- Spark is a free (in a limited form) and impressive desktop email client for Mac that not only allows you to organize inboxes automatically but also postpone emails and send one-click replies to your contacts. Its “Smart Inbox” sorting feature uses buckets like Personal, Newsletters, and Notifications to bubble important messages.
- A free email client, Apple Mail, comes installed and ready for use with macOS. If you're interested in what the Mail app can do compared to other alternatives, here are the best free email clients available for macOS.
- May 23, 2020 It’s free for personal use but has premium plans in case you’d want collaboration. You can use Spark on Mac, IOS, and Android. An email client with lightning-fast speed, Airmail allows you to customize your email accounts and create actions to be left with a productive mailbox. You can also integrate with your favorite apps.
- The 7 best email clients for Mac. Apple Mail for a basic, free client. Airmail for a feature-rich alternative to Apple Mail. Spark for collaboration on emails. Canary Mail for a security-focused email client. Microsoft Outlook for people who value features over simplicity. MailMate for writing plaintext and Markdown-compliant emails.
Are you someone who uses a browser to check their email or you have realized the power of email clients?
I was the first in the line who would use a browser to check & respond to my emails.
To be honest, I’ve always found Mac’s integrated Mail app to be a bit too clumsy for my taste. And if I am not able to find my way around the email easily – I’m probably not going to like the app.
Luckily, one afternoon, I came across a perfect email client that allowed me to sync all my emails into one client and keep my emails synchronized across my laptop, tablet and phone.
Can you guess what email client I am talking about?
If you can’t – no worries. The bright side is that this post isn’t only going to show you how to choose an email client that could improve the way you use the email.
But you will also find out top picks down below, so keep on reading!
It’s free for personal use but has premium plans in case you’d want collaboration. You can use Spark on Mac, IOS, and Android. An email client with lightning-fast speed, Airmail allows you to customize your email accounts and create actions to be left with a productive mailbox. You can also integrate with your favorite apps.
Quick jump to…
Windows and Mac have built-in email apps
Don’t get me wrong – built-in email apps aren’t that bad after all. But personally, I think that they might not be everyone’s cup of tea.
Windows has a built-in email app called Mail App which is a pretty simplistic email client that is easy to use. My favorite thing about it is the ability to easily connect multiple email accounts to one integrated client.
On the other hand, Mac computers have their own version of the Mail App as well. In my opinion, its interface is a bit outdated which might have you thinking that it is easy to use.
Well, the big downside of Mac’s Mail App is that it isn’t really efficient at keeping a track of multiple email accounts at once. There are all sorts of folders that appear after each email account add-on you do and it’s just not as pretty as Windows’ Mail App.
But on the bright side, Mac’s Mail App is really strong when it comes down to emails. They are perfectly categorized and you even get the ability to have both your email list and specific emails open in one tab.
While people simply settle for the integrated email app that comes with their favorite device – we believe that you should at least give yourself a chance to browse available email clients.
Why?
There are companies that specialize in creating the best possible email clients so not only you get a pretty interface, but you also get a chance to improve your productivity, change the way your workflow works, or even have higher security for your most important email accounts.
Top email clients for Windows and Mac
- For Mac:Spark & Airmail
- For Windows:Mailbird
- For Best Productivity:PostBox (Windows & Mac)
- For Increased Security:Canary Mail (Mac) & The Bat! (Windows)
- For Gmail:Kiwi (Windows & Mac)
For Mac: Spark
I like to think about Spark as a combination of integrated Mac and Windows email client. Its interface is very minimalistic (which is very similar to Mac integrated email client) and yet it has the ability of organization (such as the one available in the Windows integrated email client).
It accepts multiple accounts and I was able to add two of my emails to test and see how Spark handles it. I was also able to allow Spark to access my reminders, contact, and calendar. This definitely helps keep my workflow going without manually having to enter my contacts or dates into my calendar.
Inside the Spark, 3 main columns offer everything you need to see at one time. Your email accounts and its inboxes, list of emails for a selected email account, and an individual email reading & answering section.
The feature I like the most is the ability to easily clean up your email by sliding the email from the list and choosing a function such as a snooze, delete, or move. This might seem insignificant – but it allows a quick & efficient way around emails without having to look for additional options.
Also, remember how I like all the functions listed at the top? That’s exactly how Spark lists its functions.
Pros
- Easily syncs in multiple email accounts
- Easy-to-use interface
- Efficient & lightweight app usage (50mb in size)
- Functions listed at the top for quick use
- Integration with Mac’s calendar, contacts, and reminders
- Quickly dealing with repetitive emails by adding people to the TO, CC and BCC fields in templates.
Cons
- Stores your email account credentials & emails on their server and then direct them to your device
Price
- Free – up to 5 GB and 2 active collaborators
- Premium – $6.39 for each active user – up to 10 GB and an unlimited number of active collaborators
- Enterprise – price on request – on-demand for large teams and companies
For Mac: Airmail (also great)
Airmail is one of the sleekest and minimalistic email clients I’ve ever experienced on a Mac computer.
An intuitive design that features colors and is collapsible is definitely the best feature of Airmail. It allows you to expand or minimize the email client according to your needs.
When I am browsing through my emails – I can keep Airmail collapsed which retains my focus on my email list. But if I want to answer an email or write a new email, I can expand the interface with only two clicks.
I especially liked reply templates that saved me time when I was writing some business outreach emails and even a “send later” function was pretty convenient since it allowed me to postpone my ready emails and send them automatically for me.
Pros
- Attractive collapsible interface
- Ready reply templates
- Send later function
- Easy integration with all Apple devices
Cons
- The latest paid version has changed adding additional subscription model for existing services
- Customer service isn’t very responsive
Price
- Free Version
- Paid Version – $3.75/month or $12.51/yearly
For Windows: Mailbird
Mailbird is very similar to Windows’ integrated email client – but it has features that are very rare to see in other email clients.
Not only Mailbird worked on combining simplicity with functionality, yet they have worked hard to create unique layouts for users to find their best way to work around emails.
But this isn’t everything. Upon choosing the layout I liked the most, I was then able to further customize the layout.
I believe this is an ideal feature for heavy users who want the ability to create their own workspace inside the email client rather than adjusting to a standard-type layout of usual email clients.
What I’ve also noticed is that Mailbird is very compatible with every Microsoft app there is which allows smooth synchronization and integration of data from other apps you have on your computer.
But Mailbird took it to the next step by allowing integration with third-party software & apps such as Slack, Dropbox, Facebook, and even WhatsApp.
Not only you get to have all your emails in one place – but it also takes care of all your messages, which is something I really like.
I believe that Mailbird is on the right track to change the way we use our emails and the way we communicate whether it’s for business or for personal needs.
Pros
- Easy & efficient use
- Customizable layout versions
- Incredible app integration
- Affordable prices
Cons
- Doesn’t feature any functions that help automate email responses
- Folder organization could be improved
Price
- Free version to try
- Mailbird Pro Personal – $1.52/monthly or $36.95/one-time
- Mailbird Pro Business – $2.35/monthly
For Best Productivity: PostBox (Windows & Mac)
If you took Mac’s integrated email app and turned it into a sleek & a bit more efficient version – you’d get PostBox.
PostBox is available for both Windows & Mac, it accepts multiple email accounts (any IMAP or POP) account.
What’s so special about PostBox is that it’s a stripped-down version of most email clients, and yet keeping the interface to a bare minimum helps keep everything organized. Everything I needed was just one click away which improved the way I use an email.
But what I actually liked the most is the colorful interface that helps users navigate since it shifts focus from reading the folders to memorizing the icons & colors. This itself increases the efficiency of a heavy-email user.
Are you wondering what’s the most innovative feature? It’s the search button.
The search button within an email client isn’t something new. But what PostBox did is they added on the search button for the whole email account – instead of the specific folders only.
Pros
- The most minimalistic interface with an efficient way around the email
- Use of colored icons for folders & functions that are easy to memorize
- Ability to search for something throughout the whole email
- Efficient organization of multiple accounts at the same time
Cons
- Marker for unread emails is a bit too small and should be larger
Price
- Trial – Free
- 1-Year License – $19/user
- Lifetime License – $39/user
For Increased Security: Canary Mail (Mac)
Canary Mail looks very much like an integrated Mac Mail app. But don’t let this make you think that Canary Mail isn’t worth your time.
I like how Canary Mail keeps up with Apple’s OS and with every OS version, Canary Mail redesigns its email client for the best performance.
Therefore, Canary Mail is really snappy and quick that won’t slow you down at any time. But why is it better than settling down with an integrated Apple Mail App which is free?
The main reason is security.
Canary Mail is full of security features that you won’t find on integrated email clients. These features include end-to-end encryption and smart filters to ensure that no one can access your emails. Other than these security features, you will also benefit from full PGP support, on-device fetch, and biometric app lock.
My favorite feature is the one-click unsubscription that helps you remove your email from unwanted email lists in a matter of seconds.
Pros
- Increased security measures
- Often app updates
- Quick & seamless integration
- Simple interface
- One-time subscription pricing plans
Cons
- Pro Upgrade version includes some of the existing features that were taken away from Pro version users and were used to double-charge the same users
Price
- Canary Mail Pro – $25/one-time
- Canary Mail Pro Upgrade – $12.50/one-time
For Increased Security: The Bat! (Windows)
The Bat is one of the most sophisticated email clients for Windows that pays a lot of attention to security.
However, one thing you should know is that it has a steep learning curve. You will actually need to spend time learning how The Bat works in order to use it to its fullest capacity.
But once I spent some time with The Bat!, my favorite was definitely seamless creation of virtual folders that improve the high-volume email management.
On the other hand, I appreciated the high-security features such as OpenPGP message decryption and encryption of local data. Along with these security features, there are many more features that you just can’t find in any other email client.
If you’re a “power-user” who needs ultimate privacy – The Bat! is exactly what’s it’s made for.
Plenty of other features you will come across once you start learning how to use The Bat! are Inbox Analyzer, integration of RSS feeds directly in the email client,
Pros
- Features highly innovative features
- Top-notch security protection
- Ability to integrate plenty of third-party apps
- Included antivirus and spam filter to combat scam and spam emails
Cons
- A slight learning curve
Price
- The Bat! Home – $49.99/one-time
- The Bat! Professional – $59.99/one-time
For Gmail: Kiwi (Windows & Mac)
Is Gmail your favorite webmail email client and no other integrated or third-party can offer you seamless integration with your Gmail account?
Kiwi is the ideal option since it’s solely made for Gmail integration with the additional integration of all G Suite apps.
Even the Lite version of Kiwi enabled me to have my Gmail and all of my G Suite apps available on my desktop – and even better yet, on my phone.
But what I’ve noticed is that Kiwi also has the ability to send large attachments – much larger than Gmail can handle on its own.
However, Kiwi doesn’t only integrate well with G Suite. It can also integrate third-party apps through plugins. I was able to integrate the Boomerang app but it looks like it’s the only app you can integrate for now.
Its interface is very simple and yet you even get to choose your favorite color to make navigation a lot easier.
Pros
- Ability to integrate Gmail and G Suite directly into a desktop-based email client
- Ease of use with multiple accounts
- Ability to send massive attachments
- Simple interface with the ability to handle multiple windows
Cons
- Needs more third-party options
- Could make some innovative features rather than just transferring all Gmail features
Price
- Kiwi Lite – Free for 30 days
- Kiwi Premium – $36/one-time
Other email clients worth mention
For now, CleanMyMac X isn’t a solid contender. In fact, we’d come across other extremely promising competitors too. So, if you are not ready to spend on CleanMyMac X, you can try one of the following tools.
eM Client (Windows & Mac)
You can think of eM Client as a stripped-down version of almost every integrated email client – and yet it’s improved with wise & modern interface reconstruction.
If no other email client seems like a great option – eM client is available for both Windows & Mac operating systems which makes it available to almost anyone.
It integrates well with most email servers so you will be able to organize your emails in one place. The one downside I noticed is that the free version of eM Client limits you to only two email accounts.
However, additional features such as calendar, tasks, contacts, and even chat make this one of the most productive email clients available for both operating systems.
Price
- Free Version
- Pro Version – $37.25/one-time
Polymail (Mac)
Polymail is a refreshed email client that features a modern and sleek look. Its interface structure looks very familiar to Mac’s Email App and Slack management app which isn’t a bad thing.
Free Email Programs For Mac
Since it resembles the two common apps – it adds it touch which enables everyone to combine email and chat-messaging apps such as Slack.
Therefore, if you’re looking to keep & manage your emails and conversations in one place – Polymail is the ideal option.
The only downside is that this modern piece of the email client is available only for Mac and iOS devices, at least for now.
Is There A Gmail Client For Mac
Price
- Trial – Free for 14 days
- Basic – $10/month
- Premium – $24/month
- Enterprise – $49/month
MailTrim (Windows & Mac & Linux)
MailTrim is a worthy mention, just in case you are looking for a free email client for personal and professional use. It’s seamless and had only the necessary features in order to provide friendly interface as complex features might annoy users.
The specialty about MailTrim is that it enables an intelligent way to receive and sort all emails into different categories for quick access – even if you’re receiving them from different accounts.
Along with S/MIME and PGP encryption vouches, you have private and secure email collaboration. It also helps you to streamline the workflow along with the features such as contacts management, calendar, signature, etc.
Mailtrim works for all desktops-Mac, Windows, and Linux. And, it integrates with a few third-party platforms, such as Dropbox, Google Drive, and CRM.
Price
- Free
Microsoft Outlook (Windows & Mac)
Outlook is one of the most overlooked email clients since every Microsoft Windows user has it installed on their computer.
However, what not many people know is that Outlook is a really efficient email client that can be easily integrated with other Microsoft Office products.
This means that you will be able to use Outlook for much more than just an email organization. With the integration of Microsoft Calendar – you can keep your busy lifestyle organized while staying on top of your emails.
And what’s the good news? Microsoft released a version for Mac so you can experience all benefits on Mac computers as well.
Price
- Free Trial
- Outlook Standalone Premium Version- $19.95/year
- Outlook for 1 PC/User- $139.99/one-time
- With Office 365 Home- $9.99/month
- With Office 365 Personal- $6.99/month
How to choose a better email client?
It’s true that email client choice depends a bit on personal preference. However, there are email clients that have features that others don’t and also have things organized in a way to actually improve the usage.
You probably understand what you want and don’t want from an email client at this point. But down below, you will find a guide that might help you find something better and find out a feature that might change the way you handle your emails.
So before you start choosing your preferred email client – here’s what you should pay attention to:
- Ideal features
- Type of usage (casual user or a heavy user)
- Compatibility
- Speed and efficiency
- Interface
Ideal features
Since everyone has been an email user for a couple of years at least, it’s at least easy to know what your needs are.
Everyone will have different needs and features are the ones that will fulfill them.
What’s also great to know is that almost all email clients tend to use their features as the selling point. Therefore, this gives you a chance to understand what an email client can do for you even before giving it a try.
Personally, I need an email that has a hassle-free way to add multiple email accounts and yet have an organized approach to all of my emails inside the email client’s interface. From there, I know that I need the most important functions listed at the top and I also require a minimal distraction.
Most webmail clients didn’t fulfill my needs, and even though integrated email clients managed to fulfill my needs to a certain point – I find the third-party email clients to know exactly how to help email users.
But for you – the needs might be totally different and therefore, read on to the type of usage to try and understand your needs (if you don’t know them yet).
Type of usage
I hope that you aren’t one of the email hoarders that has 999+ emails just sitting in the inbox. However, even if you are and you occasionally browse for most important emails – there is still a solution.
But if you are a heavy user who depends on the email to run an online business, do their work remotely, or simply improve the way they communicate online – organization & reliability is crucial.
Even if you are a casual email user who doesn’t use an email for business yet only has personal needs that need to be fulfilled – you can still improve the way you keep an eye on your email and the way you respond to your emails.
Compatibility
When you know your needs and what features you need the most – it’s important to think ahead.
What devices are you using? Do you read & respond to emails from your tablet or a phone?
It would be silly to change the device you’re using to match the email client. Therefore, think of this ahead so you don’t end up disappointed in the end.
The good news is that most email clients are compatible with smartphones so you will always be able to stay connected to your email in an organized & efficient way, even when you’re on the go.
Speed and efficiency
How many times did you find yourself trying to multitask while you wait for your integrated email to open?
It’s true that internet connection is important – but some integrated email clients are simply not snappy enough to provide efficient & quick use.
You can easily determine these factors by testing the email client out. But checking out reviews such as the ones you will find below will also tell you a lot more than the official page would.
Interface
Lastly, the interface is the main thing you will be seeing every single time you use your email and it’s the main thing that will keep you working efficiently while staying organized.
Therefore, you need to “click” with your interface. I am not only discussing the visual attractiveness of the email client.
But what I’m suggesting is that you would benefit from an email client the most if you spent a bit of time learning your way around its interface.
In closing
How much would your email performance improve if you decided to switch from a web-based email interface to a desktop email client?
No matter on what server is your email hosted – you can integrate it into any of these email clients.
Most of them offer a free trial, and you could even use some of them for absolutely free. But our specific guide – I’m sure that you won’t have trouble choosing the best email client for your needs.
Over the last few years, email has become an integral part of our daily lives. It has evolved from a simple way to send and receive text between two parties into a familiar and reliable method of communication that can be used as a place to receive newsletters, updates, and notifications from various services, etc. Several email apps have built additional features and experiences on top of the core email technology, such as shared inboxes, team collaboration, delegation, inline comments, etc.
Finding an email client for your Mac is not a trivial task. There are numerous free email apps for Mac that are released every few months and many simply shut down or disappear just as easily. Thankfully, we’ve made it easy for you by picking some of the best email apps out there and highlighting everything you should know about them. By the end of this article, you’ll emerge fully aware why Readdle’s Spark is by far the best email app for Mac.
Here’s our roundup of all the good email clients available for macOS:
1. Apple Mail app
Pricing: Free
Pros: Good set of basic features, well-integrated with the OS, great for starters.
Cons: Lacks advanced features, no customization options, often ignored by Apple.
It’s nearly impossible to talk about the best email apps for Mac and not include Apple’s own Mail.app in the list. Apple Mail is a reliable & solid email app for Mac that is a great option for someone just starting off with email. It comes bundled with macOS and integrates well with the major email service providers. Mail app works best when used with iCloud and automatically sets up the iCloud email account when you set up your iCloud account on your Mac.
It has a basic set of features that are good enough for novice users to get started with the essential email experience. If you’ve just switched to a Mac from a PC, you’ll find the Apple Mail app experience far better than anything you’ve previously used from Microsoft. But you’ll quickly realize that Apple Mail lacks the essential email features that are must-have in today’s day and age and you’ll find yourself searching for the best Apple Mail alternative on Mac.
2. Microsoft Outlook for Mac
Pricing: Free to download, but requires a Microsoft 365 Subscription starting $70/year
Pros: Comes bundled with other Microsoft apps, Built-in Calendar, Dark Mode
Cons: Expensive in the long run, cluttered User Interface, unfamiliar design language on Mac
Microsoft Outlook for Mac is what Apple Mail would be if you threw in a bunch of features and made it look like every other Microsoft app. Unlike the Outlook Mail app on iOS which is praised by many, Outlook for Mac feels like a cluttered mess designed by a team of programmers 10 years ago. It is, however, packed with several great email features. Outlook has what it calls a Focused Inbox, which automatically sorts your important or personal emails into the Focused tab and separates the rest of the junk like newsletters and marketing emails into a separate tab.
Outlook comes bundled with a Microsoft 365 subscription that gives you access to Word, Excel, Powerpoint, OneNote, and OneDrive, so if you use any of these apps on your Mac, you can easily start using Outlook for Mac over Apple Mail and take advantage of all its good features. It works with email services like Gmail, Yahoo, iCloud and pretty much anything that supports POP3 or IMAP protocols (I’m looking at you HEY Email). However, if you want a Mac email client that has both a beautiful design & a feature-rich approach, you have to look no further than Spark.
3. Spark
Pricing: Free for Individuals & Small Teams, with optional Premium plans for teams that require more features
Pros: Beautiful & polished design, elegant aesthetics, feature-packed, multi-platform, several team-focused features, great for collaboration.
Cons: Lacks a Windows app (currently in development)
Spark is a beautifully designed and feature-rich email client from the house of Readdle, known for their suite of productivity apps for iOS and Mac. Spark offers a distraction-free email experience through a delightful interface and a very powerful set of features. It works with all major email services like Gmail, iCloud, Yahoo, Hotmail, Aol, GMX, Exchange, as well as any IMAP account.
Spark features a Smart Inbox that automatically sorts incoming email in collections of Personal email, Notifications, and Newsletters. This lets you focus on all the important emails first, while the rest of the clutter takes a back seat. This, coupled with the Smart Notifications feature that only alerts you about the important emails is a great way to take control of your inbox and get productive.
Spark comes with a smart & robust email search feature using which you can locate any email buried deep down in an instant. Simply search for what you’re looking for using Natural Language Search terms and Spark will find it for you. Type “Attachments from Nick” to search for all emails from Nick that have attachments in them, and “PDF attachments from David sent last week on Monday” to bring up all those emails from last Monday from David that have PDF files in them. You can even save your frequent searches, so locating those emails is just a click away.
If you don’t feel like attending to an email right away (such as bill reminders or upcoming renewal notifications), you can set the email aside temporarily using the Snooze feature and reduce the clutter in your inbox. You can schedule emails to be sent later, get reminded to follow-up if you don’t get a response by a stipulated deadline, integrate with a bunch of different apps & services, and so much more. Spark has all the features you need to work with email.
One area where Spark really shines is Spark for Teams. Invite your team members to Spark to collectively work on email together. Spark for Teams lets you Delegate emails — complete with a due date, Share & Discuss email with teammates with inline comments, collaborate on email with a real-time editor on Shared Drafts and share your emails with teammates without manually forwarding them and cluttering up their inboxes.
Overall, Spark is a remarkable bundle of all the features you need to work with email. It’s a fantastic email app for Individuals, and even better for teams. You don’t have to deal with two different versions — the same Spark app is the best Mac email client for personal use and adapts itself with built-in features to become the best email app for teams as well.
Best of all, Spark is absolutely free, so you really have no reason to miss out on the wonderful experience that Spark has in store for you.
4. Airmail
Pricing: Free, but requires a Recurring Subscription of $2.99/mo for Pro features
Pros: Loaded with features, fast, and has a Unified Inbox.
Cons: Messy UI that feels like it was hastily put together, requires Pro subscription for most features.
Airmail is a popular email client available for macOS that boasts of several features in its satchel. It supports all the popular email service providers including Exchange, as well as accounts with IMAP or POP3 access. Just like in Spark, there’s an Unified Inbox feature that lets you view emails from all your accounts in one place.
If you have a Mac notebook with a Touch Bar, Airmail puts your frequently used actions on it so that they’re just a tap away. You can, of course, customize these actions with your favorite set. There’s a lovely Dark Mode to help you with the night sessions, Quick Replies for short responses, a Today Widget to get a quick overview of your inbox, and a handy Share Extension so you can instantly email anything using Airmail.
Overall, Airmail is a really good email app for macOS, and would do really well if it wasn’t for its messy UI and it’s requirement of a recurring subscription of $2.99/mo for Pro features that hasn’t gone down well with its users.
5. Mailplane
Pricing: $30
Pros: Brings the familiar Gmail experience with a native interface
Cons: Only works with Gmail, often breaks due to changes by Google
If you have multiple Gmail accounts that you use simultaneously, Mailplane is the app you need to have on your Mac. Simply put, Mailplane is a native Mac app that wraps around the familiar web interface of Google’s products. With Mailplane, you get Gmail, Google Calendar, and Google Contacts — all in the same application. You can use multiple accounts in the app, and you can mix and match the accounts & services. For example, you can have Tab 1 for your personal Gmail account, Tab 2 for your G Suite for Work account, and Tab 3 for your Work Calendar account.
Mailplane has a handy notifier that not only alerts you about new emails, but also shows unread messages count in the menu bar. It has a ‘Search Everywhere’ feature that lets you simultaneously search for emails across different mailboxes. It also seamlessly integrates with a bunch of different macOS apps. My favorite Mailplane feature is that since it is essentially a browser for Google’s web UIs, it supports most of the popular third-party extensions to enhance your experience. You can enable Grammarly to improve your language, Simplify/Gmail to clean up the Gmail UI, Boomerang for Gmail to power-up features, Clearbit to add context to email addresses, and so on.
Unfortunately, your experience is still plagued with issues as Mailplane has to depend on Gmail’s web UI for it to work correctly and oftentimes it just fails to load Gmail, asking you to load an basic HTML version instead. You’ll also often be annoyed by Gmail asking you to enter your account credentials to verify yourself if you use too many accounts in Mailplane. To avoid these hassles, you can set up multiple Gmail accounts in Spark for Mac. This way, you get a premium native email experience and you also have access to your Google Calendar and contacts at your disposal.
6. Canary Mail
Pricing: $20
Pros: Good design, with heavy focus on Security & Privacy
Cons: Lacks Team features
Canary Mail is another email app for macOS that puts a heavy focus on privacy and security. It features end-to-end encryption, full PGP support, and an open source mail sync engine, making it a good choice for users who rely on PGP for all their email communication.
Canary has a beautiful design that looks like any other native Mac app built by Apple. There are familiar icons and buttons in the Mac app, and the UI is built to be simple yet powerful. It’s almost like the default Mail app on steroids.
While Canary is a pretty good email app for personal use, it lacks team collaboration features that are the need of the hour today. If you need to discuss emails with your team, need to draft emails together, and want to share emails without manually forwarding them, then Spark Mail app is what you really need.
7. Newton Mail
Pricing: Recurring Subscription of $49.99/yr
Pros: Multi-platform, Minimal & elegant design
Cons: Expensive subscription with an unclear future
Newton mail is an immensely popular email app that has spent quite some time in the news cycle lately. The app has an extensive set of features that make it an attractive choice for normal and pro users both. Newton features a very minimalistic user interface that takes the clutter out and lets you focus on the core email experience. Unfortunately, the UI is a little too minimal for many who are bothered by the empty spaces in the app.
In recent times, Newton has managed to alienate its loyal users after it announced that it is shutting down, two times in a row. The first time, the original owners of Cloudmagic announced that they were shutting down Newton, only to be bought over by Andy Rubin’s phone company Essential. Then for round #2, when Essential was shutting down, they announced that Newton would meet its end as well, only to be brought back by two independent fans of the service who didn’t want to see it die. As of now, there’s no clear future for Newton, especially considering that the service is priced at a hefty $50 per year.
When pitted against all the popular email apps for Mac available in the market, Spark Mail app emerges as the best email app for Mac by a long margin. It has the absolute perfect combination of a friendly & elegant user interface along with an extensive & robust set of features. Coupled with its impeccable polish, seamless integrations, phenomenal team features, and highly impressive price of being available for free, there’s really nothing that comes close to being a viable contender. Spark is truly the best email client for Mac.