# Alternatives to The Bat!

Veteran secure Windows mail client.

The Bat! ranks #4 of 22 in Email clients, with an Alt Score of 92. It is proprietary, sold as a one-time purchase from €47.95 one-time (Home Edition) and available on Windows. 11 of 11 checklist rows are verified against a public source.

Source: https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/the-bat/
Category: Email clients

## Overview

- **Who it's for**: Windows users who handle sensitive email and want strong control over encryption and message organization, including professionals, remote workers, and small businesses.
- **What you get**: A desktop email client with built-in PGP/GnuPG and S/MIME support for end-to-end encrypted and signed messages, plus optional on-the-fly disk encryption so stored mail and address books stay unreadable without a password. Its "Sorting Office" filtering engine automates message routing, auto-replies, forwarding, and folder organization across IMAP4 (with simultaneous connections), POP3, CardDAV, and RSS accounts. It also includes templates with macros, scheduled sending, and a built-in address book.
- **How it works**: You add one or more IMAP or POP3 accounts, then configure filters and templates to automate incoming and outgoing mail handling. For encrypted correspondence, you set up PGP/GnuPG or S/MIME keys per account so messages are signed and encrypted automatically as you send and receive them.

## Profile

- **License**: Proprietary (verified 2026-07-12)
- **Pricing model**: One-time (verified 2026-07-12)
- **Starts at**: €47.95 one-time (Home Edition) (verified 2026-07-12)
- **Platforms**: Windows
- **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 | [Apple Mail](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/apple-mail.md) | 87 | Proprietary | macOS, iOS |
| 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 | The Bat! | eM Client | BlueMail | Canary Mail | Apple Mail | FairEmail |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | One-time | Freemium | Freemium | Freemium | Free | Free |
| Starts at | €47.95 one-time (Home Edition) | €39.95/year | ? | $3/month | ? | ? |
| License | Proprietary | Proprietary | Proprietary | Proprietary | Proprietary | GPL-3.0 |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows, macOS, iOS, Android | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Web | Windows, macOS, iOS, Android | macOS, iOS | Android |
| Protocols (IMAP / POP3 / JMAP / Exchange) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Partial | Yes | Yes |
| Unified inbox | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Snooze & send later | Partial | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Tracking pixel blocking | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| PGP / encryption support | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Partial | 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 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Partial | Partial |
| Multiple identities/aliases | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Keyboard-first shortcuts | Partial | Partial | Partial | Partial | Partial | ? |

## Sources

Sources for The Bat!. Each alternative is sourced on its own page.

- **Platforms**: Windows — <https://www.ritlabs.com/en/products/thebat/> (verified 2026-07-12)
  - Quote: “The Bat! is certified for Windows 10”
- **License**: Proprietary — <https://www.ritlabs.com/en/products/thebat/licence.php> (verified 2026-07-12)
  - Quote: “The Bat!, including, but not limited to, its source code, selection and arrangement, executable code, structure, and organization, contains the valuable trade secrets and intellectual property of Ritl”
- **Pricing model**: One-time — <https://www.ritlabs.com/en/order/> (verified 2026-07-12)
  - Quote: “The Bat! Home Edition €47.95*”
- **Starts at**: €47.95 one-time (Home Edition) — <https://www.ritlabs.com/en/order/> (verified 2026-07-12)
  - Quote: “The Bat! Home Edition €47.95*”
- **Status**: active — <https://www.ritlabs.com/en/news/8352/> (verified 2026-07-12)
  - Quote: “The Bat! v11.4: Full CalDAV Support and Calendar Synchronization”
- **Protocols (IMAP / POP3 / JMAP / Exchange)**: Yes — <https://www.ritlabs.com/en/products/thebat/> (verified 2026-07-12)
  - Quote: “Check, consolidate, manage multiple IMAP4, POP3, RSS and MAPI accounts - all your email in one place.”
- **Unified inbox**: Yes — <https://www.ritlabs.com/en/products/thebat/> (verified 2026-07-12)
  - Quote: “Check, consolidate, manage multiple IMAP4, POP3, RSS and MAPI accounts - all your email in one place.”
- **Snooze & send later**: Partial — <https://www.ritlabs.com/en/products/thebat/features.php> (verified 2026-07-12)
  - Quote: “You can schedule to send emails later, for future delivery: at a set moment, specifying exact date and time, or with a delay.”
- **Tracking pixel blocking**: Yes — <https://www.ritlabs.com/en/products/thebat/> (verified 2026-07-12)
  - Quote: “The Bat! blocks malicious code and tracking pixels that spread via email.”
- **PGP / encryption support**: Yes — <https://www.ritlabs.com/en/products/thebat/features.php> (verified 2026-07-12)
  - Quote: “The Bat! supports PGP and GnuPG (GPG) for end-to-end email encryption”
- **Conversation view**: Yes — <https://www.ritlabs.com/en/news/8101/> (verified 2026-07-12)
  - Quote: “The newly introduced Conversation Thread View offers a swift summary of messages that share similarities.”
- **Offline mode**: Yes — <https://www.ritlabs.com/en/products/thebat/revision-history/7752/> (verified 2026-07-12)
  - Quote: “/OFFLINE and /ONLINE command line parameters to start/switch The Bat! into offline/online mode on start or while it's running”
- **Rules & filters (local)**: Yes — <https://www.ritlabs.com/en/products/thebat/features.php> (verified 2026-07-12)
  - Quote: “The Sorting Office is a powerful filtering system that not only organizes your incoming, outgoing, read, and replied messages by folders, but also can auto-respond; reply with a custom template; forwa”
- **Calendar integrated**: Yes — <https://www.ritlabs.com/en/news/7621/> (verified 2026-07-12)
  - Quote: “You will be able to receive invitations in the .ics format and add them to your calendar in The Bat! v10. Moreover, you will be able to send out your own invitations to the events.”
- **Multiple identities/aliases**: Yes — <https://www.ritlabs.com/en/support/tips-and-tricks/7581/> (verified 2026-07-12)
  - Quote: “Creating an alias also creates a matching sending identity, which lets you send messages from your main account using the email address matching that alias.”
- **Keyboard-first shortcuts**: Partial — <https://www.ritlabs.com/en/support/tips-and-tricks/3831/> (verified 2026-07-12)
  - Quote: “Keyboard shortcuts (hot keys) are combinations of keys that allow fast access to those menu functions you use more often and make it easier to navigate through the interface.”

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