Email Encryption is a vital tool for businesses to ensure that their email communications are safe. Email is not an inherently secure method of communication. If the contents of an email are exposed, you may be putting confidential data at risk. To prevent this from happening, organizations need to encrypt sensitive emails and attachments.
Ensuring that emails are encrypted is often a compulsory aspect of regulatory and legal frameworks. Email Encryption software allows businesses to secure emails, making sure they are accessed only by the intended recipient and giving end users more security controls.
In this list of the best email encryption solutions, we’ll be looking at the methods of encryption these products offer, the controls they provide to IT admins, their ease of use for senders and recipients and the quality of reporting they offer.
Trustifi Outbound Shield is a cloud-based email encryption platform that offers secure end-to-end encryption for all email platforms to protect organizations from email threats and ensure data protection compliance.
How it works: Trustifi is deployed to Outlook and Gmail via API integration. Trustifi enables secure end-to-end AES-256 bit encryption.
Who it’s for: We recommend Trustifi for Managed Service Providers (MSPs), resellers, and end-clients needing a cost-effective, user-friendly, and compliant email encryption solution.
What we like: Trustifi’s seamless integration with existing email platforms and its one-click encryption feature make it easy to use. The robust data loss prevention and tracking capabilities are also standout features.
The bottom line: Trustifi is a comprehensive and easy-to-use solution to drive down instances of data loss, thanks to effective encryption. This solution is well suited for MSP use thanks to its comprehensive dashboard and easy deployment.
Egress Protect is an enterprise-grade encryption platform, used by governments, MSPs, and businesses to secure email delivery.
How it works: Egress uses AES-256 bit encryption to provide message-level protection via an on-premises, cloud, or hybrid solution. It integrates with M365 via API. Alongside Protect, Egress also offer Egress Defend (a phishing protection solution) and Prevent, a DLP solution.
Who it’s for: Egress is best suited for organizations of all sizes using Microsoft 365 that need a secure and compliant email encryption solution.
What we like: Egress delivers robust encryption features and easy integration with M365, which simplifies regulatory compliance and data security. The platform is also is easy to use for both senders and recipients.
The bottom line: Egress is a top email encryption solution for M365 users. The Egress M365 add-in sits seamlessly in users’ email environments, so they receive enhanced email security with no added hassle. Egress helps organizations remain fully compliant with data regulations such as HIPAA.
Cisco Secure Email Encryption Service offers a secure, adaptable email encryption solution integrated into common email platforms to safeguard sensitive data.
How it works: Cisco uses a secure web portal to allow recipients to access encrypted email messages. Admins can set policies to automatically encrypt emails, or end users can do so manually.
Who it’s for: Ideal for businesses that prioritize email security and need comprehensive control over email interactions without complicating the user experience.
What we like: This service excels in its user-friendly interface, detailed control options, and robust encryption technology.
The bottom line: Cisco offers a safe and trusted email encryption tool with a wide range of customizable features and policies on offer. Admin’s get access to reports, detailing when these controls are being used. Customers like this service for the range of end user controls on offer.
Echoworx is a comprehensive email encryption platform known for it’s flexibility, high quality auditing, and ease of use.
How it works: Echoworx offer eight different methods of encryption, including end-to-end encryption, Secure PDF, and a secure web portal for easy access to secure emails.
Who its for: This solution is best suited for mid-market to enterprise organizations needing diverse encryption methods and robust authentication options for secure communication.
What we like: Echoworx is flexible, easy to use, and offers a comprehensive feature stack. It’s easy to manage and supports multiple authentication methods and over 28 languages.
The bottom line: Echoworx offers a comprehensive number of features and policies. Admin’s can set custom policies, which decide which emails must be encrypted. End users can encrypt emails themselves via their existing email client.
Office 365 Message Encryption is an email encryption solution within the Microsoft 365 suite that allows users to send encrypted emails both internally and externally.
How it works: O365 Message Encryption encrypts email messages and delivers them to internal and external recipients with no additional apps required. Regardless of the recipient’s email provider or app, they will be able to seamlessly access encrypted messages.
Who it’s for: Ideal for organizations utilizing Microsoft 365 that need to secure sensitive email communications, without significant extra cost or complex implementation.
What we like: Microsoft provides a very user-friendly, cost-effective email encryption solution that does not require any complex deployment or management for M365 users.
The bottom line: Microsoft Office Message Encryption is an easy to use, inbuilt feature for organizations already using Microsoft 365. Some organizations may, however, seek stronger protection through implementing a third-party solution.
Mimecast Secure Messaging is a cloud-based enterprise email encryption service that enables users to send encrypted emails securely. The service is delivered as part of Mimecast’s broader enterprise email security platform.
How it works: Mimecast enables users to send secure encrypted messages directly from Outlook. All emails and attachments are scanned for viruses and checked against DLP policies before being sent. Users access encrypted messages via a secure web portal.
Who it’s for: This solution is ideal for organizations looking to invest in a broader enterprise email security platform that includes a secure email gateway service.
What we like: Mimecast’s integration with existing email clients simplifies the end user experience. The platform also provides admins with comprehensive reports without exposing email content.
The bottom line: Mimecast offer a strong email encryption solution with granular end user features. It’s a trusted and secure platform, so you can send emails without fear of data loss.
Paubox Email Suite is an all-in-one email security solution designed to provide HIPAA-compliant encrypted communication and DLP for healthcare organizations.
How it works: Paubox encrypts emails automatically, without needing any additional input from either the sender or recipient of the email, and with no portal and no password required.
Who it’s for: Paubox Email Suite is ideal for healthcare organizations needing an effortless, compliance-friendly email security solution that integrates well with existing email services like Google Workspace and Microsoft 365.
What we like: Paubox integrates seamlessly with business email platforms like Google Workspace and Microsoft 365, making compliance straightforward. Its comprehensive security measures block threats such as phishing, ransomware, and spam.
The bottom line: Paubox is a market leader in HIPAA compliant email, working to provide secure email communication for healthcare organizations via encryption and data loss prevention methods.
PreVeil Email Encryption is a highly secure end-to-end encrypted email service, designed for the Defense Industrial Base. It integrates seamlessly into existing email platforms like Outlook, offering unmatched privacy.
Who it’s for: Ideal for organizations requiring the highest level of security for sensitive data, particularly within the Defense Industrial Base and highly regulated industries.
What we like: PreVeil excels in its robust security and compliance with stringent regulations. Its Approval Group technology ensures that no single administrator can compromise the organization.
The bottom line: PreVeil is a robust and sophisticated solution, putting data security at the heart of everything that it does. The solution ensures that only sender and recipient have access to the content of a communication.
TitanHQ Email Security service is a secure email gateway that protects against spam, malware, and phishing threats.
How it works: TitanHQ Email Security is cloud-based and uses secure, compliant AES 256-Bit encryption with SHA256 Hashing Storage to secure enterprise email.
Who it’s for: Ideal for small to mid-sized teams and MSPs that need to secure sensitive email content to meet compliance requirements, while ensuring a simple user experience.
What we like: TitanHQ Email Security is very easy to use, for both senders and recipients. Users can easily register, login and write secure messages in the portal.
The bottom line: TitanHQ Email Security offers an easy-to-use and fully featured encryption solution. It’s a great fit for small and midsize teams looking to secure sensitive email content for compliance, without compromising the user experience.
Virtru is a market leading email and data encryption provider. It enables comprehensive control over their email security and compliance needs.
How It works: Users can encrypt, track, and manage email interactions directly within popular email clients like Gmail and Microsoft Outlook.
Who it’s for: Virtru Email Encryption is suited for SMBs, mid-sized organizations, and large enterprise clients. It’s the top solution email encryption solution Google Workspace and can encrypt email directly from Gmail, including Google Drive documents.
What we like: With Virtru, users can easily read and send encrypted emails directly from their inbox, and admins can set easily set security policies to enforce organization wide.
The bottom line: Virtru offers a secure cloud-based email and data encryption platform, which gives users more control over how their emails are interacted with. The platform offers detailed audit trails and SIEM integrations, showing how and where sensitive data is shared.
Top Email Encryption Platforms Shortlist FAQs
Why should you trust this Shortlist?
This article was technically reviewed by Expert Insights CEO and founder, Craig MacAlpine, who has over 25 years’ experience in the email security. He previously founded an email security and encryption provider – EPA Cloud, which was acquired by J2 Global (now Ziff Davies Inc) in 2013. Craig is an experienced email security innovator and practitioner who has worked in front line email security management, in an MSP environment, and as an email security supplier and vendor in the course of his career.
This article was written by the Content Director at Expert Insights, who has been covering the email security market as a journalist for over 6 years.
Research for this guide included:
This guide is updated at least every 3-months to review the vendors included and ensure features listed are up to date.
Who is this Shortlist for?
Email encryption is required for organizations of all sizes, but is most commonly used for organizations that must adhere to stringent data protection regulations for internal and external communications.
How was the Shortlist picked?
When considering email encryption solutions, we evaluated providers based on the following criteria.
Features: Based on conversations with vendors, end customers, and our own testing, we selected the following key features:
Market Perception: We reviewed each vendor included on the Shortlist to ensure they are reliable, trusted providers in the market. We reviewed their documentation, third-party analyst reports, and (where possible) have interviewed executives directly.
Customer Usage: We use market share as a metric when comparing vendors and aim to represent high market share vendors and challenger brands with innovative capabilities. We have spoken to end-customers, and reviewed customer case studies, testimonials, and end user reviews.
Product Heritage: Finally, we have looked at where a product has come from in the market. We have considered when companies were founded, their leadership team, their mission statements, and their successes. We have also considered product updates and how regularly new features are added. We have ensured all vendors are credible leaders with a solution we would be happy to use ourselves.
Based on our experience in the email encryption market, we have also considered bundle offers, such as offering encryption alongside a secure email gateway service, as well as the customer support on offer SLAs and other use cases.
There are over 30+ email encryption vendors we are tracking, and this list is designed to just be a selection of the best providers. Many strong and trusted solutions have not been included in this list; this is not intended as a criticism or rebuke of any unlisted solution.
Email encryption software solutions enable users to encrypt their email traffic, ensuring that email content, meta-data and attachments are only available to the intended recipients. There are many use cases for encrypting email content – particularly when sending sensitive data, such as personal information, financial records, or health-related documents.
Enterprise email encryption solutions are often offered as cloud-based services with a SaaS model. There is often no deployment necessary, and admins are able to configure policies governing which messages are automatically encrypted, based on message content. End users should also be able to read and respond to encrypted email messages, whether they have the email encryption software deployed, or are an external recipient receiving an encrypted message.
With email being the predominant means of business communication, your email is a tempting target for a hostile actor. There are multiple protocols that have been used to encrypt emails, each with their own history and strengths and weaknesses. The most used types of encryption are TLS, AES, PGP, and S/MIME.
Key features to look for in an email encryption solution include:
Joel Witts is the Content Director at Expert Insights, meaning he oversees all articles published and topics covered. He is an experienced journalist and writer, specialising in identity and access management, Zero Trust, cloud business technologies, and cybersecurity. Joel is a co-host of the Expert Insights Podcast and conducts regular interviews with leading B2B tech industry experts, including directors at Microsoft and Google. Joel holds a First Class Honours degree in Journalism from Cardiff University.
Craig MacAlpine is CEO and founder of Expert Insights. Before founding Expert Insights in August 2018, Craig spent 10 years as CEO of EPA cloud, an email security provider acquired by Ziff Davies, formerly J2Global (NASQAQ: ZD) in 2013, which has now been rebranded as VIPRE Email Security. Craig has extensive experience in the email security industry, with 20+ years of experience helping organizations to stay secure with innovative information security and cyber security solutions.