# Alternatives to Apple Mail

The built-in Apple mail client.

Apple Mail ranks #5 of 22 in Email clients, with an Alt Score of 87. It is proprietary, free and available on macOS and iOS. 11 of 11 checklist rows are verified against a public source.

Source: https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/apple-mail/
Category: Email clients

## Overview

- **Who it's for**: Mac users who want a built-in email client for managing personal or work accounts (iCloud, Gmail, Exchange, Yahoo, and other IMAP/POP providers) without installing third-party software.
- **What you get**: A unified inbox that consolidates messages from multiple accounts, with search, VIP and category-based organization, and rules for filtering mail. Apple Intelligence adds AI-assisted writing (drafting and tone/style feedback), smarter search ranking, and contextual suggestions like creating calendar events from message content. Mail syncs read status, flags, and folders across Apple devices via iCloud.
- **How it works**: Add one or more email accounts, and Mail retrieves and organizes messages into a single inbox where you can read, flag, search, and reply; smart suggestions and writing assistance surface automatically as you browse and compose.

## Profile

- **License**: Proprietary (verified 2026-07-12)
- **Pricing model**: Free (verified 2026-07-12)
- **Starts at**: ?
- **Platforms**: macOS, iOS
- **Status**: active (verified 2026-07-12)

## Ranked alternatives

| # | App | Alt Score | Licence | Platforms |
|---|-----|-----------|---------|-----------|
| 1 | [eM Client](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/em-client.md) | 96 | Proprietary | Windows, macOS, iOS, Android |
| 2 | [BlueMail](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/bluemail.md) | 92 | Proprietary | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS |
| 3 | [Canary Mail](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/canary-mail.md) | 92 | Proprietary | Windows, macOS, iOS, Android |
| 4 | [The Bat!](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/the-bat.md) | 92 | Proprietary | Windows |
| 5 | [FairEmail](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/fairemail.md) | 87 | GPL-3.0 | Android |
| 6 | [Mailbird](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/mailbird.md) | 87 | Proprietary | Windows, macOS |
| 7 | [Evolution](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/evolution.md) | 84 | LGPL-2.1 | Linux |
| 8 | [Mailspring](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/mailspring.md) | 84 | GPL-3.0 | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| 9 | [Missive](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/missive.md) | 84 | Proprietary | Web, Windows, macOS, iOS |
| 10 | [Outlook](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/outlook.md) | 84 | Proprietary | Windows, macOS, iOS, Android |
| 11 | [Thunderbird](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/thunderbird.md) | 76 | MPL-2.0 | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| 12 | [Spark](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/spark.md) | 71 | Proprietary | Windows, macOS, iOS, Android |
| 13 | [NeoMutt](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/neomutt.md) | 68 | GPL-2.0 | Linux, macOS |
| 14 | [Shortwave](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/shortwave.md) | 68 | Proprietary | Web, macOS, Windows, iOS |
| 15 | [Postbox](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/postbox.md) | 63 | Proprietary | macOS, Windows |
| 16 | [Mimestream](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/mimestream.md) | 60 | Proprietary | macOS |
| 17 | [Aqua Mail](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/aqua-mail.md) | 55 | Proprietary | Android |
| 18 | [Superhuman](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/superhuman.md) | 55 | Proprietary | Windows, macOS, iOS, Android |
| 19 | [Geary](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/geary.md) | 50 | LGPL-2.1-or-later | Linux |
| 20 | [K-9 Mail](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/k-9-mail.md) | 47 | Apache-2.0 | Android |
| 21 | [aerc](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/aerc.md) | 42 | MIT | Linux, macOS |

Alt Score = Verified coverage (90%) + Visibility (10%). See https://altcatalog.com/how-alt-score-works/

## Feature comparison

Legend: Yes / No / Partial / ? (not verified).

| Email clients checklist | Apple Mail | eM Client | BlueMail | Canary Mail | The Bat! | FairEmail |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Free | Freemium | Freemium | Freemium | One-time | Free |
| Starts at | ? | €39.95/year | ? | $3/month | €47.95 one-time (Home Edition) | ? |
| License | Proprietary | Proprietary | Proprietary | Proprietary | Proprietary | GPL-3.0 |
| Platforms | macOS, iOS | Windows, macOS, iOS, Android | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Web | Windows, macOS, iOS, Android | Windows | Android |
| Protocols (IMAP / POP3 / JMAP / Exchange) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Partial | Yes | Yes |
| Unified inbox | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Snooze & send later | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Partial | Yes |
| Tracking pixel blocking | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| PGP / encryption support | Partial | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Conversation view | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Offline mode | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Rules & filters (local) | Yes | Yes | Partial | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Calendar integrated | Partial | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Partial |
| Multiple identities/aliases | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Keyboard-first shortcuts | Partial | Partial | Partial | Partial | Partial | ? |

## Sources

Sources for Apple Mail. Each alternative is sourced on its own page.

- **License**: Proprietary — <https://www.apple.com/legal/sla/> (verified 2026-07-12)
  - Quote: “Review the software license agreements for currently shipping Apple products by selecting the appropriate product below.”
- **Pricing model**: Free — <https://apps.apple.com/us/app/mail/id1108187098> (verified 2026-07-12)
  - Quote: “Free”
- **Platforms**: macOS, iOS — <https://support.apple.com/guide/icloud/what-you-can-do-with-icloud-mail-mmaae54a2288/icloud> (verified 2026-07-12)
  - Quote: “You can send and receive emails on any device that has iCloud Mail turned on, including your iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Windows device.”
- **Status**: active — <https://support.apple.com/guide/mail/whats-new-in-mail-cpmlwn/mac> (verified 2026-07-12)
  - Quote: “a new feature to automatically categorize incoming emails”
- **Protocols (IMAP / POP3 / JMAP / Exchange)**: Yes — <https://support.apple.com/guide/mail/change-server-settings-cpmlprefacctadv/mac> (verified 2026-07-12)
  - Quote: “Advanced IMAP or Exchange Settings”
- **Unified inbox**: Yes — <https://support.apple.com/guide/mail/mlhle2e8ce37/mac> (verified 2026-07-12)
  - Quote: “Adding the All Inboxes mailbox to your favorites allows you to access all your inboxes for multiple accounts at once.”
- **Snooze & send later**: Yes — <https://support.apple.com/guide/mail/mlhl96dfe8ce/16.0/mac/14.0> (verified 2026-07-12)
  - Quote: “You receive a notification for emails you've chosen to be reminded of, and they move to the top of your inbox.”
- **Tracking pixel blocking**: Yes — <https://support.apple.com/guide/mail/protect-email-privacy-mlhlp1205/mac> (verified 2026-07-12)
  - Quote: “Email messages you receive may include remote content that allows a sender to collect information when you view a message, such as when and how many times you view it, whether you forward it, what you”
- **PGP / encryption support**: Partial — <https://support.apple.com/en-sg/guide/mail/mlhlp1180/mac> (verified 2026-07-12)
  - Quote: “A digitally signed message lets your recipients verify your identity as the sender; an encrypted message offers an even higher level of security.”
- **Conversation view**: Yes — <https://support.apple.com/guide/mail/mail35700/15.0/mac/13.0> (verified 2026-07-12)
  - Quote: “Mail groups together email messages that are part of the same 'conversation' (or thread), instead of listing each reply individually.”
- **Offline mode**: Yes — <https://support.apple.com/guide/mail/mlhlp1032/14.0/mac/11.0> (verified 2026-07-12)
  - Quote: “When your account is offline you can't get or send messages, but you can write messages to send later.”
- **Rules & filters (local)**: Yes — <https://support.apple.com/guide/mail/use-rules-to-manage-emails-you-receive-mlhlp1017/15.0/mac/13.0> (verified 2026-07-12)
  - Quote: “create rules that help you manage incoming email messages and automate tasks, such as replying to or deleting messages.”
- **Calendar integrated**: Partial — <https://support.apple.com/guide/calendar/reply-to-invitations-icl1019/mac> (verified 2026-07-12)
  - Quote: “For events in an iCloud calendar, you also receive an invitation in Mail, so you may see notifications from both Calendar and Mail.”
- **Multiple identities/aliases**: Yes — <https://support.apple.com/guide/icloud/what-are-email-aliases-in-icloud-mail-mm074af79454/icloud> (verified 2026-07-12)
  - Quote: “An email alias is an alternate email address. It's like a nickname and helps to keep your real email address private.”
- **Keyboard-first shortcuts**: Partial — <https://support.apple.com/guide/mail/keyboard-shortcuts-mlhlb94f262b/mac> (verified 2026-07-12)
  - Quote: “In the Mail app on your Mac, you can quickly accomplish many tasks using keyboard shortcuts.”

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Ranked by verified data, never by who paid. https://altcatalog.com/trust/