'Privacy shouldn't be an optional extra, it should be the default for every conversation': Proton unveils security-first alternative to Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace

• Proton Drive, Docs, Sheets and more are now being bundled into Proton Workspace
• The Swiss company has also launched Proton Meet for video conferencing
• Plans start at €12.99 monthly (paid annually)

Proton has continued its privacy-focused offensive with even more secure office software to take on established rivals like Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace with the launch of an all-in-one suite putting all of its tools in one place.

As well as launching the suitably-named Proton Workspace, the Swiss company is also lifting the wraps off Proton Meet, which will offer secure video conferencing.

The company has been building its product offerings out slowly, gaining traction with VPN, email, password manager and cloud storage solutions. More recently, it's built out Docs, added Sheets, introduced its own Lumo AI chatbot and more.

Proton Workspace all-in-one subscription and Meet calling app

Now, it seems the time has come for all of this to fall into one unified experience under the Proton Workspace branding.

Company CEO Andy Yen sees Workspace as "the next evolution... to meet the needs of" customers who are "wary of Big Tech's data practices" who want a "secure, bundled alternative that matches the ease of migration and integration of Google or Microsoft, but without the privacy trade-offs."

While the unification is welcome news, the biggest change is the introduction of Proton Meet, which offers end-to-end encrypted video calling with no log collection and support for anonymous usage. Users can even host or join calls without an account.

"In today's digital world, privacy shouldn't be an optional extra, it should be the default for every conversation," Yen added.

Proton's continued expansion comes at an important time, geopolitically. More and more European customers, both consumer and enterprise-grade, are seeking sovereign and secure alternatives.

Proton criticized the US CLOUD Act, which grants American authorities access to user data from US-based businesses. Yen also noted strong demand for Lumo AI as an alternative to ChatGPT and Gemini.

Proton Workspace is being sold under two guises: Standard, which includes Mail, Calendar, Drive, Docs, Sheets, Meet, VPN and Pass for €14.99 per month; and Premium which includes more storage, email data retention policies, higher Meet participant limits and Lumo AI, for €24.99 monthly. Annually-paid plans work out at the equivalent of €12.99 and €19.99 per month for Standard and Premium.

There's also a separate Meet Professional plan (€7.99 per month) if the free plan, with support for 50 attendees, isn't enough.

Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!

And of course you can also follow TechRadar on TikTok for news, reviews, unboxings in video form, and get regular updates from us on WhatsApp too.