Claws Mail vs MailMate (2026): which should you pick?

Pick Claws Mail if

• Fits if you want a light mail client you can drive from the keyboard
• Works for people who use GnuPG and want plugins for extras

Look elsewhere if

• Skip it if you want a calendar built in, as that's a plugin
• Not for you if you use a Mac, since the downloads page mentions no macOS version
• Watch out: Windows is a separate port
• Too light on looks if you want a modern design: the interface is built on GTK and follows older desktop mail clients

Pick MailMate if

• Fits if you'd rather write email in plain text or Markdown than use a formatting toolbar
• Works for people who run their whole inbox from the keyboard and saved searches

Look elsewhere if

• Skip it if you want the same app on your phone or a Windows PC, as it runs on macOS only
• Not for you if you like formatting buttons, because the composer is plain text and Markdown only
• Too light for a business that needs support on call, as the subscription doesn't guarantee a reply
• Watch out: the recommended download is a 2.0 beta, and the last public release is more than 4 years old
• Tight if your mail isn't on IMAP, as IMAP accounts are the only kind it connects

Claws Mail

• Calendar and RSS are plugins, not part of the base application.
• Windows is listed as a separate port; no macOS version is mentioned on the downloads page.
• The interface is built on GTK and follows the look of older desktop mail clients.

MailMate

• It runs on macOS only and connects to email through IMAP accounts.
• The composer is plain text only: formatting comes from Markdown rather than from toolbar buttons.
• The recommended download is a 2.0 beta that needs macOS 10.12 or later; the last public release is more than 4 years old.
• Businesses are required to stay in Paid Mode, and the subscription does not guarantee a reply to support emails.

Claws Mail

Keyboard-driven interface

Almost all commands can be reached from the keyboard, in a layout meant to look familiar to people from other mail clients.

Filtering and search

Filtering, per-folder processing, message scoring, colour labels and a search function for sorting a busy mailbox.

GnuPG support

Encrypt and sign messages with GnuPG through GPGME, and switch the encryption type while composing.

Plugins

Extras such as an RSS aggregator and a calendar come as plugins, and the project lists them on a plugins page.

Protocols and accounts

Multiple accounts over POP3, IMAP4rev1 and SMTP with SSL, plus Usenet news reading and posting through NNTP.

MH storage and import

Messages are kept in the MH format, and mbox import and export lets you move mail in and out of other clients.

MailMate

Markdown composing

Emails are written in a plain text editor. Optional Markdown is converted to HTML for lists, tables, code segments and inline images, with a preview of what recipients will see.

Keyboard control

The app is designed to be driven from the keyboard, with shortcuts for searching, moving messages to a mailbox and tagging, and support for custom key bindings.

Smart mailboxes and search

Smart mailboxes are built from conditions on any message header, with nested All/Any rules, and any search can be saved as one. Clicking a name or subject runs a related search.

OpenPGP and S/MIME

Messages can be encrypted and signed with either OpenPGP or S/MIME from within the client.

Bundles for other apps

Bundles connect MailMate to third-party task managers, calendar managers and external text editors. They are fetched and updated separately from the app itself.

Alternative layouts

Besides the standard view there is a widescreen layout, a Correspondence layout showing related messages, a Statistics layout that counts header values, and Thread Arcs.

Claws Mail

• Claws Mail$0

  Free under the GPL; install from a distribution package or the source tarballs.

MailMate

• Paid Mode$10

  every 3 months, plus any VAT

  The MailMate Development subscription issues the license key and pays for ongoing development. All features are included, and business use requires it.

• Free Mode$0

  After a subscription ends, all features keep working for non-business use, and outgoing mail is labelled "MailMate Free Mode" in its headers.

Claws Mail

No public discounts listed.

MailMate

• Nonprofit

  Non-profit use can stay in Free Mode

  The pricing page says non-profit use does not require Paid Mode, so the subscription can be cancelled and MailMate keeps all of its features in Free Mode.