# Gmail vs Proton Mail

The clearest difference is ads: Proton Mail at none against Gmail's shown. Proton Mail also leads on review sentiment (46% vs 29%). Gmail's advantage is ratings volume (2.4M vs 47K) and chart position (#3 vs #73). On price, rating, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Gmail sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Proton Mail sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Gmail against 4.8 for Proton Mail. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Gmail has 2.4M ratings behind it against 47K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 29% of Gmail's written reviews are positive against 46% of Proton Mail's.

Gmail ships an update weekly, Proton Mail every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Gmail | Proton Mail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (2.4M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gmail-email-by-google/id422689480/reviews) | **[4.8 (47K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/proton-mail-encrypted-email/id979659905/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **2.4M** | 47K |
| Positive reviews | 29.3% of reviews | **46.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 11 days |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#3** | #73 |
| Size | 719 MB | 272 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **17.2** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Google](https://appshunter.io/developer/281956209) | [Proton AG](https://appshunter.io/developer/979659484) |

## What reviewers say

### Gmail

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gmail-email-by-google/id422689480)

**Currently charting:** #3 Top Grossing · Productivity, #5 Top Free · Productivity, #17 Top Grossing, #19 Top Free (US App Store)

This application provides a secure and efficient email experience with advanced features like spam blocking, smart replies, and multi-account support. It integrates with other Google services for enhanced productivity and collaboration.

**Highlights:** Robust security & spam blocking, Real-time notifications, Multiple account support, Smart Reply & Compose, Undo send, Google Chat & Meet integration, Threaded conversations

**Features:** Family Sharing, Siri integration, Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 100 GB | $1.99 | per month |
| 100 GB | $1.99 | per month |
| 200 GB | $2.99 | per month |
| 200 GB | $2.99 | per month |
| 2 TB | $9.99 | per month |
| Google AI Plus (2 TB) | $9.99 | per month |
| 100 GB | $19.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Efficient email management
- 👍 Easy to use interface
- 🔒 Secure and reliable
- 😊 Positive user experience overall

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs and glitches
- 💡 Lacking advanced features
- 🔒 Security concerns
- 🔋 Drains battery quickly

**Reported bugs**

- Notifications not working properly
- Emails disappearing from inbox
- Inability to remove accounts
- Conversation view issues

**Requested features**

- Swipe to delete/snooze emails
- Ability to mark all emails as read
- Customizable notification settings
- Improved file attachment functionality


### Proton Mail

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/proton-mail-encrypted-email/id979659905)

**Currently charting:** #73 Top Free · Productivity, #84 Top Grossing · Productivity (US App Store)

This encrypted email service from Switzerland prioritizes user privacy with end-to-end encryption. It offers robust security features to protect your communications from phishing, spam, and tracking, allowing you to manage your inbox with ease.

**Highlights:** End-to-end encryption, Password-protected emails, Multiple account support, Inbox organization (folders, labels), Dark mode, Phishing and spam protection

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mail Plus 1 month | $5.99 | per month |
| Unlimited 1 month | $14.99 | per month |
| Mail Plus 12 months | $47.90 | per year |
| Unlimited 1 year | $119.00 | per year |
| Mail Plus (1 year) | $59.99 | one-time |
| Proton Unlimited | $149.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth performance
- 🔒 Excellent security and privacy
- 👍 Clean and intuitive interface
- 💡 Expanding ecosystem of Proton services

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
- ⏱️ Slow email loading times
- 📝 Lacking advanced email management features
- 💰 Expensive paid plans

**Reported bugs**

- Login issues and lost email data
- Unreliable push notifications
- Inconsistent user experience between app and web

**Requested features**

- Conversation threading and email previews
- Customizable notification sounds
- Offline email access
- Improved syncing across devices


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Gmail free?

Gmail is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Proton Mail free?

Proton Mail is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Gmail or Proton Mail?

Proton Mail is rated higher. Gmail averages 4.7 out of 5 from 2.4M ratings, while Proton Mail averages 4.8 from 47K ratings.

### Do Gmail or Proton Mail have ads?

Gmail shows ads; Proton Mail does not.

### Which is updated more often, Gmail or Proton Mail?

Gmail ships an update weekly, and Proton Mail every 11 days. Most recently, Gmail was updated on September 24, 2026 and Proton Mail on September 25, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Gmail or Proton Mail?

Gmail currently peaks at #3 in the App Store charts, and Proton Mail at #73. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*