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Indie alternatives to Microsoft Outlook
9 products made by independent developers and small teams that do what Microsoft Outlook does, 7 of them with a free plan. Free and open-source options come first.
At a glance
| Product | Price | Open source | Self-host | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Betterbird | Free | Yes | – | Windows, Mac, Linux |
| Thunderbird | Free | Yes | – | Mac, Windows, Linux, Android, iOS |
| Canary Mail | Free plan | – | – | Mac, Windows, iOS, Android |
| eM Client | Free plan | – | – | Windows, Mac, iOS, Android |
| Mailspring | Free plan | Yes | – | Mac, Windows, Linux |
| Proton Mail | Free plan | – | – | Web, Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android |
| Spark | Free plan | – | – | Mac, Windows, iOS, Android |
| Fastmail | Paid | – | – | Web, Mac, Windows, iOS, Android |
| Superhuman | Paid | – | – | Web, Mac, Windows, iOS, Android |
The alternatives
1. Betterbird
Fine-tuned fork of Thunderbird
A free, open-source fork of Thunderbird with extra features and bug fixes for desktop email.
Free · Windows, Mac, Linux · Website ↗
2. Thunderbird
Free, open-source email, calendar and contacts app
A free, open-source desktop and mobile email client from MZLA/Mozilla with calendar, contacts, chat and add-ons, working with any email account.
Free · Mac, Windows, Linux, Android, iOS · Website ↗
3. 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 ↗
5. Mailspring
Free, fast desktop email client
An open-source desktop email client with a unified inbox, snooze, send later and optional paid features like read receipts.
Free plan · Mac, Windows, Linux · Website ↗
6. 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 ↗
9. 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 Microsoft Outlook?
Yes. 7 of the 9 indie alternatives listed here have a free plan or are free: Betterbird, Thunderbird, Canary Mail, eM Client and 3 more.
Is there an open-source alternative to Microsoft Outlook?
Betterbird, Thunderbird and Mailspring are open source.
Which Microsoft Outlook alternatives work on Mac, Windows, iPhone or Android?
On Linux: Betterbird, Thunderbird, Mailspring and 1 more. On iPhone and iPad: Thunderbird, Canary Mail, eM Client and 4 more. On Android: Thunderbird, Canary Mail, eM Client and 4 more. On the web: Proton Mail, Fastmail and Superhuman.
What makes these alternatives to Microsoft Outlook “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 Microsoft Outlook.
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