# Email vs Proton Mail

The clearest difference is rating: Proton Mail at 4.8 against Email's 4.5. Proton Mail also leads on chart position (#70 vs unranked). Email's advantage is review sentiment (66% vs 46%) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.2). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Email sells 17 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days 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.

Proton Mail holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 79K and 47K respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 66% of Email's written reviews are positive against 46% of Proton Mail's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Email ships an update fortnightly, Proton Mail every 11 days. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Email | Proton Mail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (79K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/email-edison-mail/id922793622/reviews) | **[4.8 (47K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/proton-mail-encrypted-email/id979659905/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **79K** | 47K |
| Positive reviews | **66.0% of reviews** | 46.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 11 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#70** |
| Size | 220 MB | 272 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 17.2 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Edison Software Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/481881468) | [Proton AG](https://appshunter.io/developer/979659484) |

## What reviewers say

### Email

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/email-edison-mail/id922793622)

Manage multiple email accounts in one unified inbox. This app offers fast email fetching, smart search for important information, and tools to reduce inbox clutter. It prioritizes privacy and security with features like sender blocking and biometric protection.

**Highlights:** Unified inbox for all accounts, Fast email fetching and search, One-tap unsubscribe, Sender blocking, Customizable swipe actions and templates, Biometric inbox security

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Safari Extension, Family Sharing, Apple Wallet, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (17)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Edison Mail+ | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| Edison Mail+ | $9.99 | per month |
| Edison Mail+ | $9.99 | per month |
| Edison Mail+ | $11.99 | per month |
| Edison Mail+ | $14.99 | per month |
| Edison Mail+ | $14.99 | per month |
| Edison Mail+ | $16.99 | per month |
| Edison Mail+ | $19.99 | per month |
| Edison Mail+ | $24.99 | per month |
| Edison Mail+ | $49.99 | per year |
| Edison Mail+ | $59.99 | per year |
| Edison Mail+ | $66.99 | per year |
| Edison Mail+ | $66.99 | per year |
| Edison Mail+ | $79.99 | per year |
| Edison Mail+ | $99.99 | per year |
| Edison Mail+ | $99.99 | per year |
| Edison Mail+ | $109.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and responsive
- 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly interface
- 🔒 Secure with Face ID support
- 📦 Helpful package tracking and delivery updates
- 🔍 Effective unsubscribe and spam blocking features

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Unreliable notifications and email sync issues
- 🔄 Frequent app crashes and freezes
- 🔍 Inconsistent search and filtering functionality
- 🔑 Issues with logging in and account connectivity
- 📧 Problems with sending and delivering emails

**Reported bugs**

- Emails disappearing from the Outbox
- Incorrect unread email badge counts
- Emails not loading or displaying properly
- Account settings randomly resetting

**Requested features**

- Dark mode option
- Customizable snooze and scheduling options
- Integration with calendar and reminders
- Ability to move emails between accounts
- More granular control over folder management


### Proton Mail

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

**Currently charting:** #70 Top Free · Productivity, #88 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 Email free?

Email 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, Email or Proton Mail?

Proton Mail is rated higher. Email averages 4.5 out of 5 from 79K ratings, while Proton Mail averages 4.8 from 47K ratings.

### Do Email or Proton Mail have ads?

Neither Email nor Proton Mail shows ads.

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

Email ships an update fortnightly, and Proton Mail every 11 days. Most recently, Email was updated on September 24, 2026 and Proton Mail on September 24, 2026.

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