Proton Mail is an end-to-end encrypted email service whose dedicated desktop app has finally fully launched for premium subscribers using Windows and macOS computers, allowing users to move away from its prior web browser-only experience if desired.
Proton Mail will offer free users, who get 500 MB of storage space, a 14-day free trial to test out its desktop app so they can try before upgrading to a subscription. A Linux desktop app is still in the works and is now in beta, according to a blog post.
In addition to E2EE, the app also includes Proton Mail's zero-access encryption as well phishing and tracking blockers. Its more advanced security features in Proton Sentinel are available on the desktop app too for subscribers.
Proton Mail's Windows and macOS desktop app entered beta back in December. The company says it's not offering the app for free users because of "significant infrastructure and maintenance demands," TechCrunch reports.
Proton Mail Growth Lead David Dudok de Wit notes in the company's announcement that a desktop app can provide more data security than an email service in a web browser because web browsers can be compromised via malicious browser extensions, for instance.
If you want Proton Mail on your desktop, you'll ultimately have to pay up. Even its existing "Bridge" service, which allows you to set up your Proton Mail through Apple's Mail app or Microsoft's Outlook app, is only available for paying users.
The Switzerland-based company first launched back in 2014 with the goal of providing a privacy-focused email service with full encryption. As an alternative to Microsoft or Google's mail services, Proton Mail offers its own storage "Drive," email, calendar, VPN, and a password manager. It also offers email forwarding and the ability to import your data from Outlook or Gmail if you pay for it.
This week, Proton Mail also released a new "snooze" feature for its iOS app and web browser versions, allowing users to postpone emails and set reminders to respond at a later date.