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Best email clients for Gmail

The best email clients for Gmail in 2026

Nine ways to run Gmail on your desktop, free and paid, and who each one suits. We make Dodosend, so it’s on the list; so are the apps we’d point you to when it isn’t the right fit.

Get the desktop appDownload

Free for one Gmail mailbox, on macOS, Windows, and Linux.

At a glance

Each app’s details come from its own site; the comparison pages give the date they were checked. This list was last updated in October 2026.

AppBest forFree planDesktop appsEmail accounts
DodosendGmail from the keyboard, free, on any desktopYes: one Gmail mailbox, with every featuremacOS 12+, Windows 10+, Linux (AppImage, .deb, .rpm)Gmail and Google Workspace
MimestreamThe most Mac-like Gmail appNo: a 14-day trialmacOS 12 Monterey or later onlyGmail and Google Workspace, several accounts in one subscription
SuperhumanSpeed with AI, across Gmail and OutlookNomacOS and Windows; on Linux, the web app in a browserGmail, Google Workspace, Outlook and Microsoft 365
ShortwaveAn AI assistant for your inboxNo: a 14-day trialmacOS and Windows; a web app elsewhereGmail and Google Workspace
SparkSeveral accounts, free, on every deviceYes, with unlimited accounts; AI and team features are paidmacOS and WindowsGmail, Outlook, Exchange, Yahoo, iCloud and other IMAP accounts
ThunderbirdFree and open source, for any providerYes: the whole app is freeWindows 10+, macOS 10.15+, Linux (64-bit: a tarball, Flatpak, Snap or your distribution’s package)Gmail and other IMAP or POP accounts, Exchange and Microsoft 365
MailbirdEvery account in one app, on Windows and MacYes: one account on one device; Premium features are a 7-day trialWindows 10 and 11 (64-bit), macOS 13 Ventura or laterGmail, Outlook, Microsoft 365, iCloud, Yahoo and other IMAP accounts; Exchange on Premium
eM ClientMail, calendar and contacts in one suiteFor home use only: two accounts on one deviceWindows and macOSAny IMAP or POP account, Gmail among them, and Exchange
Gmail in the browserNothing to installYesNone: the website, in any browserGmail and Google Workspace

The list

  1. 01

    Dodosend

    Gmail from the keyboard, free, on any desktop

    A desktop Gmail client you run from the keyboard, on Mac, Windows and Linux. It works with Gmail itself, so labels stay labels and its search reads Gmail’s common operators, and it adds a command palette, reminders, scheduled send, a screen for leaving newsletters, and your Google Calendar. We make it, which is why it’s first; read the rest before you decide.

    Why pick it

    • Free for one Gmail mailbox, with every feature
    • The same keys on macOS, Windows and Linux
    • AI only for search, and no AI keeps your mail

    Keep in mind

    • Still in beta, so it changes often
    • Gmail and Google Workspace only
    • Desktop only, no phone app

    Price: Free for one Gmail mailbox; the Multi-mailbox plan, monthly or yearly, adds more

    Download it
  2. 02

    Mimestream

    The most Mac-like Gmail app

    A native Mac app made for Gmail alone. If you only use a Mac and want an app that feels like part of macOS, it is the one to beat, and one subscription covers all your Google accounts.

    Why pick it

    • Built for macOS, with the Mac’s own menus
    • Several Google accounts in one subscription

    Keep in mind

    • Mac only
    • A subscription once the 14-day trial ends

    Price: $4.99/month or $49.99/year, after a 14-day trial

    Dodosend vs Mimestream
  3. 03

    Superhuman

    Speed with AI, across Gmail and Outlook

    The app that made keyboard-first email famous. It is fast, has a ⌘K palette, and its AI writes, summarizes and drafts. It costs $30 a month or more, and it works with Outlook as well as Gmail.

    Why pick it

    • Keyboard-first, with a command palette
    • Gmail and Outlook, on desktop, phone and web

    Keep in mind

    • No free plan
    • No Linux desktop app

    Price: Starter $30/month ($25/month billed yearly); Business $40/month ($33/month billed yearly)

    Dodosend vs Superhuman
  4. 04

    Shortwave

    An AI assistant for your inbox

    A Gmail client built around an AI assistant that searches, summarizes and drafts across your mail. If you want the AI to do the reading and writing, it goes furthest.

    Why pick it

    • The AI is the center of the app
    • Desktop, phone and web apps

    Keep in mind

    • Priced per seat, after a 14-day trial
    • Gmail only, and no Linux desktop app

    Price: Business $30, Premier $45 or Max $120 per seat a month, after a 14-day trial

    Dodosend vs Shortwave
  5. 05

    Spark

    Several accounts, free, on every device

    A friendly email app for any provider, free to start, with apps for your phone. It suits you if your mail isn’t all Gmail, or if you read it on the go as much as at your desk.

    Why pick it

    • A free plan with unlimited accounts
    • Gmail, Outlook, Exchange, Yahoo and iCloud
    • iPhone and Android apps

    Keep in mind

    • AI and team features are on paid plans
    • No Linux app

    Price: Free; Plus $10/month ($99/year); Pro $20/month ($199/year)

    Dodosend vs Spark
  6. 06

    Thunderbird

    Free and open source, for any provider

    Mozilla’s free, open-source email app, on every desktop for over twenty years. It takes any provider, Exchange included, and has a calendar built in. It reaches Gmail over IMAP, so Gmail’s labels show up as folders.

    Why pick it

    • Free and open source, with no AI built in
    • Any IMAP or POP account, plus Exchange and Microsoft 365

    Keep in mind

    • Labels become folders, and archiving works differently
    • No command palette; changing a key takes an add-on

    Price: Free and open source, funded by donations

    Dodosend vs Thunderbird
  7. 07

    Mailbird

    Every account in one app, on Windows and Mac

    An email app for Windows and Mac that gathers Gmail, Outlook, iCloud, Yahoo and any IMAP account, with a unified inbox on Premium. It reaches Gmail over IMAP, so labels show up as folders.

    Why pick it

    • Free for one account
    • Many providers, and Exchange on Premium
    • A one-time license, if you’d rather not subscribe

    Keep in mind

    • Gmail comes in over IMAP, as folders
    • No Linux app; the phone apps are in beta

    Price: Free for one account; Premium $5.75/month billed yearly, or a one-time license (both on sale when checked)

    Dodosend vs Mailbird
  8. 08

    eM Client

    Mail, calendar and contacts in one suite

    A desktop suite for Windows and Mac: email from any provider, with calendar, contacts and tasks, and free phone apps. It reaches Gmail over IMAP and brings its labels in as tags.

    Why pick it

    • Free for home use, with two accounts
    • Calendar, contacts and tasks built in
    • Yearly or one-time licenses

    Keep in mind

    • The free version is for home use only
    • No Linux app

    Price: Free for home use; Personal $24.95/year or $39.95 once; Business $29.95/year or $44.95 once, per device

    Dodosend vs eM Client
  9. 09

    Gmail in the browser

    Nothing to install

    Gmail’s own website, where every feature arrives first. Chrome and Edge can install it as an app with its own window, and Safari can add it to the Dock on a Mac, but it is still the website underneath.

    Why pick it

    • Every Gmail feature, first
    • Free, on every system

    Keep in mind

    • Browser keys win: Ctrl+W closes the tab
    • Most single-key shortcuts are off until you turn them on

    Price: Free

Try the first one here

Dodosend, running in the page on sample mail, with the app’s own keys. Nothing here touches a real mailbox.

Interactive demo. A hands-on look at how it works: use your keyboard or mouse, and the guide shows you what to do. The mail is made up.

Dodosend

Inbox

3 unread
Maya Chen3
Q3 roadmap reviewI pulled together the open questions from last week. Could you look at the pricing section before Thursday?
12m
Leo Hoffman
Contract draft v2Attached is the revised draft with your comments folded in. Two clauses still need a look.
48m
Priya Nair
Invitation: Design critWednesday 3:00 – 4:00 PM. Bringing the new onboarding flow and the settings redesign.
1h
GitHub
[northwind/web] Speed up inbox sync (#482)sam-ortiz requested your review on this pull request.
2h
Sofia Álvarez
Offsite: hotel optionsReminderThree options near the venue, all under budget. My vote is the second one: walking distance.
3h
Linear
Your weekly digest12 issues closed, 4 opened. Cycle 18 ends on Friday.
5h
Marcus Webb
Intro: Jamie ↔ AnaAna leads design systems at Fieldnote. You two should compare notes on tokens.
1d
Stripe
Your receipt from Northwind #2291-4410Amount paid $49.00. Thanks for your business.
1d
Figma
Ana commented on Onboarding v3“Love the empty state. Could the illustration be a touch smaller on the second step?”
2d
Dan Okafor
Lunch Friday?New ramen place on 5th. 12:30?
3d
Maya Chen

10 threads

Step 1 of 4

Press ↓ to move to the next thread.Tap “Show me” to move to the next thread.

Move, star and archive from the keyboard. Nothing is final: undo brings it back.

How to choose

Four questions, and the list gets short fast.

Is all your mail in Gmail?

If you also have Outlook or iCloud, look at Spark, Mailbird, eM Client, Thunderbird or Superhuman. If it’s all Gmail, an app made for Gmail keeps its labels as labels, where the others turn them into folders or tags.

Which computer is it for?

On Linux, the list comes down to Dodosend, Thunderbird and the browser. On a Mac alone, Mimestream joins it. Superhuman, Shortwave, Spark, Mailbird and eM Client have Mac and Windows apps.

Keys, or AI?

Superhuman and Shortwave let AI read and write for you. Dodosend keeps AI to search and puts everything else on a key.

What will you pay?

Free: Dodosend for one mailbox, Thunderbird, Spark’s free plan, Mailbird for one account, eM Client at home, and Gmail itself. Paid: eM Client from $24.95 a year, Mimestream from $4.99 a month, Superhuman and Shortwave from $30.

Questions

What is the best free email client for Gmail?

It depends on what you need. Dodosend if you want Gmail itself, from the keyboard, on Mac, Windows or Linux: it’s free for one mailbox. Thunderbird if you want open source and accounts from other providers. Spark if you want free apps on your phone too. We make Dodosend, so weigh our answer accordingly.

Does Google make a desktop Gmail app?

No. Google offers Gmail on the web and on phones and tablets, but no app for Mac, Windows or Linux. You can install the website as an app from Chrome or Edge, or add it to the Dock from Safari, which gives it a window of its own.

Which email clients keep Gmail’s labels?

Apps that reach Gmail over IMAP, like Apple Mail, Thunderbird and Mailbird, show labels as folders, and eM Client turns them into tags. Apps made for Gmail, like Dodosend and Mimestream, keep labels as labels. Dodosend’s search also reads the operators you use most, such as from: or has:attachment.

What’s the best email client for Gmail on Linux?

Few are made for Linux at all. Dodosend has a desktop build for x86_64, as an AppImage, a .deb and an .rpm; Thunderbird is the long-standing open-source choice; and Gmail runs in any browser. Superhuman, Shortwave, Mimestream, Spark, Mailbird and eM Client have no Linux desktop app.

Is it safe to use a third-party email client with Gmail?

Use one that signs in through Google, so it never sees your password, and check what it asks for on Google’s consent screen. Whatever you grant, you can take back at any time from your Google Account, under Security, in Your connections to third-party apps and services.

Go deeper

Dodosend logo

Try it on your own inbox

Your Gmail, your keys, no card. Your mail stays on your computer, and Google lets you revoke access anytime.

Get the desktop appDownload

Free for one Gmail mailbox, on macOS, Windows, and Linux.