✉️ Email & Messaging .onion

Encrypted email and anonymous messaging services accessible via the Tor network.

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Email and messaging services accessible via .onion are one of the most widely used categories of the legitimate dark web. They allow written communication without metadata (IP address, connection times, frequency of exchanges) being accessible to an outside observer, or even sometimes to the service provider itself.

ProtonMail, a Swiss encrypted email service founded in 2014 at CERN, has since 2017 offered an official .onion version that allows you to check your mailbox without revealing your IP address to the service. Encryption is end-to-end by default between Proton users, and Switzerland offers robust legal protection. Riseup, an activist collective founded in 2000, also offers .onion access, available by invitation. For those who prefer an anonymous account without a prior identity, Mail2Tor and Elude Mail allow creating an address without providing a phone number, recovery email or real name.

Beyond email, secure instant messaging has multiplied. Ricochet Refresh takes the logic to the extreme by depending on no central server: each user hosts their own local .onion service. Briar works peer-to-peer and can synchronise via Bluetooth in case of an internet outage. These tools do not replace WhatsApp for everyday use, but they constitute the toolkit for people who need to communicate without leaving a trace.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between ProtonMail and Mail2Tor?
ProtonMail is a professional commercial service, based in Switzerland, with end-to-end encryption by default, substantial storage space, free and paid versions, a polished interface. Mail2Tor is a free service, maintained by volunteers, with modest storage and a rudimentary interface; its advantage is that it requires no personal information at registration. ProtonMail is better suited for daily use, Mail2Tor for occasional needs of maximum anonymity.
Can I check my Gmail via Tor?
Yes, Gmail remains accessible from Tor Browser by typing gmail.com. Google may however ask for additional authentication (SMS code, security question) because it detects an unusual connection. Anonymity is obviously reduced: Google knows you are connecting to your account, even if it does not know your real IP. For strictly anonymous emails, prefer a dedicated mailbox on ProtonMail, Riseup or Mail2Tor.
What is PGP and should I use it with these services?
PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) is an asymmetric encryption standard: everyone has a key pair (a shared public key, a secret private key). Anyone who encrypts a message with your public key can only be read by you. PGP is useful for protecting email content even if the service provider is compromised. ProtonMail integrates PGP transparently for exchanges between Proton users; for other services, manual use of PGP is recommended for sensitive communications.
Is it possible to create an account without any personal data?
Yes, several services allow it. Mail2Tor, Elude Mail, Disroot and a few others accept registration without a phone number, without a recovery email and without a name. Riseup requires an invitation, which is a different kind of filter. ProtonMail accepts anonymous registrations in its free version, but may ask for verification if your creation behaviour seems suspicious. For chat, Ricochet Refresh and Briar require absolutely nothing at registration, since there is no centralised account.