Apple Mail vs Thunderbird (2026): Which Is Better on Mac?

Short answer: on a Mac, Apple Mail is the better choice for most people. It's built in, looks and behaves like the rest of macOS, syncs with your iPhone, and now has Apple Intelligence on Apple silicon Macs. Thunderbird is better if you want PGP encryption for free, detailed filters and add-ons, a built-in calendar for any account, or the same app on Windows and Linux. Both are free.

Disclosure: we make Canary Mail, another email app, which we mention once near the end. Facts were checked on Apple's and Thunderbird's own sites on October 12, 2026.

Apple Mail vs Thunderbird: quick comparison

	Apple Mail	Thunderbird
Price	Free, built into macOS	Free and open source (donation-funded)
Runs on	Mac, iPhone, iPad, Vision Pro	Mac (macOS 10.15+), Windows, Linux; Android app; iPhone app in public TestFlight beta
Built with	Native Apple app	Mozilla's own platform (the engine behind Firefox)
Accounts	iCloud, Gmail, Exchange, Yahoo, any IMAP or POP	Any IMAP or POP; Gmail sign-in; Microsoft 365 email (not calendar)
Organizing	Categories, rules, Smart Mailboxes, VIPs	Message filters, tags, saved searches, unified folders
Schedule and undo send	Both built in (10-second undo by default)	Add-ons needed for both
Calendar and tasks	Separate Calendar and Reminders apps	Built in, for any account (iCloud and Google too)
AI	Apple Intelligence on Apple silicon Macs	None built in
Encryption	S/MIME	OpenPGP and S/MIME, built in
Tracking pixels	Mail Privacy Protection loads them privately	Remote content blocked by default
Add-ons	Very few	Large add-on library

Features

Apple Mail on a Mac showing the Primary category and an open message

Apple Mail covers what most people need without setup. It sorts mail into Primary, Transactions, Updates and Promotions, lets you schedule a message, gives you 10 seconds to undo a send (adjustable), and resurfaces sent mail that hasn't had a reply. On the Mac you also get rules, Smart Mailboxes and VIPs.

Thunderbird on a Mac with unified folders, a message list and an open email

Thunderbird is a full communications app: email, a calendar, tasks, contacts, chat and RSS feeds in one window. Its message filters can sort, tag, forward or delete mail by almost any condition, and add-ons extend it further. Two things people expect but won't find built in: sending at a set time (Thunderbird's Send Later only holds mail in the Outbox) and undo send. Both need add-ons.

Verdict: Thunderbird for depth and customization. Apple Mail if you want scheduling and undo send without add-ons.

Look and feel on a Mac

Apple Mail is a native Mac app, so its menus, shortcuts, gestures, Handoff and iCloud sync behave exactly like the rest of macOS and your iPhone.

Thunderbird isn't the dated app many reviews describe. Its 2023 redesign (version 115, "Supernova") added a cleaner layout, a card view for the message list and a unified toolbar, and recent versions use native Mac notifications and follow your macOS accent color. It still looks like Thunderbird rather than a Mac app, because it's built on Mozilla's own platform, the same one Firefox uses.

Verdict: Apple Mail, if fitting in with macOS matters to you.

Accounts, calendar and Microsoft 365

Apple Mail sets up iCloud, Google, Exchange and Yahoo accounts automatically and takes any other IMAP or POP account. Your calendar and contacts live in Apple's separate Calendar and Contacts apps.

Thunderbird works with any IMAP or POP account, signs in to Gmail with your Google account, and since version 154 connects to Microsoft 365 email through Microsoft's own Graph API. Exchange and Microsoft 365 calendars and contacts aren't supported yet. Its built-in calendar syncs with iCloud and Google calendars. One extra step for iCloud: Apple requires an app-specific password to use iCloud Mail in Thunderbird.

Verdict: Apple Mail for the easiest setup, especially with iCloud. Thunderbird if you want mail and calendar in one app.

AI features

Apple Mail has Apple Intelligence on Macs with Apple silicon (M1 or later): Writing Tools to rewrite or proofread, email summaries, Smart Reply and Priority Messages. macOS 27 adds Personalized Writing, which drafts replies in your own style, and search that finds results based on what you mean. More in AI in Apple Mail.

Thunderbird has no built-in AI. It announced an opt-in assistant, Thunderbird Assist, in April 2025, but it isn't available to users yet.

Verdict: Apple Mail, clearly, on an Apple silicon Mac. On an Intel Mac neither has AI.

Privacy and encryption

Both block tracking pixels, in different ways. Apple Mail's Mail Privacy Protection loads remote content privately in the background, so senders can't see when you open their mail or where you are. Thunderbird blocks remote content by default and lets you allow it per sender.

For encryption, Thunderbird is ahead: OpenPGP has been built in since version 78, alongside S/MIME, so you can create keys and send end-to-end encrypted mail without extra software. Apple Mail supports S/MIME only, which needs a personal certificate in your keychain, and has no PGP without third-party plug-ins.

Verdict: Thunderbird, for free built-in PGP. See also our guide to PGP encryption.

iPhone and other devices

Apple Mail is on every iPhone and iPad, and your accounts and settings carry across through iCloud. It doesn't run on Windows or Android.

Thunderbird runs on Mac, Windows and Linux, and Thunderbird for Android (built from K-9 Mail) has been out since October 2024. Its iPhone app isn't on the App Store yet; an early public beta is available through TestFlight, linked from Thunderbird's iOS roadmap. For everyday use, most Thunderbird users on an iPhone use Apple Mail or another app for the same accounts.

Verdict: Apple Mail if you use an iPhone. Thunderbird if you also use Windows, Linux or Android.

Price

Both are free, with no paid tiers. Apple Mail comes with macOS; iCloud+ is optional and adds storage and Hide My Email. Thunderbird is funded by donations. Its makers are also launching Thundermail, a separate paid email service (Early Bird $6 a month, billed yearly), but the Thunderbird app stays free.

Verdict: A tie.

Thunderbird on Mac in 2026

If you searched for Thunderbird for Mac, here's what to know:

It isn't discontinued. Version 157 came out on September 30, 2026, and new versions now ship every few weeks. A slower Extended Support Release (153, "Meadow") is there if you prefer fewer changes.
It runs on older Macs. Thunderbird needs macOS 10.15 or later and runs on Intel and Apple silicon, so it's an option on Intel Macs that can't get macOS 27.
Download it from thunderbird.net, not from third-party download sites.
No App Store iPhone app yet, but an early public beta is available through TestFlight, linked from Thunderbird's iOS roadmap.

How to switch between Apple Mail and Thunderbird

If your accounts use IMAP (iCloud, Gmail, Outlook.com and most others do), you don't need to move anything: add the same accounts to the other app and your mail and folders appear from the server.

Mail stored only on your Mac ("On My Mac" or Local Folders) needs exporting. Apple Mail can import standard mbox files with File, Import Mailboxes. Thunderbird's built-in importer only reads very old Apple Mail versions, so most people use mbox files and an import add-on. Recreate rules and filters by hand; they don't transfer.

Apple Mail vs Thunderbird: final verdict

Choose Apple Mail if you use an iPhone, want an app that feels like part of macOS, and like having scheduling, undo send and Apple Intelligence without add-ons. That's most Mac users.

Choose Thunderbird if you want free PGP encryption, powerful filters and add-ons, a calendar for every account in the same window, or one app across Mac, Windows and Linux.

Other options

Canary Mail on a Mac with several email accounts in one inbox

If you want PGP like Thunderbird but also an iPhone app, Canary Mail (which we make) runs on Mac, iPhone, iPad, Windows and Android, blocks tracking pixels by default, and adds AI drafting and summaries. It's free for unlimited accounts on two devices; PGP is on the Pro+ plan ($100 a year). For more choices, see the best email clients for Mac, Apple Mail alternatives and Thunderbird alternatives for Mac and iPhone.

Frequently asked questions

Is Apple Mail better than Thunderbird?

For most Mac users, yes: it's built in, native, syncs with your iPhone and has Apple Intelligence on Apple silicon Macs. Thunderbird is better for free PGP encryption, advanced filters, add-ons and a built-in calendar.

Is Thunderbird being discontinued?

No. Thunderbird 157 was released on September 30, 2026, new versions ship every few weeks, and Thunderbird for Android is actively updated. An iPhone app is in public beta on TestFlight.

Does Thunderbird work on a Mac?

Yes. It runs on macOS 10.15 or later, on Intel and Apple silicon Macs. Download it from thunderbird.net.

Is there a Thunderbird app for iPhone?

Not on the App Store yet. An early public beta of Thunderbird's native iPhone and iPad app is available through TestFlight, linked from Thunderbird's iOS roadmap. There is a full Thunderbird app for Android.

Can I use iCloud Mail in Thunderbird?

Yes, but Apple requires an app-specific password, which you create in your Apple Account settings. Gmail works by signing in with your Google account.

Is there a better mail client than Thunderbird?

It depends on what you need. On a Mac, Apple Mail is simpler and more native; Canary Mail adds PGP and AI on both Mac and iPhone; Mimestream is the best Mac app for Gmail-only users. See our best email clients for Mac.

What is the best email program for Mac?

Apple Mail for most people. Outlook if you work in Microsoft 365, Mimestream for Gmail, Thunderbird for a free open-source app with PGP.

Can Apple Mail import mail from Thunderbird?

Yes, from mbox files: choose File, Import Mailboxes in Apple Mail. If your accounts use IMAP, just add them to Apple Mail instead; your mail syncs from the server.

Sources

PGP and AI on Mac and iPhone

Download Canary Mail

Apple Mail vs Thunderbird: Which Is Better on a Mac in 2026?