e-Mail App Options - Alternatives to Outlook and Thunderbird?

mccmw · Oct 16, 2025

I have been a Thunderbird user for a while now, and use Outlook as a backup. However, I'm looking for effective alternatives. Thunderbird is looking a bit dated now, as does Outlook Classic (Office 2019). Outlook New is still limited and I don't want to pay MS 365 subscription to get the "ads" off. I know there are a lot of highly rated alternatives but they either 1) only allow one or two e-mail accounts for free version, 2) have a subscription rather than single purchase options, and 3) often add signature block or other logo. I know there are other options that don't sponsor, and are therefore heavily advertised, by common tech websites. Are there other free or reasonably priced alternatives that forum members recommend I research and check out? Thanks.

motoman · Oct 16, 2025

Tutamail.com

Josey Wales · Oct 16, 2025

There is one called BetterBird., it is similar to Thunderbird.

Betterbird 140.4.0esr-bb13

IrvSp · Oct 16, 2025

I was on a web page that talked about a better than Thunderbird and it was called BetterBird (Betterbird. Simply better.) and yes that is a non-US site.

Googles AI says this:

===========
Betterbird is a fork of Thunderbird with additional features and bug fixes, while Thunderbird is the original email client. Betterbird includes enhancements like a multi-line inbox view, a system tray icon, and support for complex search terms, which are either unavailable or disabled by default in Thunderbird. While Betterbird offers more polished and user-friendly features out-of-the-box, it relies on its own development team for updates, whereas Thunderbird has official Mozilla backing.
===========

I D/L'ed it but have not tried it yet...

This is on the above web page:

===============
Easy adoption: You can install Betterbird at the same time as Thunderbird and run them on the same profile.That means that you can try out Betterbird with zero hassle, and go back to Thunderbird if you don't like it - which is unlikely.
===============

I have not investigated what changes and fixes are in it, will do that soon, or probably just install and see for myself.

Seems like a no-brain'er to me.

glasskuter · Oct 16, 2025

I don't now anything about it but there's this. Manage multiple accounts with the best email client 2025

Josey Wales · Oct 16, 2025

IrvSp said:
I was on a web page that talked about a better than Thunderbird and it was called BetterBird (Betterbird. Simply better.) and yes that is a non-US site.

Googles AI says this:

===========
Betterbird is a fork of Thunderbird with additional features and bug fixes, while Thunderbird is the original email client. Betterbird includes enhancements like a multi-line inbox view, a system tray icon, and support for complex search terms, which are either unavailable or disabled by default in Thunderbird. While Betterbird offers more polished and user-friendly features out-of-the-box, it relies on its own development team for updates, whereas Thunderbird has official Mozilla backing.
===========

I D/L'ed it but have not tried it yet...

This is on the above web page:

===============
Easy adoption: You can install Betterbird at the same time as Thunderbird and run them on the same profile.That means that you can try out Betterbird with zero hassle, and go back to Thunderbird if you don't like it - which is unlikely.
===============

I have not investigated what changes and fixes are in it, will do that soon, or probably just install and see for myself.

Seems like a no-brain'er to me.

The one I posted is a US Site,

gunrunnerjohn · Oct 16, 2025

I'm perfectly happy with Thunderbird right now, so I'll let others fly with Betterbird.

Josey Wales · Oct 16, 2025

gunrunnerjohn said:
I'm perfectly happy with Thunderbird right now, so I'll let others fly with Betterbird.

So am I.

suparoo · Oct 17, 2025

mccmw said:
I have been a Thunderbird user for a while now, and use Outlook as a backup. However, I'm looking for effective alternatives. Thunderbird is looking a bit dated now, as does Outlook Classic (Office 2019). Outlook New is still limited and I don't want to pay MS 365 subscription to get the "ads" off. I know there are a lot of highly rated alternatives but they either 1) only allow one or two e-mail accounts for free version, 2) have a subscription rather than single purchase options, and 3) often add signature block or other logo. I know there are other options that don't sponsor, and are therefore heavily advertised, by common tech websites. Are there other free or reasonably priced alternatives that forum members recommend I research and check out? Thanks.

Have a look at eM Client, it is able to be customised to your liking, plus you can add folders.
The Free version allows you a 30 day Trial then you have to activate it (free) to keep using it for Free. Click on pricing and scroll down a little to review the features for each version.
I have been using it for a couple of years and personally I love it.

gunrunnerjohn · Oct 17, 2025

suparoo said:
Have a look at eM Client, it is able to be customised to your liking, plus you can add folders.
The Free version allows you a 30 day Trial then you have to activate it (free) to keep using it for Free. Click on pricing and scroll down a little to review the features for each version.
I have been using it for a couple of years and personally I love it.

The continued nagging to keep it working would be a deal killer for me.

mccmw · Oct 17, 2025

gunrunnerjohn said:
The continued nagging to keep it working would be a deal killer for me.

eM Client only allows 2 accounts for free, and pricing is subscription based...at least what I can see from their website.

TairikuOkami · Oct 17, 2025

mccmw said:
eM Client only allows 2 accounts for free

Technically you only need 1 account, all accounts can be forwarded into 1.

IrvSp · Oct 17, 2025

gunrunnerjohn said:
I'm perfectly happy with Thunderbird right now, so I'll let others fly with Betterbird.

I finally installed it. Yes, it does work along side of TB. Need to set it to not delete server messages though. Was a smooth install, but after that, I had an issue of it not picking up my TB settings... It did find it for the servers, but it didn't work? So I had to do it manually. Then I read the BLOG... it needs to be installed differently than just clicking on the EXE file....

I'll continue looking at it, but it does seem to have 'fixed' an issue I have with TB. Replies to emails come back in threads after the first reply. I sorted the responses by time received, but it never brings the threaded ones to the top unless I do a re-sort. Seems to work OK with BB...

Secret Squirrel · Oct 18, 2025

mccmw said:
eM Client..................... and pricing is subscription based...at least what I can see from their website.

There's also a "one time payment" option for a very reasonable $59.95. However, you won't get any any major version updates. That might suit some folks because email clients don't really need updating and they may not be interested in any new "features". There's no charge if the user has one or two mail accounts.

I use eM Client and can recommend it.

Gramps · Oct 18, 2025

gunrunnerjohn said:
The continued nagging to keep it working would be a deal killer for me.

There is no nagging. I've been using the free version for years.

Edwin · Oct 18, 2025

eM Client:
Personal - single user, 3 devices, lifetime upgrades, pay once = 230 bucks.

Edwin · Oct 18, 2025

glasskuter said:
I don't now anything about it but there's this. Manage multiple accounts with the best email client 2025

Excellent client but their pricing is a scam, read the fine print!!!

jimbo45 · Oct 18, 2025

Edwin said:
eM Client:
Personal - single user, 3 devices, lifetime upgrades, pay once = 230 bucks.

For 330 bucks (I assume U.S not Hong Kong dollars etc) I can buy a very reasonable MiniPC with Win 11 PRO already installed and have plenty of money over to buy at least 3 cheap copies of Office 2021 with outlook etc included.

It's BONKERS that a private (non corporate) user needs to pay this sort of rubbish for an email program no matter how "good" or otherwise the app is.

Sorry eM developers --if this is what you are charging individual home users then your business model is faulty. In any case if I'm going to pay the subscription stuff (which I wouldn't) then it would make far more sense to subscribe to Office/365 and get a decent wodge of cloud storage thrown in too.

Charging corporates / business users is another issue where businesses might well think value for money to have a 3rd party company take care of all this stuff - but that's a proper commecial case which could make sense in many situations.

Give me the choice of a quite decent miniPC with Win 11 Pro installed or a bog standard paid for 3rd party e-mail app I know what I'd choose !!!!.

Cheers
jimbo

Edwin · Oct 18, 2025

jimbo45 said:
It's BONKERS that a private (non corporate) user needs to pay this sort of rubbish for an email program no matter how "good" or otherwise the app is.

That's like saying, Do I need a Mercury or a Mercedes to get from point A to point B.
User choice man!

Secret Squirrel · Oct 18, 2025

............lifetime upgrades, pay once = 230 bucks........................For 330 bucks.....................

I'm seeing a cheaper option. Also, most home users have only one (or occasionally two) mail accounts so there's no charge whatsoever.

e-Mail App Options - Alternatives to Outlook and Thunderbird?

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