Alternatives to Outlook
Microsoft's mail and calendar client
Outlook ranks #11 of 22 in Email clients, with an Alt Score of 84. It is proprietary, free from $1.99/month and available on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android and Web. 10 of 11 checklist rows are verified against a public source.
Individuals and businesses who need a unified email and calendar client, from free Outlook.com consumer accounts to Microsoft 365 subscribers and enterprise users.
A combined email, calendar, and contacts hub that also connects to third-party accounts like Gmail and iCloud. Includes inbox organization tools such as focused inbox and sweep, scheduling and reminders, and direct access to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneDrive files from within the inbox. Paid plans add Copilot AI features for drafting and summarizing email, plus enterprise-grade security like malware and phishing protection.
Users connect one or more email accounts (Microsoft or third-party) to a single inbox, then manage mail, calendar events, and contacts from desktop, web, or mobile apps that stay in sync across devices.
Why people leave Outlook
Dashed reasons are sourced facts; the rest are opinions. Vendors can dispute.
Sign in to add a reason — new reasons go through moderation before appearing.
Ranked alternatives
Ordered by Alt Score. Click any score to see the breakdown.
Feature comparison
Rows come from the Email clients checklist (15 rows). Human-verified cells only. ? means the value has not been verified.
| Email clients checklist | Outlook | eM Client | BlueMail | Canary Mail | The Bat! | Apple Mail |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | ||||||
| Starts at | ||||||
| License | ||||||
| Platforms | ||||||
| Protocols (IMAP / POP3 / JMAP / Exchange) | ||||||
| Unified inbox | ||||||
| Snooze & send later | ||||||
| Tracking pixel blocking | ||||||
| PGP / encryption support | ||||||
| Conversation view | ||||||
| Offline mode | ||||||
| Rules & filters (local) | ||||||
| Calendar integrated | ||||||
| Multiple identities/aliases | ||||||
| Keyboard-first shortcuts |
Every fact and feature listed for Outlook is verified against its own pages. Each alternative is sourced on its own page.
-
License Proprietary verified 2026-07-12
Software") is the copyrighted work of Microsoft and/or its suppliers."
Any software that is made available to download from the Services (
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/legal/terms-of-use -
Starts at $1.99/month verified 2026-07-12
$1.99/month
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/outlook/email-and-calendar-software-microsoft-outlook -
Pricing model Free verified 2026-07-12
Outlook email and calendar on web, desktop, and mobile apps
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/outlook/email-and-calendar-software-microsoft-outlook -
Platforms Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Web verified 2026-07-12
Works on PC, Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Android phones and tablets
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/outlook/email-and-calendar-software-microsoft-outlook -
Status active verified 2026-07-12
Online archive for shared mailboxes
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook/getstarted/what-s-new-in-new-outlook-for-windows -
Protocols (IMAP / POP3 / JMAP / Exchange) Yes verified 2026-07-12
IMAP server: outlook.office365.com
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/pop-imap-and-smtp-settings-for-outlook-com-d088b986-291d-42b8-9564-9c414e2aa040 -
Unified inbox Yes verified 2026-07-12
If you have multiple email accounts in the app, you can choose to have them all appear in one, unified inbox.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/how-do-i-consolidate-unify-my-email-accounts-in-my-inbox-afe3ddaa-b08a-4376-942e-d1cac95ed21e -
Snooze & send later Yes verified 2026-07-12
You can delay the delivery of an individual message by having it held in the Outbox for a specified time after you select Send.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/schedule-an-email-message-to-be-sent-later-026af69f-c287-490a-a72f-6c65793744ba -
PGP / encryption support Partial verified 2026-07-12
S/MIME provides encryption, which protects the content of e-mail messages, and it provides digital signatures, which verify the identity of the sender of an email message.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/what-is-s-mime-in-outlook-for-ios-and-android-bc763a87-f24e-4b79-9895-29bcb06cf0fb -
Conversation view Yes verified 2026-07-12
A conversation includes all messages in the same thread with the same subject line.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook/mail/view-email-messages-by-conversation-in-outlook -
Offline mode Yes verified 2026-07-12
Read emails
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/work-offline-in-outlook-2460e4a8-16c7-47fc-b204-b1549275aac9 -
Rules & filters (local) Yes verified 2026-07-12
Rules allow you to move, flag, and respond to email messages automatically.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/set-up-rules-in-outlook-75ab719a-2ce8-49a7-a214-6d62b67cbd41 -
Calendar integrated Yes verified 2026-07-12
Schedule events, track packages and flights, and set reminders
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/outlook/email-and-calendar-software-microsoft-outlook -
Multiple identities/aliases Yes verified 2026-07-12
Outlook.com lets you have multiple aliases associated with a single account, and you can choose which email address you send email from.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/add-or-remove-an-email-alias-in-outlook-com-459b1989-356d-40fa-a689-8f285b13f1f2 -
Keyboard-first shortcuts Partial verified 2026-07-12
Many users find that using an external keyboard with keyboard shortcuts for Outlook helps them work more efficiently.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/accessibility/outlook/keyboard-shortcuts-for-outlook
FAQ
Yes. eM Client, BlueMail and Canary Mail have a free tier or are fully free. Free-tier limits in the comparison table are verified and dated.
FairEmail, Evolution and Mailspring — every license claim links its source.