The Email Apps Insider’s Guide
Every one of the 52 email apps we grade in one document: the top three, what they cost, the grades and the full list. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Email Apps
The Insider’s Guide
Email clients, shared inboxes and inbox assistants for spending less time on mail.
- Microsoft Outlook
- Gmail
- Proton Mail
- BlueMail
- Thunderbird
- Unroll.Me
Every one we grade, what they cost, the best buy at each budget and the three to look at first.
Checked Oct 10, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat these tools do, how many we grade and what to know before choosing
- 02Our top threeThe three we'd look at first, and who each one suits
- 03What they costWhat paid plans start at, the best buy at each budget and the free plans
- 04The gradesThe highest graded, and how the whole category does on each subject
- 05Keep or make?Which are worth paying for, and which you could make yourself
- 06Every toolAll of them, best graded first, with what each costs
- 07Quick answersThe questions people ask when choosing, each answered in a line or two
- 08About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from each tool’s own pages, their app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on the Email Apps page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 10, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What these tools do, how many we grade and what to know before choosing
52
email apps we grade, from their own pages
Email clients, shared inboxes and inbox assistants for spending less time on mail.
Before you choose, here are 8 things to know about email apps, worked out from every one we grade.
- 1
We grade 52 email apps
30 of them are free or have a free plan, and 20 more let you try before paying. Everything in this guide comes from their own pages and our grades.
- 2
Paid plans start at $4.99 a month in the middle
From $0.99 (Zoho TeamInbox) to $37 (Fyxer), going by what each one's paid plans start at.
- 3
Best value: Microsoft Outlook, Zoho Mail, Unroll.Me and Thunderbird
Nothing on our chart scores higher than these without costing more.
- 4
30 of 52 have iPhone and Android apps
35 run in a web browser and 26 have a Windows app. Check the one you need before you fall for anything.
- 5
The middle GPA is 2.4
11 score 3.0 or higher. The highest is Microsoft Outlook, at 3.6.
- 6
Best free option: Microsoft Outlook
Microsoft Outlook has the highest GPA of the free ones, 3.6. Microsoft's email and calendar app for desktop, mobile and web.
- 7
52 worth keeping, 0 you could make
By our keep-or-make rules, 52 do something you couldn't reasonably build yourself, 0 are simple enough to make with an AI app builder, and 0 are a close call.
- 8
6 price changes in the past year
That's how many price moves we've recorded for email apps in twelve months. Prices change, so check the maker's page before you pay.
Part 02 · Top three
Our top three
The three we'd look at first, and who each one suits
The three email apps we'd look at first. First place suits the most people; second and third are the best picks for the people it leaves out. Each has an Insider's Guide of its own.
1st
3.6GPAMicrosoft Outlook
Free plan · from $1.99/mo
For: Most people
Outlook is free with an Outlook.com address and runs on the web, Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android. The same app also takes Gmail, Yahoo, iCloud and work or school accounts, and keeps email, calendar, contacts and to-do lists in one view. The free plan has 15 GB of mailbox storage, and its iPhone and iPad app averages 4.8 from about 9.3 million ratings. Know the limits: the free inbox shows ads, which Microsoft 365 Basic removes for $1.99 a month or $19.99 a year, no Linux app is listed, and on home plans Copilot in Outlook works only with Microsoft's own addresses, such as outlook.com and hotmail.com.
The Microsoft Outlook Insider’s Guide2nd
3.0GPAGmail
Free plan · from $7/mo
For: People who keep their calendar and files with Google
Gmail is free with a personal Google Account and comes with 15 GB of storage, shared with Google Drive and Google Photos. Google says it blocks 99.9% of spam, phishing attempts and malware, and it suits people who already rely on Google Calendar, Meet and Drive. Its iPhone and iPad app averages 4.7 from about 2.4 million ratings. It is second because no desktop app is listed: Gmail runs in a browser and as iPhone and Android apps, or through another mail client. Free accounts may show ads, and an address at your own domain needs Google Workspace, from $7 per user a month with a 1-year commitment.
The Gmail Insider’s Guide3rd
3.0GPAProton Mail
Free plan · from $3.99/mo
For: People who want email their provider cannot read
Proton Mail is an email provider that encrypts messages so that Proton itself cannot read them, and it blocks email trackers. It runs on the web, Mac, Windows, Linux, iPhone and Android, and its Easy Switch tool imports existing mail from Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo or Apple accounts. Its iPhone and iPad app averages 4.8 from about 48,000 ratings. It is third because its free plan is much smaller than the two above: 1 address, up to 1 GB of mail storage and 150 sent messages a day. The desktop apps, custom domains and access from other mail apps need a paid plan; Mail Plus is $3.99 a month, billed every 12 months.
The Proton Mail Insider’s Guide
Part 03 · Pricing
What they cost
What paid plans start at, the best buy at each budget and the free plans
$4.99
A month to start, in the middle of those that charge
Going by our grades, Microsoft Outlook, Zoho Mail, Unroll.Me and Thunderbird give the most for the money among email apps: no tool on this chart scores higher without costing more.
Paid plans start at a middle price of $4.99 a month across the 46 that charge, from $0.99 (Zoho TeamInbox) to $37 (Fyxer). 4 more cost nothing at all.
16 of the 50 score above the category's average while starting at or below its middle price. 8 cost more than the middle price and score below the average.
The best buy at each budget
Free
Thunderbird, Unroll.Me
Costs nothing. Nothing at that price or less scores higher.
Up to $5 a month
Microsoft Outlook
Starts at $1.67 a month when paid by the year. Nothing at that price or less scores higher.
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 50 email apps. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. The green line is the best score at each price.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
The best free ones
- 3.6
Microsoft Outlook
Free plan · Free plan · from $1.99/mo
- 3.2
BlueMail
Free plan · Free plan · from $35.99/yr
- 3.2
Thunderbird
Free
- 3.2
Unroll.Me
Free
- 3.2
Zoho Mail
Free plan · Free plan · from $1/mo
- 3.0
Apple Mail
Free plan · Free plan · from $0.99/mo
Part 04 · Grades
The grades
The highest graded, and how the whole category does on each subject
3.6
The highest GPA, Microsoft Outlook's
Every tool gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. Here are the 12 highest graded email apps, then how the whole category does on each subject.
| Tool | Value | Free | Features | Ease | Platforms | GPA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Outlook | A | B | B | A | A | 3.6 |
| BlueMail | B | A | B | B | B | 3.2 |
| Thunderbird | A | A | B | C | B | 3.2 |
| Unroll.Me | A | A | C | B | B | 3.2 |
| Zoho Mail | A | C | B | B | A | 3.2 |
| Apple Mail | A | A | C | B | C | 3.0 |
| Edison Mail | B | A | C | B | B | 3.0 |
| Extra | A | A | C | B | C | 3.0 |
| Gmail | C | B | B | A | B | 3.0 |
| Proton Mail | B | C | C | A | A | 3.0 |
| Spark Mail | C | A | B | B | B | 3.0 |
| Canary Mail | B | B | B | C | B | 2.8 |
How the whole category does
Each bar is every email app we grade, cut by the letter it got on that subject.
- Value for moneyavg 2.4
- Free plan and trialavg 2.4
- Featuresavg 2.4
- Ease of useavg 2.5
- Platforms and integrationsavg 2.8
Part 05 · Keep or make
Keep or make?
Which are worth paying for, and which you could make yourself
0
Simple enough to make yourself, of 52
Some software does something you couldn’t reasonably build yourself. Some is simple enough that an AI app builder could make the core of it in an afternoon. Here’s where email apps land, by the same rules for every tool.
52
Keep it
It does something you could not reasonably make for yourself, or it costs nothing.
0
Your call
You could make the core of it, and you would give something up.
0
You could make this
What it does is the kind of thing an AI app builder makes well, and it charges every month.
Worth keeping
Microsoft Outlook
To replace Microsoft Outlook you would be making an email client: sending, receiving, threading and searching years of mail. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
BlueMail
To replace BlueMail you would be making an email client: sending, receiving, threading and searching years of mail. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Thunderbird
Thunderbird is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
Unroll.Me
Unroll.Me is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
Part 06 · Every tool
Every tool
All of them, best graded first, with what each costs
52
Tools, best graded first
Every email app we grade, with its GPA and what it costs. Each one has a page of its own on toolgpa.com, with its Insider’s Guide.
- 1Microsoft OutlookFree plan · from $1.99/mo3.6
- 2BlueMailFree plan · from $35.99/yr3.2
- 3ThunderbirdFree3.2
- 4Unroll.MeFree3.2
- 5Zoho MailFree plan · from $1/mo3.2
- 6Apple MailFree plan · from $0.99/mo3.0
- 7Edison MailFree plan · from $14.99/mo3.0
- 8ExtraFree3.0
- 9GmailFree plan · from $7/mo3.0
- 10Proton MailFree plan · from $3.99/mo3.0
- 11Spark MailFree plan · from $8.25/mo3.0
- 12Canary MailFree plan · from $36/yr2.8
- 13FastmailFree trial · from $3/mo2.8
- 14MarcoFree2.8
- 15Tuta MailFree plan · from €3/mo2.8
- 16Zoho TeamInboxFree trial · from $0.99/mo2.8
- 17eM ClientFree plan · from $49.95/yr2.6
- 18mailboxFree trial · from €1/mo2.6
- 19MailfenceFree plan · from €2.50/mo2.6
- 20MissiveFree trial · from $14/mo2.6
- 21ShortwaveFree plan · from $18/mo2.6
- 22SpikeFree plan · from $4/mo2.6
- 23Wino MailFree plan2.6
- 24Yahoo MailFree plan · from $5/mo2.6
- 25BoomerangFree plan · from $4.98/mo2.4
- 26DragFree trial · from $12/mo2.4
- 27FairEmailFree plan · from $7.49 one-time2.4
- 28FrontFree trial · from $25/mo2.4
- 29HEYFree trial · from $99/yr2.4
- 30MailbutlerFree plan · from $4/mo2.4
- 31MailspringFree plan · from $8/mo2.4
- 32Newton MailFree plan · from $5/mo2.4
- 33PolymailFree trial · from $10/mo2.4
- 34AirmailFree plan · from $7.99/mo2.2
- 35Clean EmailFree plan · from $9.99/mo2.2
- 36Help ScoutFree plan · from $25/mo2.2
- 37HiverFree trial · from $25/mo2.2
- 38Kiwi for GmailFree trial · from $4/mo2.2
- 39Leave Me AloneFree trial · from $9/mo2.2
- 40MailbirdFree plan · from $34.49/yr2.2
- 41MailstromFree trial · from $9/mo2.2
- 42SaneBoxFree trial · from $6.99/mo2.2
- 43Superhuman MailFrom $25/mo2.2
- 44FyxerFree plan · from $37/mo2.0
- 45GmeliusFree trial · from $19/mo2.0
- 46Inbox ZeroFree trial · from $18/mo2.0
- 47Jace AIFree trial · from $20/mo2.0
- 48MailMateFree trial · from $10/mo2.0
- 49MimestreamFree trial · from $49.99/yr2.0
- 50PosteoFrom €1/mo2.0
- 51CoraFree trial · from $20/mo1.8
- 52StartMailFree trial · from $4.99/mo1.8
Part 07 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask when choosing, each answered in a line or two
8
Questions, each answered in a line or two
What are the best email apps?
Microsoft Outlook first, Gmail second, Proton Mail third. Microsoft Outlook is for most people.
Which email apps give the most for the money?
Microsoft Outlook, Zoho Mail, Unroll.Me and Thunderbird. Each is the highest-scoring tool at its price or below: Thunderbird scores 2.7 out of 4 and is free; Unroll.Me scores 2.7 out of 4 and is free; Zoho Mail scores 3.3 out of 4 and starts at $1 a month for each person; Microsoft Outlook scores 3.7 out of 4 and starts at $1.67 a month when paid by the year.
Which are the best free email apps?
Of the 4 email apps here with no paid plan at all, Thunderbird and Unroll.Me score highest, at 2.7 out of 4.
Which email apps are best for under $5 a month?
Microsoft Outlook, with a score of 3.7 out of 4: the highest among the 31 that start at $5 a month or less.
Which email apps cost the most for what they offer?
On this chart, Cora (starts at $20 a month, scores 2.0 out of 4, and 36 tools score higher for less), Fyxer (starts at $37 a month for each person, scores 2.3 out of 4, and 31 tools score higher for less) and Jace AI (starts at $20 a month, scores 2.3 out of 4, and 27 tools score higher for less).
How much do email apps cost?
The middle starting price is $4.99 a month: half of the 46 email apps with a recurring price start below that and half above.
How is the score on this chart worked out?
It is the average of three of the five grades ToolGPA gives every tool: features, ease of use, and platforms and integrations, with an A worth 4 and an F worth 0.
How does ToolGPA grade email apps?
Five grades, A to F, for value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them.
Part 08 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Email Apps, kept up to dateEvery tool in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/categories/email
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Email Apps: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 10, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/categories/email
Know someone choosing between email apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/categories/email/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The top three email apps have guides of their own, and so does every category near this one.
- Microsoft Outlook Insider's GuideMicrosoft's email and calendar app for desktop, mobile and web3.6 GPA
- Gmail Insider's GuideGoogle's email service, free for personal use with 15 GB of storage3.0 GPA
- Project Management Insider's Guide80 project management tools, graded and compared
- Screen Recording & Video Insider's Guide53 screen recording and video tools, graded and compared
- Automation Insider's Guide41 automation tools, graded and compared
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what each tool’s pages, app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Product names are trademarks of their owners, and no maker made, paid for or approved this guide. Prices and plans change: check each maker’s own site before you buy.