I have been in search of a killer electronic mail app, and this could be it

I do most of my emailing from my iPhone using Apple Mail. On my MacBook, I use Apple Mail once more, however I’ve at all times struggled to discover a solid email client for Windows. Should you do most of your emailing on Home windows, you may know the battle of looking for electronic mail consumer.

Outlook is bloated (and crammed with advertisements should you’re utilizing it free of charge), Microsoft has killed off Home windows Mail, and browser-based shoppers are messy at finest. Thunderbird was my open-source selection for years, however in 2025, I really feel it appears to be like just a little dated and packs too many options I’ve by no means wanted to make use of.

What I wished was easy: a clear, fashionable, quick, and free electronic mail consumer for Home windows that does not bury me in litter or advertisements. After spending a while attempting out totally different e-mail shoppers, I’ve lastly discovered my favourite: meet Betterbird.

What’s Betterbird?

An up to date Thunderbird

Betterbird is a fork of Mozilla Thunderbird, constructed by its builders with one aim: fixing what Thunderbird will get improper. Thunderbird continues to be broadly used and actively maintained, however its legacy design and gradual replace rollout typically weigh it down. Betterbird, however, takes the identical open-source basis and makes it sharper, quicker, and simpler to make use of.

The venture describes itself as a “higher Thunderbird,” and, after utilizing it for some time, that is exactly what it feels wish to me.

Why Betterbird stands out

No advertisements and no pointless options

The place Outlook pushes advertisements and further companies, Betterbird focuses on the necessities. It is a cross-platform electronic mail consumer that runs on Home windows, Linux, and macOS, however it feels particularly refreshing on Home windows, the place respectable free shoppers will be tough to seek out.

The very first thing it’s possible you’ll discover is Betterbird’s efficiency. It launches shortly, handles a number of inboxes with out lag, and makes navigating between folders and calendars painless. It takes the Thunderbird core and trims a number of the fats.

Including accounts in Betterbird is quick and easy. From POP to IMAP and Change, all main companies are supported — in contrast to Outlook, which generally forces you thru a number of complicated re-authentication hoops. Should you’re coming from Thunderbird, the expertise will really feel acquainted, however the enhancements — like cleaner account administration and fewer bugs — shall be instantly noticeable.

Options that matter

No bloat

Whereas Betterbird most likely will not win any design awards for minimalism, the app does handle to strike a steadiness that Thunderbird by no means absolutely managed. The structure is clear, absolutely customizable, and responsive. There’s correct darkish mode assist, together with the flexibility to tone down blinding white emails in order that they’re simpler on the eyes.

Themes are additionally supported, so you’ll be able to tweak the interface to your liking. Should you’re used to Gmail-style shortcuts, don’t be concerned — you’ll be able to map them immediately in Betterbird. It feels fashionable sufficient to be contemporary, with out attempting to reinvent the e-mail app.

All of the necessities are lined by Betterbird, like scheduled sending, labels, filters, and guidelines. Should you want calendars or activity lists, they’re built-in, however they do not dominate the interface. Every characteristic feels sensible, somewhat than bolted on, which is the sensation I get after I use Thunderbird these days.

Actually free and open-source

With energetic updates and neighborhood assist

Betterbird does not disguise its performance behind paywalls, nor does it litter your inbox with advertisements. It is absolutely open-source software program, funded by person donations, and pushed by the philosophy that electronic mail ought to be a dependable and accessible software.

I discover this to be a refreshing distinction to Microsoft Outlook, which feels extra like a funnel into the Microsoft 365 ecosystem, which holds primary multi-account assist hostage until you pay to improve. With Betterbird, all the things you see is what you get, it packs full performance from the second you employ the installer.

One in every of Thunderbird’s greatest criticisms has been the tempo of updates. Butterbird tackles this by releasing fixes and refinements far more shortly. Bug fixes that will take months in Thunderbird are likely to arrive a lot sooner in Betterbird, which, for me, makes it really feel extra polished on a day-to-day foundation.

All of this is not to say that Betterbird is ideal. As a result of it is a fork, it may well generally really feel prefer it’s ready for Thunderbird’s subsequent large transfer earlier than it may well adapt. Documentation can be thinner in comparison with Thunderbird, so it’s possible you’ll sometimes have to dig by way of boards for solutions to your issues. And whereas the UI is cleaner than Thunderbird, it is not as minimal as fashionable Mac-style electronic mail shoppers. Should you’re anticipating Apple Mail simplicity, Betterbird nonetheless leans towards Microsoft power-user territory.