Proton Mail vs Mailfence: which is better? Comparison 2026
By our public methodology Proton Mail scores 80 out of 100 and Mailfence scores 57. Below: the factors and facts where they differ, each fact with its source.
Score breakdown
| Proton Mail | Mailfence | |
|---|---|---|
| Privacy & security | 100 | 43 |
| Price | 51 | 26 |
| Features | 86 | 82 |
| Transparency & track record | 73 | 100 |
Pros and cons
Proton Mail
- End-to-end encryption is built in
- You can use your own domain ([email protected])
- Security checked by an independent audit or certification
- Free plan available
Mailfence
- End-to-end encryption is built in
- You can use your own domain ([email protected])
- Free plan available
- Works with standard mail apps via IMAP/SMTP
- Little mail storage on the cheapest plan
- No hardware security key sign-in
Facts side by side
| Fact | Proton Mail | Mailfence |
|---|---|---|
| Built-in end-to-end encryption | Yes proton.me | Yes mailfence.com |
| Independent audit or security certification | Yes proton.me | Not verified |
| Open source apps | Yes proton.me | Not verified |
| Hardware key sign-in (FIDO2/U2F/YubiKey) | Yes proton.me | No mailfence.com |
| Cheapest paid plan per month (monthly billing) | $4.99 proton.me | Not verified |
| Free plan | Yes proton.me | Yes mailfence.com |
| Mail storage on the free plan (GB) | 0.5 proton.me | 0.5 mailfence.com |
| Your own domain | Yes proton.me | Yes mailfence.com |
| Mail storage on the cheapest paid plan (GB) | 15 proton.me | 5 mailfence.com |
| IMAP/SMTP access | Yes proton.me | Yes mailfence.com |
| Aliases and extra addresses | Yes proton.me | Yes mailfence.com |
| Founded | 2014 proton.me | 1999 kb.mailfence.com |
| Transparency report | Yes proton.me | Yes blog.mailfence.com |
| Company headquarters | Switzerland proton.me | Belgium kb.mailfence.com |
| Where mail is stored | Switzerland proton.me | Belgium mailfence.com |
| Company | Proton AG proton.me | ContactOffice Group sa kb.mailfence.com |
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