 “Encrypted Email Company Skiff Wants You To Sign Out Of Google Workspace Forever” announcing the launch of Skiff Calendar and Drive to the public.

In only one year, we’ve launched four products - 

 - and signed up over a quarter million people to our private, end-to-end encrypted email, collaboration, and communication products.

 for using Skiff products on your native devices.

We’re incredibly grateful to Skiff’s users, Pro subscribers, and Business users, as well as to our tens of thousands of community members across our 

 to build privacy-first, end-to-end encrypted collaborative products for people, families, and teams to work together more securely. We began by launching 

. In this initial beta phase, Skiff Pages received tens of thousands of signups and early users who wanted end-to-end encrypted collaboratives notes, wikis, and documents.

From there, we launched an increasingly sophisticated suite of products: 

. These products have been accompanied by 

Today, hundreds of thousands of people have signed up to use Skiff, millions of emails have been sent and received, and tens of thousands of calendar events have already been created - all end-to-end encrypted and completely private.

Skiff now offers four major products: Mail, Pages, Drive, and Calendar that all integrate together to create a fully private, end-to-end encrypted work suite. Skiff Mail is also capable of working with custom domains, enabling businesses and families to use Skiff Mail for private communications at their own domain.

 to join the Forbes 30 under 30 cohort - a testament to our team, users, and bright future ahead.

We’re incredibly excited for what this future holds! If you’d like to continue following our journey, sign up for free on our 

Skiff in Forbes

 to announce that we’re furthering Skiff’s mission to make collaboration usable, private, and decentralized with the completion of a $10.5 million Series A funding round led by Sequoia Capital.

Our Series A followed a $4.2 million seed round, also led by Sequoia. We’re incredibly excited to welcome a diverse group of angel investors with deep expertise in the domains of privacy and decentralization: John Lilly, former CEO of Mozilla, Balaji Srinivasan, former CTO of Coinbase, Gaby Goldberg, a crypto investor at TCG, and Albert Ni, from Dropbox and the Ethereum Foundation.

“Our digital lives should be as private as our physical lives. Recent events underscore the importance of products that are fully private and where users own their own data,” said Konstantine Buhler, partner at Sequoia. “Skiff is building an amazing team and visionary products to lead this moment. We couldn’t be more excited to double down.”

Skiff offers a completely private, end-to-end encrypted workspace ideal for teams that want full control over their own data. Everything from building a personal knowledge base to writing collaborative meeting notes is done in complete privacy. No one, not even Skiff, can ever see the title, content, or description of a user’s document.

In addition to end-to-end encryption of all their data, Skiff users have the option to leverage the fully decentralized Interplanetary File System (IPFS). Account creation and document sharing can also be completed using a decentralized, self-managed crypto identity, such as an Ethereum wallet.

Skiff is actively recruiting talented people who are motivated to help bring about our vision of secure, private, decentralized collaboration. See our current openings and reach out to us at hello@skiff.org. For privacy-focused teams, email us at hello@skiff.org or sign up directly at app.skiff.org.

Skiff raises $10.5 million Series A

Working together on Skiff yields critical privacy benefits

 for your communications, files, documennts, and more. Inviting your team brings numerous new features - as well as an opportunity to leave Google Workspace, Microsoft Office, and other less private ways to collaborate.

We’ve built Skiff to be a privacy-first, end-to-end encrypted workspace for individuals, teams, and businesses - and sharing other members on your team is a critical need to jumpstart your privacy.

This blog walks through how to set up your workspace for team collaboration, how to invite your colleagues to collaborate, and how to add a shared custom domain. At any point, if you have questions, need help, or want an onboarding specialist to help with the process, we are available at hello@skiff.org for questions.

. This will prompt you to create an individual account, which will be the first member and administrator for your workspace. From there, you can customize your organization’s name from the organization 

On this settings page, you can change your organization’s name, add teams, delete teams, or add and remove members. Teams are organizational units of your workspace, such as Engineering, Design, and HR teams. We’ll cover sharing your organization with colleagues in the next section.

To use a shared custom domain and share teams (“Design,” “Business,” etc.), you need to add members to your workspace. This can be done from the organization settings page as well (

https://app.skiff.com/dashboard?settingTab=organization

Workspace members will automatically be shared on all public teams within your organization, including the “Everyone” team. Invite-only teams will not be automatically shared, unless you add new members to them.

As noted above, you cannot add existing Skiff accounts to your workspace. Instead, you can send an email invite link that must be used to create a new account and join a workspace.

Adding a custom domain is critical for any organization that wants shared, personalized emails at the same domain for a business, family, or other group. To set up a custom domain, visit the custom domain settings page: 

https://app.skiff.com/mail?settingTab=custom+domains.

 Note that you will need to be on the Pro or Business tiers to do so.

Once you enter in your domain name, you will see DNS entries (MX record, TXT records, and CNAME records) to add via your domain registrar. Once added, these may take some time to populate. All records are necessary to enable mail sending and receiving at your domain, as well as critical security checks for email protection (SPF, DKIM, and DMARC protection).

Once the domain is added and verified, anyone from your workspace will be able to add aliases using that custom domain. You can refer to our longer tutorial 

 on how to add and verify a custom domain.

Can existing Skiff accounts be added to new workspaces?

No - you must create new accounts to join a Skiff Workspace. Each account has a distinct mail inbox, drive, pages, and more.

How can I sign into multiple Skiff accounts?

On the web, click the workspace selector in the top left corner, and then click “Add account.” You will be able to sign into multiple Skiff accounts at once that each belong to a different workspace. You can also sign into multiple accounts on the mobile Pages and Drive apps, with multiple accounts on Mail coming soon.

Yes! Any admin can remove workspace members from the organization 

. Once removed, these workspace member accounts cannot be recovered.

Can a custom domain be shared across users?

Yes! Every member of your workspace can have a distinct custom domain alias, like a@yourcompany.com and b@yourcompany.com. That way, you can even add more aliases, like sales@, ops@, or hello@yourcompany.com.

Yes! You can add up to two custom domains on the Pro tier, and you can add up to five custom domains on the business tier. So, if you need to manage multiple domain email addresses, or multiple businesses from one workspace, you can easily add these domains to your Skiff account.

How to invite your team to a shared workspace

, encrypting email to prevent exposure, misuse, or exfiltration of sensitive data is a necessity. Given this need, more consumers are looking for simple, intuitive, and easy-to-use products, encrypted mail providers, and encryption solutions that protect their personal and business communications.

In this article, we’ll walk through the basic reasoning behind why you should consider email encryption for every email you send and receive. From there, we’ll cover some common FAQs about 

 of email encryption, including both network level encryption, as well as message encryption via PGP and other encryption protocols.

Finally, we’ll cover common end-to-end encrypted email providers, which provide total email privacy directly inside their applications, and explain how to set up 

 accounts with simple and intuitive providers.

Email is a form of communication that is often used for sensitive or personal information. If our email communications are not private, we can be at risk of having our personal information exposed to others. This could lead to 

, or other malicious activity. Additionally, if our email communications are not private, we may be at risk of having our email accounts hacked. This could lead to our email messages being read by unauthorized individuals, or our email accounts being used to send spam or 

 to others - which could impact your friends, family members, or colleagues.

Email privacy is also important because it can help to protect 

 of expression. If we know that our email communications are private, we may feel more free to express our opinions and share our thoughts without fear of reprisal. Additionally, email privacy can help to protect our relationships with others. If we know that our email communications are private, we may feel more free to share sensitive or personal information with our contacts. This could lead to stronger relationships and deeper levels of trust.

Today, our inboxes store more personal information than our homes. Read on to learn more about email security, email encryption, and how to set up secure email practices and use encrypted email providers.

Generally, people credit Ray Tomlinson with sending the first modern email 

. At first, email was built for interoperability and facilitating communication, without a significant investment in security and encryption. In fact, in the 1970s, although basic encryption and decryption methods existed (and were becoming increasingly sophisticated), end-to-end encryption was not built into any internet services at the time.

In fact, even network traffic, which we now expect to be secure via innovations in TLS and SSL, was sent unencrypted, leaving significant vulnerabilities for internet users. This vulnerability prompted a series of warnings to not use public wifi (as your login credentials or plain text credit card number could be compromised) and to set up a 

Given the massive possible security problems that could stem from malicious actors intercepting network traffic, protocol-level changes were made to 

 from unauthorized use. TLS (Transport Layer Security) is a cryptographic protocol that provides communications security over the Internet. It is the successor to the SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) protocol and is widely used in web browsers and other applications that require data to be securely exchanged over networks. TLS uses a combination of public-key and symmetric-key cryptography to encrypt data and ensure its integrity. It also provides authentication, which verifies the identity of the parties involved in the communication. When using unencrypted email providers, like Google Gmail our Microsoft Outlook, network traffic remains protected via TLS.

Encrypted email is email that has been encrypted in order to protect the content from being read by anyone other than the intended recipient. Email encryption is a process of transforming readable email into unreadable text using an encryption algorithm. The purpose of encryption is to ensure that only the intended recipient can read the email, and nobody else.

There are a number of different encryption algorithms that can be used to encrypt email, and the most popular ones are PGP and 

. PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) is a public-key cryptography system that uses a combination of symmetric key cryptography and asymmetric-key cryptography. S/MIME (Secure/Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions) is a standard for public key encryption and signing of email. Email encryption is important because it protects the content of email messages from being read by anyone other than the intended recipient. It is especially important for email messages that contain sensitive information, such as financial information or medical records. Email encryption is also important for email messages that contain confidential information, such as business secrets or personal information.

There are a number of different ways to encrypt email. In the past, email encryption software programs were popular, such as 

 or S/MIME. These email encryption programs work by encrypting the email message using an encryption algorithm and the recipient’s 

, and then sending the encrypted email message to the recipient. The recipient can then decrypt the email message using their own email encryption software and corresponding private key. Digital signatures can be used in email encryption to verify the authenticity of email content. Today, PGP has become generally uncommon due to 

 and a generally unintuitive user interface that requires individuals to safely store and maintain their own encryption keys.

Another way to encrypt email is to use an email service that supports email encryption, which has become a significantly more popular, intuitive, and trustworthy method for online communication. 

, for example, offers full end-to-end encrypted email built into their consumer email product. When you send an email using Skiff, the email is encrypted using recipients’ public keys. The recipient can then decrypt the email using their own private keys, which are only acceptable to them.

Email encryption is important because it helps to protect the content of email messages from being read by anyone other than the intended recipient. When transferring sensitive information, whether it be family communications or medical records, email encryption is a critical privacy-respecting technology we recommend in all cases. In a business context, the stakes may also be significantly higher, as you must protect both client information and trade secrets.

There are a number of encrypted email products available that provide different levels of security and privacy. Some of the most popular encrypted email products include Skiff, ProtonMail, Tutanota, and Hushmail. All providers below offer a series of native apps, including iOS, Android, macOS, and more.

 is a privacy-first, end-to-end encrypted email provider that stores all emails with zero-access encryption, meaning the company can never access or read your mail. Skiff also offers 10 GB of storage on their end-to-end encrypted collaboration and file storage platforms (Skiff Pages and Drive).

 is a user-friendly email service that offers end-to-end encryption and zero-access encryption. The company also offers accompanying products, like a VPN, to encourage more secure internet browsing. ProtonMail uses OpenPGP for encrypted email communication.

 is another popular encrypted email service that offers end-to-end encryption. This means that your emails are encrypted before they even leave your device, and only you have the keys to decrypt them.

 is a Canadian-based encrypted email service that offers both end-to-end and zero-access encryption. Hushmail also offers a secure email client for iOS and Android devices. Generally, Hushmail is more marketed to specific use cases, such as healthcare.

Email encryption is a critical cybersecurity safeguard to protect your information from unwanted viewing, interception by third parties, and future possible misuse. A number of additional features have become good practices for communicating securely as well, such as sending password protected emails, expiring emails after a period of time, and securing your accounts with two-factor authentication and hardware keys.

We highly recommend investing in these additional security features and particularly in 2FA and hardware keys. In particular, 2FA adds an additional layer of login protection to your account, reducing the chance of identity theft, leaked or repeated password use, or failed compliance checks by third parties.

Whether you're sending sensitive information or just want to keep your personal messages private, encryption is a great tool for protecting your communications. If you’re looking for a dependable end-to-end email encryption service, try out 

What is encrypted email, and is it secure?

Millions of individuals now store sensitive information across myriad devices, from cloud storage and accounts to hard drives and personal phones. Managing the security and privacy of this data online is critical, particularly as personal documents may store critical sensitive information from healthcare plans to client data.

Instead of storing data locally on a hard drive or on a USB drive, cloud storage is a model of data storage in which the electronic files that make up a user's data are stored in a 

. Although cloud storage offers many advantages, such as convenience and scalability, it also poses a number of security risks. These risks have been magnified in recent years as the use of cloud storage has grown exponentially. Now, cloud storage users share links, use mobile and desktop apps, and frequently collaborate across many accounts and file types. As a result, navigating these products safely is an increasing challenge.

Understanding different types and applications of encryption algorithms yields helpful context for protecting your personal data. Whether using local encryption software on your computer, or encrypting files for the cloud, different types of encryption are useful in depending on the file and use case.

 where two different keys are used to encrypt and decrypt the data. End-to-end encryption is a type of encryption where the data is encrypted at the sender’s side and can only be decrypted at the receiver’s side.

 type of encryption. It is used in many applications, such as email, file sharing, and VPN. The sender and receiver must have the same key in order to encrypt and decrypt the data. The key can be a simple password or a more complex key. Symmetric encryption is also frequently used to support full disk encryption, where data on a server or local computer is encrypted with a key for that machine. The algorithm AES-256, which is frequently used in security marketing or disclaimers, is a symmetric encryption algorithm.

 is less common than symmetric encryption. It is used in some applications, such as SSL/TLS and 

s. The sender and receiver must have different keys in order to encrypt and decrypt the data. The keys are generated by a mathematical algorithm that allows a public key to encrypt data that can only be decrypted by a single private key.

 type of encryption. It is used in some applications, such as email and instant messaging. The data is encrypted at the 

 and can only be decrypted at the receiver’s side. The sender and receiver must have the same key in order to decrypt the data and recover plaintext files. Many end-to-end encryption algorithms use a combination of symmetric and asymmetric encryption.

One of the most significant security risks associated with cloud storage is the potential for data breaches. A data breach occurs when an unauthorized party gains access to confidential data. In the case of cloud storage, a data breach can occur if a hacker is able to gain access to the remote database where the user's data is stored. Once a hacker has access to this database, they can potentially access all of the data that is 

not possible in an end-to-end encrypted cloud provider, like Skiff

Another security risk associated with cloud storage is the possibility of data loss. This can occur if the cloud storage provider suffers a data loss event, such as a power outage or hardware failure. If this happens, the user's data may be lost 

. However, this has generally become less common.

Finally, cloud storage poses a risk to the 

 of the user's data. Although the user's data is stored in a remote database, it is still possible for the cloud storage provider to access this data. This means that the provider could potentially sell the user's data to third parties without the user's consent, or potentially deplatform the user by removing them from a service.

Despite the risks, cloud storage remains a popular option for businesses and individuals alike. However, it is important to be aware of the risks involved and take steps to mitigate them. One way to do this is to 

 the data that is stored in the cloud, or to use an end-to-end encrypted provider that will encrypt contents and file name.

This practice makes it much more difficult for hackers to gain access to the data. Additionally, businesses should consider using a private cloud storage solution rather than a public one. Private or on-premise cloud storage providers typically have stronger security measures in place to protect the data that is stored on their servers.

Given the amount of options and products available, it is difficult to know how to encrypt files. However, encrypting your hard drive is an important practice for several reasons. First, it helps to protect your data from being accessed by unauthorized individuals. Second, it can help to prevent data breaches in the event that your computer is lost or stolen. Finally, encrypting your hard drive can also help to improve your computer's performance.

There are several different ways to encrypt your hard drive. One option is to use a third-party encryption tool, but the most secure and recommended option is to leverage the built-in encryption features of your operating system, such as Microsoft's 

 for Mac. This will default encrypt all data at rest on your device, which is a critical data protection measure today. Decryption occurs when you enter your password on login and access files or software.

No matter which method you choose, it is important to make sure that you choose a strong 

 that cannot be easily guessed, or to use a password manager. It is also a good idea to create a backup of your encryption key in case you forget it. Encrypting your hard drive is an important step in protecting your data. By taking the time to encrypt your data, you can help to ensure that your information remains confidential and secure.

There are a few things you can do to make sure your email is as secure as possible when sending sensitive information. First, avoid using public Wi-Fi when possible. If you must use public Wi-Fi, be sure to use a VPN to encrypt your connection. Second, avoid using your personal email account for work-related matters. Instead, use a secure, work-provided email account.

Finally, be mindful of what you include in your email. Avoid sending sensitive information in the body of your email. If you must include sensitive information, be sure to encrypt the email with a password. Some services, such as DocSend, provide purpose-built products for securely sending and monitoring links and documents that you send. Or, use a privacy-first, end-to-end encrypted email product, like 

. Below, we’ll write more about the best products for sending and sharing sensitive files.

: DocSend is a tool that helps users send, track, and manage documents. It allows users to upload documents to the platform and then share them with others. The recipient can then view the document, leave comments, and track how long they spend viewing it. DocSend also allows users to password protect their documents and set expiration dates.

: Box is a cloud storage and file sharing service developed by Box, Inc. The company was founded in 2005 and is headquartered in Redwood City, California. Box allows users to upload, store, share, and access files online. Users can access their files from any device with an Internet connection. Box offers two types of accounts: personal and business. Personal accounts are free and have a limit of 10 GB of storage.

Business accounts start at $5 per month and have a limit of 100 GB of 

. Box also offers enterprise plans for businesses with more than 100 GB of storage. Box allows users to share files with other users. Users can create shared folders and invite others to view or edit the folder. Box also offers a collaboration feature called Box Notes, which allows users to create and edit documents in real-time with other users.

 cloud storage product that provides 10 GB free, easy-to-use 

, and a suite of products for communication and collaboration (including Mail, Pages for notes and documents, and Drive for file storage). Skiff end-to-end encrypts all individual files and file names, keeping sensitive information private to users.

Skiff offers native apps for iOS, Mac, and Android and can be easily used on the web on Windows, Linux, and other platforms. In this blog on encrypted cloud 

, we compare more end-to-end encrypted software with more commonly used cloud storage providers.

What files do you need to encrypt?

 to complete the privacy-first workspace. Our mission is to empower freer, more creative, and more expressive communication and collaboration - and a shared calendar brings us even closer to that future.

Our calendars store a corpus of our lives - our appointments, our contacts, or family gatherings, and much more. They contain a record of where we go - flights, coffee meetings, and birthday parties - and what we’re working on.

Calendars also integrate deeply into the modern workspace. Teams use shared calendars for important meetings; every iOS and Android device relys on calendars for appointments and notifications; event invites are a critical reminder for upcoming meetings or deadlines.

Skiff Calendar is an end-to-end encrypted, private calendar that integrates deeply with Skiff Mail, Drive, and Pages. Skiff Calendar allows sending events and updates to external users, syncs across devices, and is built to be completely privacy-first. Read on for more information about how Skiff Calendar works, how to sign up, and what features are available.

Skiff Calendar is an end-to-end encrypted digital calendar for managing your schedule, planning events, and inviting both Skiff and external users. Skiff Calendar is built to be privacy-first, keeping your external attendees private and end-to-end encrypted, and easy to use, with convenient features you’d expect from any other digital calendar.

We bulit Skiff to be a privacy-first, end-to-end encrypted workspace for collaborating and communicating. With hundreds of people now using Skiff, Skiff Calendar brings us even closer to realizing this vision.

Digital calendars have become a crutch for managing our work, schedules, contacts, and personal life. It’s estimated that 70% of internet-using adults use a digital 

. Given the deep intersections between email and calendar - as well as privacy and calendar events - building Skiff Calendar has been a high priority.

Skiff Calendar is available on the web, with mobile apps for both iOS and Android coming soon. Skiff Calendar is compatible with all major browsers, including Firefox, Chrome, Brave, Safari, Edge, and more. As mobile apps become available, Skiff Calendar will deliver notifications for invites, reminders, and upcoming events.

Every Skiff user has a Skiff Calendar available at 

 It’s free to use for everyone! If you are on a Pro or Business plan, you’ll also have access to a calendar, which can be used for your full team workspace.

If you are signing up for a new Skiff account, navigate to 

, then create your new account. From there, you’ll be able to choose Calendar from the top left corner.

Once you’ve opened Skiff Calendar, you can create events, send invites, and import existing ICS files. We’ll have more import methods coming soon.

Skiff Calendar keeps your private event information completely end-to-end encrypted, including the title, location, details, and all external recipients.

Can I invite exernal (non-Skiff) attendees?

Yes. You can invite any external attendee on another email provider, and they will receive an invite email that will allow synchronization of the event between your and your guest’s calendars. Furthremore, Skiff 

will not know the email address of your guest.

In the beta version, recurring events are not yet possible. They’ll be available soon!

Shared calendars will also be available in the next month outside of the beta version.

How does Skiff Calendar integrate with Skiff Mail?

Events you receive in your Skiff Mail inbox will automatically appear in your Skiff Calendar. Likewise, any invite you send externally to other Skiff users or external users will integrate directly into their calendars, including RSVPs (yes, no, maybe) on events.

How can I download Skiff Calendar on iOS, Mac, or Android?

 links to Mac, iOS, and Android applications. Currently, Skiff Calendar is available on the macOS app and in the web; iOS and Android applications will be released shortly.

Skiff Calendar Launches!

We’re excited to announce that Skiff Mail has been awarded the PCMag Editor’s Choice award and an “Outstanding” review. Check out the full 

, which goes into incredible depth on Skiff’s Mail, Drive, and Pages products, as well as all the different ways you can leverage the sharing and security functionality for your team.

Detailed review of search, organizations, and more

Neil Rubenking’s review contains a detailed description of how searching on Skiff works. On Skiff Mail, all emails are searchable by default - a rare feature release in an end-to-end encrypted communication product.

As the article specifies, Skiff has pioneered open-source, client-side search algorithms for sequencing and searching through end-to-end encrypted data. For more information on how search works in Skiff Mail and Skiff Pages, read our technical blog post “

The incredibly thorough review also discusses how every Skiff user can benefit from using multiple email aliases, downloading native apps on iOS, Android, and Mac desktops. Downloading apps earns credit towards a Pro subscription, which provides extra storage space and other additional features.

In the final sections, the PCMag review offers a detailed introduction to Skiff Pages and Skiff Drive - fully end-to-end encrypted products for collaboration, note taking, file storage, and sharing. Files can be dragged and dropped into the webapp, created from scratch, or adapted from the in-app template library.

Skiff’s in-app editor allows for significant customization, including text color, highlighting, sophisticated tables, and more. For external collaboration, every user can also click “Publish” to share end-to-end encrypted viewable or editable links. These links can easily be shared in a messaging app, email, or chat function. To learn more about link sharing on Skiff, check out our 

, one of the top sources for trusted information about privacy-respecting services all over the web. Check out the site to learn more about privacy-respecting products for collaborating, communicating, and more.

PCMag Editor’s Choice and more

On December 28th, Fast Company published their list of the top 25 newest apps of 2022. From Mastodon to ChatGPT, these apps offered radically different ways to communicate, collaborate, and write.

Skiff offers the same - but privately, with an end-to-end encrypted workspace. Over the course of 2022, we launched 

Today, Skiff products offer a feature-complete solution to the Google and Microsoft style productivity suites for communicating and collaborating. Larger teams can also take advantage of custom domains, shared teams, and shared links for collaborating externally.

 with Pro and Business tiers for individuals, families, and teams. Skiff’s paid tiers offer more storage space (up to one terabyte per user), extra email aliases (up to fifteen per user), additional version history, and shorter email aliases.

Most of all, we are grateful to the individuals who use our products and join our communities across 

Calendar and Drive Launch in Forbes

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