eM Client vs Foxmail (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Foxmail grades higher than eM Client: 2.8 against 2.6 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 9, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
eM Client grades higher on features and platforms. Foxmail grades higher on value for money and the free plan. They get the same grade on ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
eM Client
Desktop email client for Windows and Mac with calendar and chat
Which one is for you
Pick eM Client if
- Fits if you want mail, calendar, tasks and contacts in one desktop program on Windows or Mac
- Works for people who'd rather pay $74.95 once for the current major version than subscribe
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you're on Linux or want your mail in a browser, as neither is listed
- Tight if you're staying free, because that's 2 email accounts on one device with no snooze, Send Later or thread view
- Not for you if you want it free at work, since the Free license is for non-commercial use only
- Watch out: a one-time license covers the current major version only, and the AI Add-on and later versions cost extra
- Pricey if you license a business, at $59.95 per device a year rather than per person
Pick Foxmail if
- Fits if your mail is on QQ Mail or Tencent Exmail and you want a desktop app for it
- Works for Windows or Mac users who also want a notepad synced with QQ Mail
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you use mostly Gmail or Outlook accounts, as the listing only names QQ Mail and Exmail
- Skip it if you need a phone or Linux app, as none is listed
- Watch out: some Exmail features need authorisation from the account's administrator
- Watch out: the Windows build no longer supports Windows XP
How we grade them
| 2.6GPAeM ClientGood | 2.8GPAFoxmailGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | B$49.95 a year for one person on 3 devices is about $4.16 a month, at the low end of this category, with every feature and the AI Add-on in. Or $74.95 once, less than a year of the $8 middle here, though that buys the current major version only and leaves out the AI Add-on. | AFree to download for Windows and Mac. That is under 60% of the cheapest paid email tool, so it is an A for value. |
| Free plan and trial | CThe Free license is 2 email accounts on one device, personal use only, and thread view, notes, snooze, Send Later and translation are all held back. Those are caps you'll hit, though the first 30 days unlock everything. | AFree outright with no paid tier shown on the download pages. |
| Features | BMail, calendar, tasks, contacts, notes and chat in one program, PGP and S/MIME on every license, and paid licenses add snooze, Send Later, undo send, Watch for Reply and translation of incoming mail. Nothing in the listing points at a hole in the mail-client job. | CA mail client with a notepad, calendar, large mailboxes and large attachments, working with QQ Mail and Tencent Exmail. Some Exmail features need an administrator to authorise them. |
| Ease of use | CNo rating on record. It imports your data from Outlook, Thunderbird and other clients, but it's a dense desktop program with mail, calendar, tasks, contacts and chat panes and accounts to connect first. | CNo store rating on record. You install it and connect a QQ or Exmail account, so there is an account to set up. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWindows and Mac with free iPhone and Android apps that need no license, so computer and phone are both covered. It talks to Google Workspace, Office 365, Outlook and Exchange, and paid licenses add Teams, Slack and Rocket.Chat. No Linux or web version is listed. | CWindows and Mac only. The download pages list no mobile or Linux app. |
| Best for | one desktop program for mail, calendar and tasks | a free desktop app for QQ Mail and Exmail |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: eM Client and Foxmail. How we grade
Price against what you get
eM Client starts at $4.16 a month when paid by the year and scores 2.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Foxmail has no paid plan and scores 2.0.
eM Client scores higher, and starts $4.16 a month higher: the question is whether the extra is worth that to you. Of the other email apps on the chart, 6 score higher than eM Client for less, and none scores higher than Foxmail for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- eM Client can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- eM Client also covers tasks.
At a glance
| eM Client | Foxmail | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free |
| Starts at | $49.95 per year (Personal subscription, up to 3 devices) | Free |
| Free plan | Free license for personal, non-commercial use: 2 email accounts on one device, with email, calendar, contacts and tasks. The Android and iOS apps are free and need no license. | Free to download for Windows and for Mac. |
| Free trial | 30-day free trial of all features, plus a 30-day money-back guarantee | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | eM Client s.r.o. | Tencent |
| Price read from | emclient.com | foxmail.com |
| Checked | Oct 9, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
eM Client
- The Free license is for personal, non-commercial use only, on one device with 2 email accounts.
- Thread view, notes, snooze, Send Later, undo send and message translation need a paid Personal or Business license.
- A one-time license covers the current major version only. Later major versions need a paid upgrade or the Lifetime Upgrades option.
- No Linux or web version is listed. The pricing page shows different prices by country; the figures here are the US ones.
Foxmail
- The download pages list Windows and Mac only; no mobile or Linux app.
- Some Exmail features need authorization from the account's administrator.
- The Windows build no longer supports Windows XP.
Key features
eM Client
- Works with most email services
- Connects to Google Workspace, Office 365, Outlook, Exchange and other services, and imports data from Microsoft Outlook, Thunderbird and other clients.
- Calendar, tasks, contacts and notes
- Calendars, tasks and contacts are part of every license, with a sidebar agenda of upcoming events, tasks and birthdays. Notes need a paid license.
- PGP and S/MIME encryption
- Messages can be encrypted and digitally signed with S/MIME or PGP. The pricing table lists this on the Free license too.
- Snooze, Send Later and Watch for Reply
- Paid licenses add snooze, scheduled sending, undo send, a watch for replies to sent messages, mass mail and a view of all attachments.
- AI and translation
- AI generates messages and replies or adjusts the tone of a draft through the AI Add-on, which subscriptions include. Paid licenses also translate incoming messages.
- Chat and meeting integrations
- Chat and online meeting integration are built in, and paid licenses add Microsoft Teams, Slack and Rocket.Chat integration.
Foxmail
- Notepad
- Notes recorded in Foxmail are kept in sync with QQ Mail on the web and on mobile.
- Tencent Exmail features
- With Exmail accounts it offers auto-configuration, a company address book, email recall and sending on behalf of others.
- Calendar
- Meeting invitations and meeting emails can be processed in the built-in calendar, per the Windows changelog.
- Large mailboxes
- The Windows page says it stays responsive with mailboxes of up to millions of messages.
- Large attachments
- The Mac page says extra-large attachments can bypass server attachment size limits, with authorization.
- QR code login
- The changelog lists logging in to QQ Mail or Exmail accounts by scanning a QR code.
Plans
eM Client
Free$0
Personal, non-commercial use on one device with 2 email accounts and forum support. No snooze, Send Later, notes, thread view or translation.
Personal (subscription)$49.95
per year, for 1 user on up to 3 devices
Individual use with unlimited email accounts, every feature, VIP support, new major versions and the AI Add-on included.
Business (subscription)$59.95
per device / year
Company or institutional use, priced per device and lower in volume. Adds the License Manager, with VIP support and the AI Add-on included.
Personal (one-time)$74.95
one-time payment, for 1 user on up to 3 devices
Never expires for the current major version and includes 1 year of VIP support. Later major versions and the AI Add-on cost extra.
Business (one-time)$89.95
per device, one-time payment
Per-device company license that never expires for the current major version. Lifetime Upgrades are an optional extra.
Foxmail
Free$0
Free download; the Mac version is on the Mac App Store.
Ways to pay less
eM Client
- Lifetime license
One-time payment instead of a subscription
Personal at $74.95 or Business at $89.95 per device buys a license that never expires for the current major version. Optional Lifetime Upgrades extend it to all future versions.
- By country
Lower price shown to buyers in India
Read from India on October 9, 2026, the pricing page showed the Personal subscription at $24.95 a year. Read from the United States the same day, it showed $49.95.
- Nonprofit
30% discount for NGOs
The pricing page states that NGOs are eligible for a 30% discount, arranged by contacting eM Client.
- Education
30% discount for schools and universities
Schools and universities are eligible for the same 30% discount, arranged by contacting eM Client.
Foxmail
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, eM Client or Foxmail?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Foxmail is cheaper to start with: it is free, against $4.16 a month when paid by the year for eM Client. eM Client starts at $49.95 per year (Personal subscription, up to 3 devices), and Foxmail is free.
Which has a free plan, eM Client or Foxmail?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both eM Client and Foxmail have a free plan.
Which platforms do eM Client and Foxmail run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only eM Client lists iOS and Android apps. Both list macOS and Windows apps. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.