eM Client vs Mailspring

eM Client

• Windows and Mac users who want a full desktop mail client
• People who would rather pay once for the current version
• Companies that license email software per device

Mailspring

• Linux users who want a modern desktop email client
• People who want a free client with unlimited accounts
• Anyone who wants read receipts and link tracking built into email

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.

Mailspring

• There is no iOS, Android or web version; the docs say the team is focused on the desktop app.
• Exchange (EWS and ActiveSync) and POP3 are not supported. Microsoft 365 accounts connect over IMAP and SMTP.
• The calendar is a read-only preview for Google accounts; a full calendar is described as coming later.
• No one-time or lifetime license is offered, and Pro does not include premium support.

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.

Mailspring

Unified inbox

One inbox for Gmail, iCloud, Office 365, Fastmail, Outlook.com, Yahoo and other IMAP accounts. The free version puts no limit on the number of accounts.

Advanced search

Mailspring indexes mail so that Gmail-style search queries can look through message contents across every connected account.

Read receipts and link tracking

Notifies you when a recipient opens a message or clicks a link. A free Mailspring ID can track 5 messages a week of each kind, and Pro is unlimited.

Send later, snooze and reminders

Schedule a message, snooze a conversation, or get a reminder when nobody replies. The free allowance is 5 send-later messages, 5 reminders and 15 snoozes a week.

Translation and grammar check

Translates drafts and incoming messages and checks grammar in the composer with LanguageTool. Both have weekly caps, which are higher on Pro.

Open source with direct sync

The full codebase is published under the MIT license. Mail syncs over IMAP straight from the provider to your machine, not through Mailspring's servers.

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)$39.95

  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)$49.95

  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)$59.95

  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)$79.95

  per device, one-time payment

  Per-device company license that never expires for the current major version. Lifetime Upgrades are an optional extra.

Mailspring

• Free$0

  Complete email client with unlimited accounts and a unified inbox. Weekly allowances of Pro features: 15 snoozes, 5 send-later messages and 5 tracked messages.

• Mailspring Pro$8

  per month, or $85 per year

  Unlimited snooze, send later, follow-up reminders, read receipts and link tracking, plus higher caps on translation, grammar check and contact profiles.

eM Client

• Lifetime license

  One-time payment instead of a subscription

  Personal at $59.95 or Business at $79.95 per device buys a license that never expires for the current major version. Optional Lifetime Upgrades extend it to all future versions.

• 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.

Mailspring

• Annual discount

  11% off with annual billing

  Mailspring Pro is billed monthly at $8 by default. The subscription docs list an annual plan at $85 a year, which they describe as an 11% discount.

• Other savings

  Multi-seat discounts for teams

  The subscription docs say discounts on multi-seat licenses and annual team plans are available by contacting Foundry376's sales address.