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Lavabit Review
Relaunched secure email with DIME protocol - famous for protecting Snowden
United States
Founded 2004
Zero-Knowledge
Free Plan
Mobile Apps
2FA Support
Custom Domain
Overview
Lavabit gained fame after shutting down in 2013 rather than comply with government demands for Edward Snowden's emails. Relaunched in 2017 with the DIME (Dark Internet Mail Environment) protocol, Lavabit now offers one of the most secure email services available, designed specifically to resist government surveillance.
Key Features
- Dark Mail protocol development
- End-to-end encryption
- No metadata collection
- Open-source DIME protocol
- Onion routing support
- US jurisdiction with strong stance
- Automatic key management
- Founded by Ladar Levison
Pros
- Famous for resisting government pressure
- Developing innovative Dark Mail protocol
- Strong commitment to privacy
- End-to-end encrypted
- Open-source security protocols
- Respected in privacy community
Cons
- US jurisdiction (government pressure risk)
- Newer relaunch may have growing pains
- Less polished than established services
- Limited features currently
- Small team and resources
- Higher prices than alternatives
Pricing
Starting at $30/year
Technical Details
- Encryption
- DIME, OpenPGP
- Storage
- 5GB
- Headquarters
- Dallas, USA