I’ve moved almost completely to Proton Mail. I expect I’ll end up keeping a Google or Outlook account, not for use as a primary account, but as a recovery account or to access other services.

I currently see a lot less value in the google account than outlook, but that’s because my family does need access to full blown office. Libre office does 98% of what I need, but on occasion I do need office. An install of 2010 would probably meet that requirement as well. Firefox is set to delete cookies on exit, and I do not ever stay signed into these services.

Does anyone else keep free service email accounts around, and if so, what do you use them for? What’s the pit-fall I’m not seeing if I try to restrict them and treat them with the Principle of Least Privileged model?

  • I still use an outlook email. Since most email (which is unencrypted during transmission) pass through microsoft server anyway; unless you are emailing another protonmail account, but I have yet to see another one of my contact using protonmail.

    Also protonmail’s UX is honestly pretty bad, since I have a work email not from proton. So I will need two email client on my phone, unless I selfhost a bridge on a server that I can connect to from everywhere.

    • Thank you! I rarely see talk about how shit their app is. I signed up somewhat recently and it’s dog slow on Android or the web portal. It’s just a hot mess. I’m currently testing Fastmail and the UI and performance is much better. I do understand there are some lacking privacy features with FM though, so still messing with it.