Proton for Business: Encrypted Email & Business Suite from Switzerland

Proton for Business — branded Proton Workspace in 2026 — is the business arm of the well-known Swiss privacy provider Proton. For freelancers and small teams who handle sensitive client data, or simply don't want a US corporation reading their mail, it's the obvious encrypted alternative to Google Workspace.

What is Proton for Business?

Proton for Business is the team edition of Proton's services. In one per-user subscription you get Proton Mail (encrypted email with a custom domain), Calendar, Drive (encrypted cloud storage), Docs & Sheets, Meet (video conferencing), VPN and Pass (password manager). The key point: everything is end-to-end encrypted by default — in Proton's own words, "not even Proton" can access the content. That positions it clearly as a privacy-friendly alternative to Google Workspace and Microsoft 365.

The decisive point: encryption and location

The core argument is end-to-end encryption combined with location. Proton is a Swiss company based in Geneva; its servers are in Switzerland and Germany. Switzerland sits deliberately outside US jurisdiction and is considered one of the strictest privacy locations in the world. For accurate framing: Proton operates under Swiss data-protection law, not the GDPR directly — but Switzerland has an EU adequacy decision, and Proton is ISO 27001 certified plus SOC 2 Type II audited and can be used in a GDPR-compliant way. In short: GDPR-aligned and Swiss-hosted, but not an EU provider.

The plans

Proton tiers per user per month (billed annually). Mail Essentials (from $6.99) is the entry point with Mail, Calendar and VPN, 15 GB storage and three custom domains. Workspace Standard (from $12.99) unlocks the full suite — including Drive, Docs, Meet and Pass — with 1 TB storage per user. Workspace Premium (from $19.99) brings 3 TB, more domains and Lumo AI with an email assistant. Larger organizations get a custom Enterprise tier. There's no forever-free business plan — but there is a 14-day trial and, for individuals, the free Proton Free tier as an entry point.

Where Proton hits its limits

The strengths have a flip side. Because everything is encrypted, there are no native integrations into Gmail or Outlook workflows and third-party apps — you work inside Proton's own ecosystem. Server-side full-text search is inherently limited too, and Docs & Sheets aren't yet as mature as Google's equivalents. If you're deep into Google collaboration, you'll have to weigh whether the privacy gain is worth the comfort loss.

Who is Proton for Business worth it for?

Proton suits privacy-conscious freelancers and small teams looking for an encrypted all-in-one alternative to the US suites — especially if they handle sensitive client or patient data (legal, health, journalism) and value Swiss jurisdiction. It's less suitable for teams locked into Google's or Microsoft's integrations and collaboration depth. For everyone else, it's one of the most credible privacy-first options on the market.