The AOL Mail Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about AOL Mail in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
AOL Mail
The Insider’s Guide
Free webmail with news and weather in a companion mobile app
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among email apps, read from AOL Mail’s own pages.
Made by AOL Media LLC · checked Nov 13, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from AOL Mail’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on AOL Mail’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 13, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
3.2
GPA, above 116 of the 122 other email apps we grade
AOL Mail is a free email service from AOL Media LLC, used in the browser or through the AOL app for iPhone, iPad and Android. The app combines email and contacts with news and weather. AOL's mail pages say the service supports more than 70 languages and uses spam blocking.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about AOL Mail, taken from its own pages and our grades.
The app mixes news and weather in with your mail and uses Nielsen measurement software, which you can turn off.
- 1
Best for free webmail with a companion phone app
AOL Mail is free to sign up for, in the browser or the AOL app on iPhone, iPad and Android.
- 2
It is free
AOL Mail has no paid plan at all. AOL Mail is free to sign up for, including the web inbox and the AOL mobile app.
- 3
It runs on 3 platforms
Web, iOS and Android.
- 4
Free AOL account
Signing up for an AOL account gives access to AOL Mail, news and weather without a fee, according to AOL's FAQ.
- 5
Mobile app with swipe actions
The iPhone and iPad app lets you swipe to delete, move, mark or flag messages and assign custom left and right swipe actions.
- 6
Contacts in one place
The app shows AOL contacts together with the contacts stored on the phone.
- 7
A 3.2 GPA, above 116 of 122
That is against the other email apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
AOL Mail is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
AOL Mail at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web, iOS, Android
- Made by
- AOL Media LLC
- Category
- Email Apps
- Our grade
- 3.2 GPA, very good
- Store rating
- 4.6 on the App Store, 707,147 ratings
The report card
Best for free webmail with a companion phone app
AOL Mail is free to sign up for, in the browser or the AOL app on iPhone, iPad and Android. The app mixes news and weather in with your mail and uses Nielsen measurement software, which you can turn off. The App Store shows in-app purchases without saying what they are, and no desktop mail client is named.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | Free to sign up for, including the web inbox and the mobile app. No paid plan is on record. |
| Free plan and trial | A | The whole service is free, with no cap on record. |
| Features | C | Mail, contacts, device lock and spam blocking in over 70 languages. The listing gives little else: no paid plan, no storage figure and no custom-domain option. |
| Ease of use | B | No store rating on record, but you sign up and start using it with nothing to set up. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web plus iPhone, iPad and Android apps. No desktop client is named and no API is listed. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who AOL Mail is for
- Fits if you want a free address with a phone app
- Works for people who already have an AOL account
Who it is not for
- Not for you if you want a mail-only app, as it bundles news and weather
- Watch out: the app says it uses Nielsen measurement software, switchable off in settings
- Watch out: the App Store lists in-app purchases without saying what they are
- Skip it if you want a desktop mail client, as only web, iOS and Android are listed
Good to know
Good for
- Long-time AOL address holders who want to keep the account
- People who want a free inbox with a phone app and news in one place
Worth knowing
- The App Store listing shows in-app purchases without stating what they are, so no paid plan is recorded here.
- The mobile app bundles news and weather and says it uses Nielsen measurement software, which can be switched off in settings.
- AOL's own page lists only web, iOS and Android; no desktop mail client is named.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
Free
No paid plan at all
AOL Mail is free to use.
Free to sign up for, including the web inbox and the mobile app.
Free
$0
AOL Mail, news and weather at no charge; the mobile app lists in-app purchases.
The free plan
AOL Mail is free to sign up for, including the web inbox and the AOL mobile app.
Read from mail.aol.com on Nov 13, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
3
Places it runs: Web, iOS and Android
Free webmail with news and weather in a companion mobile app. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: email client, inbox filtering.
The listing gives little else: no paid plan, no storage figure and no custom-domain option.
- Free AOL account
- Signing up for an AOL account gives access to AOL Mail, news and weather without a fee, according to AOL's FAQ.
- Mobile app with swipe actions
- The iPhone and iPad app lets you swipe to delete, move, mark or flag messages and assign custom left and right swipe actions.
- Contacts in one place
- The app shows AOL contacts together with the contacts stored on the phone.
- Device lock
- The iOS app can be protected with Touch ID or Face ID.
- Support by phone
- AOL's mail page lists a phone number for help from experts around the clock, alongside an online help page.
Where it runs
- Web
- iOS
- Android
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
AOL Mail is made by AOL Media LLC.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
116/122
Other email apps it is graded above
AOL Mail's GPA of 3.2 is higher than 116 of the 122 other email apps we grade, and level with 5.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 97 of 122) and worst on features (C, above 1).
AOL Mail has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4, and no tool on the category's chart scores higher without costing more.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 123 email apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. AOL Mail’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 88 of 122
- AFree plan and trialAbove 97 of 122
- CFeaturesAbove 1 of 122
- BEase of useAbove 94 of 122
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 57 of 122
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 107 email apps. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. AOL Mail is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
AOL Mail is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces. It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.2 is higher than 116 of the 122 other email apps we grade.
What you could not
- An email client: sending, receiving, threading and searching years of mail.
- Filters that read every message as it arrives.
- A real app for iOS and Android. Something home-made would be a web page.
What this rests on. AOL Mail’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Yahoo Mail, Gmail, Mail.com, GMX Mail and Microsoft Outlook
The 5 tools AOL Mail is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.6GPA
Yahoo Mail
Free plan · from $5/mo
Free email service with 20 GB of storage and AI inbox tools.
- Yahoo Mail also covers tasks.
- 3.0GPA
Gmail
Free plan · from $7/mo
Google's email service, free for personal use with 15 GB of storage.
- 3.0GPA
Mail.com
Free plan · from $9.99/mo
Free webmail with 100+ domain names and optional ad-free Premium.
- AOL Mail also covers inbox filtering.
- Mail.com also covers calendar, documents and file sharing.
- 3.2GPA
GMX Mail
Free
Free webmail with 65GB storage, aliases and a mail collector.
- Only GMX Mail lists a browser extension.
- GMX Mail also covers calendar.
- 3.6GPA
Microsoft Outlook
Free plan · from $1.99/mo
Microsoft's email and calendar app for desktop, mobile and web.
- Only Microsoft Outlook lists Windows and macOS apps.
- Microsoft Outlook also covers tasks and calendar.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
12
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is AOL Mail free?
Yes. AOL Mail is free to use.
How much does AOL Mail cost?
AOL Mail lists one plan. Free: $0.
What platforms does AOL Mail work on?
AOL Mail is available on Web, iOS and Android.
How is AOL Mail rated?
AOL Mail's iPhone and iPad app averages 4.6 out of 5 from 707,147 ratings on the App Store in the United States, as read on Nov 13, 2026.
Does AOL Mail have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. AOL Mail is listed for Web, iOS and Android.
Does AOL Mail have a macOS app?
No macOS app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. AOL Mail is listed for Web, iOS and Android.
Is AOL Mail open source?
AOL Mail is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 13, 2026.
Who makes AOL Mail?
AOL Mail is made by AOL Media LLC.
What are the alternatives to AOL Mail?
The closest alternatives to AOL Mail in our directory are Yahoo Mail, Gmail, Mail.com, GMX Mail and Microsoft Outlook.
How does AOL Mail compare with other email apps?
AOL Mail's GPA of 3.2 is higher than 116 of the 122 other email apps we grade, and level with 5.
Is AOL Mail good value for money?
ToolGPA grades AOL Mail A for value for money. AOL Mail has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of AOL Mail?
AOL Mail is free, so making your own would save you nothing. And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from AOL Mail’s own pages on Nov 13, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from AOL Media LLC's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by AOL Media LLC. Prices change, so check mail.aol.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- AOL Mail, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/aol-mail
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "AOL Mail: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/aol-mail
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Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/aol-mail/guide
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See our other guides
The best-graded email apps after AOL Mail, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Email Apps Insider's GuideEvery one of the 126 email apps we grade, compared
- Microsoft Outlook Insider's GuideMicrosoft's email and calendar app for desktop, mobile and web3.6 GPA
- BlueMail Insider's GuideCross-platform email client with a unified inbox and built-in AI3.2 GPA
- GMX Mail Insider's GuideFree webmail with 65GB storage, aliases and a mail collector3.2 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what AOL Mail’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. AOL Mail is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by AOL Media LLC. Prices and plans change: check mail.aol.com before you buy.