With Gmail, I can be fairly sure that the use of encryption is competent and that they've invested in entire teams of people dedicated to monitoring the service for hacking attempts -- I might have to worry about them handing data over to the NSA, but I don't have to worry about them handing data over to a random black hat who decides to modify the JS you deploy. I also trust that Google's legal team is capable of some level of argument with the NSA, rather than just folding to them the first time actual money would be required to pay a legal team.
I don't see how hosting a server in Switzerland helps you when the NSA is at your door, telling them that you must help them and you must not tell anyone about it. The weak point is you, not your servers.
Its a personal choice after all. We are not trying to replace Gmail. Our solution target people which focus more on privacy. Would you compare Gmail to a service like mailinator, etc. Part of our encryption is based on OpenPGP(most widely used email encryption standard in the world).
"I don't have to worry about them handing data over to a random black hat who decides to modify the JS you deploy" -cjbprime
I like to think that when you do business with people, there is a little of faith that is necessary. Otherwise, nobody would do business with startups.
And to answer your question about Switzerland, The only way to gain access to the data hosted within a Swiss data centre is if the company receives an official court order proving guilt.
With Gmail, I can be fairly sure that the use of encryption is competent and that they've invested in entire teams of people dedicated to monitoring the service for hacking attempts -- I might have to worry about them handing data over to the NSA, but I don't have to worry about them handing data over to a random black hat who decides to modify the JS you deploy. I also trust that Google's legal team is capable of some level of argument with the NSA, rather than just folding to them the first time actual money would be required to pay a legal team.
I don't see how hosting a server in Switzerland helps you when the NSA is at your door, telling them that you must help them and you must not tell anyone about it. The weak point is you, not your servers.