Tutanota

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Tuta
Screenshot of Tutanota
Type of site
Webmail
Available inMultilingual
Headquarters
Germany
OwnerTutao GmbH
Employees+40 (Jun. 2026)[1]
URLtuta.com
CommercialYes
RegistrationRequired
UsersOver 10 million
Launched2011
Current statusOnline
Tutanota client app
DeveloperTutao GmbH
Stable release(s)
Linux335.260306.0[2]Edit this on Wikidata / 10 March 2026
Windows335.260306.0[2]Edit this on Wikidata / 10 March 2026
macOS335.260306.0[2]Edit this on Wikidata / 10 March 2026
Android332.260303.0[3][4]Edit this on Wikidata / 4 March 2026
iOS332.260303.0[5]Edit this on Wikidata / 4 March 2026
Written inTypeScript and JavaScript
Operating systemMicrosoft Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
Platformx86-64, iOS, Android
LicenseGNU GPL v3
Websitetuta.com Edit this on Wikidata
Repositorygithub.com/tutao/tutanota/

Tuta, formerly Tutanota,[6] is an end-to-end encrypted email and calendar app and a freemium secure email service run by Tutao GmbH, a German company established in 2011. In June 2023, the company said there were over 10 million users of the product.[7]

History

Tutanota logo from 2014 to 2024

Tutanota is derived from Latin and contains the words "tuta" and "nota" which means "secure message".[8] Tutao GmbH was founded in 2011 in Hanover, Germany.[9][10]

Since 2014, the software has been open-sourced and can be reviewed by outsiders on GitHub.[11][12] The software completed a phase in beta status in 2015.[13]

In August 2018, Tuta became the first email service provider to release their app on F-Droid, removing all dependence on proprietary code. This was part of a full remake of the app, which removed dependence on GCM for notifications by replacing it with SSE. The new app also enabled search, 2FA and got a new reworked user interface.[14][15]

The company announced a transition to 100% renewable electricity in March 2019.[16] This decision coincided with employee participation in Fridays for Future protests.[17]

In November 2020, the Cologne court ordered monitoring of a single Tuta account that had been used for an extortion attempt. The monitoring function should only apply to future unencrypted emails this account receives and it will not affect emails previously received.[18][19]

On 7 November 2023, Tutanota announced it was rebranded to simply 'Tuta'. The former domain name tutanota.com now redirects to the shorter tuta.com.[6]

In November 2023, it was alleged that Tuta was being used as a honeypot for criminals with a backdoor from authorities. An ex-RCMP officer, Cameron Ortis, testified that the service was used as a storefront to lure criminals in and gain information on those who fell for it. He stated authorities were monitoring the whole service, feeding it to Five Eyes, which would disperse it back to the RCMP in order to gain more knowledge about the criminal underground. However, no evidence was presented to back up this statement, and Tuta repudiated the claim.[20][21][22]

Tuta Mail has integrated post-quantum cryptography features through its protocol, TutaCrypt, replacing standard encryption methods like RSA-2048 and AES-256 for accounts created after March 2024.[23]

In October 2024, Tuta launched its standalone encrypted calendar app.[24] In 2025 the company confirmed plans to launch a file storage application, known as Tuta Drive, although no release date has been given. Tuta Drive entered closed beta in April 2026.[24]

Services

Tuta Mail

Tuta Mail is an end-to-end encrypted email service. Tuta Mail client is available for Android, iOS, Linux, MacOS, Windows and as a Web app. In March 2024, Tuta introduced a proprietary quantum-resistant hybrid protocol called TutaCrypt for its services.[25]

Tuta Calendar

Tuta Calendar is an end-to-end encrypted calendar app that supports post-quantum cryptography. It was first released as an integrated calendar in Tuta Mail. In October 2024, Tuta released it as a stand-alone calendar app available for iOS and Android. In February 2026, Tuta released an add-on allowing Tuta Calendar to be integrated into Thunderbird.[26]

Tuta Drive

Tuta Drive is an in-development end-to-end encrypted cloud storage service that will support post-quantum cryptography, like other Tuta services. The company received a €1.5M grant from the German Government to develop this service. An additional €0.6M has been allocated through a partnership with the University of Wuppertal.[27] In April 2026, Tuta launched a closed beta version of Tuta Drive. No public release date has been announced yet.[28]

Encryption

When a user registers on Tuta, a private and public key is generated locally on their device. The private key is encrypted with the user's password before being sent to Tuta's servers. User passwords are hashed using Argon2 and SHA256.[29][30]

Emails between Tuta users are automatically encrypted end-to-end. For emails sent to external recipients, a password must be exchanged for symmetric encryption. Tuta also encrypts subject lines and attachments of emails and calendars with metadata and search indexes.[31] The email addresses of users, as well as those of senders and recipients, are stored in plain text. The timestamps indicating when an email was sent or received are also not encrypted.[32]

Tuta uses a standardized, hybrid method consisting of a symmetrical and an asymmetrical algorithm - AES with a length of 256 bit and RSA with 2048 bit.[33] To external recipients who do not use Tuta a notification is sent with a link to a temporary Tuta account. After entering a previously exchanged password, the recipient can read the message and reply end-to-end encrypted.[31][34]

Tuta Mail uses post-quantum cryptography features through its new protocol, TutaCrypt for its newly created accounts after March 2024. TutaCrypt combines traditional encryption methods with quantum-resistant algorithms to secure communications. It replaces the previous RSA-2048 keys with two new key pairs:

TutaCrypt employs AES-256 in CBC mode alongside HMAC-SHA-256 for authenticated symmetric encryption. A transition to TutaCrypt for old existing user accounts created before March 2024 occurred in December 2024.[23][35] Tuta also stated that it does not use PGP due to its limitations in encrypting subject lines and lack of flexibility for algorithm updates. S/MIME is also avoided due to critical vulnerabilities identified in 2018.[36]

Reception

Reviews by technology websites were generally positive for Tuta. In July 2023, TechRadar praised Tuta Mail as an "Excellent encrypted email platform" focusing on its broad features and intuitive design. However, it criticized the limitations in customer support and the cost of additional storage.[36] In June 2024, PCMag highlighted Tuta for its strong encryption and user-friendly interface with a rating of 4 out 5.[37] CyberNews rated 4.6 overall, but criticized Tuta for its lack of PGP and IMAP support. It also pointed out Tuta's headquarters, Germany as a drawback for being a part in Fourteen Eyes Alliance.[38]

Account deletion

Tuta deletes free accounts that have not been logged into for six months. According to Tuta, this happens for security reasons and to help keep the service free.[39]

Tuta has also been GDPR compliant since 2018.[40]

Censorship

Tuta has been blocked in Egypt since October 2019, and blocked in Russia since February 2020 for unknown reasons (although believed to be tied to actions against services operating outside of the country, especially those that involve encrypted communications).[41]

See also

References

  1. "What started with a team of four, is now more than 40!". Tuta. 22 June 2026.
  2. https://github.com/tutao/tutanota/releases/tag/tutanota-desktop-release-335.260306.0. Retrieved 10 March 2026. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  3. "Release 332.260303.0 (Android)". Retrieved 10 March 2026.
  4. "Release tutanota-fdroid-release-332.260303.0". Retrieved 10 March 2026.
  5. https://github.com/tutao/tutanota/releases/tag/tutanota-ios-release-332.260303.0. Retrieved 10 March 2026. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  6. Rudra, Sourav (2023-11-07). "Tutanota Rebranding as 'Tuta': What You Need to Know". It's FOSS. Retrieved 2023-11-07.
  7. Chiara Castro (2023-06-07). "Tutanota: what is the encrypted email service that just reached 10 million users". TechRadar. Archived from the original on 2025-09-09. Retrieved 2026-05-18.
  8. "Tutanota Logo and symbol, meaning, history, PNG, brand". Archived from the original on 2025-08-09. Retrieved 2026-05-18.
  9. "5 of the Best Secure Email Services for Better Privacy". maketecheasier. 23 October 2015. Archived from the original on 13 December 2017. Retrieved 13 March 2017.
  10. "Amtsgericht Hannover Aktenzeichen: HRB 208014" (in German). German Company Register. 18 January 2012. Archived from the original on 22 September 2022. Retrieved 22 September 2022. Gesellschaftsvertrag vom 25.11.2011
  11. "Secure Mail Service Tutanota Celebrates One Year Open Source". Tutanota. 2 September 2015. Archived from the original on 29 July 2017. Retrieved 13 March 2017.
  12. "Tutao GmbH". GitHub. Archived from the original on 2017-01-04. Retrieved 2020-07-17.
  13. Natasha, Lomas (18 March 2015). "Tutanota, An Open Source Encrypted Gmail Alternative, Heads Out Of Beta". techcrunch.com. TechCrunch. Archived from the original on 26 October 2015. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
  14. Ivan (3 September 2018). "How Tutanota replaced Google's FCM with their own notification system". F-Droid. Archived from the original on 9 September 2018. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
  15. "FOSS Project Spotlight: Tutanota, the First Encrypted Email Service with an App on F-Droid | Linux Journal". www.linuxjournal.com. Archived from the original on 2026-06-08. Retrieved 2026-05-18.
  16. "Tutanota Secure Email Review - Privacy and Extra Features". Cybernews. 2021-12-29. Archived from the original on 2026-01-01. Retrieved 2026-05-18.
  17. "Fridays for Future: Tutanota joins the climate demonstrations". Tuta. Archived from the original on 2026-01-14. Retrieved 2026-05-18.
  18. "German secure email provider Tutanota forced to monitor an account, after regional court ruling". msn.com. 8 December 2020. Archived from the original on 6 September 2021. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  19. Moody, Glyn (9 Dec 2020). "German Court Orders Encrypted Email Service Tutanota To Backdoor One Account". techdirt. Archived from the original on 6 September 2021. Retrieved 6 September 2021.
  20. Tunney, Catharine (12 Nov 2023). "Alleged RCMP leaker says he was tipped off that police targets had 'moles' in law enforcement". CBC. Archived from the original on 18 Nov 2023. Retrieved 22 Nov 2023.
  21. "Encrypted Email Service Tuta Denies It's a 'Honeypot' for Five Eyes Intelligence". Gizmodo. 2023-11-15. Retrieved 2023-11-22.
  22. Long, Heinrich (2023-11-13). "Tuta Refutes Allegations of it Being a Front for Spy Agencies". CyberInsider. Archived from the original on 2026-06-02. Retrieved 2026-05-18.
  23. "Tuta Mail Adds New Quantum-Resistant Encryption to Protect Email". Bleeping Computer. Archived from the original on 2024-08-16. Retrieved 2024-09-06.
  24. Chiara Castro (2024-10-01). "After email, Tuta has made its calendar quantum-safe". TechRadar. Archived from the original on 2025-11-16. Retrieved 2026-05-18.
  25. Swayne, Matt (2024-03-18). "Q Got Mail: Tuta Launches Post Quantum Cryptography For Email". The Quantum Insider. Archived from the original on 2025-09-11. Retrieved 2026-05-01.
  26. Lekander, Alex (2026-02-18). "Tuta debuts Thunderbird add-ons to bypass IMAP and CalDAV limitations". CyberInsider. Retrieved 2026-05-01.
  27. Long, Heinrich (2023-07-04). "German State Grants Tutanota €1.5M for Post-Quantum Secure Cloud". CyberInsider. Archived from the original on 2026-01-12. Retrieved 2026-05-01.
  28. "Tuta beat America's tech giants to quantum resistant cloud storage". TechRadar. 2026-04-16. Archived from the original on 2026-04-20. Retrieved 2026-05-01.
  29. "Best Encryption with KDF". Tuta. Archived from the original on 2024-09-17. Retrieved 2024-09-06.
  30. "What is a Password Hash". Tuta. Archived from the original on 2024-10-07. Retrieved 2024-09-06.
  31. "Tuta Encryption". Tuta. Archived from the original on 2024-09-11. Retrieved 2024-09-06.
  32. "Tuta Support General". Tuta. Retrieved 2024-09-06.
  33. "Proton Mail vs. Tuta: Who wins the battle for the best secure email?". PrivacySavvy. Archived from the original on 2026-05-05. Retrieved 2026-05-18.
  34. "Tuta". Cyber Security Intelligence. Archived from the original on 2024-10-07. Retrieved 2024-09-06.
  35. "Tuta Mail Adds Quantum-Resistant Encryption via TutaCrypt". Restore Privacy. 11 March 2024. Retrieved 2024-09-06.
  36. "Tutanota secure email review". TechRadar. 21 July 2021. Retrieved 2024-09-06.
  37. "Tuta Mail Review". PCMag. 25 June 2024. Archived from the original on 2024-10-07. Retrieved 2024-09-06.
  38. "Tutanota review: when privacy is a must". cybernews. 29 December 2021. Archived from the original on 2024-09-09. Retrieved 2024-09-06.
  39. "Tutanota FAQ Inactive-accounts". Tutanota. Archived from the original on 2022-09-05. Retrieved 2022-09-06.
  40. Bratic, Vildana (2026-05-11). "Tutanota Review 2026 [Features, Pricing, Security & More]". Cloudwards. Archived from the original on 2026-05-09. Retrieved 2026-05-18.
  41. Spadafora, Anthony (18 February 2020). "Tutanota secure email service blocked in Russia". TechRadar. Archived from the original on 2020-02-19. Retrieved 2020-02-22.