Softwr

Cybersecurity · head to head

Proton Mail vs Signicat

Proton Mail logo

Proton Mail

Cybersecurity

Secure email that protects your privacy

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Signicat logo

Signicat

Cybersecurity

European digital identity hub connecting national eID schemes

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Proton Mail has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Proton Mail paid plan pricing not displayed on vendor site; Signicat national eID scheme fees are passed through on top of Signicat's own charge, so a single-country business almost always pays less by integrating with the scheme directly.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Proton Mail and Signicat actually diverge.

Attributes where Proton Mail and Signicat differ
AttributeProton MailSignicat
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreemiumquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWeb, iOS, Android

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Cybersecurity).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Proton Mail

Nothing recorded that Signicat does not also cover.

Only in Signicat

  • eID scheme brokering
  • Qualified electronic signatures
  • Document verification
  • AML screening
  • Authentication
  • Digital onboarding flows
  • eIDAS compliance

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Proton Mail

  • Encrypted email communicationnot Signicat
  • Privacy-focused email servicenot Signicat
  • Family email protectionnot Signicat

Signicat

  • A lender expanding from Norway into Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands without four separate eID integrationsnot Proton Mail
  • An insurer needing eIDAS qualified signatures on policy documents that will hold up in a European courtnot Proton Mail
  • A bank that wants customers to onboard with their existing national bank ID rather than photographing a passportnot Proton Mail
  • A public sector body needing cross-border recognition of notified eID schemes under eIDASnot Proton Mail

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Proton Mail

  • Paid plan pricing not displayed on vendor site
  • Free tier limited to 1 GB storage
  • Free tier limited to single email address

Signicat

  • National eID scheme fees are passed through on top of Signicat's own charge, so a single-country business almost always pays less by integrating with the scheme directly.
  • Value is concentrated in Northern and Western Europe, and coverage in Southern and Eastern Europe is thinner, so a pan-European rollout still hits gaps requiring document fallback.
  • Pricing is per transaction and quoted, and because scheme rates vary by country the cost per onboarded customer differs materially between markets in ways that complicate unit economics.
  • Each eID scheme connection typically carries its own setup fee and approval process, so adding a country is a project with a lead time rather than a configuration change.
  • Availability is tied to the national schemes, meaning an outage at BankID or MitID stops your onboarding entirely and there is no vendor-side mitigation for it.

Pricing, plan by plan

Proton Mail

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Proton Mail review.

Signicat

On request
  • Signicat Platform$undefined/year
    • Priced per transaction with national scheme fees passed through
    • Signature and verification products licensed separately
    • Setup fee per eID scheme connected

Which should you pick?

Choose Proton Mail if

  • You want to start without paying.
Proton Mail review

Choose Signicat if

  • You need eid scheme brokering.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want qualified electronic signatures.
Signicat review

Questions people ask

Is Proton Mail or Signicat better?
Neither clearly leads. Proton Mail starts at Free and Signicat at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Proton Mail or Signicat?
Proton Mail has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Proton Mail and On request for Signicat.
Does Proton Mail or Signicat run on more platforms?
Proton Mail runs on Web. Signicat runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Proton Mail for free?
Yes. Proton Mail has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Signicat starts at On request.
What is Proton Mail best used for?
Proton Mail is most often used for encrypted email communication, privacy-focused email service, family email protection. Of those, encrypted email communication and privacy-focused email service are not what Signicat is typically brought in for.
What can Proton Mail do that Signicat cannot?
Signicat covers eID scheme brokering, Qualified electronic signatures, Document verification, AML screening.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Proton Mail: Is there a free version of Proton Mail?

Yes, Proton Mail offers a free plan with 1 GB storage, 1 encrypted email address, and basic features like folders, labels, and filters.

Source
Signicat: Is this an alternative to a document verification vendor?

Only where national eID exists. In markets with a mature bank ID scheme it is better; elsewhere you fall back to document checks, which Signicat also provides.

Proton Mail: What does the Mail Plus plan include?

Mail Plus includes 15 GB storage, 10 encrypted email addresses, support for 1 custom domain, 10 hide-my-email aliases, priority support, and access to Proton Calendar.

Source
Signicat: Do we still pay the eID schemes?

Yes. Scheme fees are passed through in addition to Signicat charges. Ask for the split when comparing to a direct integration.

Proton Mail: What is included in Proton Unlimited?

Proton Unlimited provides 500 GB storage, 15 email addresses, 3 custom domains, unlimited hide-my-email aliases, access to Mail, Calendar, VPN, Drive, and Pass, plus dedicated support.

Source
Signicat: Are signatures legally qualified?

Signicat supports eIDAS qualified electronic signatures, which carry the highest legal standing in the EU, as well as advanced signatures.

Proton Mail: Does Proton Mail offer a money-back guarantee?

Yes, Proton Mail provides a 30-day money-back guarantee for paid plans.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Proton Mail

More on Signicat

Keep looking

Other head to heads