Foxmail vs Mailbird (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Foxmail grades higher than Mailbird: 2.8 against 2.2 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 5, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Foxmail grades higher on value for money and the free plan. They get the same grade on features, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Mailbird
Desktop email client for Windows and Mac with a unified inbox
Which one is for you
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
Pick Mailbird if
- Fits if you're on Windows and want all your email accounts in one desktop app
- Works for people who want Slack, WhatsApp and their calendar in a sidebar next to their mail
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you read mail on your phone too, because there's no iOS or Android app, only a roadmap mention
- Tight if you stay free, with 1 email account on 1 device and no tracking, integrations or Exchange
- Not for you if you have POP3 accounts on a Mac, which Mailbird for Mac can't connect
- Watch out: the website shows local prices marked down from a crossed-out list price, which can differ from the App Store's
- Tight if your Mac is older, as Mailbird for Mac needs macOS Ventura or later
How we grade them
| 2.8GPAFoxmailGood | 2.2GPAMailbirdFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree to download for Windows and Mac. That is under 60% of the cheapest paid email tool, so it is an A for value. | BPremium is $34.49 a year on the US Mac App Store, about $2.87 a month against an $8 middle here, and it covers unlimited accounts, tracking, app integrations and Exchange on 3 devices. Paying once is $159. Mailbird's site prices in local currency, marked down from a crossed-out list price, so your figure may differ. |
| Free plan and trial | AFree outright with no paid tier shown on the download pages. | CThe free version is 1 email account on 1 device, with Knowledge Base support only and no tracking, app integrations or Exchange. For an app whose whole point is a unified inbox, that's the cap you hit on day one. |
| Features | 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. | CThe basics plus some extras: one inbox for several accounts, tracking that shows who opened a message, snooze, send later, a ChatGPT integration for drafting, and Slack or WhatsApp open in a sidebar. The listing's limits: nearly all of it is Premium, and the Mac version can't connect POP3 accounts. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. You install it and connect a QQ or Exmail account, so there is an account to set up. | CNo rating on record. It's a desktop app, but you're adding each account yourself and then setting up whichever sidebar apps you want, and the Mac version needs macOS Ventura or later. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWindows and Mac only. The download pages list no mobile or Linux app. | CComputers only: Windows and Mac, with no iOS, Android, web or Linux version, and the pricing FAQ puts phone apps on the roadmap. Inside the app it opens Slack, WhatsApp, Google Calendar, Dropbox, Asana, Trello and Teams. |
| Best for | a free desktop app for QQ Mail and Exmail | a unified inbox on Windows or Mac |
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: Foxmail and Mailbird. How we grade
Price against what you get
Foxmail has no paid plan and scores 2.0 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Mailbird starts at $2.87 a month when paid by the year and scores 2.0.
They score the same, and Foxmail starts $2.87 a month lower. Of the other email apps on the chart, none scores higher than Foxmail for less, and 25 score higher than Mailbird 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
- Mailbird can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Foxmail also covers notes and calendar.
At a glance
| Foxmail | Mailbird | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free plan |
| Starts at | Free | $34.49 per year (Premium Yearly Plan, US Mac App Store in-app price) |
| Free plan | Free to download for Windows and for Mac. | 1 email account on 1 device, with Knowledge Base support only. No email tracking, app integrations, ChatGPT integration or Microsoft Exchange support. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Made by | Tencent | Mailbird, Inc. |
| Price read from | foxmail.com | apps.apple.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Oct 5, 2026 |
Worth knowing
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.
Mailbird
- The free version covers 1 email account on 1 device and leaves out email tracking, app integrations and Exchange support.
- There is no iOS, Android, web or Linux version; the pricing FAQ says mobile apps are on the roadmap.
- Mailbird for Mac needs macOS Ventura or later and cannot connect POP3 accounts.
- Prices here are US Mac App Store in-app prices. Mailbird's website prices Premium in local currency, marked down from a crossed-out list price, and its figures can differ.
Key features
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.
Mailbird
- Unified inbox
- Messages and contacts from several email accounts appear in one inbox. The free version is limited to 1 account, and Premium allows unlimited accounts.
- Email tracking
- Shows who opened a sent message and when. The comparison table lists tracking as unlimited on Premium and not included in the free version.
- App integrations
- Slack, WhatsApp, Dropbox, Google Calendar, Asana and other apps open inside Mailbird, and Premium can add any app or website as a custom app.
- AI email writing
- A ChatGPT integration drafts email text for you. The pricing table lists it as a Premium feature.
- Snooze and send later
- Snooze takes a non-urgent message out of the inbox until later, and send later schedules a message for a set time. On Mac both are listed under Premium, along with undo send.
- Unsubscribe and block senders
- Unsubscribe from mailing lists and block unwanted senders from inside the inbox. The pricing table lists both as Premium features.
Plans
Foxmail
Free$0
Free download; the Mac version is on the Mac App Store.
Mailbird
Free$0
Basic features for 1 email account on 1 device, with Knowledge Base support only.
Premium (Yearly Plan)$34.49
per year (US Mac App Store in-app price)
Unlimited accounts, unlimited email tracking, templates, app integrations, Exchange support and email support, on up to 3 devices per license.
Premium (One-Time)$159.00
one-time payment (US Mac App Store in-app price)
Premium bought once. The website calls it Pay Once, shows it at 75% off a crossed-out price in local currency, and sells a Lifetime Updates add-on.
Ways to pay less
Foxmail
No public discounts listed.
Mailbird
- Lifetime license
Pay Once license instead of a subscription
Premium is also sold as a Pay Once license with no renewals, and an optional Lifetime Updates add-on covers all future Mailbird versions. The US Mac App Store lists Premium One-Time at $159.00.
- Other savings
Volume discounts from 2 licenses
The pricing FAQ lists automatic discounts on multiple Premium licenses: 5% for 2 to 10, 10% for 11 to 25, 15% for 26 to 50, 20% for 51 to 100 and 25% for 101 or more.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Foxmail or Mailbird?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Foxmail is cheaper to start with: it is free, against $2.87 a month when paid by the year for Mailbird. Foxmail is free, and Mailbird starts at $34.49 per year (Premium Yearly Plan, US Mac App Store in-app price).
Which has a free plan, Foxmail or Mailbird?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Foxmail and Mailbird have a free plan.
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.