Mastodawn

VolumetricShitCompressor

How good is Proton as a paid all-in-one solution for e-mail, calendar, and cloud storage?

@VolumetricShitCompressor

Technically speaking, it's good. But 2 questions:

Do you need end-to-end encrypted emails and cloud storage?
If not, you may find cheaper alternatives (if cost is a thing for you). :)

VolumetricShitCompressor Apr 22, 2025

What would be those alternatives? My main point would be to get away from microsoft with my mail and a somewhat sizable cloud storage (0,5-1 TB).

What about kSuite? Are they better?

@VolumetricShitCompressor

Between Proton & kSuite, both are good, you just need to compare prices and features. :)

Both have beautiful and modern interfaces - you can create a free account on both to test.

Both companies offer very different services from each other included in their suite, e.g., Proton has a VPN and Password Manager, while Infomaniak offer video call, transfer of large files, office online etc.

It also depends on whether you read your emails in a mobile app, browser or email client and the importance you attach to E2E encryption.

VolumetricShitCompressor Apr 22, 2025

So E2E encryption would be Proton and accessing mails on mobile apps would be kSuite, right?

@VolumetricShitCompressor

E2E encryption would be Proton, but you can use Proton Mail through their official app on mobile.

The main "problem" with Proton is usually related to using an e-mail client like Thunderbird, AppleMail, or Outlook to receive Proton e-mails on your desktop.

If you want to use Proton e-mail on Outlook or Thunderbird on desktop, you need to install Proton Bridge. This program will run automatically in the background. This is what handles the encryption and decryption of your emails as they enter and leave your computer. (it eliminates the complexity associated with manual encryption tools)

Since Proton Bridge is made for desktop, the only supported way to use Proton Mail *on smartphones* is through the official Proton Mail app.

@ueeu @VolumetricShitCompressor Am trying out Infomaniak’s ksuite and kdrive services at the moment. So far, so good. It’s a pretty solid alternative to Google Docs and Drive in my opinion - also has a Calendar.

@alex_p_roe @ueeu @VolumetricShitCompressor Did you check out #cryptpad ?

@AngelaScholder @ueeu @VolumetricShitCompressor Yup, checked that out. Pretty good too but full encryption scares me - I don’t need it and if I lose the encryption key or forget where I put it, big problem. If there were a non encrypted service, I’d probably have chosen it.

@alex_p_roe @ueeu @VolumetricShitCompressor OK, we just login and have access, but no idea if they have a recover the password option if you forget it.
The username and password is in our KeePass database (on our NAS and multiple copies and backups).

@AngelaScholder @ueeu @VolumetricShitCompressor Password and encryption keys are different - with some services, you can reset the password and not need a key. Don’t know if #cryptpad is like that and I’m not sure I want to find out!

@alex_p_roe @ueeu @VolumetricShitCompressor I'm pretty sure that so far we never needed the encryption key with #cryptpad as though all other encryption keys are in our KeePass database, I didn't store any for #cryptpad .
I'll have a look at that.

@AngelaScholder @ueeu @VolumetricShitCompressor Message from Cryptdrive log in page: "Due to the encrypted nature of CryptPad, the service administrators will not be able to recover data in case you forget your username and/or password. Please save them in a safe place." so if you lose or forget your password - problem.

@alex_p_roe @ueeu @VolumetricShitCompressor OK.....
For a lot of things it's the case that you should remember how to access it...

@AngelaScholder @ueeu @VolumetricShitCompressor True - but forgetting a password is not an issue if you can reset it. It becomes an issue when you can't. I'll stick with systems that allow me to reset passwords for now 🙂 For me, that rules out #cryptpad and other similar services.

Humberto Apr 22, 2025

@VolumetricShitCompressor @ueeu
I've been using mykSuite+ and I like it a lot!! Very good alternative for Microsoft/Google services.

DoomProphet Apr 22, 2025

Use it for years and have nothing to complain about. Well, if you have a custom domain with ä,ö, or ü then it gets translated into gibberish. Still works but doesn’t look pretty.

E-Mail app works as expected. I receive mails and can send them but I’m not a power user who expect any great features.

Calendar works as well. Share it with other proton user and also with an external person. The external can’t create events for us in the shared calendar but that wasn’t a problem so far, i just did it when we had an event.

Cloud storage is fine too. I don’t use the desktop client but I know there is one for Windows. The upload in the Browser works well and sharing files or folders with externals works with an easy link as you might know it from Google drive.

VPN is also as expected. Huge range of IP’s so you will always find one which isn’t banned by your streaming service or other website. Hadn’t any leaks yet while torrenting.

Hadn’t any contact with the support since setting it up but then it was fast and helpful as far as i remember. As Visonary account i got the priority support so I can’t say how representative that is for the regular support.

econads Apr 22, 2025

@VolumetricShitCompressor @Blaze honestly even just the android email client is somewhat slow, and doesn't allow downloading emails to save them locally AFAIK. I respect the whole encryption thing, and I know we're comparing to enshittified services, but there has to be something better out there.

Edit: see below maybe this will improve in the next couple of months.

@econads

They will release an offline mode this summer: https://proton.me/blog/mail-calendar-roadmap-spring-summer-2025

Proton Mail and Proton Calendar roadmap for spring and summer | Proton

This spring and summer, we’re rolling out some of the biggest updates yet to Proton Mail. Here’s a look at what’s coming soon.

Proton