Back in June 2023, Microsoft announced its plans to retire and replace the default Mail and Calendar app with a web-based Outlook solution on Windows. As expected, the proposed transition hasn’t been going very well. Whether you’re a power user seeking advanced email features, or someone who deals with high email volumes on a laptop, we’ve got you covered. Let’s dive into the world of efficient and feature-rich Mail alternatives on Windows.

5 Twobird

Twobird has a unique approach to handling your incoming messages. It essentially turns your inbox into a to-do list. It doesn’t look anywhere close to your usual email app on Windows. The main Inbox shows Gmail and Outlook calendar events, important emails from the current and previous weeks, and notes.

Twobird acts as your all-in-one productivity tool to combine all the essentials in a single place. Like the Mail app, it has a neat Calendar view to glance over upcoming meetings and schedules. The entire interface acts like a conversation when you open an email.

You can simply enter your message, attach files or gifs, then reply or forward it to other recipients. The Notes editor is also quite advanced, with a block editor, checkbox, table, reminders, and the ability to insert files and media.

Twobird has native apps on all the platforms, including Mac, Windows, iOS, and Android. It can be your ideal replacement for Google Inbox on mobile, too. As of now, it only supports Google, Google Workspace, and Outlook email addresses. It is free to download and use, and the company plans to launch a premium version soon.

4 Mailspring

Mailspring is another solid email app that replaces Mail and Calendar on Windows. Unlike Twobird, it supports all IMAP and Microsoft 365 accounts in order to create and manage a unified inbox from a single interface. Mailspring has a robust theming engine, with up to eight color schemes to choose from.

The list of features includes touch and gesture support, link tracking, read receipts, Gmail-like advanced search to find messages across all of your accounts, built-in translation and spell check tools, and more. Even though it’s an Electron app, the company has done a remarkable job with UI and performance.

Mailspring does offer a paid plan at $8 per month. It unlocks more features such as templates, send later, snooze messages, Mailbox insights, read receipts, follow-up reminders, and much more. However, you do need to create a Mailspring ID to enjoy all the cloud features.

Mailspring has native apps on Windows, Linux, and Mac. The company doesn’t intend to release mobile apps anytime soon.

3 eM Client

eM Client is one of the oldest email apps on Windows. Right off the bat, it asks you to choose your preferred appearance. You can even import accounts and data from existing apps like Outlook to set it up in no time. Apart from email inbox, it also supports tasks, calendar, and contacts integration. There is an option to create local folders, too.

eM Client supports message encryption, the ability to snooze incoming emails, track replies, send later, notes, and more. It follows the same approach as Twobird to create an ideal workflow with a familiar email interface.

eM Client has native apps on Windows, Mac, iPhone, and Android. It is free to download for personal use with up to two email accounts. That said, several features such as thread view, notes, blocked tracking pixel, mass mail, attachment view, and more are locked behind a Pro plan. You can purchase a lifetime license for $49.95.

2 Canary Mail

Canary Mail is the only email app that matches the esthetics of the Mail app on Windows. It’s fluid and modern, and has ample customization options to tweak your email experience.

Canary Mail supports Copilot AI to write better emails, summarize long emails, and more. It supports all the major email providers, and has a unified inbox to check all of your messages in a single place. The app’s smart prioritization boosts your productivity by organizing your emails into multiple categories.

It supports read receipts, send later, pin, snooze, encrypted emails, templates, signatures, and more. Most of the basic key features like push notifications, favorites, pinned emails, email templates, thread actions, and more are actually locked behind a paywall. You need to upgrade to Canary Pro at $20 per year to get the best out of it.

Canary Mail apps are available on Windows, iPhone, Mac, and Android. There is also a free web extension to track real-time insights into your sent emails.

1 Spark

Speaking of the top Mail alternatives on Windows, we certainly can't leave Spark out of the list. It’s a fantastic cross-platform app that everyone should try. It offers a trendy, easy-to-navigate UI to manage your inbox like a pro. Unlike other apps, it doesn’t cram unnecessary add-ons like tasks and notes into a single interface.

Spark is laser-focused on delivering a better email experience, and it does the job well without breaking a sweat. The Actions menu is worth talking about. It’s basically a unified search box to execute commands in seconds.

Spark has nailed email organization, too. It auto-bundles newsletters, social updates, forums, and more at the top, and displays only relevant emails on the home screen. Since it’s a trend among most email apps, Spark has also boarded the AI train. Spark AI can write, summarize emails, correct grammar, adjust the tone of your professional messages, and even generate perfect responses with a single click. Other features include templates, theme options, email scheduling, a personalized home screen, and more. Spark Premium plan starts at $5 per month to unlock all AI, organization, and other add-ons.

Time to drop curtains on the Mail app?

It’s a shame that Microsoft is abandoning a lightweight and feature-rich Mail app for a half-baked Outlook on Windows. The software giant is in no mood to revert their decision. Instead of sticking with the Mail app until the end of 2024, pick one of the alternatives from the list above to manage your crowded inbox like a pro.

Also, check our dedicated app listicle if you want to explore more productivity solutions to help manage your tasks, notes, and busy schedule.