The email account you choose for your small business is key to both securing your company’s valuable data and staying compliant with data protection laws.
Email services like Gmail or Outlook can scan your messages, do not use the strongest encryption, and could share your data with third parties.
We built Proton to give you a more secure alternative — one that uses end-to-end encryption and zero-access encryption by default to help protect your company’s most valuable data from data breaches.
Founded in 2014 by scientists who met at CERN (the European Organization for Nuclear Research), Proton is the world’s most popular encrypted email platform, with over 100 million users, including over 50,000 businesses of all sizes, universities, and government agencies.
This article explains how to create a business email account that’s secure by default using Proton Mail, as well as some of its unique benefits.
If you’re ready to start, sign up here.
- Why use secure email for your business
- Proton Mail for Business plan comparison
- Put privacy first with Proton
Why use a secure business email account
As hackers find more and more ways to exploit and sell data on the dark web, it’s never been more important to protect your sensitive business data.
Proton designed all of its end-to-end encrypted apps — Proton Mail, Proton Calendar, Proton Drive, Proton Pass, and Proton VPN(new window) — to keep your data secure, however big or small your business.
Prevent data breaches
Big Tech email services like Google and Microsoft do not offer end-to-end encryption (E2EE) by default for their users, meaning they can access and potentially share your data with third parties. Any data they collect could also be leaked in a breach or government data request.
When you use Proton Mail, however, emails sent within your organization are end-to-end encrypted by default. That means all your messages and attachments are locked on your device before being sent to our servers and can only be unlocked and read by the recipient. For emails to non-Proton Mail accounts, you can send password-protected emails as an extra layer of defense. Zero-access encryption is in place for incoming emails automatically.
In every case, your messages are always encrypted on our servers, meaning that, even in the event of a server breach, your company’s emails remain secure and unreadable to anyone but you. You remain in control of your most valuable, confidential information — always.
Comply with data protection laws
For businesses that do not comply with data protection laws, the repercussions may include steep fines and penalties that can hobble a small company’s finances.
Proton Mail is a GDPR-compliant email service and can also help you comply with industry-specific privacy requirements, such as HIPAA, meaning you can focus on operating your business without violating these tough laws.
Private by default
Google, Microsoft, and many other services do not use end-to-end encryption, meaning those companies have access to your company’s data and could someday share it with third parties, use it to train AI models, or otherwise misuse your information. And because they are based in the US, they may be compelled to turn your data over to law enforcement upon request.
End-to-end encryption prevents third parties from accessing the content of your messages, ensuring that your privacy is mathematically guaranteed when you use Proton apps. And since Proton is based in Switzerland, the little data about you that is collected is protected by Swiss privacy laws and is not subject to foreign law enforcement requests.
Defend against hackers
Proton has several layers of defense against potential cyberattacks:
- PhishGuard: Proton’s PhishGuard filter is designed to identify and flag phishing attempts. When a phishing attack is detected, you will see a warning.
- Two-factor authentication (2FA): Proton Mail offers security beyond just a password with two-factor authentication (2FA). Proton supports several 2FA methods, including authenticator apps and physical security keys, meaning you can choose the most convenient and secure option. With a Proton for Business plan, administrators can also enforce 2FA as mandatory for their organizations to strengthen security among employees.
- Proton Sentinel: This is Proton’s advanced account protection program, which is available with a Proton Mail Professional or Proton Business Suite plan. It is designed to provide maximum security for those who need it by combining AI with human analysis. This is particularly useful if you’re an executive — or someone who deals with sensitive data and communications. Proton Sentinel offers 24/7 support to escalate suspicious login attempts to security analysts.
Learn more about Proton Mail security
Proton Mail for Business plan comparison
Proton Mail gives you advanced security while also giving you tools and features to let you run your business the exact way you want. We offer three plans:
Proton Mail Essentials is our simplest plan offering you secure email with 15 GB of total storage and 10 addresses per user, support for three custom email domains, and basic VPN access on one device per user. This also includes access to the Proton Scribe writing assistant.
Proton Mail Professional offers 50 GB of storage, 10 custom email domains, and more administrator control, including a dashboard for managing user permissions and access.
Proton Business Suite gives you 500 GB of storage per user for your encrypted emails on Proton Mail and secure file collaboration on Proton Drive with support for up to 15 custom business domains and custom workspace branding.
All our business plans include our end-to-end encrypted services Proton Mail, Proton Calendar, Proton Drive, Proton Pass, and Proton VPN(new window).
Learn more about Proton for Business plans
Last but not least, you can access Proton Mail on any web browser, use the Proton Mail desktop app, or work on the go with our iOS(new window) and Android(new window) mobile apps.
Put privacy first with Proton
Unlike Big Tech companies hungry for advertising revenue extracted from exploited data, our business model is centered around the security and control of your data.
Every feature in our ecosystem is built to not only protect your most sensitive, valuable information but also keep you in compliance with data protection laws.
Switching to Proton Mail is simple with our Easy Switch feature, allowing you to seamlessly transition all your emails, contacts, and calendars from other services.
Proton provides your small business with easy-to-use tools to manage communications and cybersecurity and ensure compliance with the highest data protection standards, allowing you to focus on running your business.
