The Mailspring Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Mailspring 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.
Mailspring
The Insider’s Guide
Open-source desktop email client for Mac, Windows and Linux
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among email apps, read from Mailspring’s own pages.
Made by Foundry376, LLC · 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 Mailspring’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Mailspring’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
2.4
GPA, above 19 of the 51 other email apps we grade
Mailspring is a desktop email client for Mac, Windows and Linux with a unified inbox for Gmail, iCloud, Office 365, Fastmail, Outlook.com, Yahoo and other IMAP accounts. The code is open source under the MIT license, and mail syncs directly between the provider and the computer. The app is free with unlimited accounts. A Mailspring Pro subscription lifts the weekly limits on snooze, send later, follow-up reminders, read receipts and link tracking.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Mailspring, taken from its own pages and our grades.
- 1
Best for a free desktop inbox, Linux included
Mailspring is an open-source desktop mail app for Mac, Windows and Linux, and the free version takes unlimited accounts into one inbox with search and mail rules.
- 2
Paid plans start at $7.08 a month when paid by the year
As its pricing page puts it: $8 per month, or $85 per year (Mailspring Pro).
- 3
There is a free plan
Unlimited accounts, unified inbox, search, mail rules, signatures, templates and themes. A free Mailspring ID adds weekly allowances of Pro features, such as 15 snoozes and 5 send-later messages.
- 4
It runs on 3 platforms
macOS, Windows and Linux.
- 5
Unified inbox
One inbox for Gmail, iCloud, Office 365, Fastmail, Outlook.com, Yahoo and other IMAP accounts. The free version puts no limit on the number of accounts.
- 6
Advanced search
Mailspring indexes mail so that Gmail-style search queries can look through message contents across every connected account.
- 7
Read receipts and link tracking
Notifies you when a recipient opens a message or clicks a link. A free Mailspring ID can track 5 messages a week of each kind, and Pro is unlimited.
- 8
A 2.4 GPA, above 19 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 Mailspring 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.
Mailspring at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $8 per month, or $85 per year (Mailspring Pro)
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- macOS, Windows, Linux
- Made by
- Foundry376, LLC
- Category
- Email Apps
- Our grade
- 2.4 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for a free desktop inbox, Linux included
Mailspring is an open-source desktop mail app for Mac, Windows and Linux, and the free version takes unlimited accounts into one inbox with search and mail rules. Pro, at $8 a month, only lifts the weekly caps on snooze, send later and tracking. There's no phone app, no Exchange or POP3, the calendar is a read-only preview for Google accounts, there's no lifetime license, and Pro has no premium support.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | Pro is $8 a month, or $85 a year, the $8.00 middle of this category. All it buys is the lifting of weekly caps on snooze, send later, reminders, receipts and tracking. No one-time or lifetime license is offered, and Pro doesn't include premium support. |
| Free plan and trial | A | The free version is a full mail client with unlimited accounts, a unified inbox, search, mail rules, signatures and templates, and no cap on any of that. A free Mailspring ID adds weekly allowances of Pro: 15 snoozes, 5 send-later messages and 5 tracked ones. |
| Features | C | The basics: one inbox for several accounts, Gmail-style search across all of them, read receipts, link tracking, send later, snooze, reply reminders, translation and a grammar check. The holes are on its own pages: no Exchange or POP3, and a calendar that's a read-only preview for Google accounts. |
| Ease of use | C | No rating on record. It's a desktop app with a familiar layout, but you add each account yourself and the free-plan allowances mean keeping track of how many snoozes and tracked messages you have left this week. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Computers only: Mac, Windows and Linux, but there's no iOS, Android or web version and the docs say the team is focused on the desktop. Mail syncs over IMAP straight from your provider to your machine. |
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 Mailspring is for
- Fits if you're on Linux and want a desktop email app that takes several accounts
- Works for people who want read receipts and link tracking, at 5 a week free or unlimited on Pro
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you read mail on your phone too, as there's no iOS or Android version
- Not for you if your work account is Exchange only, because EWS and ActiveSync aren't supported
- Too light for anyone who needs a working calendar, since it's a read-only preview for Google accounts
- Tight if you stay free, at 15 snoozes, 5 send-later messages and 5 tracked messages a week
- Watch out: there's no lifetime license, and Pro at $8 a month doesn't include premium support
Good to know
Good for
- Linux users who want a modern desktop email client
- People who want a free client with unlimited accounts
- Anyone who wants read receipts and link tracking built into email
Worth knowing
- There is no iOS, Android or web version; the docs say the team is focused on the desktop app.
- Exchange (EWS and ActiveSync) and POP3 are not supported. Microsoft 365 accounts connect over IMAP and SMTP.
- The calendar is a read-only preview for Google accounts; a full calendar is described as coming later.
- No one-time or lifetime license is offered, and Pro does not include premium support.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$7.08
A month to start, paid by the year. There is a free plan too
Mailspring has a free plan. Paid plans start at $8 per month, or $85 per year (Mailspring Pro).
All it buys is the lifting of weekly caps on snooze, send later, reminders, receipts and tracking.
Free
$0
Complete email client with unlimited accounts and a unified inbox. Weekly allowances of Pro features: 15 snoozes, 5 send-later messages and 5 tracked messages.
Mailspring Pro
$8
per month, or $85 per year
Unlimited snooze, send later, follow-up reminders, read receipts and link tracking, plus higher caps on translation, grammar check and contact profiles.
The free plan
Unlimited accounts, unified inbox, search, mail rules, signatures, templates and themes. A free Mailspring ID adds weekly allowances of Pro features, such as 15 snoozes and 5 send-later messages.
Read from getmailspring.com on Oct 5, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Annual discount
11% off with annual billing
Mailspring Pro is billed monthly at $8 by default. The subscription docs list an annual plan at $85 a year, which they describe as an 11% discount.
Stated on getmailspring.comOther savings
Multi-seat discounts for teams
The subscription docs say discounts on multi-seat licenses and annual team plans are available by contacting Foundry376's sales address.
Stated on getmailspring.com
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
3
Places it runs: macOS, Windows and Linux
Open-source desktop email client for Mac, Windows and Linux. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, templates, email client.
Computers only: Mac, Windows and Linux, but there's no iOS, Android or web version and the docs say the team is focused on the desktop.
- Unified inbox
- One inbox for Gmail, iCloud, Office 365, Fastmail, Outlook.com, Yahoo and other IMAP accounts. The free version puts no limit on the number of accounts.
- Advanced search
- Mailspring indexes mail so that Gmail-style search queries can look through message contents across every connected account.
- Read receipts and link tracking
- Notifies you when a recipient opens a message or clicks a link. A free Mailspring ID can track 5 messages a week of each kind, and Pro is unlimited.
- Send later, snooze and reminders
- Schedule a message, snooze a conversation, or get a reminder when nobody replies. The free allowance is 5 send-later messages, 5 reminders and 15 snoozes a week.
- Translation and grammar check
- Translates drafts and incoming messages and checks grammar in the composer with LanguageTool. Both have weekly caps, which are higher on Pro.
- Open source with direct sync
- The full codebase is published under the MIT license. Mail syncs over IMAP straight from the provider to your machine, not through Mailspring's servers.
Where it runs
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux
What it works with
- Gmail
- Office 365
- iCloud
- Fastmail
- Outlook.com
- Yahoo Mail
- LanguageTool
Mailspring is made by Foundry376, LLC.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
19/51
Other email apps it is graded above
Mailspring's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 19 of the 51 other email apps we grade, and level with 8.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 42 of 51) and worst on features (C, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $7.08 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $4.99 for the category: 28 of the 45 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.0 out of 4. 26 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. Mailspring’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 11 of 51
- AFree plan and trialAbove 42 of 51
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 51
- CEase of useAbove 0 of 51
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 4 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. Mailspring 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 Mailspring 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 costs $85 a year. Mailspring is open source, so there is a third way: take its code and run it yourself.
What you could make
- Templates: 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.
- It plugs into other products, Gmail, Office 365 and iCloud among them.
What this rests on. Mailspring’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
Thunderbird, Mailbird, eM Client, Microsoft Outlook and Apple Mail
The 5 tools Mailspring is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 3.2GPA
Thunderbird
Free
Free, open-source email app for Windows, macOS, Linux and Android.
- Only Thunderbird lists an Android app.
- Mailspring also covers templates.
- Thunderbird also covers tasks and calendar.
- 2.2GPA
Mailbird
Free plan · from $34.49/yr
Desktop email client for Windows and Mac with a unified inbox.
- Only Mailspring lists a Linux app.
- Mailspring is open source, according to its own site.
- Mailbird can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- 2.6GPA
eM Client
Free plan · from $49.95/yr
Desktop email client for Windows and Mac with calendar and chat.
- Only Mailspring lists a Linux app.
- Only eM Client lists iOS and Android apps.
- Mailspring is open source, according to its own site.
- 3.6GPA
Microsoft Outlook
Free plan · from $1.99/mo
Microsoft's email and calendar app for desktop, mobile and web.
- Only Mailspring lists a Linux app.
- Only Microsoft Outlook lists a web app.
- Only Microsoft Outlook lists iOS and Android apps.
- 3.0GPA
Apple Mail
Free plan · from $0.99/mo
Free built-in email app for iPhone, iPad and Mac.
- Only Mailspring lists Windows and Linux apps.
- Only Apple Mail lists a web app.
- Only Apple Mail lists an iOS app.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
13
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 Mailspring free?
Mailspring has a free plan. Unlimited accounts, unified inbox, search, mail rules, signatures, templates and themes.
How much does Mailspring cost?
Mailspring lists 2 plans. Free: $0.
What platforms does Mailspring work on?
Mailspring is available on macOS, Windows and Linux.
Does Mailspring offer any discounts?
Mailspring publicly lists the following: 11% off with annual billing; Multi-seat discounts for teams.
Does Mailspring have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. Mailspring is listed for macOS, Windows and Linux.
Does Mailspring have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. Mailspring is listed for macOS, Windows and Linux.
Is Mailspring open source?
Yes. Mailspring is open source, according to its own site.
What does Mailspring integrate with?
Mailspring's listing names Gmail, Office 365, iCloud, Fastmail, Outlook.com, Yahoo Mail and LanguageTool.
Who makes Mailspring?
Mailspring is made by Foundry376, LLC.
What are the alternatives to Mailspring?
The closest alternatives to Mailspring in our directory are Thunderbird, Mailbird, eM Client, Microsoft Outlook and Apple Mail.
How does Mailspring compare with other email apps?
Mailspring's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 19 of the 51 other email apps we grade, and level with 8.
Is Mailspring good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Mailspring C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $7.08 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $4.99 for the category: 28 of the 45 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Mailspring?
To replace Mailspring 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 Mailspring’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 Mailspring's own pages on 5 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-01-24.
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 Foundry376, LLC. Prices change, so check getmailspring.com before you buy.
- getmailspring.com/
- getmailspring.com/pro
- getmailspring.com/download
- getmailspring.com/docs/about-mailspring-pro-subscriptions
- getmailspring.com/docs/free-plan-limits
- getmailspring.com/docs/cost-of-mailspring
- getmailspring.com/docs/exchange-with-mailspring
- getmailspring.com/docs/pop3-or-pop-protocol-support
- getmailspring.com/docs/mailspring-for-ios-or-android
- getmailspring.com/docs/does-mailspring-have-a-calendar
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
- Mailspring, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/mailspring
- 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, "Mailspring: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 5, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/mailspring
Know someone choosing between email apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/mailspring/guide
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See our other guides
The best-graded email apps after Mailspring, 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 Mailspring’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. Mailspring is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Foundry376, LLC. Prices and plans change: check getmailspring.com before you buy.