I have been on the lookout for a killer e-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. In the event you do most of your emailing on Home windows, you will know the battle of looking for e-mail consumer.

Outlook is bloated (and full of advertisements if you happen to’re utilizing it without spending a dime), Microsoft has killed off Home windows Mail, and browser-based shoppers are messy at finest. Thunderbird was my open-source alternative 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 e-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 objective: fixing what Thunderbird will get incorrect. Thunderbird remains to be extensively used and actively maintained, however its legacy design and gradual replace rollout usually weigh it down. Betterbird, however, takes the identical open-source basis and makes it sharper, sooner, and simpler to make use of.

The challenge describes itself as a “higher Thunderbird,” and, after utilizing it for some time, that is exactly what it feels prefer 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 e-mail consumer that runs on Home windows, Linux, and macOS, however it feels particularly refreshing on Home windows, the place first rate free shoppers might be tough to seek out.

The very first thing you could 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 Alternate, all main companies are supported — in contrast to Outlook, which generally forces you thru a number of complicated re-authentication hoops. In the event you’re coming from Thunderbird, the expertise will really feel acquainted, however the enhancements — like cleaner account administration and fewer bugs — might be instantly noticeable.

Options that matter

No bloat

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

Themes are additionally supported, so you possibly can tweak the interface to your liking. In the event you’re used to Gmail-style shortcuts, don’t fret — you possibly can map them immediately in Betterbird. It feels fashionable sufficient to be recent, with out attempting to reinvent the e-mail app.

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

Actually free and open-source

With lively updates and neighborhood assist

Betterbird does not cover its performance behind paywalls, nor does it litter your inbox with advertisements. It is totally open-source software program, funded by consumer donations, and pushed by the philosophy that e-mail ought to 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 assist hostage except you pay to improve. With Betterbird, all the pieces you see is what you get, it packs full performance from the second you employ the installer.

One in all Thunderbird’s greatest criticisms has been the tempo of updates. Butterbird tackles this by releasing fixes and refinements way 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 generally really feel prefer it’s ready for Thunderbird’s subsequent huge transfer earlier than it may adapt. Documentation can also be thinner in comparison with Thunderbird, so you could sometimes have to dig by means of boards for solutions to your issues. And whereas the UI is cleaner than Thunderbird, it isn’t as minimal as fashionable Mac-style e-mail shoppers. In the event you’re anticipating Apple Mail simplicity, Betterbird nonetheless leans towards Microsoft power-user territory.