Alternative and open source email clients

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Finally, after a long time, we managed to create an article about alternative email clients e Open source! You've been asking for it for a long time and it took us a while to try them and discover new ones. As you know, we always try to do things calmly, trying the various systems proposed and analyzing the various pros and cons.

As regards alternative email clients, we have found a few programs even if the situation is not entirely rosy: mainly there exists above all Mozilla Thunderbird and other more or less similar software.

Alternative email clients e Open source

We also want to remind you that email programs work with the vast majority of email providers but not with all. For example, if you use Tutanota you cannot exclusively use their application available for all platforms. With regard to Proton Mail instead you can use an external client but only and exclusively if you are a paid user and using their bridge.

The problem mainly arises from the fact that these providers encrypt all emails on their servers and therefore cannot use the IMAP protocol like everyone else without losing encryption.

Thunderbird

Open source

It is probably the undisputed king of alternative email clients today Open source. It is also perhaps the oldest and most famous email client. It is developed by MZLA Technologies Corporation, subsidiary of Mozilla Foundation since 2003. It allows you to manage emails, newsgroups, RSS and even chat (XMPP, IRC and recently also Matrix ¹). He acquired the software not long ago Open source K-9 Mail thus officially entering the mobile world (probably a little too late but let's hope it can catch up).

Mailspring

Open source
also in paid version

After Thunderbird it is probably one of the most interesting desktop realities Mailspring. Aesthetically it is absolutely pleasant and modern. It is free but some features such as scheduled sending require a fee. Unfortunately, the cost is not low and the subscription costs 8$ per month.
It is available for Windows, macOS And Linux.

Sylpheed

Open source

For those who are not too interested in the aesthetic aspect but are above all interested in stability Sylpheed it may be the right software. It is the oldest email program on this list, the first release dates back to 2000. It is Japanese but translated entirely into English. The latest release dates back to 2018 but, as mentioned, it does not cause problems of any kind.
It is available for Windows, macOS And Linux.

Claws Mail

Open source

Claws Mail is a Fork independent of Sylpheed. Unlike the latter, the development is not stopped in 2018 but is constantly updated. We find it really very interesting and well done and if you don't find it pleasant Thunderbird or Mailspring it's definitely a great option for desktop.

Betterbird

Open source

Betterbird it is instead a Fork of Thunderbird which is based on the latest ESR (Extended Support Releases) version, thus avoiding receiving the latest updates but always having a somewhat more stable version and without too many bugs. It is perfectly compatible with Thunderbird and any plugins.

Other desktop email programs

• Kube, this email program is available for both Linux and macOS. His project, however, seems to be stopped to 2020.

• LucaMail it's a project Open source which however seems a bit stuck and with a website that is no longer reachable. We are therefore not overly sure that we can be trusted.

Alternative email clients e Open source for smartphones

Even on smartphones there are various applications, as we have already said at the beginning of the article we will also talk about K-9 which should become Thunderbird Mail after the acquisition.

FairEmail

Open source
also in paid version

It is probably the most complete application ever for Android smartphones. It has almost everything and what you don't find is definitely included in the paid version. The paid version is not available exclusively on the Play Store but you can also get it using the su application F-Droid.

K-9 Mail

Open source

Graphically it is modern, perhaps excessively minimalist in terms of the options available. Apart from this, however, it has few defects and with theacquisition by Thunderbird Let's hope it gets better and better!

There are also two important ones Fork Of K-9 Mail that we point out to you:

• Librem Mail ², of the project Librem One and available exclusively on Play Store
• Monocles Mail ³ is part of the Monocles project, a set of open, free, free and personalized services with their own brands. They mainly sponsor it for their monocles.de email service but you can use it for any other provider.

p≡p

Open source

A truly unique email client for smartphones. Meanwhile, it is the default program within iodé smartphones. It is also the easiest to use with PGP, so if your idea is to use PGP for your emails then you probably should definitely give it a chance p≡p, which is read pEp (Pretty ANDasy P(rivacy).
In addition to mobile versions there are also Extensions for Outlook and Thunderbird.

Delta Chat

Open source

Honorable mention for the legendary Delta Chat, which we have already seen as an alternative to WhatsApp. In practice it allows you to use emails as chats, so it is in all respects an email client but with graphics and a display method that is reminiscent of chats. It may therefore be a little awkward to use as a simple email client but if you like the idea you just have to try it!

Other email programs for smartphones

Finally, we would like to point out these other smartphone clients, which unfortunately seem a little abandoned to themselves:

• Ltt.rs ⁴, pronounced Letters, is a “Proof of concept” for the protocol JMAP that is, essentially an application made only to demonstrate that it is possible to do it, so to speak. It is available on F-Droid And Play Store.
• Simple Email ⁵ It's a very simple application for reading emails. Unfortunately the updates are stuck in 2020. It is available on F-Droid.

1. Thunderbird on the Matrix[↩]
2. source code by Librem Mail[↩]
3. source code by Monocles Mail[↩]
4. source code of Ltt.rs[↩]
5. source code by Simple Email[↩]

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