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Proton Mail's New Privacy-Focused Apps Arrive for iOS and Android

Proton Mail has rebuilt its email app for iOS and Android with speedier performance and an all-new design.

Headshot of Tyler Lacoma
Headshot of Tyler Lacoma
Tyler Lacoma Editor / Home Security and Smart Home
Tyler has worked on, lived with and tested all types of smart home and security technology for over a dozen years, explaining the latest features, privacy tricks, and top recommendations. With degrees in Business Management, Literature and Technical Writing, Tyler takes every opportunity to play with the latest AI technology, push smart devices to their limits and occasionally throw cameras off his roof, all to find the best devices to trust in your life. He always checks with the renters (and pets) in his life to see what smart products can work for everyone, in every living situation. Living in beautiful Bend, Oregon gives Tyler plenty of opportunities to test the latest tech in every kind of weather and temperature. But when not at work, he can be found hiking the trails, trying out a new food recipe for his loved ones, keeping up on his favorite reading, or gaming with good friends.
Expertise Smart home | Smart security | Home tech | Energy savings | A/V
Tyler Lacoma
2 min read
A phone showing expanded offline notification for Proton Mail app.

Proton Mail's new mobile apps include offline modes.

 Proton

Proton Mail, from privacy-focused tech company Proton, is a third-party free email option for those who want end-to-end encryption and a focus on email ad management. Now, Proton has rebuilt its mobile apps for iOS and Android, creating a new design that makes them more competitive with iOS Mail and Gmail.

Proton Mail's mobile redesign features a new code base that supports both iPhone and Android platforms, making apps faster and easier to update. Proton reports that the new apps make functions like scrolling and replying twice as fast as in previous versions.

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Proton's privacy features include end-to-end encryption and various tools to filter out spam, stop email tracking and remove marketing emails. Proton Mail has added extra features, notably a snooze option for email and an offline mode that lets users browse their emails, archive them and write new emails, which will all sync up when an internet connection returns.

Two phones showing light and dark modes of Proton Mail's mobile apps.

Proton Mail's mobile apps offer a number of privacy settings and guarantee no app-based ads.

 Proton

"If you've ever worried that switching to a privacy-first inbox means giving up convenience, these apps prove you don't have to compromise," Anant Vijay Singh, product lead for Proton Mail, told CNET. 

"We rebuilt everything from scratch, so encrypted email now feels just as fast and seamless as Apple Mail or Gmail -- but with the crucial difference that your inbox isn't being scanned or monetized. I've been using the new apps for a while now, and the speed jump is real."

CNET senior editor Moe Long is a big fan of Proton Mail's approach to privacy.

"It's nice to see the iOS and Android apps get an overhaul, which might make it an even more attractive option for folks seeking to migrate away from the likes of Gmail and Yahoo Mail for a more privacy-centric solution," Long said.

Proton Mail offers free and paid subscription tiers based on the number of features you want or whether you're using it for business.