We may earn a commission if you buy through links on this page. It never changes a score or a ranking. How we make money
Hushmail is worth considering for healthcare email and intake forms, but it may not suit people whose top priority is minimizing provider access to email. Reddit discussions cite court records and a Canadian court-order disclosure risk. The alternatives below cover personal privacy, custom-domain email, healthcare workflows, and business security. Prices and limits vary: some services publish entry prices, while others require a quote or leave key costs undisclosed.
01Why people leave Hushmail
Concern about legal disclosure
Reddit threads cite reports that Hushmail can turn over encrypted emails to law enforcement when presented with a Canadian court order.
Doubts about hosted encryption
Privacy-focused Reddit discussions question whether users should trust a webmail provider to protect messages stored on its servers.
Looking for a free tier
One Reddit post described Hushmail as paid at about $50 a year; Tuta and Mailfence list free plans.
02The alternatives, ranked by fit
- Private personal email
TutaTutaTuta is a closer fit if you’re leaving Hushmail over privacy concerns and want personal email rather than healthcare forms. Its listing starts at $3 and includes a free plan, plus calendar and contacts. The published review also flags account-access complaints, so we wouldn’t move critical email without evaluating that risk.
Trade-off: Account-access complaints are a concern; its listed strengths don’t include intake forms.
7.2/10from
€3/mofree plan - OpenPGP email
MailfenceMailfenceMailfence offers browser-based OpenPGP email, plus calendar and custom-domain support, making it an option for people moving away from Hushmail’s secure-email pitch. Its listing starts at $2.50 and includes a free plan. That’s a lower published entry price than Hushmail’s listed $9.89 starting price, though plan details matter.
Trade-off: IMAP is less compelling on the cheap plan.
7.0/10from
€2.50/mofree plan - Custom-domain email
SoverinSoverinSoverin is for people leaving Hushmail who want custom-domain email without paying for a healthcare-focused bundle. Its listing starts at $3.25 and includes unlimited aliases, with European hosting. The main caveats are plaintext access and annual-only published pricing, so check those against your privacy and billing requirements.
Trade-off: Plaintext access is a caveat; published pricing is annual-only.
6.0/10from
€3.25/mo - Healthcare email
PauboxPauboxPaubox is the most directly relevant option here for practices using Google or Microsoft email: its listing covers healthcare email, forms, inbound security, and archiving. That may fit teams switching from Hushmail for healthcare workflows. Pricing is not published, and the listing caps plans at five senders, so get a quote and confirm capacity.
Trade-off: Pricing is unpublished, and plans have a five-sender limit.
6.8/10from
Custom - Encrypted business email
VirtruVirtruVirtru is aimed at teams that need encrypted email and attachments, secure file workflows, or listed compliance features. It may suit organizations leaving Hushmail for broader data-security controls rather than a basic inbox. Its listed starting price is $119, making it a much bigger commitment than the lower-priced personal email options here.
Trade-off: Steep entry pricing and limited price transparency.
6.0/10from
$119/mo - Business email security
Proofpoint EssentialsProofpoint EssentialsProofpoint Essentials is a business email security option for teams leaving Hushmail’s practice-focused setup for email filtering. The listing starts at $1.65 and notes Active Directory onboarding. Treat that entry price cautiously: it has an eligibility catch, and reports are mixed. Confirm who qualifies and what the service costs for your team.
Trade-off: The entry price has an eligibility catch; reports are mixed.
6.2/10from
$1.65/mo
03Side by side
| Tool | Score | From | Free plan | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Hushmail Hushmail (current) | 6.0 | $9.89/mo | No | Healthcare practices needing secure email |
| Tuta Tuta | 7.2 | €3/mo | Yes | Privacy-minded personal email users |
| Mailfence Mailfence | 7.0 | €2.50/mo | Yes | Browser-based OpenPGP email users |
| Soverin Soverin | 6.0 | €3.25/mo | No | Custom-domain email on a budget |
| Paubox Paubox | 6.8 | Custom | No | Healthcare teams using Google or Microsoft email |
| Virtru Virtru | 6.0 | $119/mo | No | Teams needing encrypted email and attachments |
| Proofpoint Essentials Proofpoint Essentials | 6.2 | $1.65/mo | No | Existing Essentials customers seeking lower pricing |
Questions people ask
Which email service is best for private emails?
From the options covered here, Tuta is listed for privacy-minded personal email and has a free plan. Mailfence offers browser-based OpenPGP email and a free plan. Those descriptions don’t establish which service is best for every threat model, so compare account access and the privacy features you specifically need.
What is the downside of ProtonMail?
The material available for this page doesn’t document Proton Mail’s pricing, limits, or privacy trade-offs, so we can’t give a sourced list of downsides. The Hushmail concern is separate: Reddit discussions cite reports of encrypted messages being disclosed under a Canadian court order.
What is Hushmail?
Hushmail is an email service presented here as an option for healthcare practices needing secure email, small practices collecting signed intake forms, and clients who need secure replies. It is worth considering for those workflows, but the published material raises concerns about provider access and disclosure under a Canadian court order.