The Zero Mail Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Zero 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.
Zero Mail
The Insider’s Guide
Open-source AI email client that connects your existing inboxes
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among email apps, read from Zero Mail’s own pages.
Made by Zero Email Inc · checked Nov 12, 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 Zero Mail’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Zero Mail’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 12, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
1.8
GPA, above 0 of the 70 other email apps we grade
Zero is an email client in beta that sits on top of existing accounts such as Gmail and Outlook rather than hosting mail itself. It adds AI chat over the inbox, automatic labels, thread summaries and one-click replies, and is driven largely by keyboard shortcuts. Its code is published on GitHub under the MIT license.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Zero Mail, taken from its own pages and our grades.
You connect your Gmail or Outlook accounts, and self-hosting is also offered.
- 1
Best for an AI layer over your existing inbox
Zero is an open-source email client with AI chat, labels and writing that connects to the inboxes you already have.
- 2
Paid plans start at $20 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $20 per month (billing basis not shown).
- 3
There is a free plan
One email connection, AI chat with your inbox, basic labeling and limited AI email writing.
- 4
It runs on Web
Web.
- 5
Keyboard-driven inbox
Shortcuts for opening, replying, archiving and marking read, plus a command palette for search (Cmd+K), aim to process mail without the mouse.
- 6
AI chat with your inbox
Ask questions or give instructions in natural language, such as finding an invoice from a sender or replying to a person, on every plan.
- 7
Summaries and AI writing
Pro generates thread summaries and one-click replies; the free plan has limited AI writing.
- 8
A 1.8 GPA, above 0 of 70
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 Zero 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.
Zero Mail at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $20 per month (billing basis not shown)
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- 7-day free trial of Zero Pro
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- Zero Email Inc
- Category
- Email Apps
- Our grade
- 1.8 GPA, weak
The report card
Best for an AI layer over your existing inbox
Zero is an open-source email client with AI chat, labels and writing that connects to the inboxes you already have. The site marks it as beta, the free plan allows one email connection, and Pro is $20 a month with the billing basis unstated, which is the top of what email tools charge.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | D | Pro is $20 a month, which is where the dearest tenth of email tools starts. The page does not say whether that is billed monthly or yearly. |
| Free plan and trial | C | Free plan: one email connection, AI chat with the inbox, basic labeling and limited AI writing. Unlimited connections and full AI writing need Pro. There is a 7-day Pro trial. |
| Features | C | AI chat, summaries, labels and writing on a keyboard-driven inbox. The site labels it beta, and the free plan limits the writing. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record. You connect your Gmail or Outlook accounts, and self-hosting is also offered. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Web only. The site lists no desktop or mobile apps, and Gmail and Outlook are the connections named. |
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 Zero Mail is for
- Fits if you want AI summaries and replies over a Gmail or Outlook inbox
- Works for developers who are happy with a beta and might self-host
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you want a finished product, because the site labels Zero beta
- Tight if you have more than one inbox, since free allows one connection
- Pricey if you want the full AI writing and summaries: Pro is $20 a month
- Watch out: no desktop or phone apps are listed, only the web
- Watch out: the pricing page does not say whether $20 is monthly or annual
Good to know
Good for
- Gmail users who want AI and keyboard shortcuts without changing address
- Developers who want to read or self-host the code
- People who connect several inboxes to one client
Worth knowing
- The site labels Zero as beta, and the vendor's pricing page does not say whether $20 is billed monthly or annually.
- The free plan allows one email connection; unlimited connections need Pro.
- Zero is a web client; no desktop or mobile apps are listed on the site.
- The pricing page lists Enterprise support and a Slack channel without prices.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$20
A month to start. There is a free plan too
Zero Mail has a free plan. Paid plans start at $20 per month (billing basis not shown).
The page does not say whether that is billed monthly or yearly.
Free
$0
One email connection, AI chat with the inbox, basic labeling and limited AI writing.
Pro
$20
per month, billing basis not shown
Unlimited connections, auto labeling, one-click AI writing and replies, and instant thread summaries.
Enterprise
Custom
Everything in Pro plus a dedicated Slack channel and priority customer support.
The free plan
One email connection, AI chat with your inbox, basic labeling and limited AI email writing.
Trying it first
7-day free trial of Zero Pro
Read from 0.email on Nov 12, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
Open-source AI email client that connects your existing inboxes. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, self-hostable, AI features, keyboard-first, email client, inbox filtering.
AI chat, summaries, labels and writing on a keyboard-driven inbox.
- Keyboard-driven inbox
- Shortcuts for opening, replying, archiving and marking read, plus a command palette for search (Cmd+K), aim to process mail without the mouse.
- AI chat with your inbox
- Ask questions or give instructions in natural language, such as finding an invoice from a sender or replying to a person, on every plan.
- Summaries and AI writing
- Pro generates thread summaries and one-click replies; the free plan has limited AI writing.
- Labels and categories
- Free accounts get basic labeling; Pro adds automatic labeling to sort incoming mail.
- Self-hosting
- The README on GitHub describes running Zero on your own server, connected to Gmail and other providers.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
- Gmail
- Outlook
Zero Mail is made by Zero Email Inc.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
0/70
Other email apps it is graded above
Zero Mail's GPA of 1.8 is higher than 0 of the 70 other email apps we grade, and level with 2.
It stands best on platforms and integrations (C, above 5 of 70) and worst on value for money (D, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $20 a month, against a middle price of $4.92 for the category: 49 of the 56 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.0 out of 4. 45 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 71 email apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. Zero Mail’s own letter is outlined.
- DValue for moneyAbove 0 of 70
- CFree plan and trialAbove 4 of 70
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 70
- CEase of useAbove 1 of 70
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 5 of 70
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 67 email apps. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Zero 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 Zero 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.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 68 of the 70 other email apps grade higher. It costs $240 a year. Zero Mail is open source, so there is a third way: take its code and run it yourself.
What you could not
- An email client: sending, receiving, threading and searching years of mail.
- Filters that read every message as it arrives.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
What this rests on. Zero 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
Superhuman Mail, Shortwave, Spark Mail, Mailspring and Fyxer
The 5 tools Zero Mail is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.2GPA
Superhuman Mail
From $25/mo
Keyboard-driven email client for Gmail and Outlook with built-in AI.
- Zero Mail has a free plan. Superhuman Mail does not.
- Only Superhuman Mail lists macOS, Windows, iOS and Android apps.
- Only Superhuman Mail lists a browser extension.
- 2.6GPA
Shortwave
Free plan · from $18/mo
AI email client for Gmail with an assistant, filters and split inbox.
- Only Shortwave lists macOS, Windows, iOS and Android apps.
- Zero Mail is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Zero Mail also covers inbox filtering.
- 3.0GPA
Spark Mail
Free plan · from $8.25/mo
Email client with a unified smart inbox, AI tools and team features.
- Only Zero Mail lists a web app.
- Only Spark Mail lists macOS, Windows, iOS and Android apps.
- Zero Mail is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- 2.4GPA
Mailspring
Free plan · from $8/mo
Open-source desktop email client for Mac, Windows and Linux.
- Only Zero Mail lists a web app.
- Only Mailspring lists macOS, Windows and Linux apps.
- Zero Mail is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- 2.0GPA
Fyxer
Free plan · from $37/mo
AI assistant that sorts email, drafts replies and takes meeting notes.
- Zero Mail is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Zero Mail also covers email client.
- Fyxer also covers meeting notes, transcription, chat assistant and booking links.
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 Zero Mail free?
Zero Mail has a free plan. One email connection, AI chat with your inbox, basic labeling and limited AI email writing.
How much does Zero Mail cost?
Zero Mail lists 3 plans. Free: $0.
What platforms does Zero Mail work on?
Zero Mail is available on Web.
Does Zero Mail have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Zero Mail is listed for Web.
Does Zero Mail have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Zero Mail is listed for Web.
Is Zero Mail open source?
Yes. Zero Mail is open source, according to its own site.
What does Zero Mail integrate with?
Zero Mail's listing names Gmail and Outlook. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Does Zero Mail have a free trial?
Yes. 7-day free trial of Zero Pro.
Who makes Zero Mail?
Zero Mail is made by Zero Email Inc.
What are the alternatives to Zero Mail?
The closest alternatives to Zero Mail in our directory are Superhuman Mail, Shortwave, Spark Mail, Mailspring and Fyxer.
How does Zero Mail compare with other email apps?
Zero Mail's GPA of 1.8 is higher than 0 of the 70 other email apps we grade, and level with 2.
Is Zero Mail good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Zero Mail D for value for money. Its paid plans start at $20 a month, against a middle price of $4.92 for the category: 49 of the 56 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Zero Mail?
To replace Zero 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 Zero Mail’s own pages on Nov 12, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 12, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Zero's own pages on 12 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 Zero Email Inc. Prices change, so check 0.email before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
5,038
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.
5,038
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Zero Mail, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/zero-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, "Zero Mail: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 12, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/zero-mail
Know someone choosing between email apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/zero-mail/guide
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See our other guides
The best-graded email apps after Zero Mail, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Email Apps Insider's GuideEvery one of the 74 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 Zero 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. Zero Mail is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Zero Email Inc. Prices and plans change: check 0.email before you buy.