Nathan Drescher / Android Authority
I had the digital equivalent of an epiphany the other day. I opened my inbox and saw…email. Only email. There were no ads, no AI-generated summaries, and no prompts. It was a strange, yet welcome, feeling after years of using Gmail. Checking my inbox no longer felt like an argument with an algorithm. That’s because I switched to Fastmail earlier this year.
It all began when I started distancing myself from American big tech platforms, where Google sits high on the list. I wanted something more private and more personal, with less bloat. Fastmail, an Australian company, caught my eye as a well-regarded alternative to Gmail. Six months in, I am confident I made the right choice.
Would you leave Gmail for something more private? 428 votes Yes, already have. 21 % I'm thinking about it. 52 % Maybe, if Gmail gets worse. 18 % No, I'm staying with Google. 10 %
Why I left Gmail and Google Calendar
Nathan Drescher / Android Authority
It wasn’t only because Gmail is part of a big monopolistic American tech corporation. It wasn’t only the insane amounts of data it collected. It was the cluttered UI and the push towards AI-driven features I never asked for.
Google Calendar, meanwhile, does its job, but has begun to feel like it’s trying to be something more than it is. Gemini is snooping more and more in Calendar, trying to be helpful but getting in the way.
All of it felt more corporate than personal. What I wanted was a fast, private email that respected my time and let me work. I wanted a calendar that synced reliably across platforms without becoming another vector for distraction.
I seriously considered Proton Mail. I have great respect for what the company is building. However, I have heard from others about occasional delivery hiccups, and I can’t afford to miss an interview with a subject or an important follow-up with a client. Reliability was non-negotiable. Proton was out.
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