Imagine my delight and amazement when I then received a follow-up email asking if this had solved my issue and could they consider the service request closed? This is a civilized way to run a software company. New to this treatment, I was remiss in replying. Coming from past applications where no human could be found, this was breath-taking enough.

If that doesn't answer my question or solve my problem, I can easily email a real person and expect a thorough and polite response within a day. Of course there is a written help guide and it is also clear and, well, helpful. There is so much I love about this product - the encryption, the minimal (not distracting) layout, the ease of use, the fun extras (like alternate addresses) - but what really sets it apart is the customer service. Being a paid member of the Proton world (Mail, Drive, VPN) feels like a very personal experience in the generally faceless, mega-corporate online communications industry. I appreciate the company communications about their mission and sense of corporate advocacy (they support journalists and others who need secure communications). All of its features are on par or better than its competitors with the added benefits of encryption.

Proton mail free