Best Encrypted Email for Business 2025: Compliance, Teams, Admin Controls
SMB buyers' guide to secure business email. Compare Proton Mail, Fastmail, Tutanota, StartMail for encryption, admin, compliance, and pricing.
Best Encrypted Email for Business 2025
Moving your company to a privacy-first email provider reduces legal risk and improves data protection. We evaluated the best options for small and mid-sized teams based on encryption, admin controls, compliance, and pricing.
Evaluation Criteria
- Encryption model: E2EE, zero-knowledge, TLS only
- Compliance: GDPR, HIPAA options, BAAs, audit logs
- Admin & IT: SSO/SCIM, role-based access, journaling, retention
- Migration: import tools, IMAP/Bridge support, DNS cutover
- Apps & UX: iOS/Android, desktop clients, search experience
Quick Picks
| Scenario | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Overall privacy | Proton Mail Business | Zero-access E2EE, Swiss jurisdiction |
| Feature-rich | Fastmail | Best admin UX, rules, masks (not E2EE at rest) |
| Budget E2EE | Tutanota | Full E2EE, encrypted calendar |
| Custom domains | StartMail | Easy domain setup, aliases |
Executive Summary: If you need true end-to-end encryption and strong admin controls, start with Proton Mail Business.
Detailed Reviews
Proton Mail Business — Best Overall Privacy
Swiss-based, zero-access encryption with a growing admin console and ecosystem (Pass, Drive, Calendar).
Highlights
- Organization admin, user roles, groups
- S/MIME support roadmap; Bridge for desktop IMAP
- Data residency in CH/EU; audit activity logs
Security & Compliance
- End-to-end encryption between Proton users
- Zero-access storage
- GDPR alignment; HIPAA workflows via BAAs (contact sales)
Pricing (teams): Competitive per-user tiers with custom domain support
Fastmail — Best Features for Teams (Not E2EE at Rest)
Privacy-respecting, fast IMAP, superb admin/rules, email masks. Not end-to-end encrypted, but excellent usability and integrations.
Highlights
- Admin-friendly: shared mailboxes, custom rules, APIs
- Full IMAP support for Outlook/Apple Mail
- Email masks and identity control
Security & Compliance
- TLS in transit, encrypted at rest
- No ad mining; transparent privacy policy
- Best paired with DLP/backup tools for regulated data
Pricing: Clear tiers per user with large storage
Tutanota — Budget E2EE for Small Teams
Full encryption (including subject lines) with encrypted calendar, strong privacy defaults.
Highlights
- Complete E2EE, domain support
- Encrypted calendar
- Open-source clients
Trade-offs
- Limited third-party integrations
- Search and IMAP constraints (no Bridge)
StartMail — Custom Domains and Aliases
Great for domain flexibility and alias workflows with simple admin.
Highlights
- Easy domain onboarding
- Disposable aliases
- IMAP clients supported
Trade-offs
- Not E2EE end-to-end between users
- Fewer enterprise features
Compliance Mapping
| Provider | Encryption Model | GDPR | HIPAA/BAA | Audit Logs | SSO/SCIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proton Mail | E2EE + zero-access | ✓ | Available (contact sales) | ✓ | SSO; SCIM roadmap |
| Fastmail | TLS + at-rest | ✓ | No native BAA | ✓ | ✓ |
| Tutanota | Full E2EE | ✓ | Contact sales | Limited | Limited |
| StartMail | TLS + aliases | ✓ | No native BAA | Limited | Limited |
Pricing Snapshot (Teams)
- Proton Mail: Tiered per-user with custom domains, Bridge
- Fastmail: $3–$9/user/mo, generous storage
- Tutanota: Low-cost tiers, domain support
- StartMail: Per-user with alias bundles
Migration Plan (Fast Track)
- Pilot (2–3 users) on subdomain
- Inventory DNS and current mailboxes
- Import mail/contacts (IMAP or vendor import)
- Configure SSO and role-based access
- Roll out MX cutover during a low-traffic window
- Train users (aliases, 2FA, phishing checks)
- Audit logs and retention policies
FAQs
Do we need a BAA for HIPAA?
Yes, if email may contain PHI. Confirm BAA terms with the provider or use gateway encryption and policies.
Can we use Outlook with encrypted providers?
Proton Bridge supports desktop clients. Otherwise use the web/mobile apps for full E2EE.
How do we search encrypted mail?
Vendors provide encrypted search indexes or limited client-side search. Expect trade-offs vs non-E2EE.
Recommendations by Company Size
- 1–10 employees: Tutanota or StartMail (simple, low-cost)
- 10–50 employees: Proton Mail Business (best privacy + admin)
- 50–200 employees: Fastmail + DLP/backup + SSO (features, integrations)
Ready to choose? Start with a 2-week pilot and evaluate admin + user feedback before the full cutover.