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Enlocked 2

Neil J. Rubenking
 & Neil J. Rubenking Principal Writer, Security

Our team tests, rates, and reviews more than 1,500 products each year to help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.

Our Expert
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65 EXPERTS
43 YEARS
41,500+ REVIEWS
Sending and receiving encrypted email with Enlocked 2 is easy, and it can be free. Mobile editions and plug-ins for Outlook and Gmail make using it even easier. It's a very good solution for secure communication. - Enlocked 2
4.0 Excellent

The Bottom Line

Sending and receiving encrypted email with Enlocked 2 is easy, and it can be free. Mobile editions and plug-ins for Outlook and Gmail make using it even easier. It's a very good solution for secure communication.

Pros & Cons

    • Encrypts and decrypts messages locally.
    • Free to receive unlimited messages.
    • Free to send 10 messages per month.
    • Company has no access to your content.
    • Plug-ins make secure emailing even easier.
    • If you forget your password, you lose access to associated messages.

When you send an ordinary email message, it bounces around various servers as plain text, subject to snooping. For privacy, you'd be better off using encryption, but encryption is no good unless it's really, really easy for both the sender and the recipient. Enlocked 2 is just that easy, and with prices ranging from free to $29.99 per month, it's practical for individuals, small businesses, and even corporations.

That pricing scheme deserves a little explanation. Anybody can set up an Enlocked account and receive unlimited emails at no charge. With a free account you can also send up to 10 encrypted messages per month. A basic paid subscription costs $9.99 per month (or $99 per year) and can send 100 messages each month. At the gold level, you'll pay $19.99 per month (or $199 per year) and receive a quota of 2,000 secured messages per month. For the mega-communicator, someone needing to send up to 10,000 encrypted emails per month, a platinum subscription costs $29.99 each month or $299 annually.

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Final Thoughts

Sending and receiving encrypted email with Enlocked 2 is easy, and it can be free. Mobile editions and plug-ins for Outlook and Gmail make using it even easier. It's a very good solution for secure communication. - Enlocked 2

Enlocked 2

4.0 Excellent

Sending and receiving encrypted email with Enlocked 2 is easy, and it can be free. Mobile editions and plug-ins for Outlook and Gmail make using it even easier. It's a very good solution for secure communication.

About Our Expert

Neil J. Rubenking

Neil J. Rubenking

Principal Writer, Security

My Experience

When the IBM PC was new, I served as the president of the San Francisco PC User Group for three years. That’s how I met PCMag’s editorial team, who brought me on board in 1986. In the years since that fateful meeting, I’ve become PCMag’s expert on security, privacy, and identity protection, putting antivirus tools, security suites, and all kinds of security software through their paces.

Before my current security gig, I supplied PCMag readers with tips and solutions on using popular applications, operating systems, and programming languages in my "User to User" and "Ask Neil" columns, which began in 1990 and ran for almost 20 years. Along the way, I wrote more than 40 utility articles, as well as Delphi Programming for Dummies and six other books covering DOS, Windows, and programming. I also reviewed thousands of products of all kinds, ranging from early Sierra Online adventure games to AOL’s precursor Q-Link.

In the early 2000s, I turned my focus to security and the growing antivirus industry. After years of working with antivirus, I’m known throughout the security industry as an expert on evaluating antivirus tools. I serve as an advisory board member for the Anti-Malware Testing Standards Organization (AMTSO), an international nonprofit group dedicated to coordinating and improving testing of anti-malware solutions.

The Technology I Use

Much of the testing I do, particularly testing with real-world ransomware, is just plain dangerous. To perform such tests safely, I sequester them inside virtual machines managed by VMWare Workstation. For cross-platform testing, I use a MacBook Air, a Google Pixel 4, and a 6th-generation iPad.

I rely on my Delphi coding skills to create and maintain small applications. These include programs to check whether an antivirus correctly handled the malware it detected, launch dangerous URLs and record the security program’s reaction, and analyze the malware that I collect for use in testing. I also wrote a tiny browser and text editor for use in testing security apps that have predefined reactions for known products.

I do my writing and research on a Dell OptiPlex desktop, relying on Microsoft Word (my fingers know all the shortcuts). Many of my articles include charts and analysis; Excel is my go-to for those. When work hours end, though, I escape the bounds of Microsoft and Windows. There’s an iPhone in my pocket, I relax with my oversized iPad, and my Kindle Oasis is always loaded with the best science fiction and fantasy.

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