Free Apple Mail alternatives

Top Email Clients & Providers like Apple Mail

Updated Oct 12, 2026

The most popular alternative to Apple Mail is Microsoft Outlook, which has a free version. Other great alternatives to Apple Mail are Spark, Gmail, Thunderbird, and eM Client.

Most alternatives to Apple Mail are in the Email Clients & Providers category, compared here by price, platform and features.

Apple Mail alternatives

All Free Open source

7 apps

Microsoft Outlook
4.8(9.3M) · App Store
Microsoft Outlook is an email and calendar app available on Windows, Mac, mobile and the web, used with Outlook.com, Exchange and Microsoft 365 accounts as well as Gmail and other IMAP services. It combines mail with calendars, contacts and tasks, supports shared mailboxes and scheduled sending, and integrates with Teams for meetings. Copilot can draft replies and summarize threads on eligible plans.
12 Microsoft Outlook alternatives
Pros
Email, calendar, contacts and tasks in one app
Shared mailboxes and Teams integration for businesses
Available on Windows, Mac, mobile and the web
Cons
The move from classic to new Outlook on Windows has been disruptive
Free Outlook.com accounts show ads
Copilot features require an eligible paid plan
Cost / License
FreemiumProprietary
Categories
Email Clients & Providers Scheduling & Calendars
Platforms
Web Windows Mac iPhone Android
Features
AI assistant Calendar view Integrations Offline mode Send later Shared inbox
Visit website More about Microsoft Outlook
Spark
4.6(82.7K) · App Store
Spark is an email client from Readdle that works with Gmail, Outlook, iCloud and other IMAP accounts on Mac, Windows, iPhone and Android. Its smart inbox separates personal mail, notifications and newsletters, and it supports send later, snoozing, a gatekeeper for new senders and AI writing help. Teams can share email threads, comment on them privately and draft replies together.
11 Spark alternatives
Pros
Smart inbox separates personal mail, notifications and newsletters
Shared threads and private comments for team email
Gatekeeper screens new senders before they reach the inbox
Cons
Sync relies on Readdle’s servers, which raises privacy questions
AI and team features require a paid plan
Cost / License
FreemiumProprietary
Categories
Email Clients & Providers
Platforms
Windows Mac iPhone Android
Features
AI assistant Send later Team collaboration Unified inbox
Visit website More about Spark
Gmail
4.7(2.4M) · App Store
Gmail is Google's email service, used through the web and mobile apps or any IMAP client. It offers automatic spam filtering, labels and inbox categories, fast search, scheduled sending and close links with Calendar, Drive and Meet. Personal accounts are free and share storage with Drive and Photos, while Google Workspace adds custom domains and admin tools; Gemini can draft and summarize emails.
12 Gmail alternatives
Pros
Excellent spam filtering and fast search
Tight links with Google Calendar, Drive and Meet
Free personal accounts on web, mobile and any IMAP client
Cons
Free storage is shared with Drive and Photos and fills up quickly
Google’s data practices raise privacy concerns
Custom domains require a paid Google Workspace plan
Cost / License
FreemiumProprietary
Categories
Email Clients & Providers
Platforms
Web iPhone Android
Features
AI assistant Custom email domain Offline mode Send later Two-factor authentication
Visit website More about Gmail
Thunderbird
Thunderbird is a free and open-source email client for Windows, macOS and Linux, with an Android app based on K-9 Mail. It manages multiple accounts in a unified inbox and includes a calendar, address book, chat and built-in OpenPGP encryption. Add-ons and themes customize it extensively, and it is developed by MZLA Technologies, a Mozilla Foundation subsidiary funded by user donations.
9 Thunderbird alternatives
Pros
Free and open source, funded by donations rather than ads
Built-in OpenPGP encryption, calendar and address book
Highly customizable with add-ons and themes
Cons
Interface feels busier than minimalist modern clients
Getting the most out of it takes some setup and add-ons
Cost / License
FreeOpen source
Categories
Email Clients & Providers
Platforms
Windows Mac Linux Android
Features
Ad-free Calendar view End-to-end encryption Offline mode Plugins & extensions Unified inbox
Visit website More about Thunderbird
eM Client
eM Client is a desktop email client for Windows and macOS that brings email, calendar, tasks, contacts and notes together in one app. It works with Gmail, Exchange, Microsoft 365, iCloud and IMAP accounts, and includes built-in PGP encryption, snoozing, send later and quick templates. A free version is available for personal use with a limited number of accounts, and the Pro license unlocks the rest.
7 eM Client alternatives
Pros
Email, calendar, tasks, contacts and notes in one desktop app
Built-in PGP encryption without extra plugins
Works with Gmail, Exchange, Microsoft 365, iCloud and IMAP
Cons
Free version is for personal use with a limited number of accounts
No Linux version, only Windows and Mac
Interface can feel dense because of its many features
Cost / License
FreemiumProprietary
Categories
Email Clients & Providers
Platforms
Windows Mac
Features
Calendar view End-to-end encryption Send later Templates Unified inbox
Visit website More about eM Client
Mailspring
17.9Kstars
Mailspring is a free, open-source desktop email client for Windows, macOS and Linux that works with Gmail, Office 365, iCloud and any IMAP account. It offers a unified inbox, fast search, themes and templates, and runs its mail sync engine locally rather than in the cloud. An optional Pro subscription adds read receipts, link tracking, send later and reminders.
7 Mailspring alternatives
Pros
Free and open source on Windows, Mac and Linux
Sync engine runs locally rather than through a cloud service
Unified inbox, themes and templates in a clean interface
Cons
Send later, reminders and read receipts require Pro
A Mailspring ID account is required even for the free version
No mobile apps to go with the desktop client
Cost / License
FreemiumOpen source
Categories
Email Clients & Providers
Platforms
Windows Mac Linux
Features
Dark mode Email tracking Send later Templates Unified inbox
Visit website More about Mailspring
Proton Mail
4.8(48.7K) · App Store
Proton Mail is an end-to-end encrypted email service based in Switzerland. Messages between Proton users are encrypted automatically, emails to others can be password-protected, and stored mail uses zero-access encryption so Proton cannot read it. Its apps are open source, paid plans add custom domains and more addresses, and it is part of a suite with Proton Calendar, Drive, VPN and Pass.
9 Proton Mail alternatives
Pros
End-to-end and zero-access encryption protect stored mail
Based in Switzerland, with open source apps
Part of a suite with Proton Calendar, Drive, VPN and Pass
Cons
Free plan is tight on storage and addresses
Using IMAP clients requires Proton Mail Bridge and a paid plan
Cost / License
FreemiumOpen source
Categories
Email Clients & Providers
Platforms
Web Windows Mac Linux iPhone Android
Features
Custom email domain Email aliases End-to-end encryption Send later Tracker blocking Two-factor authentication
Visit website More about Proton Mail

Apple Mail vs its alternatives at a glance

Pricing, platforms and the key features of Apple Mail, compared with its most popular alternatives.

Apple Mail vs its alternatives at a glance
App	Pricing	Platforms
Apple Mail	Free	Mac, iPhone
Microsoft Outlook	Freemium	Web, Windows, Mac, iPhone, Android
Spark	Freemium	Windows, Mac, iPhone, Android
Gmail	Freemium	Web, iPhone, Android
Thunderbird	FreeOpen source	Windows, Mac, Linux, Android
eM Client	Freemium	Windows, Mac

Apple Mail alternatives: frequently asked questions

What is the best alternative to Apple Mail?

The most popular alternative to Apple Mail is Microsoft Outlook: Email, calendar and contacts from Microsoft. Other great alternatives are Spark, Gmail, Thunderbird, and eM Client.