A Proton for Business alternative for team mailboxes
Proton for Business puts end-to-end encryption first. Work Inbox puts teamwork first: shared mailboxes that several people answer, live shared notes, and the option to run everything on your own Cloudflare account.
Start free 14 days, no card. Or self-host for free.
Side by side
Proton Mail's facts from its own pages, checked 9 November 2026. Prices as Proton Mail shows them, before tax.
| Feature |  Work Inbox |  Proton Mail |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | €1 / €2.50 / €5 a month (Starter, Pro, Business), billed monthly; first 5 people free, at least 5 billed; self-hosted free | From $6.99 a month, annual |
| Free plan or trial | Included: Free for up to 5 people; 14-day trial for teams, no card. Self-hosting free for good | Partly: 14-day trial and a 30-day refund; no free business plan |
| Shared mailboxes | Included: Unlimited on every plan, no licence per mailbox | Not available: No shared mailboxes listed; email groups on Workspace plans |
| Aliases and catch-all | Included: Unlimited aliases, catch-all per domain, plus addressing | Partly: 10 to 20 addresses per person; catch-all on every plan |
| Notes or docs edited together | Included: Shared notes with live editing, checklists, tables, @mentions | Included: Proton Docs and Sheets, end-to-end encrypted |
| Self-hosting and source code | Included: Open source; runs on your own Cloudflare account | Partly: Apps are open source, the server isn't; no self-hosting |
| IMAP and mobile mail apps | Not available: Not yet: web app only (installable). IMAP gateway planned | Partly: Mobile apps; IMAP only through Proton Bridge on desktop |
| Claude / ChatGPT (MCP) | Included: MCP server: search and read mail, notes, contacts and drive files on every plan; replies and changes on Pro and Business | Not available: No MCP server or public mail API found |
| Calendar, contacts, files | Partly: Calendar, contacts (a team address book) and a shared drive; no office documents or video calls | Included: Calendar, Drive, Pass, VPN |
Proton Mail's plans
- Mail Essentials: $6.99 a person a month, annual; 15 GB, 3 domains, 10 addresses each
- Workspace Standard: $8.99 intro price for new customers until 30 November 2026, then a higher regular price; 1 TB, 15 domains
- Workspace Premium: $14.99 intro; 3 TB, 20 domains
Why teams pick Work Inbox
- Real shared mailboxes for support@ and sales@.
- The whole server is open source and runs on your own account.
- An API and an MCP server for your tools and AI apps.
Pick Proton Mail if
- End-to-end encryption and Swiss jurisdiction come first.
- You want encrypted Drive, Pass and VPN in the same plan.
- You need mobile apps today.
Sources
Other comparisons
Bring your domain
Your team's mail on it this afternoon.
$ open workinbox.io/signupstart →
$ git clone https://github.com/workinbox-io/inbox.git && cd inbox && pnpm install && pnpm setup