The Canary Mail Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Canary 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.
Canary Mail
The Insider’s Guide
AI email client with PGP encryption for Mac, iOS, Windows, Android
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among email apps, read from Canary Mail’s own pages.
Made by Cartasec Pte. Ltd. · checked Oct 5, 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 Canary Mail’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Canary Mail’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 5, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.8
GPA, above 36 of the 51 other email apps we grade
Canary Mail is an email client for macOS, iOS, Windows and Android that connects to existing Gmail, Outlook, iCloud, Exchange and IMAP accounts rather than hosting mail itself. The Free plan covers a unified inbox, snooze, pinning and templates. The paid Growth plan adds an AI Copilot, a calendar and Send Later, and Pro+ adds PGP encryption, SecureSend and phishing protection. Paid plans are sold per user, by the year or as a one-time lifetime purchase.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Canary Mail, taken from its own pages and our grades.
It connects to the accounts you already have, so there's no new address to set up and no mail to move.
- 1
Best for PGP-encrypted email in an everyday mail app
Canary Mail is an email app for the Gmail, Outlook or iCloud accounts you already have, with an AI Copilot and, on the top plan, PGP encryption.
- 2
Paid plans start at $3 a month when paid by the year
As its pricing page puts it: $36 per year (Growth), shown as $3 per month billed yearly.
- 3
There is a free plan
Free forever on up to 2 devices: unified inbox, unlimited mail accounts, snooze and pin, email templates, Inbox Zero tools and lite read receipts.
- 4
It runs on 4 platforms
macOS, iOS, Windows and Android.
- 5
Unified inbox for every account
Reads Gmail, Outlook, iCloud, Exchange, Yahoo Mail and other IMAP accounts in one inbox. Unlimited mail accounts are included on the Free plan.
- 6
AI Copilot
Drafts replies, suggests subject lines, rewrites messages in a chosen tone and summarizes long threads. It is part of Growth, and Canary says email is not used to train AI models.
- 7
Read receipts, snooze and Send Later
Lite read receipts, snooze, pinning and templates are free. Full read receipts and Send Later need Growth. A Chrome extension offers read receipts only.
- 8
A 2.8 GPA, above 36 of 51
That is against the other email apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace Canary Mail you would be making an email client: sending, receiving, threading and searching years of mail. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Canary Mail at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $36 per year (Growth), shown as $3 per month billed yearly
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- 7-day free trial of every Pro+ feature, no credit card; it then drops to the Free plan
- Runs on
- macOS, Windows, iOS, Android
- Made by
- Cartasec Pte. Ltd.
- Category
- Email Apps
- Our grade
- 2.8 GPA, good
- Store rating
- 4.5 on the App Store, 8,774 ratings
The report card
Best for PGP-encrypted email in an everyday mail app
Canary Mail is an email app for the Gmail, Outlook or iCloud accounts you already have, with an AI Copilot and, on the top plan, PGP encryption. Growth is $36 a year, and either plan can be bought once instead. The free plan stops at 2 devices, the AI, calendar and Send Later need Growth, encryption needs Pro+ at $100 a year, there's no monthly billing, and there's no web or Linux version.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | B | Growth is $36 a year, shown as $3 a month, inside the lowest-priced quarter for email apps here, where the middle is $8. Pro+ with the encryption is $100 a year. Lifetime is $100 for Growth or $300 for Pro+, paid once. There's no monthly billing at all. |
| Free plan and trial | B | Free forever with a unified inbox, unlimited mail accounts, snooze, pinning and templates, enough for one person to get by on. The limits: 2 devices, and Send Later, the calendar and the AI are all paid. A 7-day trial of every Pro+ feature asks for no card. |
| Features | B | It covers the mail-client job: one inbox for Gmail, Outlook, iCloud, Exchange, Yahoo and IMAP, an AI Copilot that drafts replies and summarizes threads, a built-in calendar, read receipts and Send Later, and on Pro+ PGP, expiring password-protected messages and phishing alerts. |
| Ease of use | C | 4.49 from about 8,800 App Store ratings, just short of the 4.5 a B needs. It connects to the accounts you already have, so there's no new address to set up and no mail to move. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Mac, iPhone, Windows and Android, plus a Chrome extension that does read receipts and nothing else. No web version, no Linux and no API, and you're capped at 2 devices on Free and 5 on Growth. |
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 Canary Mail is for
- Fits if you want one mail app on Mac, iPhone, Windows and Android
- Works for people who need PGP-encrypted email and will pay $100 a year for Pro+
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you want a new email address, because Canary is a client and doesn't host mail
- Tight if you're staying free and own more than 2 devices
- Not for you if you want to pay month by month, as paid plans are yearly or lifetime only
- Watch out: the AI Copilot, calendar and Send Later need Growth, and PGP and phishing alerts need Pro+
- Skip it if you want a web or Linux version, as neither exists and the Chrome extension only does read receipts
Good to know
Good for
- One mail app across Mac, iPhone, Windows and Android devices
- People who want PGP-encrypted email without a separate tool
- Buyers who prefer a one-time lifetime license to a subscription
Worth knowing
- It is a mail client, not a provider: it connects to existing accounts and does not create addresses or host mail.
- Apps are listed for macOS, iOS, Windows and Android only. There is no web or Linux version.
- AI Copilot, the calendar and Send Later need Growth, while PGP, SecureSend and phishing protection need Pro+ at $100 per year.
- There is no monthly billing. Paid plans are yearly or lifetime, bought inside the app, and the Free plan is limited to 2 devices.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$3
A month to start, paid by the year. There is a free plan too
Canary Mail has a free plan. Paid plans start at $36 per year (Growth), shown as $3 per month billed yearly.
Free forever with a unified inbox, unlimited mail accounts, snooze, pinning and templates, enough for one person to get by on.
Free
$0
Unified inbox, unlimited mail accounts, snooze and pin, email templates and lite read receipts, on up to 2 devices.
Growth
$36
per year (shown as $3 per month; no monthly billing)
Adds AI Copilot, full read receipts, Send Later, calendar and scheduling, Inbox Cleaner and app integrations, on up to 5 devices.
Pro+
$100
per year (shown as $10 per month with 2 months free)
Everything in Growth plus PGP encryption, SecureSend, phishing and ransomware protection, impersonation detection and priority support.
Growth Lifetime
$100
one-time purchase
The Growth features for one user on up to 5 devices, paid once with no recurring billing.
Pro+ Lifetime
$300
one-time purchase
The Pro+ features for one user on up to 5 devices, paid once with no recurring billing.
The free plan
Free forever on up to 2 devices: unified inbox, unlimited mail accounts, snooze and pin, email templates, Inbox Zero tools and lite read receipts.
Trying it first
7-day free trial of every Pro+ feature, no credit card; it then drops to the Free plan
Read from canarymail.io on Oct 5, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Lifetime license
Lifetime licenses for Growth and Pro+
Both paid plans can be bought once instead of yearly: $100 for Growth and $300 for Pro+. A lifetime license covers one user on up to 5 devices across all four platforms.
Stated on canarymail.io
What the app costs elsewhere
Each country’s App Store price for “Canary Mail Pro (New)”, against $19.99 in the United States, in dollars at the day’s rate. The four cheapest and the four dearest of 11.
| Country | Price there | In dollars | Against the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | $24.99 | $17.57 | 12% less |
| Turkey | ₺999,99 | $20.34 | about the same |
| Philippines | ₱ 1,290.00 | $20.53 | about the same |
| India | ₹ 1,999 | $20.67 | about the same |
| South Africa | R399.99 | $24.19 | 21% more |
| Germany | 22,99 € | $25.76 | 29% more |
| Brazil | R$ 129,90 | $25.95 | 30% more |
| United Kingdom | £19.99 | $26.43 | 32% more |
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
4
Places it runs: macOS, Windows, iOS and Android
AI email client with PGP encryption for Mac, iOS, Windows, Android. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: end-to-end encrypted, one-time purchase, AI features, templates, calendar, email client.
Mac, iPhone, Windows and Android, plus a Chrome extension that does read receipts and nothing else.
- Unified inbox for every account
- Reads Gmail, Outlook, iCloud, Exchange, Yahoo Mail and other IMAP accounts in one inbox. Unlimited mail accounts are included on the Free plan.
- AI Copilot
- Drafts replies, suggests subject lines, rewrites messages in a chosen tone and summarizes long threads. It is part of Growth, and Canary says email is not used to train AI models.
- Read receipts, snooze and Send Later
- Lite read receipts, snooze, pinning and templates are free. Full read receipts and Send Later need Growth. A Chrome extension offers read receipts only.
- PGP encryption and SecureSend
- Pro+ adds PGP end-to-end encryption and SecureSend, which sends password-protected messages that can be set to expire.
- Phishing and impersonation protection
- Pro+ alerts you to suspicious links and spoofed senders and adds impersonation detection and misdirection prevention.
- Calendar and scheduling
- Growth includes a built-in calendar with scheduling tools, so meetings are handled in the same app as mail.
Where it runs
- macOS
- Windows
- iOS
- Android
What it works with
- Gmail
- Outlook
- iCloud Mail
- Microsoft Exchange
- Yahoo Mail
Canary Mail is made by Cartasec Pte. Ltd.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
36/51
Other email apps it is graded above
Canary Mail's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 36 of the 51 other email apps we grade, and level with 4.
It stands best on free plan and trial (B, above 37 of 51) and worst on ease of use (C, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $3 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $4.99 for the category: 9 of the 45 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4. 2 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 52 email apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. Canary Mail’s own letter is outlined.
- BValue for moneyAbove 29 of 51
- BFree plan and trialAbove 37 of 51
- BFeaturesAbove 30 of 51
- CEase of useAbove 0 of 51
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 15 of 51
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 50 email apps. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Canary 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
To replace Canary Mail you would be making an email client: sending, receiving, threading and searching years of mail. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 2.8 is higher than 36 of the 51 other email apps we grade. It costs $36 a year.
What you could make
- Calendar and templates: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- An email client: sending, receiving, threading and searching years of mail.
- Apps for macOS, Windows, iOS and Android that stay in step with each other.
- It plugs into other products, Gmail, Outlook and iCloud Mail among them.
- End-to-end encryption done properly.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Canary 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
Spark Mail, Airmail, BlueMail, eM Client and Edison Mail
The 5 tools Canary Mail is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 3.0GPA
Spark Mail
Free plan · from $8.25/mo
Email client with a unified smart inbox, AI tools and team features.
- Canary Mail is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- Canary Mail can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Spark Mail also covers meeting notes and shared inbox.
- 2.2GPA
Airmail
Free plan · from $7.99/mo
Customizable email client for iPhone, iPad and Mac.
- Only Canary Mail lists Windows and Android apps.
- Canary Mail is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- Canary Mail also covers templates and calendar.
- 3.2GPA
BlueMail
Free plan · from $35.99/yr
Cross-platform email client with a unified inbox and built-in AI.
- Only BlueMail lists a Linux app.
- Canary Mail can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- BlueMail also covers inbox filtering.
- 2.6GPA
eM Client
Free plan · from $49.95/yr
Desktop email client for Windows and Mac with calendar and chat.
- Canary Mail is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- Canary Mail also covers templates.
- eM Client also covers notes and tasks.
- 3.0GPA
Edison Mail
Free plan · from $14.99/mo
Free multi-account email app with one-tap unsubscribe.
- Only Canary Mail lists a macOS app.
- Canary Mail is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- Canary Mail can be bought with a one-time purchase.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
15
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 Canary Mail free?
Canary Mail has a free plan. Free forever on up to 2 devices: unified inbox, unlimited mail accounts, snooze and pin, email templates, Inbox Zero tools and lite read receipts.
How much does Canary Mail cost?
Canary Mail lists 5 plans. Free: $0.
What platforms does Canary Mail work on?
Canary Mail is available on macOS, iOS, Windows and Android.
Does Canary Mail offer any discounts?
Canary Mail publicly lists the following: Lifetime licenses for Growth and Pro+.
How is Canary Mail rated?
Canary Mail's iPhone and iPad app averages 4.5 out of 5 from 8,774 ratings on the App Store in the United States, as read on Oct 5, 2026.
Does Canary Mail have a Linux app?
No Linux app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. Canary Mail is listed for macOS, iOS, Windows and Android.
Is Canary Mail open source?
Canary Mail is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 5, 2026.
Is Canary Mail end-to-end encrypted?
Canary Mail describes itself as end-to-end encrypted on its own site. Nobody here has audited that.
What does Canary Mail integrate with?
Canary Mail's listing names Gmail, Outlook, iCloud Mail, Microsoft Exchange and Yahoo Mail.
Does Canary Mail have a free trial?
Yes. 7-day free trial of every Pro+ feature, no credit card; it then drops to the Free plan.
Who makes Canary Mail?
Canary Mail is made by Cartasec Pte. Ltd.
What are the alternatives to Canary Mail?
The closest alternatives to Canary Mail in our directory are Spark Mail, Airmail, BlueMail, eM Client and Edison Mail.
How does Canary Mail compare with other email apps?
Canary Mail's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 36 of the 51 other email apps we grade, and level with 4.
Is Canary Mail good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Canary Mail B for value for money. Its paid plans start at $3 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $4.99 for the category: 9 of the 45 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Canary Mail?
To replace Canary Mail you would be making an email client: sending, receiving, threading and searching years of mail.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Canary Mail’s own pages on Oct 5, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Canary Mail's own pages on 5 October 2026, and its App Store rating. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-06-11.
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 Cartasec Pte. Ltd. Prices change, so check canarymail.io before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 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.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Canary Mail, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/canary-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, "Canary Mail: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 5, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/canary-mail
Know someone choosing between email apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/canary-mail/guide
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See our other guides
The best-graded email apps after Canary Mail, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Email Apps Insider's GuideEvery one of the 52 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
- Thunderbird Insider's GuideFree, open-source email app for Windows, macOS, Linux and Android3.2 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 Canary 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. Canary Mail is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Cartasec Pte. Ltd. Prices and plans change: check canarymail.io before you buy.