Thunderbird is a free, open-source email client from Mozilla, most famous for its Firefox web browser. It's full of features that make it easy to navigate and use, and there are a ton of add-ons available for specialized needs. At its core, you're getting a powerful mail tool with a tab system, built-in web search bar, smart folders, real-time contact chat, one-click address book, and more. There are likewise some interesting security and privacy features, like phishing and junk-mail filters. Give it a try for free, and if you like it, you can keep using it without paying anything, though donations are always appreciated.
Although Outlook comes bundled in most Office 365 plans, it can also be purchased separately. Outlook supports practically every email service, allowing you to keep track of all your addresses in one spot. Along with calendar and task integration, Outlook has a load of adjustable inbox rules to help keep you in the know. Set notification sounds when a specific person sends a message containing specified keywords, or automatically move an email to a folder when it comes from a certain address — perfect for keeping work email separate from personal email. Yes, there are a ton of tools available in Outlook, and they can be a bit daunting for beginners.
Thankfully, Outlook has been redesigned in the past few years to not shove everything in your face right away. Mailbird is a lightweight client that won't bog down your PC, but it can be fully customized to have it look exactly how you want. You can sync all of your accounts into one manageable inbox, and you can create your own quick replies, drag and drop attachments, and even search for messages just by clicking a user's profile picture. You can look up a LinkedIn profile with one click, integrate all of your favorite apps, including Twitter, WhatsApp, Dropbox, and Facebook, and take advantage of round-the-clock support in case anything goes wrong. A free version is available, as well as monthly or lifetime subscriptions. With plenty of customization options — including those for behavior and appearance — and support for email services like Gmail, Outlook, iCloud, and Exchange, you can easily make it feel like you've been using eM Client for years.
Importing old messages from other services is about as easy as possible thanks to an intuitive UI, and a specialized sidebar shows message and attachment history, as well as an agenda that contains any important dates with a certain contact. A recent update added PGP encryption support for anyone who needs to send encrypted emails, plus live backup will now run while you continue working within the app. A free version without all features is available, though the Pro version is a one-time buy. If you're a fan of free, open-source email clients, Zimbra Desktop might be just what you're looking for. It's been around for quite awhile and has seen some major changes, but it remains one of the best. It supports multiple email services, it can be used without an internet connection, and it works cross-platform on Windows 10, macOS, and Linux. Take advantage of a tabbed layout for easier organization, with tools like calendar, contacts, tasks, and briefcase to keep you on the ball throughout the day.
You can even build your own add-ons (called Zimlets), or choose from a collection of existing options. Veteran Windows users will be immediately reminded of the old days when they see the Claws Mail user interface. Don't let its simplicity fool you; this is an able app geared toward advanced users who don't mind setting things up on their own. Yes, you can add an unlimited amount of email accounts, but you have to do it yourself — there's no easy-import button or wizard. Claws Mail has an active bug tracker that ensures any problems encountered are quickly fixed, and the app itself is updated regularly.
This is a perfect app for PCs that have seen better days, as it uses a minimum amount of memory and processing power. The tradeoff is that there is no HTML support and it lacks some of the advanced connectivity features of apps like Outlook. There are, however, several included plugins, like SpamAssassin, that give you a helping hand. If you don't mind setting things up on your own, and you're looking for an email app that isn't a system hog, check out Claws Mail — the retro vibe (and everything else) is completely free. Take control of your email flow If you're struggling to handle your flow of email in your current app, any of these options will surely help. As far as free options go, is an outstanding open-source app full of features that many can't leave behind.
As for a paid app, has been treating us well for years and considering it can be a part of (which also includes the other Office apps and 1 TB of OneDrive storage), it's quite an enticing deal. This post may contain affiliate links. See our for more details.