Encrypted email services
Encrypted email keeps message contents readable only by the sender and recipients. This list includes email services with end-to-end encryption and email apps with built-in OpenPGP, so you can pair a provider with a client.
1. Forward Email Grade A Our pick
Open-source email service with encrypted mailboxes, custom domains, and IMAP, POP3, SMTP, CalDAV and CardDAV on every paid plan.
Why it is our pick: The whole service is published on GitHub, server code included. Each mailbox is a separately encrypted SQLite file, IMAP, POP3, SMTP, CalDAV and CardDAV work with any app, and custom domains are included on low-cost plans.
Email providers. Based in the United States (Five Eyes). Score 93/100.
Also rated in Email clients.
2. Forward Email Webmail Grade C Our pick
Hosted webmail for Forward Email accounts, with mail, calendar and contacts, built-in OpenPGP and optional encryption of locally cached data. It shares one source-available codebase with the Forward Email desktop and mobile apps.
Why it is our pick: Source-available webmail with built-in OpenPGP and no third-party analytics, covered by Cure53's audit. It works only with Forward Email accounts, not other IMAP and SMTP providers.
Webmail. Based in the United States (Five Eyes). Score 74/100.
3. Betterbird Grade B Our pick
Fork of Mozilla Thunderbird that follows its Extended Support Releases and adds extra fixes and features. Available for Windows, macOS and Linux.
Why it is our pick: Open-source (MPL-2.0) fork of Thunderbird with telemetry reporting turned off and built-in OpenPGP and S/MIME. It connects directly to any IMAP, POP3 and SMTP provider and blocks remote content by default.
Email clients. Based in Germany (Fourteen Eyes). Score 89/100.
4. Delta Chat Grade A
Decentralized messenger that uses email servers for delivery, with automatic end-to-end encryption through Autocrypt and OpenPGP. Works with chatmail relays or existing email accounts.
Email clients. Based in Germany (Fourteen Eyes). Score 92/100.
5. aerc Grade B
Terminal email client for Linux and macOS with IMAP, JMAP, Maildir and Notmuch support and PGP encryption through GnuPG.
Email clients. Score 89/100.
6. Claws Mail Grade B
Lightweight GTK email and news client for Linux and Windows, extended through plugins for OpenPGP, HTML rendering and spam filtering.
Email clients. Score 89/100.
7. Evolution Grade B
GNOME groupware application for Linux that combines email, calendar, contacts and tasks, with support for IMAP, POP3, Exchange and OpenPGP.
Email clients. Based in the United States (Five Eyes). Score 89/100.
8. Horde Groupware Webmail Edition Grade B
Self-hosted, open-source groupware suite built on the Horde framework, with the IMP webmail client, mail filters, calendar, contacts, tasks and notes.
Webmail. Score 89/100.
9. KMail Grade B
KDE email client for Linux, part of the Kontact suite, with support for IMAP, POP3, OpenPGP and S/MIME.
Email clients. Based in Germany (Fourteen Eyes). Score 89/100.
10. Mutt Grade B
Text-based terminal email client for Unix-like systems with built-in IMAP, POP3 and SMTP support, message threading and OpenPGP and S/MIME encryption.
Email clients. Score 89/100.
11. NeoMutt Grade B
Terminal email client for Linux and macOS based on Mutt, with built-in IMAP, POP3, SMTP and OpenPGP support.
Email clients. Score 89/100.
12. SnappyMail Grade B
Self-hosted, IMAP-only webmail client forked from RainLoop, with built-in OpenPGP support.
Webmail. Score 89/100.
13. Mozilla Thunderbird Grade B
Open-source desktop email client for Windows, macOS and Linux with calendar, contacts and built-in OpenPGP and S/MIME encryption.
Email clients. Based in the United States (Five Eyes). Score 86/100.
14. Afterlogic WebMail Lite Grade C
Self-hosted, open-source PHP webmail for an existing IMAP server, with contacts, OpenPGP in the browser and a module system. A paid Pro edition adds more features.
Webmail. Score 74/100.
15. Sylpheed Grade C
Lightweight GTK email client for Linux, Windows and macOS with POP3, IMAP and SMTP support, junk mail filtering and GnuPG encryption.
Email clients. Score 72/100.
16. Proton Mail Grade C
End-to-end encrypted email service from Switzerland, with apps for web, Android, iOS and desktop.
Email providers. Based in Switzerland. Score 64/100.
17. CounterMail Grade C
Paid email service in Sweden that encrypts mail with OpenPGP and stores it encrypted. New registrations are closed.
Email providers. Based in Sweden (Fourteen Eyes). Score 62/100.
18. Tuta Grade C
End-to-end encrypted email and calendar service from Germany, with open-source apps for web, desktop and mobile.
Email providers. Based in Germany (Fourteen Eyes). Score 61/100.
19. BlueMail Grade D
Closed-source email client for Android, iOS, Windows, macOS and Linux that works with IMAP, POP3 and Exchange accounts, with a unified inbox, PGP and S/MIME encryption and optional AI features.
Email clients. Based in the United States (Five Eyes). Score 42/100.
20. Canary Mail Grade D
Email app for macOS, iOS, Android and Windows with built-in PGP encryption, tracker blocking and AI features.
Email clients. Based in Singapore. Score 42/100.
21. eM Client Grade D
Desktop and mobile email client for Windows, macOS, Android and iOS with calendar, contacts, chat and built-in PGP and S/MIME.
Email clients. Based in Czechia. Score 42/100.
How this list is made
Entries are ranked with our picks first, then by score against public criteria. Every answer links to evidence, and hosted services are tested automatically. Only entries answering end-to-end encryption and OpenPGP support with evidence are included. The list updates when ratings change.
Compare all: email providers, webmail, email clients. Criteria and scoring.
Questions
What is the difference between TLS and end-to-end encryption?
TLS protects mail between servers and apps, but the provider can still read it. End-to-end encryption means only the people holding the keys can read the message.
Do I need a special provider for encrypted email?
No. OpenPGP works with any provider through an app that supports it, such as the email clients in this list. Some providers also build encryption into their webmail and apps.