Want out of Gmail? Five email services for privacy, independence or business, with prices and platforms.
Researched from official sources, updated today, 2 min readGmail is free, fast to search and tied into Google Calendar, Meet, Chat and Drive. So why leave? Some people want stronger privacy, some want an independent provider, and some need business email on their own domain. Here are five email services from our inventory that can replace it. Prices were checked on November 1, 2026.
| Best for | Price | Platforms | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gmail | The baseline: free, with Gemini AI | Free; business via Google Workspace | iPhone, Android, web |
| Proton Mail | Encrypted email | Free; Mail Plus $3.99/month billed annually | iPhone, Android, Mac, Windows, Linux, web |
| Fastmail | Independent, ad-free email | From $5/month paid yearly | iPhone, Android, Mac, Windows, Linux, web |
| HEY Email | A new way to handle email | $99/year after a 30-day trial | iPhone, Android, Mac, Windows, Linux, web |
| Microsoft Outlook | Email plus calendar | Free for personal use | iPhone, Android, Mac, Windows, web |
| Zoho Mail | Small-business custom domains | Free for up to 5 users in selected regions | iPhone, Android, Mac, Windows, Linux, web |
Gmail is Google's email service, used in the browser and mobile apps. It has fast search, spam and phishing protection, multiple accounts and Gemini AI features. It is free for personal use; business Gmail comes with paid Google Workspace plans.
Proton Mail is a Swiss email service with end-to-end and zero-access encryption for messages and attachments. It has a free plan, password-protected messages, and custom domains on paid plans. Mail Plus is $3.99 a month billed annually.
Pick it if privacy is your main reason for leaving Gmail.
Fastmail is an independent, privacy-focused email service that also covers calendar, contacts and files. There is no free plan, but the Individual plan is $6 a month or $5 a month paid yearly, and there is a trial of up to 30 days. Duo, Family and Business plans are also available.
Pick it if you want a paid, independent provider with apps on every platform.
HEY, from 37signals, screens new senders before they reach your Imbox, blocks trackers and adds workflows such as Reply Later, Set Aside, the Feed and the Paper Trail. HEY for You is $99 a year after a 30-day trial.
Pick it if you want email to work differently, not just come from a different company.
Outlook combines email, calendar, contacts and tasks, and is free for personal use with an Outlook.com address. It can also connect other accounts, so you can move gradually.
Pick it if you want a free, big-name alternative with a strong calendar.
Zoho Mail is business email and calendar for custom-domain addresses, with webmail, mobile and desktop apps, migration tools and admin controls. It is free for up to five users (5 GB each) in selected regions, with paid Mail Lite and Mail Premium plans.
Pick it if you run a small team and want email on your own domain.
For privacy, go with Proton Mail; its free plan makes it easy to try. For an independent paid service, Fastmail is the straightforward choice. If you want a free swap with a good calendar, Outlook works well, and small businesses should look at Zoho Mail.