I have been in search of a killer electronic mail app, and this may 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 will know the battle of looking for electronic mail shopper.

Outlook is bloated (and stuffed with adverts when you’re utilizing it without spending a dime), Microsoft has killed off Home windows Mail, and browser-based shoppers are messy at greatest. Thunderbird was my open-source selection for years, however in 2025, I really feel it appears a little bit dated and packs too many options I’ve by no means wanted to make use of.

What I needed was easy: a clear, trendy, quick, and free electronic mail shopper for Home windows that does not bury me in muddle or adverts. After spending a while making an attempt 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 purpose: fixing what Thunderbird will get mistaken. Thunderbird remains to be extensively used and actively maintained, however its legacy design and sluggish 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 mission 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 adverts and no pointless options

The place Outlook pushes adverts and additional companies, Betterbird focuses on the necessities. It is a cross-platform electronic mail shopper that runs on Home windows, Linux, and macOS, but it surely feels particularly refreshing on Home windows, the place respectable free shoppers could be tough to search out.

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

Including accounts in Betterbird is quick and easy. From POP to IMAP and Trade, all main companies are supported — not like Outlook, which typically 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 — will probably 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 totally managed. The structure is clear, totally customizable, and responsive. There’s correct darkish mode help, together with the flexibility to tone down blinding white emails so 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 fret — you’ll be able to map them immediately in Betterbird. It feels trendy sufficient to be recent, with out making an attempt 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, relatively than bolted on, which is the sensation I get after I use Thunderbird these days.

Really free and open-source

With lively updates and neighborhood help

Betterbird does not disguise its performance behind paywalls, nor does it muddle your inbox with adverts. It is totally open-source software program, funded by consumer donations, and pushed by the philosophy that electronic mail must be a dependable and accessible device.

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 help hostage until you pay to improve. With Betterbird, every thing you see is what you get, it packs full performance from the second you utilize the installer.

Considered one of Thunderbird’s greatest criticisms has been the tempo of updates. Butterbird tackles this by releasing fixes and refinements far more rapidly. Bug fixes which 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 will possibly typically really feel prefer it’s ready for Thunderbird’s subsequent huge transfer earlier than it will possibly adapt. Documentation can be thinner in comparison with Thunderbird, so it’s possible you’ll often 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 trendy Mac-style electronic mail shoppers. Should you’re anticipating Apple Mail simplicity, Betterbird nonetheless leans towards Microsoft power-user territory.