Best Desktop Email Clients in 2026: Windows, Mac and Linux

The best desktop email client depends on your operating system. For AI triage and drafting across mixed accounts, our pick is AI Emaily, on Windows and Apple Silicon Macs. Thunderbird is the free pick on Windows, Mac and Linux, Apple Mail is the native Mac default, and Outlook suits Microsoft 365.

Jump to: Windows, Mac, Linux, Microsoft 365, AI.

• Windows: AI Emaily for AI triage and drafting, Thunderbird if you want free, the new Outlook for Microsoft 365, eM Client for a full desktop mail client.
• Mac: AI Emaily on Apple Silicon for AI triage and drafting, Apple Mail if you want free and native, Mimestream if you live in Gmail, Thunderbird if you also use other systems.
• Linux: Thunderbird, with Evolution, Geary and Mailspring as the other main options.

We build one client on this list, AI Emaily, and we say where it fits and where it does not. It suits one job, an AI agent in an installed app, and it is the wrong pick if you need offline mail or Linux.

Desktop email client comparison#

All ten clients install on a computer and run in their own window. AI Emaily comes first as our pick for AI triage and drafting across mixed accounts. The other rows run from the widest fit to the most specialised, and the App type column is explained under the table.

App type looks like a technical detail, but it sets the ceiling on memory use, OS integration and offline behaviour before any feature does. There are three kinds:

• Native binary: built for the operating system itself. Usually the lightest on memory, with the deepest OS integration and the best local mail store.
• Electron shell: a web app wrapped in Chromium so it runs as a desktop window on Mac, Windows and Linux. Features ship fast across platforms, but memory use is higher because it bundles a browser engine.
• PWA: a web app installed from the browser into its own standalone window. There is no separate download, and it depends on the browser engine underneath.

Download pages for each client, if you already know what you want:

• Thunderbird, eM Client, Mailbird, Spark
• Mimestream, Shortwave, Mailspring, AI Emaily

Best email client for Windows and Mac in 2026#

No single client wins every row, so match your need to the pick. The list also covers Linux, for anyone who runs more than one system.

How we compared#

We compared documented, checkable capabilities from each vendor's own pages, not a lab benchmark: which systems each app installs on, its app type, its providers and, for AI clients, its trust controls. Where a vendor does not publish something, the table says so.

The desktop email clients, reviewed#

Here is each option in detail, in the order of the table. The illustration maps each client's app type first, because that shapes most of what follows.

AI Emaily: an AI agent inside a downloadable desktop app#

AI Emaily is an AI-native email client, and we build it, so read this as the house pick for one job. It puts Gmail, Outlook and Microsoft 365, and IMAP accounts such as iCloud, Yahoo and Fastmail in one unified inbox. You choose Manual, Copilot (AI drafts, you approve every send) or Autopilot (handles routine mail within your rules, on the Autopilot and Team plans).

The controls are what make it the pick for that job. Drafts draw on the Personal Context you set and per-client profiles, compose has a 10-second undo window, Autopilot sends wait out a 5-minute countdown, and agent actions go into an audit trail. Your mail is not used to train models.

On the desktop it is a real downloadable app: a Windows x64 installer and a Mac app for Apple Silicon. There is no Intel Mac build, and it is not in the Mac App Store. Both are an Electron shell around the web interface, so a new feature reaches desktop the day it ships on the web.

Being Electron has a cost. It will not match a native client on memory or OS integration, and it does not work offline: no mail is cached on your device, so reading, searching and replying all need a connection. Scheduled sends and agent work run on the server, so they continue while you are offline.

Mozilla Thunderbird: the free, cross-platform and Linux pick#

Thunderbird is free, open source and funded by donations. It is the rare client that ships a true native binary for Windows, macOS and Linux, which makes it the default answer for Linux and for anyone who wants one standalone app across all three systems.

Because it is native rather than Electron, its footprint stays modest, and it handles many IMAP and POP accounts, local folders and an offline archive well. The 153 release in July 2026 added built-in Exchange support through Exchange Web Services. Microsoft began disabling that protocol in Exchange Online in October 2026, so Microsoft 365 users should check with their admin first.

Thunderbird's site lists no first-party AI assistant, so nothing drafts or files for you. That is a fair trade for a free, private, locally owned mailbox. Best for: Linux users, privacy-minded users, and anyone who wants a local copy of their mail.

Apple Mail: the native macOS default#

Apple Mail is built into macOS, free and fully native. It is the lowest-friction option on a Mac: already installed, tied into Contacts, Calendar and system notifications, and light on memory next to any Electron app.

It handles Gmail, iCloud, Outlook.com and IMAP. Apple's guide describes automatic sorting into Primary, Transactions, Updates and Promotions, and Apple Intelligence adds Writing Tools on supported Macs.

The limits are reach and automation. It runs on Apple devices only, and its rules are basic next to a dedicated AI client. Best for: Mac and iPhone users who want a fast, no-cost client and do not need cross-platform reach or an agent.

Microsoft Outlook: native classic vs the new web wrapper#

Two things share the Outlook name, and the difference matters. Classic Outlook for Windows is a mature desktop client with deep calendar, rules and Exchange support. The new Outlook for Windows is built on web technology, and Microsoft lists COM add-ins, VBA macros, custom forms and voting buttons as not supported in it.

Outlook runs on Windows and macOS, with no Linux desktop build, so Linux users fall back to Outlook on the web. It is at its best inside a Microsoft 365 or Exchange organisation, with shared calendars and enterprise policy. New Outlook ships free on Windows 11. Copilot access depends on your plan: Microsoft 365 Personal, Family and Premium use monthly AI credits, and work accounts use a paid add-on.

Best for: Microsoft 365 and Exchange users, and calendar-heavy work. Check which build has the feature you need on Microsoft's feature comparison page.

eM Client: a native Windows and Mac power client#

eM Client is a native desktop client for Windows and macOS, with no Linux version, and a common Outlook alternative. It supports Gmail, Outlook and Exchange, iCloud and IMAP, with calendar, contacts, tasks, chat and translation built in. S/MIME and PGP encryption are included too.

It suits people who want a full-featured client and are happy managing mail by hand. Its AI Add-on covers an assistant and summaries, and it comes with the yearly subscriptions rather than the one-time licenses. It is not an agent that sends for you.

Best for: Windows and Mac users who want a traditional power client. The free version is for home use only, so business use needs a paid license.

Mailbird: a unified inbox for Windows and Mac#

Mailbird started on Windows and now runs on Mac as well under one license, centred on a unified inbox for Gmail, Outlook and IMAP accounts. Mailbird's site describes a free plan for one account and a paid Premium tier. Its AI story is opt-in and changing, so check the current version before you rely on it.

Best for: people who want one tidy inbox across several accounts and are comparing it with eM Client. Mailbird does not publish its app type.

Spark: a polished inbox with light teamwork#

Spark, from Readdle, is a design-led client for Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android, with no Linux listing. Its Smart Inbox and calendar are in the free tier. AI features sit on the paid Plus and Pro plans, with a limited preview for free users.

Best for: small teams who want shared drafts and delegation, which are paid features, in a client that follows them across devices.

Mimestream: a truly native Mac Gmail client#

Mimestream is the clearest example of native done right: a Mac app built only for Gmail. It uses the Gmail API rather than plain IMAP, so labels, filters and categories work as they do in Gmail, inside a fast desktop app.

The trade-off is focus. It is Gmail and Google Workspace only, with no Windows, no Linux and no other providers. An iPhone and iPad version is in beta. It is sold as a subscription after a 14-day trial, with no free tier listed.

Best for: Mac users who live in Gmail and want the fastest, most native experience.

Shortwave: an AI client built around Gmail#

Shortwave is an AI email client known for search, triage and summaries. It offers desktop apps for macOS and Windows alongside iPhone and Android. There is no Linux download: Shortwave's docs point Linux users to installing its PWA from a Chromium-based browser.

You need a Gmail or Google Workspace account to sign in. Yahoo, iCloud, Fastmail and Zoho can be added with an app password, Outlook.com is forwarding only, and Microsoft 365 and Exchange are not supported.

Its pricing page leads with paid per-seat plans and a 14-day trial, while its billing docs also describe a free plan, so check shortwave.com for what new accounts get. Best for: Gmail-based users who want AI search and triage in an installable app.

Mailspring: open source on all three systems#

Mailspring runs on Windows, macOS and Linux, including ARM64 and Wayland on Linux. Its interface is Electron, paired with a local C++ sync engine, and it connects Gmail, Office 365, iCloud, Yahoo, Fastmail and other IMAP accounts.

The free version covers multiple accounts and a unified inbox. A paid Pro subscription adds read receipts, link tracking, templates and more send later and snooze use. Best for: Linux or mixed-system users who want something more modern than a classic three-pane client. Compare it with the wider field in our Linux email clients guide.

How to choose for your situation#

Start from your operating system, then decide how much you care about a native low-memory app versus an AI agent. The fork below is the fastest route to a shortlist.

• If low memory footprint is the priority: choose a native client such as Apple Mail, Mimestream, eM Client or Thunderbird over any Electron app.
• If you want an agent that drafts, files and sends with your approval: AI Emaily on Windows or Apple Silicon Mac. Shortwave suits AI search and triage with a Gmail account.
• If encrypted mail is the point: Proton Mail has a desktop app for Windows and Mac, with Linux in beta. It needs a paid plan after a 14-day trial.
• If you would rather not install a full app: a PWA or plain webmail. See our desktop client vs webmail guide.
• If you need one client on every device, see our best cross-platform email client guide.

Best desktop email client for Windows#

Thunderbird is the free choice, eM Client the full-featured one, and the new Outlook the natural fit for Microsoft 365. AI Emaily suits you if you want an AI agent, and Shortwave if you want AI with a Gmail account. For eight Windows picks by need, see our guide to the best email client for Windows.

If you are here because the old app stopped working, you are not alone. Support for Windows Mail and Calendar ended on 31 December 2024, and they can no longer send or receive mail. Microsoft now points people to the new Outlook. Our guide on the retired Windows Mail app covers what to do with mail left on the PC.

Best desktop email client for Mac#

Apple Mail or Mimestream give you the lightest native experience. Thunderbird suits people who also use other systems, Outlook fits Microsoft 365, and AI Emaily adds an agent on Apple Silicon only. Our best email client for Mac guide goes deeper.

Best desktop email client for Linux#

Thunderbird is the default, and Evolution, Geary and Mailspring are the other main options. AI Emaily and Shortwave have no Linux desktop app, so on Linux they run in a browser or as a PWA. Our guide to Linux email clients compares them by distro and account type.