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Indie alternatives to Gmail
10 products made by independent developers and small teams that do what Gmail does, 5 of them with a free plan. Free and open-source options come first.
At a glance
| Product | Price | Open source | Self-host | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canary Mail | Free plan | – | – | Mac, Windows, iOS, Android |
| Proton Mail | Free plan | – | – | Web, Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android |
| Shortwave | Free plan | – | – | Web, Mac, Windows, iOS, Android |
| Spark | Free plan | – | – | Mac, Windows, iOS, Android |
| Tuta | Free plan | Yes | – | Web, Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android |
| Fastmail | Paid | – | – | Web, Mac, Windows, iOS, Android |
| HEY | Paid | – | – | Web, Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android |
| mailbox.org | Paid | – | – | Web |
| Mimestream | Paid | – | – | Mac |
| Superhuman | Paid | – | – | Web, Mac, Windows, iOS, Android |
The alternatives
1. Canary Mail
Secure email client with encryption and AI
An email client with PGP encryption, read-receipt blocking, a unified inbox and AI assistance for any email provider.
Free plan · Mac, Windows, iOS, Android · Website ↗
2. Proton Mail
Encrypted email based in Switzerland
An end-to-end encrypted email service with apps for web, desktop and mobile, part of Proton's privacy suite.
Free plan · Web, Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android · Website ↗
8. mailbox.org
Secure, ad-free email and office suite from Germany
A German email provider with encrypted email, calendar, contacts, cloud storage and office tools, without ads.
Paid · Web · Website ↗
9. Mimestream
Native macOS email client for Gmail
Mimestream is a Mac email app built specifically for Gmail, using the Gmail API to support labels, filters and multiple accounts.
Paid · Mac · Website ↗
10. Superhuman
Fast, keyboard-driven email client with AI
A premium email client for Gmail and Outlook built for speed with keyboard shortcuts, split inbox, reminders and AI writing.
Paid · Web, Mac, Windows, iOS, Android · Website ↗
Questions
Is there a free alternative to Gmail?
Yes. 5 of the 10 indie alternatives listed here have a free plan or are free: Canary Mail, Proton Mail, Shortwave, Spark and 1 more.
Is there an open-source alternative to Gmail?
Tuta is open source.
Which Gmail alternatives work on Mac, Windows, iPhone or Android?
On Mac: Canary Mail, Proton Mail, Shortwave and 6 more. On Windows: Canary Mail, Proton Mail, Shortwave and 5 more. On Linux: Proton Mail, Tuta and HEY. On iPhone and iPad: Canary Mail, Proton Mail, Shortwave and 5 more. On Android: Canary Mail, Proton Mail, Shortwave and 5 more. On the web: Proton Mail, Shortwave, Tuta and 4 more.
What makes these alternatives to Gmail “indie”?
They are built by independent developers or small teams rather than large companies. Each one is listed because it does the same core job as Gmail.
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