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Fact check: What are the differences between ProtonMail and Tutanota?

Checked on January 27, 2025

1. Summary of the results

ProtonMail and Tutanota are both secure email providers with distinct characteristics:

*Key Technical Differences:

  • **Encryption**: While both offer end-to-end encryption, Tutanota provides more comprehensive coverage by encrypting entire email threads including subject lines, while ProtonMail supports PGP but doesn't encrypt subject lines [1] [2]
  • **Storage**: Tutanota offers more generous free storage at 1GB compared to ProtonMail's 500MB [1]
  • **Search Capabilities**: There are conflicting reports about search functionality - one source indicates Tutanota allows full email body search locally [1], while another states it lacks search function [2]

Business Aspects:*

  • Pricing: Tutanota is significantly more affordable, starting at €12/year, while ProtonMail starts at $48/year [1]
  • Market Share: ProtonMail has a larger user base with 70 million users, compared to Tutanota's 10 million [3]
  • Location: ProtonMail operates from Switzerland, while Tutanota is based in Germany [1]

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Several important contextual elements weren't addressed in the original question:

  • Ecosystem Consideration: ProtonMail might be preferable for users wanting a broader privacy ecosystem [3]
  • Authentication Requirements: Tutanota offers anonymous account creation without phone number verification [2]
  • Message Limits: ProtonMail's free plan includes a limit of 150 daily messages, a restriction not mentioned for Tutanota [2]
  • Additional Features: Both services offer unique features like self-destructing emails (ProtonMail) and custom reCAPTCHA alternative (Tutanota) [3] [2]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question's open-ended nature avoided bias, but users should consider:

  • Market Dynamics: The significant difference in user base (70M vs 10M) might influence service stability and development resources [3]
  • Regional Implications: The different jurisdictions (Switzerland vs Germany) might affect data protection laws and government access to data [1]
  • Feature Evolution: Some contradictory information about features (like search functionality) suggests rapid evolution of these services, and any comparison might become outdated quickly [1] [2]
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