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Ask HN: Gmail Alternatives

2 points by bedobi ↗ HN
I'm increasingly worried by Google's graveyarded products and the impossibility of regaining access to a Google account you've lost access to. (something I saw with my own eyes Apple employees in store could help with when a friend lost access to theirs - very impressive and night and day compared to Google)

I can move my photos to iCloud all I want, but Apple Mail at the end of the day is just a client for email, and I want a non-google email account too.

No, all you overachievers out there, I don't want to self host (in ANY way) my own email server or infrastructure in AWS or whatever, no matter how easy you think it is. I want a reliable email account with stellar human support if I lose access to it. Happy to pay for it if required. What's the best options out there?

EDIT actually I didn't know this but it seems like Apple iCloud does in fact have email as a service as well and not just as a client? I've now created an iCloud email address associated with my Apple account, I think I will use that.

8 comments

[ 3.6 ms ] story [ 24.1 ms ] thread
mdwalters
I hear ProtonMail[1] is good, especially for your needs.

[1]: https://protonmail.com/

harryquach
I have been using protonmail exclusively for over 4 years. Interface deed and features are better than Gmail plus you can use your own domain.
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tamimio
Regardless, don’t choose proton mail if privacy is your goal, months ago someone got arrested using their service https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=28427259
protonmail
The case in fact proves that Proton provides privacy by default - even when we receive a data request we cannot legally contest, we are not able to share the data in an unencrypted format. That means that when it comes to the content of your emails, attachments, calendars, files on Proton Drive and items on Proton Pass, we cannot share them with anyone because we have no access to them ourselves, due to zero-access encryption.
Klonoar
Email is not a secure vector, so the privacy angle is mostly moot unless you have a particular reason to want to use e.g Protonmail/etc.

(And sure, go for it - their newer UI is really good)

Fastmail is arguably the sweet spot for "leave me the fuck alone and just do emails" coupled with generally being very reliable and cost-effective. Always use your own domain, regardless of service.