10 Best Alternatives to Spark Mail in 2024

10 Best Alternatives to Spark Mail in 2024

Discover top Spark Mail alternatives in 2024. Enhance your email experience with improved functionality and security.

Phoebe Brown

Phoebe Brown | Jan 1, 2024 | 13 mins read

Spark Mail is a cross-platform email designed to help you filter out the noise and reduce inbox overwhelm.

💡 Many users choose Spark because of its focus on email productivity and organization. It offers modern features like a smart inbox that automatically categorizes emails and an AI email assistant that helps users write emails in less time.

Still, as with any other email client, Spark Mail has some flaws that make users want to look for a more suitable alternative. If that’s you, this article will help you find a suitable Spark alternative. We’ll review the 10 best alternatives to Spark Mail with their features, pros, and cons.

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Why Do You Need a Spark Alternative?

(Hint: User Experience 🤝)

alternatives to spark email

Spark Mail is an email client application founded by Readdle in 2015. It’s a collaborative email app that can help you streamline your inbox and achieve the coveted “inbox zero.” With Spark, you can organize your emails based on priority, set reminders, and even collaborate with others on email threads. 

Many users choose Spark for its intuitive user experience (UX) and modern email productivity features. However, recent changes, including a pricing increase and a shift to a subscription model, have led to dissatisfaction among users. 

Many users have expressed confusion and frustration over the new pricing structure and criticized Spark’s recent interface changes. 

Here are a few reasons why you may need an alternative to Spark: 

  • Spark’s user experience is poor: Although Spark offers an extensive feature suite, the user experience isn’t very intuitive and can be frustrating for many users. 
  • Spark can be clunky: Some Spark users have experienced frequent bugs in the app functionality after the latest update, which slowed down its performance. 
  • Spark may not be suitable for personal use: Although Spark offers a free plan tailored for individuals, its main strengths lie in its team collaboration features

🛠️ Spark Features

Spark’s core feature is its smart inbox that automatically places new emails into personal, newsletter, and notification categories. Here are some of Spark’s main features for easy email management: 

👍🏻 Pros:

  • Easy to use and intuitive interface
  • Handy features for email organization and management
  • Integrates with task management tools like Asana and Slack
  • Includes features for team collaboration, such as shared drafts and comments

👎🏻 Cons:

  • Slow loading at times
  • The app may be confusing to navigate
  • May not be suitable for individual use

💰 Spark Pricing

Spark is free for personal use with limited features. Its paid plans start at $4.99 per month (billed annually).

💬 Spark Reviews

Capterra Rating: 5/5

G2 Rating: N/A

Top 10 User-Friendly Spark Alternatives 

If you’re using Spark Mail as your primary email client, you might have chosen it because of its focus on email productivity and the ability to help you achieve “inbox zero,” which can be truly challenging for many people. 

But even though Spark Mail offers a robust suite of features focused on email organization and team collaboration, you may find it too slow, clunky, and confusing to navigate. 

Here are the top 10 Spark alternatives for a more user-friendly and seamless email experience. If you don’t want to or don’t have the time to read it all, skip ahead to the comparative table at the bottom of the article.

1. Canary Mail – Best Spark Mail Alternative Overall

spark mail alternative

Canary Mail is the most advanced and secure email client on the market, which focuses on streamlining the email management process with modern features like an AI email writer, read receipts, and an email snooze option. 

Aside from that, Canary Mail is known for its robust security features, including end-to-end encryption, which ensures that your emails remain private and secure. 

Although Spark offers a similar feature suite focused on email productivity, Canary Mail is more advanced and offers a more intuitive and easy-to-navigate user experience. 

🛠️ Canary Mail Features

All in all, Canary Mail, as an app for all email accounts, helps you stay organized and productive while ensuring that no critical updates go unseen, thanks to the list of its unique features, such as: 

👍🏻 Pros:

👎🏻 Cons:

  • It may take time to learn
  • Some might find the AI suggestions either too intrusive or unnecessary

💰 Canary Mail Pricing

Canary Mail offers a free forever plan for personal use. Our paid plans start at $49 per year. 

💬 Canary Mail Reviews

Capterra Rating: 4.7/5

G2 Rating: 4.4/5

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2. Airmail – Best for Sleek Interface & Design

apps similar to sparkmail

Airmail is an email client designed specifically for iOS, macOS, and watchOS and can be used on all Apple devices. Its interface is indeed reminiscent of Apple’s aesthetics through its sleek design and fast speed. 

Unlike Apple Mail, Airmail offers extensive customization options, allowing users greater control over their email experience. 

What’s more, Airmail allows users to add and manage multiple email accounts, like Gmail, iCloud Mail, Exchange, Microsoft Outlook, IMAP, and POP3, and it integrates with various productivity and task management apps.

🛠️Airmail Features

Airmail boasts a range of powerful features, including: 

  • A unified inbox
  • Smart folders for efficient organization
  • Customizable swipe actions
  • Integrations with popular productivity apps 
  • Undo send function
  • Email snooze function
  • A built-in calendar
  • Automatic newsletter filtering
  • Privacy mode

👍🏻 Pros:

  • Works with all primary email providers
  • Security with Face and Touch ID
  • Syncs with iCloud across all Apple devices
  • Uses Siri shortcuts to send emails
  • Integrates with apps like Todoist, OmniFocus, Fantastical, Calendar 5,Dropbox, and OneDrive

👎🏻 Cons:

  • Can only be used by Apple users
  • Interface may not be very intuitive for some users

💰 Airmail Pricing

Airmail is generally free to use on Mac, iPhone, and iPad, but it has limited features. If you want access to more advanced features, Airmail Pro subscription for $9.99 monthly or $29.99 yearly. Prices may vary based on your region. 

💬 Airmail Reviews

Capterra Rating: 4.6/5

G2 Rating: 3.6/5

3. Edison Mail – Best Multi-Email Spark Alternative

alternatives to spark mail

Edison Mail is a multi-email app that lets you combine all of your inboxes in one place, whether it’s Gmail, Yahoo! Mail, Outlook, Apple Mail, and more. 

Aside from email productivity, Edison Mail focuses on providing its users with a lightning-fast and uninterrupted user experience. 

Unlike Spark, Edison Mail promises no outages, crashes, or delays in email delivery. What’s more, it’s completely free to download on either one of your devices and isn’t supported by ads. 

🛠️ Edison Mail Features

Edison Mail focuses on creating a smart and efficient email experience for users who are looking to combine all their inboxes in one place. Here are some of Edison Mail’s core features

  • Unified inbox for multiple email accounts
  • Fast email fetching
  • Email tracking pixel blocking
  • Customizable swipe options
  • Easy unsubscribe feature
  • Focused inbox and pinned messages
  • Undo send option
  • Custom snooze times for emails
  • Contact management
  • Sender blocking
  • Customizable widgets for the home screen
  • AI-based email concierge service

👍🏻 Pros:

  • Can support up to 20 different email accounts
  • Tools to reduce email overload
  • Comes with AI capabilities
  • Completely free to use

👎🏻 Cons:

  • Not available for Windows
  • No web app 

💰 Edison Mail Pricing

Edison Mail is free to download and use on macOS, iOS, and Android. 

💬 Edison Mail Reviews

Capterra Rating: N/A

G2 Rating: N/A

4. Mimestream – Best macOS Email Client for Gmail 

alternatives to spark email

Mimestream is a native macOS email client for Gmail that allows users to connect multiple Gmail accounts in one place. It uses the Gmail API to provide Gmail users with a lightning-fast email experience and streamline their email-related tasks.  

If you’re relying on multiple Gmail accounts for your email communication and using a Mac, Mimestream may be a great option for you. Still, it’s important to note that its feature suite is pretty basic, and if you don’t use a Mac or Gmail, you won’t be able to benefit from Mimestream

🛠️ Mimestream Features

Mimestream focuses on making your Gmail experience smarter and more efficient with features like: 

  • A unified inbox for multiple Gmail accounts
  • Integration with Gmail’s API
  • Inbox categorization
  • Full support for Gmail labels
  • Gmail aliases 
  • Email templates 
  • Calendar invitations responses 
  • Gmail-backed search capabilities
  • Email tracker prevention
  • Email snooze option
  • Vacation responses
  • Focus filters
  • Customizable notification schedules

👍🏻 Pros:

  • Full feature suite for a smart Gmail experience
  • Support unlimited Gmail accounts
  • Direct connection through Gmail’s API
  • Intuitive and easy-to-use interface 

👎🏻 Cons:

  • Only for Gmail users
  • Only for macOS users
  • Pretty basic in its functionality
  • No free plan

💰 Mimestream Pricing

Mimestream offers a subscription plan for individuals either at $4.99 per month or $49.99 per year. It also offers a group plan for teams and organizations with pricing adjusted to the number of users. 

💬 Mimestream Reviews

Capterra Rating: N/A

G2 Rating: N/A

5. Microsoft Outlook – Best for Microsoft Office 365 Users

spark email alternatives

Outlook is a free email provider by Microsoft that seamlessly integrates with other apps from the Microsoft Office 365 suite. Microsoft Outlook is more than an inbox. It brings together email, calendar, contacts, attachments, and more. 

If you’re already using tools from the Microsoft Office 365 suite or plan on doing so, Outlook will be a great Spark alternative. However, Spark and Microsoft Outlook offer a very different experience, with Spark focusing on email productivity and Outlook providing a full tool suite to go with your email. 

🛠️ Outlook Features

Outlook supports multiple accounts, and its built-in analytic engine automatically prioritizes important emails based on your communication patterns. Aside from that, it offers other handy features like:

  • Scheduling emails
  • Do Not Disturb settings
  • A focused inbox to prioritize important emails
  • Quick swipe controls
  • Smart folders

👍🏻 Pros:

  • Seamless integration with the Office 365 suite
  • Email and calendar apps are completely free
  • Available for Windows, Mac, web and mobile
  • Enterprise-grade security

👎🏻 Cons:

  • Some users may find the interface less intuitive compared to other email apps
  • The search function could be improved, as some users report difficulties in finding specific emails

💰 Outlook Pricing

Outlook is free to use. However, it has multiple plans for the Microsoft 365 subscription, starting at $1.99 per month or $19.99 per year. 

💬 Outlook Reviews

Capterra Rating: 4.5/5

G2 Rating: 4.5/5

6. Mailbird – Best Spark Alternative for Windows

alternatives to spark email

Mailbird is a desktop-based email client designed specifically for Windows that integrates with a multitude of other apps, including social media platforms, task management apps, and messaging services. 

Mailbird’s main strength is that it offers a unified inbox to manage all your email accounts in one place. Aside from that, it also comes with a set of features focused on email productivity, as well as AI capabilities and speed reading technology. 

🛠️ Mailbird Features

Mailbird stands out with its elegant design and support for various email providers. Aside from that, the app offers a range of handy features, such as: 

  • Customizable email workspaces & templates
  • Native calendar app
  • AI-powered email authoring 
  • Centralized email management
  • Message snoozing
  • Speed reading technology
  • Attachment search
  • Multilanguage support

👍🏻 Pros:

  • Seamless integration with a wide range of apps, including WhatsApp, Twitter, Dropbox, and more.
  • Customizable layout and appearance to suit your personal preferences.
  • Supports multiple accounts and offers a unified inbox.
  • Integrates with various email providers, such as Gmail and Outlook.

👎🏻 Cons:

  • It’s a desktop client, so there’s no mobile app available.
  • Some advanced features are only available in the paid version.
  • Works only on Windows

💰 Mailbird Pricing

Mailbird is free to download and use. It has two paid plans: the Standard Pay Once plan at $99 and the Premium Pay Once plan at $399. Both plans give you lifetime access to Mailbird’s premium features.

💬 Mailbird Reviews

Capterra Rating: 4.4/5

G2 Rating: 3.8/5

7. Thunderbird – Best Open-Source Email Client

spark alternative

Thunderbird is a free, open-source email client developed by Mozilla. Although its interface looks a bit outdated, Thunderbird can be a great alternative to Spark Mail if you’re looking for a highly customizable, open-source, and free email client

Developed by a community of volunteers, Thunderbird provides a range of add-ons and customization options to adapt to your specific email management requirements.

Thunderbird is available for download in multiple languages on all operating systems, including macOS, Windows, and Linux. 

🛠️ Thunderbird Features

Thunderbird offers a range of features, such as: 

  • An integrated calendar
  • Task management options
  • A large library of add-ons for additional functionality
  • Tag feature for easy organization
  • A unified inbox to manage multiple email accounts

👍🏻 Pros:

  • Open-source and fully customizable with a wide range of add-ons
  • Integrated calendar and task management features
  • Strong privacy and security features, including automatic encryption
  • It supports POP and IMAP protocols
  • Available to download for Windows, Mac, and Linux

👎🏻 Cons:

  • The interface can feel outdated compared to other modern email clients
  • Some users report that it can be slow and resource-intensive
  • No mobile app
  • Can’t be used as a web app

💰 Thunderbird Pricing

Thunderbird is free to download and use, being an open-source project. While the app is free forever, users can donate a desired amount to its creators.

💬 Thunderbird Reviews

Capterra Rating: 4.5/5

G2 Rating: 4.3/5 

8. Spike – Best for a Chat-Like Email Experience

alternative to spark

Spike isn’t an email client, per se. Rather, it’s a team communication app that brings together various communication channels into one platform, creating an instant messaging-like experience. 

Spike’s email app focuses on transforming your email experience from long and messy email threads into organized chat conversations. The email app is available on Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and the web.

🛠️ Spike Features

Spike’s email app offers a conversational, chat-like email with management features like calendars, notes, and tasks. Here are some of Spike’s main features

  • Unified inbox
  • Video and audio calls
  • Search history
  • Spike Magic AI feature
  • Message read indicator
  • Voice messages
  • Available on mobile, desktop & web

👍🏻 Pros:

  • Conversational, instant-messaging-like format
  • Built-in notes and tasks within the inbox
  • Supports video and audio calls
  • AI features

👎🏻 Cons:

  • Slow syncing and occasional glitches
  • User interface may be confusing
  • Limitations in search functionality

💰 Spike Pricing

Spike offers a free version with limited features. Its paid plans for email users start at $5 per user per month (billed annually).

💬 Spike Reviews

Capterra Rating: 4.7/5

G2 Rating: 4.6/5

9. BlueMail – Best All-in-One Messaging Platform

alternative to spark mail

BlueMail is a cross-platform email client that offers a unified inbox experience across various email services and accounts, making it an excellent alternative for users who juggle multiple email addresses

With BlueMail, users can connect unlimited email accounts in one place, making it easier to stay organized and improve productivity. What’s more, BlueMail comes with an AI email assistant (GemAI) to help users write and summarize emails faster.

BlueMail is compatible and available for download on any operating system, including macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, and Huawei.

🛠️BlueMail Features

BlueMail focuses on helping users improve their productivity and efficiency when managing their inboxes. Here are some of its core features

  • GemAI email assistant 
  • Integrated calendar
  • Smart push notifications
  • Unified folders
  • Smart email clusters
  • Unified inbox for unlimited accounts
  • MagicSync (backup, restore, and transfer accounts between devices)
  • Task board for your emails 
  • One-click unsubscribe

👍🏻 Pros:

  • Ad-free, even on the free plan
  • Support any protocol, including IMAP, SMTP, Exchange ActiveSync, EWS, and POP3
  • Solid privacy and security features
  • Compatible with Android Wear and Apple Watch

👎🏻 Cons:

  • Third-party integrations available only on paid plans
  • Priority support available only on paid plans
  • AI-driven features available only on paid plans

💰 BlueMail Pricing

Bluemail offers a free forever plan. Its paid plans start at $5 per user per month or $49 per user per year. 

💬 BlueMail Reviews

Capterra Rating: 4.4/5

G2 Rating: 4.3/5

10. Aqua Mail – Best for Inbox Customization

spark mail alternatives

Aqua Mail is a highly customizable email app for Android and iOS that focuses on creating a smart, customizable, and secure email experience for mobile devices. Essentially, Aqua Mail allows you to connect and manage all your email accounts from any provider in one universal mobile email app

With its privacy-first approach, Aqua Mail doesn’t collect or store your personal data, email content, or passwords. If privacy is your major concern, Aqua Mail can be a great Spark alternative for you.   

🛠️ Aqua Mail Features

AquaMail’s main focus lies on the security and privacy of your emails. But aside from its excellent security features, it also comes with other benefits, such as:

  • Multiple email accounts 
  • Sync contacts and calendar
  • Push mail
  • Open and save EML files
  • Rich-text editor
  • Intuitive home screen widgets
  • Priority notifications
  • Save as PDF
  • Custom file picker
  • Access control

👍🏻 Pros:

  • Automatic setup for Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, FastMail, Apple, GMX, EWS, and AOL
  • Customizable with over 300 settings
  • Available in 20 languages
  • Strong email privacy and security features

👎🏻 Cons:

  • Only one signature per account
  • Some users report bugs 

💰 Aqua Mail Pricing

Aqua Mail is free to download and use on Android and iOS. If you want to unlock premium features, you can purchase Aqua Mail Pro for a one-time fee of $19.99. 

💬 Aqua Mail Reviews

Capterra Rating: N/A
G2 Rating: N/A

Best Alternatives to Spark Mail, a Comparative Table

Features Canary Mail Airmail Edison Mail Mimestream Microsoft Outlook Mailbird Thunderbird Spike Blue Mail Aqua Mail
Free Version
Storage 15GB 1GB
Pricing Canary mail pricing page $9.99/month Free $4.99/month $1.99/month $99/lifetime Free $5/month $5/month $19.99/lifetime
AI
Read Receipt
Snooze Option
Biometric App Lock
Push Notification for Important Email

Alternative to Spark Mail, the Bottom Line

Spark Mail is a great email client for those looking to optimize their email workflows with smart email organization features and AI capabilities. It’s also a great option for teams looking to collaborate over emails. 

However, many Spark users begin to search for alternatives because of Spark’s poor user experience, slow interface, and frequent bugs and crashes. Luckily, there are many options to choose from if you’re looking for a Spark alternative.  

Whether you’re searching for a modern email client with AI capabilities like Canary Mail or something more specific to your needs like Mimestream, there’s an email client out there that’s perfect for you.

Spark Alternative, the FAQs

❓Is Spark email still free?

Yes, Spark email is still free for new users, and existing users continue to have access to all the features that were free before. However, if you want access to premium features such as AI capabilities, advanced collaboration options, and additional integrations, you will need to subscribe to their premium plan.

❓What is the best alternative to Spark Mail?

Canary Mail is often recommended as the best alternative to Spark Mail due to its emphasis on security and privacy features. Plus, Canary Mail offers a similar yet more advanced feature suite to Spark’s, focused on email productivity – including AI capabilities. 

❓Why search for a Spark alternative?

Some users search for a Spark alternative because they have found Spark Mail to be slow and clunky, with frequent crashes. Although Spark Mail used to be loved and appreciated by its users, it’s now perceived as a not very reliable email client

Phoebe Brown
Phoebe Brown

As a British writer and productivity coach, I’m passionate about unraveling the intricacies of email, SaaS, and artificial intelligence. With a knack for making the complex simple, my work empowers individuals and teams to harness these tools for maximum impact.

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