How to Create a Proton Mail Account (Free)
Create a free Proton Mail address (@proton.me or @protonmail.com), save your recovery kit, and know what the free plan includes — storage, sending limit and what needs a paid plan.
A free Proton Mail account gives you an encrypted address ending in @proton.me or @protonmail.com, with no ads. Sign-up takes a couple of minutes — but one step, saving your recovery kit, matters more than it does with most email providers.
Create a free account
- Go to account.proton.me/signup and choose the Free plan.
- Choose a username. The address defaults to
@proton.me; to get@protonmail.cominstead, use the arrow next to the domain. - Create a strong password.
- Complete the human verification if asked.
- Download your Recovery Kit, confirm you've saved it, and continue.
- Add a display name — the name people see on your emails.
- When asked which Proton service to start with, choose Mail.
Why the recovery kit matters
The kit contains your recovery phrase. Because Proton can't read your encrypted mail, it also can't unlock it for you if you forget your password. The recovery phrase both resets the password and restores access to your existing emails. Keep it somewhere safe and offline — not only in the Proton account itself. More in Proton Mail security.
What the free plan includes
| Proton Free | Details |
|---|---|
| Mail storage | 500 MB to start, rising to 1 GB when you complete Proton's getting-started steps |
| Addresses | 1 |
| Sending limit | 150 messages a day |
| Custom domain | Not included |
| Outlook, Apple Mail, Thunderbird (via Bridge) | Not included |
| Also free | Proton Calendar, Drive (with separate storage), VPN; folders, spam filters, scheduled sending |
Proton Mail Plus adds one custom domain and support for desktop email apps through IMAP/SMTP and Proton Mail Bridge. Your storage use shows in the lower-left corner of the Proton Mail web app.
Sending to people who don't use Proton
You can email anyone, not just other Proton users — including sending secure, encrypted messages to people on other providers.
If a website won't accept your Proton address
A few websites refuse sign-ups from Proton addresses. Proton suggests contacting its support (it asks companies to lift the block) or writing to the company yourself. Paid plans also offer a short @pm.me address or your own domain, which usually aren't blocked.
Next steps
- Turn on two-factor authentication and add a recovery email or phone — see Proton Mail security.
- Bookmark how to sign in to Proton Mail.
How this guide was checked · October 2026
Verified against 5 official sources
Every step, setting and limit in this guide was checked against the provider’s own documentation on proton.me. Anything we couldn’t confirm was left out.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Is Proton Mail free?
Yes. Proton Free includes one address, up to 1 GB of mail storage and 150 sent messages a day, with no ads.
Can I choose @protonmail.com instead of @proton.me?
Yes. During sign-up, use the arrow next to the domain to switch from @proton.me to @protonmail.com.
Does free Proton Mail work with Outlook?
No. Desktop email apps connect through Proton Mail Bridge, which needs a paid plan such as Proton Mail Plus.
What is the Proton recovery kit?
A file with your recovery phrase. It resets your password and unlocks your existing encrypted emails if you forget the password. Save it offline.
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