Email isn't optional, but having a bad experience with your email app is. Dedicated clients combine all your accounts in one place, offer a pleasant user experience, and provide new features you didn't even know you needed. PCMag has been covering email clients for more than 30 years, so you can trust that the services we recommend are your best options. Our top pick overall is Canary Mail, which features AI helper tools, a clean interface, and encryption options. Note that we don't include browser-based clients here, focusing rather on installed apps. If privacy is a big concern for your email communications, check out our roundup of the best email encryption services and the best temporary email services.
Best for Privacy-Focused Apple Fans
Apple Mail
Why We Picked It
Apple’s default Mail app is easy to overlook, but you shouldn’t. It supports any email address and has some of the best privacy features available. Marketers use tracking pixels in emails (single-pixel images) or other embedded images to track when you open their messages and even where you are. Some email clients stop the tracking by blocking such images; Apple Mail stops it by caching all images locally and then opening them via network proxies. Apple Mail works well with other macOS and iOS features. Otherwise, it can snooze messages from your inbox and even has some built-in automation features.
Who It’s For
Apple purists: Apple Mail works seamlessly across all other Apple products, including Calendar, Contacts, and Siri.
Privacy-minder users: The Mail Privacy Protection feature helps keep your data safe by preventing senders from knowing when you open an email and your IP address.
Best for AI Email Responses
Canary Mail
Why We Picked It
Canary Mail began as an email client built around privacy, and that remains its primary emphasis. It was also ahead of Gmail and Outlook in terms of adding AI. Like those email services, it can summarize email threads or assist you in drafting a message. You can have AI write responses to emails by clicking Yes, No, or Delay, and then watch ChatGPT draft a response for you. These features require a Growth plan ($3 per user per month). Upgrading to a $10-per-month Pro+ subscription gets you PGP encryption, among other features.
Who It's For
AI adopters: Let Canary Mail's AI tools step in to help you manage and respond to your emails. Just note that these features aren't available with the free version.
Design fans: If you're looking for an email client with a cohesive, familiar design, Canary Mail is worth trying. It seamlessly works all of its extras into the experience.
Best for Focused Inbox
Microsoft Outlook
Why We Picked It
Microsoft Outlook, available as part of Microsoft 365 or from the Microsoft Store as a free standalone app, works well for both work and personal use. It combines your inbox, calendar, contact list, and task list all in one place. The client has a simpler interface than in the past, but you can switch back to the Classic version for now if you get it through a Microsoft 365 plan and need any of its exclusive features. One of the best features available in both versions is the ability to separate your mail into Focused and Other inboxes, which works even for Gmail and Yahoo accounts. Apps are available for all mainstream platforms.
Who It’s For
Microsoft 365 subscribers: If you already pay for Microsoft 365, there's no reason not to use the Outlook app. It's available on every major platform and works fine with Gmail and other email providers.
Productivity-focused users: Outlook's Focused Inbox and integrated calendar help you stay productive, preventing you from losing valuable time sifting through unimportant messages and frequently switching apps to add important events to your schedule.
Best Open-Source Email Client
Shortwave
Why We Picked It
Coming from Mozilla, the maker of the Firefox browser, Thunderbird is possibly the most customizable email application on the planet. The interface uses tabs, much like browsers, allowing you to combine multiple email accounts, calendars, and contacts into a single interface. Furthermore, using the hundreds of available add-ons, you can do everything from adding support chat apps to changing the client's theme. It's completely free, has apps for all major platforms except IOS, and works with all major email services.
Who It’s For
Linux and open-source devotees: Thunderbird is the only open-source app on this list and the sole option for Linux users. If you use either type of system, Mozilla's mail app is one of your best options.
Tinkerers: Consider downloading Thunderbird for granular control over your email experience. A healthy collection of extensions seriously expands your options, too.
Best Google Inbox Replacement
Shortwave
Why We Picked It
Built by a team of former Google employees, Shortwave picks up where the sadly departed Inbox by Gmail app left off. It groups messages that are merely financial updates, newsletters, and social media notifications into bundles, which makes it faster to delete them all at once and helps your inbox look tidy. Among the other thoughtful features are AI summaries of email threads and familiar keyboard shortcuts for Gmail users. Apps are available for Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows.
Who It’s For
Gmail users: Shortwave works only with Gmail addresses, and you must have a personal account ($14 per month, billed annually) to remove the default email signature and unlock the full set of AI and organization features.
Inbox by Gmail devotees: If you miss Inbox by Gmail's approach to organizing bundles of your emails, Shortwave is the next best thing. It offers numerous customization options for sorting your messages.
Best for High Volumes of Email
Spark
Why We Picked It
Spark focuses solely on email, saving you from the distractions of calendars, chat, and more. It works with most email services and offers apps for Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows. Powering through an email backlog is effortless thanks to the ability to snooze messages in your inbox for later, completely customizable keyboard shortcuts, and offline caching of your messages. You need a paid subscription ($8.25 per month with an annual commitment) to get its latest AI-powered features for prioritizing and composing emails, along with other features that businesses would want (such as collaboration tools). You can try these features with a 7-day trial.
Who It's For
Mass email managers: The app bundles newsletters and marketing emails, allowing you to delete or archive them all at once. You can also pin emails you want to act on quickly or set aside emails you don't.
Speed readers: Spark is ideal if you want to blaze through emails in as little time as possible. This client is fast, and customizable keyboard shortcuts make it even faster.