I decided to give Proton a go and try with a long-term view to moving away from Google.
I’ve heard so many good things about the privacy, security and simplicity of the Proton tools.
I opted for the Proton Unlimited Plan – which gives me the following offline/installable applications:
- Proton Mail (and Calendar)
- Proton Pass (password manager)
- Proton Drive backup
- Proton VPN
You also get Proton Wallet (for Bitcoin shenanigans, I don’t have any Bitcoin just yet so won’t be using it) and Proton Docs on the web client. Proton Docs is a highly usable Word-like tool – and of course works well with Proton Drive. The additional of a similar spreadsheet tool might be Proton’s big game changer.
Proton Mail and Calendar do what you’d expect them to. Proton Pass works well also, I’m using it to replace my LastPass Families subscription. It does much the same thing frankly, with many browser extensions available. I have no bones to pick with LastPass, it’s been a great app for me over the last few years.
The VPN works well, although if you’re dipping your toes in with the free plan as a UK user, you’ll only be able to connect with the server in the Netherlands – so BBC websites, (esp. iPlayer) will be restricted or less functional.
i mentioned that the addition of a spreadsheet tool could be a game-changer, the same could also apply to having an end-to-end notes application. That said, Proton are working closely with Standard Notes – hopefully with some form of discount for users of Proton paid plans coming soon!
I’m using Obsidian for Notes in the mean time -they’re already private in that they’re stored on locally – and if you pay for Obsidian Sync you’ll get end-to-end encryption. I currently store my Obsidian files on Github but I think I’ll end up just switching to local. I used GitHub to allow me to access from work, I’m currently looking at a completely clean division between work and home (probably a topic for another post).
My only grievance for now has been around Calendar. My wife has a Google Calendar, I have a Proton one. There’s no read-write functionality available for me, so I’d have to dip in to Google to update it, or ask her to update it then I’d import it in….. a few pain points there.
For now though, I’m enjoying the Proton experience, but i won’t be completely discarding the Google account just yet for the following reasons:
- I use Google Maps as my satnav, on my Pixel 8 phone thing. Maps is arguably the worst tool in terms of privacy and intrusion, but it’s just so damn convenient!
- I love YouTube Premium… but I think I may need to wean myself off this, watching too many vids or having them in the background when I should be focusing on something else!
- I need to have a read-write Calendar so my wife and I can sure events/appointment info – and she isn’t prepared to switch to Proton so I’ll have to add stuff in there.
- Google Photos works great as is. I haven’t played with the Photos offering within Proton, but it sounds like there’ll be a lot of manual steps to get photos in to Proton (or, more likely, I just haven’t read up on it yet.
Bottom line – I’m going to persevere with Proton over the next few months just to see what gives. Perhaps it will mean I drop Google for good, or maybe I’ll just find there’s too much friction with missing out on features and functionality at the expense of having that added security and privacy. Let’s see!
Has anyone else started the move? How have you got on?
