Because the paying users subsidize the free product, they pay the free lunch. Meanwhile google, like most big platforms, is (almost, see comment) entirely without payment, instead subsidized by ads (and of course the sold data); with gmail you’re not paying with money, but with your attention (and your data).
Proton
Empowering you to choose a better internet where privacy is the default. Protect yourself online with Proton Mail, Proton VPN, Proton Calendar, Proton Drive. Proton Pass and SimpleLogin.
Proton Mail is the world's largest secure email provider. Swiss, end-to-end encrypted, private, and free.
Proton VPN is the world’s only open-source, publicly audited, unlimited and free VPN. Swiss-based, no-ads, and no-logs.
Proton Calendar is the world's first end-to-end encrypted calendar that allows you to keep your life private.
Proton Drive is a free end-to-end encrypted cloud storage that allows you to securely backup and share your files. It's open source, publicly audited, and Swiss-based.
Proton Pass Proton Pass is a free and open-source password manager which brings a higher level of security with rigorous end-to-end encryption of all data (including usernames, URLs, notes, and more) and email alias support.
SimpleLogin lets you send and receive emails anonymously via easily-generated unique email aliases.
Do I really need the paid tier? Not necessarily. Proton provides me with a viable privacy-first service. Like they say; vote with your wallet.
I’ve successfully de-googled myself after ~20 years. It feels good to be free of a corporation doing its best to spy on every aspect my life. If my subscription subsidizes the OP’s free lunch I say cheers mate 🍻, have some free privacy on me.
subsidized freemium is a standard practice. it cuts into their profits maybe slightly, but turnover into paying customers is worth it.