that its servers are powered by renewable energy though.
Soverin does not track users or display personalised ads and allows encryption via PGP.
Soverin supports open-source standards and transparency, allowing independent audits.
Soverin is based in the Netherlands, ensuring compliance with strong European privacy laws.
Website
protonmail logo

Proton Mail

An encrypted email service based in Switzerland.

Users can use a custom domain with one of Proton Mail's paid plans. The domain must be registered elsewhere though.
Proton Mail offers one email address with 1GB of storage free of charge.
Proton Mail does not show ads to their users apart from upgrade suggestions for their own services.
Proton Mail is based in Switzerland, it's relocating its infrastructure to other more privacy-friendly European countries.
Proton Mail does not track users or display personalised ads, ensuring a private email experience.
Proton Mail offers self-hosting options for enterprises, giving full control over data.
Proton Mail clients are open-source, allowing for community audits and transparency.
Website

The 5 main issues with Gmail

Big Tech - Big Tech companies do not nourish people and planet. This is especially true in times of political tension.

Gmail is developed and owned by Google, one of the largest tech companies, contributing to market monopolisation and exploitative data practices. Source: EFF: Google Search Monopoly and Privacy Concerns (2025)

Privacy Concerns - User data is likely to be stored and used against users' best interest.

Gmail collects and analyzes user emails, raising significant privacy concerns. Source: Forbes: Gmail Lacks End-to-End Encryption for Most Users (2024)

Lack of Transparency - Opacity in operations, data handling, or supply chains, making it difficult for users to understand practices.

Google lacks transparency in how user data from Gmail is used and shared. Source: FTC: Google’s Data Transparency and Privacy Violations (2025)

Data Monopolies - Control of vast amounts of user data, creating risks for privacy and potential misuse.

Gmail contributes to Google's vast data monopolies, creating risks for user privacy. Source: FTC: Gmail’s Privacy Policy Violations (2023)

Support of Authoritarian Regimes - Companies actively supporting, financing and legitimising regimes and unethical policies.

Google has kissed Trump's ring by donating $1 million to his inauguration. Google has updated its products and policies to align with Trump’s political views.Time: How Google Appears to Be Adapting Its Products to the Trump Presidency (2025)

Suggestions and Feedback

If you have suggestions for more alternatives or general feedback, please contact me via email or create an issue over on Codeberg. Suggest Substitute on Codeberg Write an Email