Google Gmail is a safe alternative to your broadband supplier’s email address
Google Gmail presents the safest alternative for free email. It ticks all the boxes for online storage, email is encrypted, and it intends to remain free for the foreseeable future.
Some readers have been concerned that Google Gmail is rationalising its 2 billion user houses. It will remove inactive accounts from December 2023 after giving plenty of notice/s to those users.
Inactive accounts are those that, over the past two years, don’t
- Read or send an email.
- Use Google Drive.
- Watch a YouTube video.
- Share a photo.
- Download an app.
- Use Google Search.
- Use ‘Sign in with Google’ to a third-party app or service.
Its advice is that if you have multiple Gmail accounts, use them.
Will Google Gmail remain free? Yes
While Google cannot say ‘never say never’, it intends that its Gmail system will remain free to consumers for the foreseeable future. It is integral to the Android smartphone, tablet, TV, and Auto ecosystem.
We cannot predict if Google will impose tighter storage limits on its data storage, currently 15GB for free accounts for Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Photos. You can upgrade to Google One, which has 100/200GB and 1TB storage at $2.49/4.39/12.49 per month (a 16% discount is paid annually).
What Google Apps can I use for free?
This list is not exhaustive (see here) and covers Google’s online cloud offerings.
| Google (search) Chrome (Web browser) | Gmail (mail) Messages (SMS) Drive (cloud storage) | Contacts Calendar Photos | Android system Apps e.g., Files (file explorer) Wallet (Payments) |
| Authenticator (2-factor authentication) | Wear (watches) Fit (Health) | Assistant (OK Google) Home (Automation) | Google Web-based Docs, Sheets, Slides |
| Meet (video conf) Duo (video/call) | Translate Audiobooks | Lens (image search) | Maps (Navigation) |
| Google Play (Apps) | News (news aggregator) | YouTube (videos) YouTube TV Google TV | YT Music (music) YT Kids Podcasts |
What Google Apps do I pay for?
Google Workspace (formerly known as G Suite) starts from $8.40 per month and covers business and education users for:
| Gmail | Drive | Meet | Calendar |
| Chat | Jamboard | Docs | Sheets |
| Slides | Keep | Sites | Forms |
| AppSheet |
CyberShack’s view – Google Gmail is the safest bet for free personal email
Rule #1 – never rely on a broadband supplier’s free email address – read TPG/iiNet/Internode/Westnet will jettison its email users.
If free is important, then Google Gmail ticks all the boxes, but you can also look at Microsoft Outlook online webmail and Apple iCloud.
If you don’t mind paying, Microsoft’s Outlook Exchange and off-line service is highly secure and inexpensive, starting from $5.50 per month.
