Key takeaways
- ProtonMail, Tuta, Mailfence, and Guerrilla Mail offer emails that don't require phone number verification
- Hardware security keys and authenticator apps provide stronger protection than SMS-based 2FA
- Temporary email services delete messages after one hour, while permanent providers offer encrypted storage
- CISA reports MFA makes accounts 99% less likely to be compromised
- Privacy regulations increasingly support data minimization principles
Email is essential for banking, shopping, social media, and professional communication. Finding emails that don't require phone number verification matters because cybercrime losses reached $16.6 billion in 2024.
Phone verification creates security vulnerabilities through SIM swapping and social engineering attacks. This guide covers which email providers skip phone requirements, why avoiding phone-based verification improves security, and how to protect your account using alternative authentication methods.
What is phone-free email?
Phone-free email is any email service that lets you create and use an account without providing a phone number during registration or for ongoing verification. These providers use alternative identity confirmation methods like CAPTCHA challenges, secondary email verification, or manual review instead of SMS-based authentication.
Phone-free email appeals to users who want to limit the personal data they share, reduce exposure to SIM swapping attacks, or maintain separation between their phone number and online accounts.
Best email providers without phone verification compared
Which emails that don't require phone number verification are worth your time in 2026? We tested 12 providers across security features, storage limits, pricing, and ease of signup. Here's how they stack up.
Just a note that Guerrilla Mail and Temp Mail provide temporary, disposable addresses. All other providers offer persistent accounts. ProtonMail free storage starts at 500 MB and can be expanded to 1 GB by completing onboarding tasks. Now that you’ve seen our top-ranked providers at a glance, let’s dive into these platforms one by one so you can find the right one for you.
12 best emails that don't require phone number in 2026
1. ProtonMail
ProtonMail focuses on security with end-to-end encryption using PGP standards. Based in Switzerland, it benefits from stringent privacy laws and uses zero-access encryption architecture, meaning Proton cannot decrypt customer emails.
Key features include password-protected emails for non-Proton recipients, two-factor authentication with hardware security key support, and open-source applications with regular independent security audits.
Pricing: Free accounts include 500 MB storage, expandable to 1 GB by completing onboarding tasks. Paid plans start at €4.99/month (or €3.99/month billed annually) with 15 GB storage and custom domain support.
2. Tuta
Tuta became the first email provider to implement post-quantum encryption in March 2024 with TutaCrypt, protecting emails against future quantum computing threats. Based in Germany with full GDPR compliance, Tuta offers comprehensive encryption of emails, subject lines, contacts, and search indexes.
The service uses zero-access architecture and open-source applications. Unlike most providers, Tuta intentionally excludes IMAP/SMTP/POP3 support to preserve encryption integrity. Anonymous payment methods, including cryptocurrency, are accepted, and signup through the Tor network is available. Note that new free accounts may undergo a manual approval process lasting up to 48 hours to prevent abuse.
Pricing: Free accounts include 1 GB storage. The Revolutionary plan costs €3/month with 20 GB storage and custom domains.
3. Mail.com
Mail.com provides free email without phone verification and offers over 200 domain choices for personalized addresses. Users can select domains matching their profession or interests, such as @engineer.com or @musician.org.
The service includes 2 GB storage on free accounts, mobile apps for iOS and Android, and basic spam filtering. Mail.com is owned by United Internet AG and does not offer end-to-end encryption by default.
Pricing: Free accounts include 2 GB storage. Premium plans start at $2.99/month with 65 GB storage and enhanced features.
4. GMX Mail
GMX Mail offers free email without phone number requirements and comes from the same parent company as Mail.com. The service provides 1 GB of storage plus additional file storage space, with support for IMAP and POP3 protocols.
GMX includes built-in calendar functionality, file attachment options up to 50 MB, and mobile applications. Like Mail.com, it does not provide end-to-end encryption but offers TLS encryption for data in transit.
Pricing: Free accounts include 1 GB email storage plus 2 GB cloud storage. Premium accounts start at $2.99/month.
5. Disroot
Disroot is a community-run platform based in the Netherlands offering free email without phone verification. Run by volunteers as a nonprofit, it emphasizes privacy and open-source software.
The service provides 1 GB storage, supports IMAP/POP3 access, and includes additional tools like cloud storage, forums, and project management. Account creation uses an application process rather than instant signup.
Pricing: Free with optional donations to support the community project.
6. Runbox
Runbox operates from Norway under strict Scandinavian privacy laws and requires no phone number for registration. The service focuses on privacy with servers powered by renewable energy.
Runbox offers OpenPGP and S/MIME encryption support, custom domain hosting, and extensive storage options. All data remains exclusively on Norwegian servers under Norwegian privacy law protection.
Pricing: Plans start at $1.66/month for 1 GB storage. The Medium plan at $4.16/month includes 10 GB storage and 100 email aliases.
7. StartMail
StartMail (Netherlands) offers PGP encryption and unlimited disposable email aliases. Accepts anonymous Bitcoin payments for enhanced privacy.
Pricing: Plans start at $4.99/month with no free tier available.
8. Mailfence
Mailfence (Belgium) provides end-to-end encryption with a free tier offering 500 MB email storage plus 500 MB document storage. Maintains a warrant canary and transparency reports. Includes an integrated suite with calendar, contacts, and document storage.
Pricing: Free accounts include 500 MB storage. Paid plans start at €2.50/month.
9. Posteo
Posteo (Germany) costs €1/month with open-source, externally audited encryption. Accepts cash payments by mail for complete anonymity. Powered by 100% renewable energy.
Pricing: €1/month with no free tier available.
10. Mailbox.org
Mailbox.org is a German provider offering PGP and S/MIME encryption with no phone number required at signup. The service includes a full office suite with calendar, contacts, cloud storage, and document editing, making it a comprehensive alternative to mainstream providers.
During signup, you can register without providing a real name or phone number. A 30-day free trial is available, though trial accounts have temporary sending and storage limitations that are lifted once you add funds. The platform supports custom domains and is suitable for both individuals and small businesses.
Pricing: Plans start at €1/month. A 30-day free trial is available.
11. Guerrilla Mail
Guerrilla Mail provides free anonymous email for temporary use. No registration is required, and email addresses are instantly generated. All emails automatically delete after one hour.
Important: This service prioritizes anonymity over security. It lacks end-to-end encryption and is unsuitable for confidential communications or long-term correspondence. Use it only for one-time registrations where you want to avoid spam.
12. Temp Mail
Temp Mail offers instant disposable email addresses with no registration required. Like Guerrilla Mail, addresses are temporary and designed for one-time use.
The service automatically generates random email addresses that can receive messages immediately. Useful for avoiding spam when signing up for services you want to test.
Important: Messages are not private, and the service is unsuitable for sensitive communications.
How to choose a phone-free email provider
Before diving into specific providers, consider three factors that should guide your decision. First, jurisdiction determines which privacy laws protect your data. Swiss and German providers benefit from strong data protection frameworks, while providers in Five Eyes countries may face broader government access requests.
Second, encryption type ranges from basic TLS (protects data in transit only) to full end-to-end encryption (protects data at rest and in transit). Third, decide whether you need a temporary or permanent account: disposable addresses work for one-time signups, while encrypted providers suit long-term professional and personal communication.
How to create email without phone number
Setting up an email account without phone verification takes just minutes. Here's how with each major provider.
ProtonMail setup
- Visit ProtonMail's official website and select create account
- Choose your username and select your domain (@proton.me or @protonmail.com)
- Create a strong password
- Complete CAPTCHA or email verification (skip phone verification)
- Optionally add a recovery email address (not required)
Tuta setup
- On Tuta's website, select create free email account
- Confirm the free account option
- Enter your username, password, and required information
- Complete CAPTCHA verification (no phone required)
- If your account is flagged for review, wait up to 48 hours for approval
Guerrilla Mail setup
- Visit Guerrilla Mail's website
- Accept or customize the randomly generated email address
- Create a password and select from available domains
Remember: Guerrilla Mail emails expire after one hour. For permanent accounts without phone verification, use ProtonMail, Tuta, or Mailfence.
What phone-free email can't do
Phone-free email providers solve a real problem: reducing the personal data you hand over during signup. But skipping phone verification introduces trade-offs that privacy-focused marketing rarely mentions.
- Account recovery becomes harder. Without a verified phone number, your options narrow if you lose access to your account. Most phone-free providers rely on recovery codes generated at signup. Lose those codes, and you may lose your account permanently. ProtonMail and Tuta both warn that without recovery methods configured, account access cannot be restored, even by their own support teams.
- Fewer layers of identity verification. Phone verification, despite its vulnerabilities, adds a layer of identity confirmation that makes unauthorized access more difficult. Providers that skip it rely more heavily on CAPTCHAs and email-based verification, which sophisticated attackers can bypass more easily than multi-channel authentication.
- Limited enterprise security features. Most phone-free providers prioritize individual privacy over team-level protection. Features like SSO integration, centralized admin controls, advanced threat detection, and compliance certifications (SOC 2, ISO 27001) are rare or absent in the providers listed above. For professionals managing sensitive business communications, this gap matters.
- Ecosystem fragmentation. Adding a privacy-focused email account often means managing yet another inbox alongside your work email. Context switching between providers drains time and creates blind spots where important messages get missed.
The core security issue isn't whether a provider requires your phone number. It's how they protect your account overall. Enterprise-grade solutions like Superhuman Mail take a different approach: SOC 2 Type II compliance, OAuth authentication that never stores passwords, encryption at rest and in transit, and local inbox storage that keeps your messages on your device rather than provider servers.
For teams, Superhuman Mail adds SSO through Google, Microsoft, and Okta, SAML and SCIM provisioning, and GDPR compliance. That's security infrastructure that most phone-free providers simply don't offer.
If privacy drives your search for phone-free email, pair a provider like ProtonMail or Tuta with a productivity layer like Superhuman Mail for your primary work accounts. You get data minimization where it matters and enterprise-grade security where your business depends on it.
Find the best phone-free email for your needs
ProtonMail, Tuta, and Guerrilla Mail provide emails that don't require phone number verification, with Mail.com, GMX, Disroot, Runbox, StartMail, Mailfence, Posteo, and Mailbox.org offering similar flexibility.
When choosing a provider, consider whether you need temporary or permanent email, required encryption levels, and which jurisdiction's privacy laws suit your needs. For maximum security, pair your account with hardware security keys or TOTP authenticator apps rather than SMS verification.
But remember that phone-free email addresses one piece of the security puzzle. For the work accounts where you send contracts, coordinate with clients, and manage sensitive business communications, you need protection that goes beyond data minimization. Superhuman Mail layers enterprise-grade security onto your existing Gmail or Outlook account, with AI triage to surface what matters, split inboxes to organize across accounts, and keyboard shortcuts that help professionals reclaim hours every week. Try Superhuman Mail today.
FAQs
What email provider doesn't require a phone number?
ProtonMail, Tuta, Mail.com, GMX, Mailfence, StartMail, Posteo, Mailbox.org, Disroot, and Runbox all offer account creation without phone verification. These providers use alternative methods like CAPTCHA or email verification. Gmail alternatives focused on privacy typically avoid phone requirements entirely.
What is the +1 Gmail trick?
The +1 Gmail trick lets you create email variations by adding "+text" before the @ symbol (example: yourname+newsletter@gmail.com). All emails still arrive in your main inbox, but you can filter or identify which services share your address. This helps track spam sources without creating separate accounts.
Can you have an email without numbers?
Yes. Email addresses don't require numbers unless your preferred username is taken. Most providers let you choose usernames with only letters, though adding numbers or special characters may be necessary for common names. Privacy-focused providers often allow completely anonymous usernames.
Why is Gmail forcing me to use a phone number?
Gmail may require phone verification based on your IP address, browser history, or if Google detects suspicious activity. Try clearing cookies, using a different browser, or waiting before attempting again. Creating a Gmail email without phone number is sometimes possible through the basic HTML signup page or Android device setup.
What is the most hacked email provider?
Yahoo experienced the largest email breach in history, affecting 3 billion accounts in 2013-2014. However, breach frequency varies by provider size and security practices. End-to-end encrypted providers like ProtonMail and Tuta have stronger protections since they cannot access user email contents.
How to skip Gmail without a number?
Try creating accounts through the Gmail mobile app, using the basic HTML signup page, or setting up an account on an Android device. Some users report success clearing browser data before registration. If Gmail consistently requires a phone number, consider privacy-focused alternatives like ProtonMail or Tuta that never require phone verification.
