Gmail vs Kiwi for Gmail
We give Gmail a 3.6 GPA and Kiwi for Gmail a 2.8, out of 4.0. Gmail grades higher on the free plan, features and ease of use. They get the same grade on value for money and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Gmail
Google's email service, free for personal use with 15 GB of storage
Kiwi for Gmail
Desktop app that runs Gmail and Google Workspace outside the browser
How we grade them
| 3.6GPAGmailExcellent | 2.8GPAKiwi for GmailGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | BBusiness email starts at $7 a person a month on a one-year deal. That buys an address at your own domain, 30 GB and the rest of Google Workspace. Fair if you'll use Meet, Drive and Docs. For the email alone, Zoho Mail starts at $1. | BStarter shows as $4 a month, low for a category where the middle is about $9. But that's 1 account, and our listing couldn't confirm whether the price is for monthly or annual billing. Several accounts, which is half the point, means Pro at $6 for up to 3 or Power Pro at $8 for up to 9. |
| Free plan and trial | AFree for good, with 15 GB, the spam filter, offline mail and both phone apps. That's most of Gmail for nothing. The catches: the 15 GB is shared with Drive and Photos, and a free account may show ads. | CNo free plan. There's a 7-day risk-free trial, which the pricing page states for the yearly plans. Our listing doesn't say whether you hand over a card to start it. |
| Features | ASpam blocking, tabs that sort your mail, suggested replies, nudges to follow up, undo send, Confidential Mode and offline mail. Gemini drafts replies and sums up long threads. On a personal account some of that needs a paid Google AI plan, like asking it to search your inbox. | BIt does one thing: Gmail and Google Workspace as a desktop app, with Docs, Sheets, Slides, Drive, Calendar and Chat in their own windows. The mail itself is still Gmail. The Focus-Filtered Inbox starts on Pro, and Tabbed Workspaces, global keyboard shortcuts and extensions need Power Pro. |
| Ease of use | A4.7 from about 2.4 million App Store ratings. Sign in with a Google Account and the inbox is ready, on the web and on your phone. Long-time users do grumble when an update moves things around. | BNo rating on record, so a B is our ceiling. It's Gmail, so there's nothing new to learn, and your accounts sit side by side without signing in and out or switching browser profiles. |
| Platforms and integrations | BA browser, iPhone and Android, and that's it for Google's own apps. No Mac or Windows app. It does work inside Outlook, Apple Mail and Thunderbird, though, and there's an API if you like building your own tools. | BMac and Windows, with one license covering both. The site offers no mobile app or web version. Power Pro adds extensions such as Boomerang, Grammarly and Zoom. It only works with Gmail and Google Workspace accounts. |
| Best for | free email that ties into the rest of Google | Gmail as a desktop app, with several accounts |
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: Gmail and Kiwi for Gmail. How we grade
Where they differ
- Gmail starts at $7 per user / month with a 1-year commitment (Workspace Business Starter). Kiwi for Gmail starts at $4 per month (Starter; monthly or annual billing basis not confirmed).
- Gmail has a free plan. Kiwi for Gmail does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Gmail lists a web app.
- Only Gmail lists iOS and Android apps.
- Only Kiwi for Gmail lists macOS and Windows apps.
At a glance
| Gmail | Kiwi for Gmail | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free trial |
| Starts at | $7 per user / month with a 1-year commitment (Workspace Business Starter) | $4 per month (Starter; monthly or annual billing basis not confirmed) |
| Free plan | Free with a personal Google Account: 15 GB of storage shared across Gmail, Google Drive and Google Photos. Free accounts may show ads, and asking Gemini to search the inbox needs a Google AI Pro or Ultra plan. | None |
| Free trial | 14-day Google Workspace trial for new customers, limited to 10 users; billing details required | 7-day risk-free trial, stated for all yearly plans |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Zive, Inc. | |
| Price read from | knowledge.workspace.google.com | kiwiforgmail.com |
| Checked | Oct 9, 2026 | Oct 6, 2026 |
Who each one suits
Gmail
- Anyone who wants a free personal address with 15 GB of shared storage
- Organizations that want email on their own domain inside Google Workspace
- People who already rely on Google Calendar, Meet, Chat and Drive
Kiwi for Gmail
- Heavy Gmail users who want email out of the browser
- People juggling several Gmail or Google Workspace accounts
- Google Workspace users who prefer Docs and Sheets in desktop windows
Worth knowing
Gmail
- Business email is only sold as part of Google Workspace, which also includes Calendar, Drive, Meet and Docs.
- The free 15 GB is shared with Drive and Photos. More space is a paid add-on: the US App Store listing shows 100 GB at $1.99 and 200 GB at $2.99, with no billing period given.
- Free accounts may show ads, though Google says it does not use Gmail content to personalize them.
- No desktop app is listed: Gmail runs in a browser and as Android and iOS apps, or through another mail client.
Kiwi for Gmail
- It works only with Gmail and Google Workspace accounts; other email providers are not supported.
- It is a desktop app for Mac and Windows only; the site offers no mobile app or web version.
- Starter is limited to 1 account and Pro to 3; using up to 9 accounts and Tabbed Workspaces needs Power Pro.
- Prices sit behind a Monthly/Annually switch on the pricing page, and the 7-day trial is stated for yearly plans.
Key features
Gmail
- Spam, phishing and malware blocking
- Google says Gmail automatically blocks 99.9% of spam, phishing attempts and malware, and flags a suspicious message that could still be legitimate.
- Gemini in Gmail
- Drafts and polishes replies and summarizes long threads. Asking Gemini to search a personal inbox needs Google AI Pro or Ultra; Google's AI plans page also lists Gemini in Gmail under the cheaper Google AI Plus.
- Smart Compose, Smart Reply and Nudges
- Suggests replies and sentence completions as you type, and reminds you to answer or follow up on messages you have not dealt with.
- Confidential Mode
- Set an expiry date on a message, require the recipient to verify by text, and remove the options to forward, copy, download or print it.
- Custom domain email and mail merge
- Workspace puts addresses on your own domain, with up to 30 aliases per user. Mail merge, from Business Standard, takes up to 1,500 recipients from a linked spreadsheet.
- Offline mail and other clients
- Gmail offline lets you read, reply to, delete and search messages without a connection. Accounts also work in Microsoft Outlook, Apple Mail and Mozilla Thunderbird.
Kiwi for Gmail
- Gmail as a desktop app
- Runs Gmail in its own Mac or Windows application instead of a browser tab, and one license gives the same interface on both platforms.
- Several accounts side by side
- Starter covers 1 Gmail or Workspace account, Pro up to 3 and Power Pro up to 9, used together without signing in and out or switching browser profiles.
- Focus-Filtered Inbox
- Narrows the inbox to mail from today, the past 2 days or the past week, and to Important, Unread, Starred or messages with attachments. Included from the Pro plan.
- Workspace apps in their own windows
- Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Drive, Calendar and Chat open as separate desktop windows, and a recent-documents list reopens files across all of your accounts.
- Tabbed Workspaces
- Groups related documents and windows into tabs by project, urgency or account so they are one click apart. Available on the Power Pro plan.
- XO assistant
- A GPT-4 powered assistant inside Kiwi that drafts emails, summarizes meeting notes and outlines documents. It requires an active Kiwi subscription.
Plans
Gmail
Personal Google Account$0
Gmail for personal use with 15 GB of storage shared with Drive and Photos. No address at your own domain, and the account may show ads.
Business Starter$7
per user / month, 1-year commitment ($8.40 flexible)
Google Workspace with email at your own domain, 30 GB of pooled storage per user and the Gemini assistant in Gmail.
Business Standard$14
per user / month, 1-year commitment ($16.80 flexible)
2 TB of pooled storage per user, plus custom email layouts, mail merge and Gemini in Gmail, Docs, Meet and more.
Business Plus$22
per user / month, 1-year commitment ($26.40 flexible)
5 TB of pooled storage per user, with Google Vault for retention and eDiscovery and advanced endpoint management.
EnterpriseCustom
No user limit, where the Business editions stop at 300. Adds S/MIME encryption and data loss prevention; priced through Google sales.
Kiwi for Gmail
Starter$4
per month as displayed; monthly or annual basis not confirmed
Gmail and Google Workspace as a desktop app for 1 account, with one license covering both Mac and Windows.
Pro$6
per month as displayed; monthly or annual basis not confirmed
Up to 3 accounts, plus the Focus-Filtered Inbox, the Zen Switch do-not-disturb mode, an at-a-glance widget and a desktop Google Meet app.
Power Pro$8
per month as displayed; monthly or annual basis not confirmed
Up to 9 Gmail and Workspace accounts, plus Tabbed Workspaces, global keyboard shortcuts, cloud search and extensions such as Boomerang, Grammarly and Zoom.
Kiwi for TeamsCustom
Discounted pricing for groups of users, with a team admin portal for user management and billing, and priority support contacts.
Ways to pay less
Gmail
- Annual discount
Lower rate with a 1-year commitment
Business Starter costs $7 per user per month on the Annual/Fixed-Term Plan versus $8.40 on the Flexible Plan. Standard drops from $16.80 to $14 and Plus from $26.40 to $22.
- Other savings
Introductory discount for the first 3 months
The US pricing page gives new Workspace customers up to 50% off their first 3 months, for a limited time. Which plan gets 50%, 30% or 20% differed between copies of the page from October 4 to 7.
- By country
Lower price shown to buyers in India
On 9 October 2026 the pricing page showed Business Starter at ₹270 per user a month to a reader in India, against $7 on the US page. Google's help center says it sometimes offers country-based discounts.
- Nonprofit
Google Workspace for Nonprofits at $0
Eligible nonprofits get Google Workspace for Nonprofits at $0 per user, or Business Standard at $3.50 and Business Plus at $6.16 per user per month on a 1-year commitment.
- Education
Education Fundamentals at no charge
Google Workspace for Education Fundamentals is available at no charge to qualifying institutions. Education Plus is a paid edition.
Kiwi for Gmail
- Other savings
Discounted pricing for teams
The pricing table lists Kiwi for Teams with discounted pricing for groups of users. The amount is not published; teams request a quote or demo through a form.
