Price against what you get
Best-value email apps
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.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- Nothing scores higher without costing more
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
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<a href="https://toolgpa.com/charts/email"><img src="https://toolgpa.com/charts/email/chart.svg" alt="50 email apps by starting price and by ToolGPA score" width="1200" height="675" style="max-width:100%;height:auto"></a>The best at every price
Each step is the highest score email apps reach at that price or below. Nothing on the chart beats these without costing more.
Free
No paid plan · scores 2.7 of 4
- ThunderbirdFreeBCB
- Unroll.MeFreeCBB
$1
a month to start · scores 3.3 of 4
- Zoho Mail$1 per user / month, billed annually (Mail Lite, 5 GB)BBA
$1.67
a month to start · scores 3.7 of 4
- Microsoft Outlook$1.99 per month, or $19.99 per year (Microsoft 365 Basic)BAA
Paying more for less
The email apps that the most others beat on both counts: a higher score and a lower starting price.
- CoraStarts at $20 a month and scores 2.0 of 4.36 of 49 score higher for lessCCC
- FyxerStarts at $37 a month for each person and scores 2.3 of 4.31 of 49 score higher for lessCCB
- Jace AIStarts at $20 a month and scores 2.3 of 4.27 of 49 score higher for lessCCB
- GmeliusStarts at $19 a month for each person and scores 2.3 of 4.27 of 49 score higher for lessCCB
- MailspringStarts at $7.08 a month when paid by the year and scores 2.0 of 4.26 of 49 score higher for lessCCC
A high starting price often means a product is sold to companies and has no small plan, and a score is three letters, not the whole product. Read a tool’s own page before ruling it out.
The four quarters
Where the tools fall when the chart is cut at the middle price and the average score.
More for less16
Each scores above the category's average and starts at or below its middle price.
Microsoft Outlook, Zoho Mail, Proton Mail, BlueMail, Fastmail, Tuta Mail, Thunderbird, Unroll.Me and 8 more
Costs more, scores more15
Each scores above the average and starts above the middle price.
Gmail, Shortwave, Superhuman Mail, Spark Mail, Missive, Front, Newton Mail, Yahoo Mail and 7 more
Costs less, scores less11
Each scores below the average and starts at or below the middle price.
Extra, Apple Mail, mailbox, Clean Email, Airmail, Kiwi for Gmail, Marco, Posteo and 3 more
Costs more, scores less8
Each scores below the average and starts above the middle price.
Mailstrom, Leave Me Alone, Gmelius, Jace AI, Fyxer, StartMail, Mailspring, Cora
All 50 on the chart
Highest score first, then lowest price. The last column counts the tools that score higher and start lower.
| # | Tool | Score | Features, ease, platforms | A month | As its listing states it | Score higher for less |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Microsoft Outlook | 3.7 | BAA | $1.67 | $1.99 per month, or $19.99 per year (Microsoft 365 Basic) | None |
| 2 | Zoho Mail | 3.3 | BBA | $1 | $1 per user / month, billed annually (Mail Lite, 5 GB) | None |
| 3 | Proton Mail | 3.3 | CAA | $3.99 | $3.99 per month, billed every 12 months ($47.88); $4.99 billed monthly | 1 |
| 4 | Gmail | 3.3 | BAB | $7 | $7 per user / month with a 1-year commitment (Workspace Business Starter) | 1 |
| 5 | Shortwave | 3.3 | BBA | $18 | $18 per seat / month (Pro, the individual plan) | 1 |
| 6 | Superhuman Mail | 3.3 | BBA | $25 | $25 per member / month, billed annually ($30 billed monthly) | 1 |
| 7 | BlueMail | 3.0 | BBB | $3 | $35.99 per year (Plus, shown as $3 per month billed annually) | 2 |
| 8 | Fastmail | 3.0 | BCA | $3 | $3 per user / month, billed yearly (Basic); Individual is $5, billed yearly | 2 |
| 9 | Tuta Mail | 3.0 | CAB | $3.36 | €3 per month, paid yearly (lowest paid personal plan) | 2 |
| 10 | Spark Mail | 3.0 | BBB | $8.25 | $8.25 per user / month, billed annually ($99 / year) | 4 |
| 11 | Missive | 3.0 | BCA | $14 | $14 per user / month, billed yearly ($18 billed monthly) | 4 |
| 12 | Front | 3.0 | BCA | $25 | $25 per seat / month, billed annually | 5 |
| 13 | Thunderbird | 2.7 | BCB | Free | Free | None |
| 14 | Unroll.Me | 2.7 | CBB | Free | Free | None |
| 15 | Zoho TeamInbox | 2.7 | CCA | $0.99 | $0.99 per month (mobile-only Solo); Starter is $5 per user / month, billed annually | None |
| 16 | Mailfence | 2.7 | BCB | $2.80 | €2.50 per month, billed yearly (Base) | 2 |
| 17 | Canary Mail | 2.7 | BCB | $3 | $36 per year (Growth), shown as $3 per month billed yearly | 2 |
| 18 | Mailbutler | 2.7 | CBB | $4 | $4 per user / month, billed yearly (paid Starter) | 6 |
| 19 | Spike | 2.7 | BCB | $4 | $4 per member / month, billed annually (Teamspace Team); Email App Pro is $6 | 6 |
| 20 | eM Client | 2.7 | BCB | $4.16 | $49.95 per year (Personal subscription, up to 3 devices) | 6 |
Show the other 30
| # | Tool | Score | Features, ease, platforms | A month | As its listing states it | Score higher for less |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 | SaneBox | 2.7 | CBB | $4.92 | $6.99 per month, or $58.99 per year (App Store in-app prices) | 6 |
| 22 | Boomerang | 2.7 | CBB | $4.98 | $4.98 per month, billed annually (Personal, Gmail addresses only) | 6 |
| 23 | Newton Mail | 2.7 | BCB | $5 | $5 per month, billed annually ($6.99 billed monthly) | 6 |
| 24 | Yahoo Mail | 2.7 | CBB | $5 | $5 per month (Yahoo Mail Plus) | 6 |
| 25 | HEY | 2.7 | CBB | $8.25 | $99 per year (HEY for You, annual billing only) | 7 |
| 26 | Edison Mail | 2.7 | CBB | $8.33 | $14.99 per month, or $99.99 per year (Edison Mail+) | 8 |
| 27 | Polymail | 2.7 | BCB | $10 | $10 per month, billed yearly ($13 billed monthly) | 8 |
| 28 | Drag | 2.7 | CCA | $12 | $12 per user / month, billed yearly | 8 |
| 29 | Inbox Zero | 2.7 | CCA | $18 | $18 per user / month, billed annually ($20 billed monthly) | 9 |
| 30 | Help Scout | 2.7 | BCB | $25 | $25 per user / month, billed annually ($30 billed monthly) | 10 |
| 31 | Hiver | 2.7 | BCB | $25 | $25 per user / month, billed annually ($35 billed monthly) | 10 |
| 32 | Extra | 2.3 | CBC | Free | Free | None |
| 33 | Apple Mail | 2.3 | CBC | $0.99 | $0.99 per month (iCloud+ with 50 GB) | 2 |
| 34 | mailbox | 2.3 | BCC | $1.12 | €1 per month, annual payment only (€12 a year, Light) | 4 |
| 35 | Clean Email | 2.3 | CCB | $2.50 | $9.99 per month, or $29.99 per year (1 email account) | 5 |
| 36 | Airmail | 2.3 | BCC | $3.33 | $7.99 per month, or $39.99 per year (US App Store in-app prices) | 9 |
| 37 | Kiwi for Gmail | 2.3 | CBC | $4 | $4 per month (Starter; monthly or annual billing basis not confirmed) | 11 |
| 38 | Mailstrom | 2.3 | CCB | $5 | $9 per month, or $59.95 per year (Basic, 1 email account) | 16 |
| 39 | Leave Me Alone | 2.3 | CCB | $7.50 | $9 per month, or $90 billed yearly | 19 |
| 40 | Gmelius | 2.3 | CCB | $19 | $19 per user / month, billed yearly | 27 |
| 41 | Jace AI | 2.3 | CCB | $20 | $20 per month, billed yearly ($25 billed monthly) | 27 |
| 42 | Fyxer | 2.3 | CCB | $37 | $37 per person / month, billed annually ($49 billed monthly) | 31 |
| 43 | Marco | 2.0 | CCC | Free | Free | None |
| 44 | Posteo | 2.0 | CCC | $1.12 | €1 per month, prepaid (minimum top-up €12) | 6 |
| 45 | Mailbird | 2.0 | CCC | $2.87 | $34.49 per year (Premium Yearly Plan, US Mac App Store in-app price) | 10 |
| 46 | Mimestream | 2.0 | CBD | $4.17 | $49.99 per year, or $4.99 billed monthly | 20 |
| 47 | StartMail | 2.0 | CCC | $4.99 | $4.99 per month, billed annually ($59.88) | 22 |
| 48 | Mailspring | 2.0 | CCC | $7.08 | $8 per month, or $85 per year (Mailspring Pro) | 26 |
| 49 | Cora | 2.0 | CCC | $20 | $20 per month, billed annually ($240); $25 billed monthly | 36 |
| 50 | MailMate | 1.7 | CCD | $3.33 | $10 every 3 months (local-currency equivalent plus any VAT) | 16 |
How email apps grade
Every bar is all the email apps we grade, cut by the letter each got on that count.
- Value for moneyaverage 2.4
- Free plan and trialaverage 2.4
- Featuresaverage 2.4
- Ease of useaverage 2.5
- Platforms and integrationsaverage 2.8
An A is worth 4 and an F nothing. C is the ordinary grade. Every email grade in one table
Not on the chart
Sold for a single payment, or with no public price that can be put as dollars a month. They are graded like the rest.
Common questions
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. This goes by ToolGPA's own grades for features, ease of use and platforms, averaged out of 4, set against the price each tool's paid plans start at.
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. 24 more have a free plan beside their paid ones.
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. Microsoft Outlook starts at $1.67 a month when paid by the year.
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). A high starting price often means a product is sold to companies and has no small plan, so check what the price includes before ruling one out.
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. 4 of the 52 in this directory have no paid plan, and 24 of those that charge also have a free plan.
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. The other two grades, value for money and the free plan, are about price, so they are left out and price gets an axis of its own. 50 of the 52 email apps are on the chart; 2 are left off because they are sold for a single payment or publish no price that can be put as dollars a month.
How this chart is made
- The score is the average of three of a tool’s five grades: features, ease of use, and platforms and integrations. An A is 4 points and an F none. Value for money and the free plan are left out because they are about price, and price has an axis of its own.
- The price is what paid plans start at, in dollars a month, on the cheapest way of paying the listing names. A yearly price is divided by twelve, and a price in another currency is converted. A price for each person is shown for one person.
- A tool with no paid plan sits in the band marked Free. A tool with a free plan beside paid ones is placed at its paid price and drawn as a filled dot.
- The grades are ToolGPA’s own judgement from each vendor’s pages and from public reviews, not from testing, and no vendor can pay for one. How we grade
More charts
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