Betterbird review (2026): is it any good?
A fork of Thunderbird with extra features and bug fixes
Betterbird report card
Very good · out of 4.0 · graded Nov 12, 2026
Best for a Thunderbird fork for Windows, Mac and Linux
Betterbird is a free desktop mail client built on Thunderbird with extra changes, for Windows, macOS and Linux. It's run as a small project funded by donations, and the site says to avoid old release series because of unpatched vulnerabilities. Mac builds are English only unless you add a language pack.
Who Betterbird is for
- Fits if you like Thunderbird and want its changes on Windows, Mac or Linux
- Works for people who keep mail in a desktop client rather than a browser
Who Betterbird is not for
- Skip it if you want a phone or web app, as it's desktop only
- Watch out: it's a small project funded by donations, with no paid support
- Watch out: old release series reach end of life, and the site says not to run them
- Watch out: Mac builds are English only unless you add a language pack
- Not for you if Thunderbird bugs bother you, as they can carry over
Why Betterbird gets a 3.0
Five grades, each with its reason. The GPA is their average: an A is 4 points, an F is none.
- AValue for moneyFree to download and use, with donations optional. A program anyone can download and run counts as free and substantial.
- AFree plan and trialFree outright, with no paid edition and no trial limits.
- BFeaturesA full mail client built on Thunderbird, with add-ons, several languages and installing beside Thunderbird. Nothing on the pages shows a gap in the core email work.
- CEase of useNo store rating on record. It's a desktop client where you connect your own accounts first.
- CPlatforms and integrationsWindows, Mac and Linux desktop builds only. No phone or web version.
What these grades rest on. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Betterbird's own pages on 12 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. How we review and grade.
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<a href="https://toolgpa.com/tools/betterbird#review"><img src="https://toolgpa.com/badge/betterbird.svg" alt="Betterbird: 3.0 GPA on ToolGPA" width="196" height="56"></a>Where Betterbird stands among email apps
Betterbird's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 55 of the 70 other email apps we grade, and level with 9.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 55 of 70) and worst on ease of use (C, above 1).
Betterbird has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 71 email apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. Betterbird’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 51 of 70, level with 19
- AFree plan and trialAbove 55 of 70, level with 15
- BFeaturesAbove 45 of 70, level with 25
- CEase of useAbove 1 of 70, level with 48
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 5 of 70, level with 19
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 67 email apps. Further left costs less, and higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Point at a dot to see which tool it is.
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
Keep Betterbird, or make your own?
Keep it
Betterbird 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 3.0 is higher than 55 of the 70 other email apps we grade.
What you could make
- Calendar: an app builder makes this well.
What you could not
- An email client: sending, receiving, threading and searching years of mail.
- Apps for macOS, Windows and Linux that stay in step with each other.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Betterbird’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.
What is Betterbird?
Betterbird is a fine-tuned version of Mozilla Thunderbird that adds features of its own, fixes bugs and carries some fixes Thunderbird may ship later. It can be installed alongside Thunderbird and run on the same profile. It is free to download and funded by donations.
Worth knowing
- It is a small project funded by donations, and the site says Mac builds are English only unless a language pack is added.
- Old release series reach end of life, and the site advises against running them because of unpatched vulnerabilities.
- It follows Thunderbird's code, so some Thunderbird issues can carry over.
Key features
- Thunderbird base with changes
- Features and bug fixes exclusive to Betterbird, listed in a feature table on its home page, such as a multi-line message view.
- Install next to Thunderbird
- You can run it at the same time as Thunderbird on the same profile and go back if you do not like it.
- Windows, Mac and Linux builds
- A Windows installer and portable version, Mac disk images for Intel and Apple silicon, and a Linux archive.
- Languages
- Ships in English, German, Dutch, French, Italian, Japanese, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Chinese, Czech, Polish, Swedish and Ukrainian.
- Add-ons
- Has its own add-ons page, and uses its own release series based on Thunderbird's ESR versions.
Betterbird pricing
As of Nov 12, 2026, Betterbird is free to use.
- Starts at
- Free
- Free plan
- Free to download and use; the project asks for donations by Stripe or PayPal.
- Free trial
- None listed
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Betterbird | $0 | Free download for Windows, macOS and Linux; paid support is not offered, and donations are optional. |
Read from betterbird.eu on Nov 12, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Betterbird before you buy.
Works with
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- Betterbird vs Mailspring
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Common questions
Does Betterbird have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Betterbird is listed for Windows, macOS and Linux.
Does Betterbird have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Betterbird is listed for Windows, macOS and Linux.
Is Betterbird open source?
Yes. Betterbird is open source, according to its own site.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Nov 12, 2026.