10 BEST Outlook Alternatives in 2024

Outlook is a popular email client developed by Microsoft Corporation. This tool is easy to integrate with Word, PowerPoint, as well as Excel. It helps you to scan and remove dangerous email attachments.

However, Microsoft Outlook has some limitations, like it has a complex password recovery process, lacking task management features, calendar overload. It gives precedence to exchange accounts over other email accounts that might interrupt your workflow.

Here is a curated list of Top email programs that are capable of replacing MS Outlook. The list contains both open source(free) and commercial(paid) software.
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Top Pick
Mailbird

Mailbird is a Windows email sending application that can work with Gmail. It helps you to manage all your mails and contacts from more than one account. This app allows you to customize your layout.

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Free Alternatives to Outlook: Best Email Clients Software

Name Platform Free Trial Link
👍 Mailbird Windows, Android, Mac, and Linux 14-Days Free Trial Learn More
Shift Windows, and Mac Lifetime Free Basic Plan Learn More
eM Client Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS 30-Days Free Trial Learn More
Clean Email Web, Mac, Android, and iOS 14-Days Free Trial Learn More
Thunderbird Windows, Android, Mac, and Linux 14-Days Free Trial Learn More

#1) Mailbird

Mailbird is a Windows email sending application that can work with Gmail. It helps you to manage all your mails and contacts from more than one account. This app allows you to customize your layout.

#1 Top Pick
Mailbird
5.0

Email Tracking: Yes

Send Email Later: Yes

Encryption: AES 256-bit, and PGP

Free Trial: 14 Days Free Trial

Visit Mailbird

Features:

  • You can snooze a particular message.
  • It helps you to contact via LinkedIn from your inbox.
  • You can upload your own custom notification sound.
  • This app provides multi-language support.
  • It has numerous shortcuts for composing, replying, and forwarding emails.
  • Seamlessly integrates with Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp, Dropbox, Google Calendar, Asana, and Todoist
  • Offers Unified Inbox, Customizable Layout, Speed Reader, Custom Sounds, Linkedin Lookup, Attachment Search, and Shortcuts
  • Supports Protocol like POP, POP3, IMAP, and SMTP
  • Provides Labels, and filters for inbox management
  • Mailbird protects your data using AES 256-bit, and PGP encryption
  • Offers 10 GB storage space
  • Works with all major email services like Gmail, Outlook, and Hotmail
  • Provides Instant messaging, Undo send, Snooze, Email tracking, and Send Email Later
  • Offers Tasks and To-Do Lists, Customizable Layout, Dark Theme, Notifications, Calendar, and Reminders
  • It provides customer support via Contact Form
  • Supported Platforms: Windows, Android, Mac, and Linux
  • Price: Plans start at $3 a month.
  • Free Trial: 14 Days Free Trial

Visit Mailbird >>

14-Days Free Trial


#2) Shift

Shift is an email client for Windows 10 that helps you to manage multiple workflows. It allows you to create custom workspaces inside Shift and invite people to collaborate.

#2
Shift
4.9

Email Tracking: Yes

Send Email Later: Yes

Encryption: 256-bit AES-CBC

Free Trial: Lifetime Free Basic Plan

Visit Shift

Features:

  • Shift is a desktop email client that allows you to sync up many email accounts into a unified inbox.
  • You can add extensions to shift. These extensions include things like Grammarly, HubSpot, and Zoom.
  • It helps you to streamline & organize your work/life/play.
  • It helps you to browse by account.
  • You can add your extensions.
  • Seamlessly integrates with Slack, Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter, Asana, ClickUp, Todoist, Typeform, Woven, and Airbnb
  • Offers Work faster with Chrome Extensions, Zero in with Focused Web Tabs, Google Services, and Microsoft Apps
  • Supports Protocol like POP3, and IMAP
  • Provides Labels, and filters for inbox management
  • Shift protects your data using 256-bit AES-CBC encryption
  • Offers 30 GB storage space
  • Works with all major email services like Gmail, Outlook, and Office 365
  • Provides Instant messaging, Undo send, Snooze, Chat Option, Email tracking, and Send Email Later
  • Offers Tasks and To-Do Lists, Customizable Layout, Dark Theme, Notifications, Calendar, and Reminders
  • It provides customer support via Chat, Ticket, and Email
  • Supported Platforms: Windows, and Mac
  • Price: Plans start at $129 a month.
  • Free Trial: Lifetime Free Basic Plan

Visit Shift >>

Lifetime Free Basic Plan


#3) eM Client

eM Client is a strong competitor of Outlook that has a easy-to-use interface. This application helps you to manage email, calendar, contacts, and tasks. It can be used for Windows and Mac.

#3
eM Client
4.8

Email Tracking: Yes

Send Email Later: Yes

Encryption: AES 256-bit, AES 128-bit, AES 192-bit, and PGP

Free Trial: 30 Days Free Trial

Visit eM Client

Features:

  • You can take a backup of your email.
  • This product supports the autoreply email.
  • It automatically downloads contacts from the web.
  • You can add tables and resize any cell effortlessly.
  • Em client allows you to change images size, rotate, and flip.
  • Seamlessly integrates with Nextcloud, Zoom, Google Drive, IceWarp, Kerio, and MDaemon
  • Offers Superfast Search, Touch support, Localization, Automatic back-up tool, Instant translation for all messages, Watch for replies and Snooze function, Search within attached documents and Templates, Signatures, Conversations, Secure Communication, Spell Check, Phishing Protection, and Automatic Archiving
  • Supports Protocol like IMAP, POP3, Exchange (EWS), and AirSync
  • Provides Labels, and filters for inbox management
  • EM Client protects your data using AES 256-bit, AES 128-bit, AES 192-bit, and PGP encryption
  • Offers 4 GB storage space
  • Provides Instant messaging, Undo send, Snooze, Chat Option, Email tracking, and Send Email Later
  • Works with all major email services like Gmail, Outlook, iCloud, Yahoo, and Microsoft Exchange
  • Offers Tasks and To-Do Lists, Customizable Layout, Dark Theme, Notifications, Calendar, and Reminders
  • It provides customer support via Email
  • Supported Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS
  • Price: Plans start at $27 a month.
  • Free Trial: 30 Days Free Trial

Visit eM Client >>

30-Days Free Trial


#4) Clean Email

Clean Email is an online bulk email cleaner for iPhone devices. This app helps you to control your mailbox. It allows you to quickly identify usefully and clean up useless emails with a single click.

#4
Clean Email
4.7

Email Tracking: Yes

Send Email Later: Yes

Encryption: 256-bit AES-CBC

Free Trial: 14 Days Free Trial

Visit Clean Email

Features:

  • Instead of focusing on individual emails, it segments your mailbox using rules and filters.
  • Allows you to move your Email to Trash, Remove, Archive, Apply Labels, Move between Folder
  • You can also unsubscribe from unwanted emails and block unwanted recipients.
  • Able to remove thousands of emails by directly communicating with your mailbox.
  • Seamlessly integrates with OneDrive
  • Offers Quick Clean, Smart Views, Email Groups, Filters and Sorting, Automate tasks with Auto Clean, and Regular Summaries
  • Supports Protocol like POP3, IMAP, and SMTP
  • Provides Labels, filters, and folders for inbox management
  • CleanMail protects your data using 256-bit AES-CBC encryption
  • Offers 20 GB storage space
  • Works with all major email services like Gmail, Yahoo, AOL, iCloud, Hotmail, and Outlook
  • Provides Instant messaging, Undo send, Snooze, Chat Option, Email tracking, and Send Email Later
  • Offers Tasks and To-Do Lists, Customizable Layout, Dark Theme, Notifications, Calendar, and Reminders
  • It provides customer support via Contact Form
  • Supported Platforms: Web, Mac, Android, and iOS
  • Price: Plans start at $9 a month. 4% Discount on Yearly Payment.
  • Free Trial: 14 Days Free Trial

Visit Clean Email >>

14-Days Free Trial


#5) Thunderbird

Thunderbird is an open-source, cross-platform email suite. It is one of the best Mac mail applications that provides easy to use wizard for setting account. This software helps you to personalize the email the way you like.

Thunderbird

Features:

  • You can quickly add people to your address book.
  • This best email client for Mac provides a reminder for attachment before sending an email.
  • Thunderbird automatically checks for updates.
  • You can share a link of large files in your mail instead of the attachment itself.
  • It provides protection from phishing, a method to obtain sensitive information like credit card details, passwords, etc.
  • You can manage multiple email accounts by combining archive, inbox, or sent folder.
  • Seamlessly integrates with GNOME 3
  • Offers Mail Account Setup Wizard, One-click Address Book, Large Files Management, Robust Privacy, Smart Folders, Phishing Protection, Automated Update, and Cutting Out the Junk
  • Supports Protocol like POP, POP3, IMAP, SMTP, and SSL/TLS
  • Provides Labels, and filters for inbox management
  • Mozilla Thunderbird protects your data using AES 256-bit, and PGP encryption
  • Offers 4 GB storage space
  • Works with all major email services like Gmail, Outlook, GMX Mail, and Yahoo
  • Offers Tasks and To-Do Lists, Customizable Layout, Dark Theme, Notifications, Calendar, and Reminders
  • Provides Instant messaging, Undo send, Snooze, Email tracking, and Send Email Later
  • It provides customer support via Email
  • Supported Platforms: Windows, Android, Mac, and Linux
  • Price: Request a Quote from Sales
  • Free Trial: 14 Days Free Trial

Link: https://www.thunderbird.net/en-US/


#6) Spark

Spark is a software package that automatically categorizes emails for secure processing. It is one of the best Outlook alternative that allows you to pin or snooze emails. You can invite your teammates to create mail together.

Spark

Features:

  • You can find your email quickly by using a natural language search.
  • It allows commenting on emails.
  • This program has pre-written emails for replying to emails fast.
  • It enables you to add a signature in your email.
  • Spark helps you to personalize sidebar, swipes, and widget.
  • You can receive a notification only when an important message comes into your inbox.
  • Seamlessly integrates with Dropbox, Box, iCloud Drive, OneDrive, Evernote, and Google Drive
  • Offers Smart Inbox, Smart Search, Email Signatures, Email delegation, Attachments, and Personalization
  • Supports Protocol like POP, POP3, IMAP, and SMTP
  • Provides Labels, and filters for inbox management
  • Spark protects your data using PGP encryption
  • Offers 5 GB storage space
  • Works with all major email services like Gmail, Yahoo, iCloud, Hotmail, Aol, GMX, and Microsoft Exchange
  • Provides Instant messaging, Undo send, Snooze, Chat Option, and Email tracking
  • Offers Tasks and To-Do Lists, Dark Theme, Notifications, Calendar, and Reminders
  • It provides customer support via Contact Form
  • Supported Platforms: Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS
  • Price: Plans start at $6.39 a month. 9% Discount on Yearly Payment.
  • Free Trial: 14 Days Free Trial

Link: https://sparkmailapp.com


#7) Postbox

Postbox is a tool that helps you to add dynamic data fields to responses and templates. It allows you to reuse HTML snippet within message replies. This Outlook mail client alternative app provides more than 25 design signature templates.

Postbox

Features:

  • You can add dynamic data fields to emails and templates.
  • It allows you to forward email content to hundreds of other apps and services, like Slack, Evernote, etc.
  • You can add additional image effects like flip, rotate, shadow, and frames.
  • It helps you to resize any image.
  • Seamlessly integrates with Zapier, IFTTT, Dropbox, Box, MailChimp, Slack, Basecamp, Zendesk, Evernote, Asana, Things, Wunderlist, OmniFocus, Todoist, and Flow
  • Offers Message Triage, Email Organization, Email Management, Composition, Quick Search, Safety, and Security
  • Supports Protocol like POP, POP3, IMAP, and SMTP
  • Provides Labels, and filters for inbox management
  • Postbox protects your data using PGP encryption
  • Offers 25 GB storage space
  • Works with all major email services like Gmail, iCloud, Yahoo, AOL, Office 365, Outlook, Fastmail, and ProtonMail
  • Provides Instant messaging, Undo send, Email tracking, and Send Email Later
  • Offers Tasks and To-Do Lists, Customizable Layout, Dark Theme, Notifications, Calendar, and Reminders
  • It provides customer support via Contact Form
  • Supported Platforms: Windows, and Mac
  • Price: $49 One-time purchase. No subscriptions.
  • Free Trial: 30 Days Free Trial

Link: https://www.postbox-inc.com/features


#8) Bluemail

Bluemail is an email client that is capable of managing an unlimited number of mail accounts. It is one of the best Outlook alternative which allows for smart push notifications and group emailing. This tool enables you to personalize multiple email accounts.

Bluemail

Features:

  • You can mark messages to handle later and set reminders for them.
  • It allows you to access calendars and plan events.
  • You can seamlessly switch from one theme to another.
  • Bluemail helps you to count unread emails.
  • Seamlessly integrates with Gmail
  • Offers Unified Messaging, BlueMail, iMail, Later Board, and Share Email
  • Supports Protocol like POP, POP3, IMAP, and SMTP
  • Provides Labels, and filters for inbox management
  • Bluemail protects your data using PGP, TLS, and AES encryption
  • Offers 25 GB storage space
  • Works with all major email services like Office365, Exchange, and Google
  • Provides Undo send, Snooze, Chat Option, Email tracking, and Send Email Later
  • Offers Tasks and To-Do Lists, Dark Theme, Notifications, and Calendar
  • It provides customer support via Email
  • Supported Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS
  • Price: Plans start at $5 a month.
  • Free Trial: 7 Days Free Trial

Link: https://bluemail.me/features-functions


#9) Mailspring

Mailspring is a simple open-source email app for Windows, Mac, and Linux. It supports IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) and Office 365. This app allows you to undo send items.

Mailspring

Features:

  • You can get email read receipts.
  • It is localized into nine languages.
  • It is one of the best Outlook alternatives for Windows that provides support for touch and gesture.
  • You can quickly add a signature to the email.
  • It can translate the English message in numerous available options of language.
  • Mailspring detects the language you are using and automatically spellchecks in that language.
  • Seamlessly integrates with Microsoft 365, Gmail, iCloud, Microsoft Exchange, Yahoo! Mail, and Fastmail
  • Offers Read receipts, Link tracking, Company overviews, Actionable mailbox insights, Touch and gesture support, Advanced shortcuts, Lightning-fast search, Unified Inbox, Advanced Search, Signatures, Translation, Spell Check, and Extensive Localization
  • Supports Protocol like IMAP, and SMTP
  • Provides Labels, and filters for inbox management
  • Mailspring protects your data using PGP encryption
  • Works with all major email services like Gmail, iCloud, Office 365, Outlook, and Yahoo
  • Provides Instant messaging, Undo send, Snooze, Chat Option, and Send Email Later
  • Offers Tasks and To-Do Lists, Customizable Layout, Dark Theme, Notifications, Calendar, and Reminders
  • It provides customer support via Email
  • Supported Platforms: Windows, Mac, and Linux
  • Price: Plans start at $8 a month.
  • Free Trial: 14-Days Free Trial

Link: https://getmailspring.com


#10) Helpwise

Helpwise is the email program that provides a shared email mailbox for every team member. With real-time performance tracking, you can easily manage all the mailboxes from a single dashboard.

Helpwise

Features:

  • Allows all the team members to chat within the email threads itself.
  • You can Tag and Label email treads for enhanced grouping, search, and tracking.
  • Provides a separate email login to every team member to access the same email address.
  • It has a built-in “collision control functionality” feature that eliminates the chances of duplicate replies.
  • Allows you to have actionable insights into the performance of your agents, volume, and queries.
  • It offers to assign email threads to the right person.
  • Seamlessly integrates with Hubspot, Zapier, Pipedrive, Zoho CRM, Shopify, Slack, JustCall, Copper, Twilio, WhatsApp, Stripe, and Salesflare
  • Offers Friendly Interface, Collaborate With Team Members, Distribute Work Load, Track Every Key Metric, Integrate With Business Tools, and Built-in Collision Detection
  • Supports Protocol like POP, IMAP, and SMTP
  • Provides Labels, and filters for inbox management
  • Helpwise protects your data using AES 256-bit encryption
  • Works with all major email services like Gmail, Outlook, and Zoho
  • Provides Instant messaging, Snooze, Chat Option, Email tracking, and Send Email Later
  • Offers Customizable Layout, Notifications, Calendar, and Reminders
  • It provides customer support via Live Chat, and Email
  • Supported Platforms: Android, and iOS
  • Price: Plans start at $25 a month. 20% Discount on Yearly Payment.
  • Free Trial: 7 Days Free Trial

Visit Helpwise >>

7-Days Free Trial

What is IMAP, POP3, SMTP?

IMAP: IMAP or Internet Message Access Protocol is a mail protocol that is used to access email on the webserver from the local PC. It stores messages on a server and synchronizes the emails across multiple devices.

POP3: POP3 or Post Office Protocol is a mail protocol that is used to receive emails from the server to the local email client. It allows operations like download email messages on your computer and delete them from the server.

SMTP: SMTP or Simple Mail Transfer Protocol is an application layer to send messages to the mail server for relaying.

When you send emails, the webserver processes your mails and decides which server to send messages to. The mail service provider downloads the mails and places them in the inbox of the recipient.

How to choose the Best Email Program?

Here are some important features which must be included in any best email clients:

  • It should allow you to send unlimited messages to anyone.
  • It can manage multiple email accounts by combining archive, inbox, or sent folder.
  • An email client must comply with the protocols IMAP, POP3, etc.
  • It should allow you to access calendars and plan events.
  • It should allow features like undo send, restore email as well as scheduled delivery.

FAQs:

Following are some of the best Outlook alternatives:

An Email client is a software application that enables users to configure one or more email addresses to read, receive, compose, and send emails from that email address(s). It also provides a central interface for receiving, composing, and sending emails of a configured email address(s). It allows users to easily access and manage their emails.

Free Alternatives to Outlook: Best Email Clients Software

Name Platform Free Trial Link
👍 Mailbird Windows, Android, Mac, and Linux 14-Days Free Trial Learn More
Shift Windows, and Mac 7-Days Free Trial Learn More
eM Client Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS 30-Days Free Trial Learn More
Clean Email Web, Mac, Android, and iOS 14-Days Free Trial Learn More
Thunderbird Windows, Android, Mac, and Linux 14-Days Free Trial Learn More