When comparing Mailbox vs ProtonMail, the Slant community recommends ProtonMail for most people. In the question“What are the best e-mail clients for Android? ” ProtonMail is ranked 7th while Mailbox is ranked 22nd.
Specs
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro Great features for processing mail quickly
Mailbox brings simple to use, swipe gesture-based ways of dealing with your incoming messages:
- A short swipe to the right archives a message
- A long swipe to the right deletes a message
- A short swipe to the left snoozes a message (puts it off until later)
- A long swipe to the left adds a message to a list (folder)
Pro Allows putting off messages until later
Swiping an e-mail message from the inbox to the left gives an option to 'snooze' it for a set period of time. You can manually enter the date for when to return it to the inbox or choose from options like 'later today', 'this weekend', and 'someday'.
Pro Message composer has a dedicated camera button
When composing a message, a button that allows for either taking a photo or quickly adding one from your library is at the bottom-right corner.
Pro Automates common actions
This app via a feature called 'auto-swipe' tries learning behavioral patterns and take appropriate actions on its own, like organizing mail into folders, snoozing certain mail, etc. You can view set rules and manually add and change them according to your needs in an easy to understand way.
Pro Free
Mailbox is available for free, although a premium version with added features might be in the works.
Pro Good looking design
Mailbox has a minimalist design. It divides your incoming messages in three categories - your inbox, things you've postponed and things you've gotten rid of.
Pro Built-in end-to-end encryption
Pro No personal information needed
To create an account you don't need to give any personal information, just choose username, domain, and password. Even the recovery email address is optional.
Pro Privacy respecting
User data is protected by strict privacy laws because all servers are located in Switzerland.
Pro Open Source
Pro Mobile apps
Apps for Android and iOS available.
Cons
Con Can't save drafts
Con No access to Gmail drafts folder
Con No Gmail labels
Con To be discontinued
Mailbox will be shutting down on February 26, 2016.
Con Privacy concerns
There's concern of privacy, because Mailbox has access to your emails, since they're passing through their servers. After being acquired by Dropbox these concerns have been somewhat alleviated, because of Dropbox's stable track record, but not completely.
Con Javascript-intensive Webmail
Free accounts are required to use Javascript webmail and encryption is done in the browser. Javascript cryptography is harmful for security and should not be used.
Con Encryption Keys are stored server-side
The keys are generated during account creation. Using your existing keys is prohibited and ProtonMail must store and control the private keys. Encryption cannot be secure unless the user controls the private keys.
Con Still lacks some useful features
At the moment, there is no calendar feature and contact management is quite poor. They will, however, start to work on it.
Con Ties to US Investors
ProtonMail takes money from US Investors
Con No IMAP and SMTP support for basic accounts
Basic accounts are restricted to the Protonmail web client. Support for IMAP and SMTP is available with a paid subscription only, and as such with basic accounts it is not possible to send and receive email with external applications.
Con Overly expensive for desktop support
Con Requires phone number for login
If you sign up over Tor or a VPN, it will require email or phone number verification. Email verification is disabled if you use an email that isn't from Google or Outlook.