About 4 to 6 hours. That is time spent checking both our business and personal emails on a daily basis. Time well spent. Is there an option to make this work a little bit easier and smoother? Yes. For sure, the best email clients will make your work easy.
Is there a way to make email more productive?
Then why not?
A desktop best email clients make it easy to manage all of your accounts in one place, deploy a range of productivity tools, and integrate your other favorite applications. Generally, desktop email clients are easier to install and have more features. Windows email applications are the best choice for die-hard Windows users.
To assist you in deciding which Windows email client is best for you, we reviewed almost twenty clients. In the following sections, we’ll look at eight of the best platforms, but first, let’s examine how we evaluated and chose them.
Despite the fact that businesses rely primarily on email as a communication tool, there are a number of ways they can store and access their emails.
If you have an email client that supports POP3, SMTP, or IMAP protocols, you can connect directly to a mail server from your computer.
Web applications provide cloud services in another way, without requiring any software to be installed or even a server to collect email since everything is stored by the web application provider.
Despite the fact that email clients require some extra effort to run, they also offer more control over user data. You are the only one who controls your emails, and third parties do not have access to them unless you give them permission – either intentionally or unintentionally.
For business purposes, you should consider this carefully, as allowing your email to run through web apps means that, though it will be safely backed up, the provider will also have control of your data, and some companies openly admit that they will scan private email for marketing purposes. Make sure your email data is backed up so you don’t lose any important email messages.
In order to protect sensitive business data, many businesses still prefer to control emails through an email server and email clients, even though consumers prefer the ease of use that web apps offer.
There are a variety of email providers on the market, so we’ll start by looking at the best email clients, before examining other options, such as email web apps.
What makes a great and best email clients for Windows?
The desktop email client will work with most web email services (Gmail, Yahoo!, Outlook, AOL, etc.): it shouldn’t matter which webmail service you currently use. Our search was initially based on apps that worked with a variety of email services.
As a result, we took a close look at a few of the most important aspects of the user experience: ease of setup, ease of use, and customization options. Each of the email tools we chose was easy to use and took no more than five minutes to set up. Each of the email clients on this list can be customized to get the experience you want, which is what makes a desktop application worth it in the first place.
Our final step was to look at what made each app unique. The use of productivity tools like automated email routing, chat, templates, and filters allows you to regain back valuable time. Additionally, having your favorite third-party apps right inside your inbox can make your working day more efficient, especially if you’re on email a lot.
Best email clients for Windows which are paid
Firstly, let us explore the best-paid email clients for both Windows 10 and 11.
1. Microsoft Outlook
The classic email client from Microsoft
Why you should buy
- Trusted by businesses worldwide
- The gold standard of email clients
- Integrated with Microsoft Office
Business owners, no matter how large or small, have relied on Microsoft Outlook since the ’90s. With a number of advanced features yet being relatively easy to use, it’s a sophisticated platform. Microsoft’s Office 365 software platform includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and SharePoint, as well as a suite of more than a dozen productivity applications. Outlook is the perfect platform for any business that wants to invest once in an email client and not look back.
In addition to integrating well with other Microsoft services, it extends email’s use beyond simple message exchange.
As Outlook is fully integrated with the Outlook Calendar, sharing calendars to coordinate meetings is a snap. In addition, Outlook Contacts are fully integrated. Besides being available on Windows, Outlook is also available on iOS and Android smartphones.
You can access your settings by clicking Info > Options once the file has been downloaded. Start by choosing from a handful of themes and organizing everything within the interface in any way you like. The Ribbon is a horizontal top menu that contains all your commands for performing tasks, including customizing them. Your preferences can determine which command options you want to add as a quick access feature.
Furthermore, the email client includes templates, built-in dictation, text-to-speech capabilities, and rules for managing emails with keywords, flags, senders, and to/from fields. The Add-Ins (called Add-Ons) from third parties can be used to customize your experience even more.
2. eM Client
A powerful alternative to Outlook
A REASON TO BUY
- Offers chat support
- Encryption is built-in
- An interface for the modern world
- Available for Windows and Mac
eM Client was created nearly ten years ago, and over the years has evolved into one of the best email clients for Windows users.
Calendars, contacts, and chat are among the many features of the application. You can use Gmail, Yahoo, iCloud, and Outlook.com in addition to all the major email providers. In addition to PGP encryption, the latest version has live backup capabilities, basic image editing capabilities, and auto-reply support for Gmail.
You can use the free version for personal and business purposes, but you need to upgrade for commercial use and VIP support (the free version is limited to two email accounts). This version is licensed once for one year.
By just entering your email address, eM Client helps you migrate your messages from Gmail, Exchange, iCloud, and Outlook.com. If you’d rather manage your contacts and calendar separately, eM Client supports importing them as well.
Additionally, there is a built-in chat app, which supports commonly used platforms like Jabber and Google Chat, and the search functionality is superior to that found in webmail.
3. Mailbird
This email client is full of app integrations
Why you should buy
- There are lots of apps built-in
- Affordability
- An interface that can be customized
Its wide range of third-party integrations makes managing email and your most-used apps easy. Mailbird is one of the more modern and user-friendly email clients we tested. Mailbird is appealing to users who do not want to leave their inbox because the integrations share the UI with your inbox. There are many apps with native integrations, including Slack, Dropbox, Trello, and Google Drive.
Start by downloading the client, connecting to an email client (or connecting to the one you already have), and you’re all set. Once your emails are synchronized, you’ll be prompted to select a layout and add third-party apps. You can connect by clicking on your app, signing in, and going directly to your inbox. Your apps appear in the sidebar as icons so you can access them with a click. By connecting my Slack account, I could quickly see what was going on and respond to messages.
Utilizing the Snooze feature in your inbox is a good way to manage your inbox without having to resort to other tools. A reminder of upcoming events, like webinars, can be triggered by right-clicking the email, picking a date and time, and it will appear back in your inbox at that time. In addition, you will be able to see what’s coming up in your Snooze folder. With the unified mailbox feature, you can manage folders and emails from multiple email accounts from one inbox.
Price:
From $39 per year for Mailbird Personal or $79 when purchased once. The business plan ($59 annually) adds priority support and Exchange support as well as unlimited tracking of emails.
4. Inky
Client for anti-phishing emails
Why you should buy
- Designed with security in mind
- Provides clients with phishing email information that is not available elsewhere
Unfortunately, they put less emphasis on features that aren’t security related
As a security-minded email client, Inky employs AI and machine learning algorithms to block all types of phishing attacks that might otherwise pass through.
Using an ‘Inky Phish Fence,’ this client recognizes phishing attempts both internally and externally. With the proprietary machine learning technology, emails can be read and determined if they contain phishing content, and then the emails can be quarantined or delivered without malicious links. It also includes a dashboard that provides an administrator with the ability to view patterns of attacks based on date or targeted users.
While Inky offers a free trial, pricing information is not available on the company’s website. On the site, it is noted that subscriptions are priced per mailbox per month, with volume discounts.
Best email clients for Windows which are Free
Now, let’s cover the best email clients for Windows that are free and get their job done. I.e. Gmail. Since the paid plans are sometimes too expensive, free clients will be the best fit for you. These free email clients can save both your personal and business purposes perfectly.
1. Gmail
It needs no introduction that Google’s webmail service is the best in the business
Why you should buy
- The interface has been streamlined
- You have lots of power with the workspace option
- Filtering spam effectively
The main reason you should avoid Gmail is that the paid plan is not cheap at all.
With more than a billion users worldwide, Google’s Gmail has become the dominant provider of free email services.
The stripped-down web interface of Gmail stands out. The screen is dominated by your inbox, with little clutter in the toolbar or elsewhere. Conversations organize messages for easier viewing, and even a first-time user can read and reply to emails easily.
A lot of power is available here. Using dynamic mail makes Gmail more interactive, providing the option to take actions directly within emails, such as filling out a questionnaire or commenting on a Google Doc. With tabbed categories like Primary, Social, and Promotions, messages can be automatically filed, helping you find what you need.
You have access to cutting-edge spam blocking and can manage your other accounts through the same interface (Outlook, Yahoo, any other IMAP or POP email). There are also 15GB of storage for your inbox, Drive, and photos.
Additionally, you can use Gmail offline if you have Google Chrome installed. In addition, there is a snooze feature that allows you to set a time for a particular email to be snoozed (it also marks it as important).
However, there are some questionable features. A custom labeling system instead of folders, for instance – a metaphor almost every user understands – will allow you to filter messages. There are some advantages to this, but not all users find it appealing. The service is still a great choice, and Gmail is a great place to begin when choosing an email provider.
As part of its Google Workspace (formerly G Suite) product line, Google also offers a paid service version of Gmail for businesses.
You can use your domain name as an email address (yourname@yourcompany.tld) instead of the ads in this more professional application. Mail from Outlook, Exchange, Lotus, and many other systems can be imported with business-oriented migration tools. On the Basic plan, storage doubles to 30GB, and unlimited group email addresses are included. Uptime is guaranteed at 99.9%, and 24/7 support is available.
It includes apps for document editing, spreadsheets, and presentations, as well as Google’s answer to Microsoft 365. Online meetings are easier with shared calendars, and your system is supported 24/7 by video and voice conferencing.
2. Mail and Calendar
Integrated into Windows and good enough to be the default email client
Why you should buy
- Installed by default in Windows 10
- Calendar integration with Windows
- Provides support for multiple email providers
It has long been recognized that while Outlook is an industry-standard, it is overkill for many home users, so Windows includes a lighter version. When this client first appeared, it was called Outlook Express, but since then it has evolved into the Mail and Calendar client that is part of Microsoft’s latest desktop operating system.
Users of Windows 10 who log in with Hotmail, Live, or Outlook.com addresses will see their Hotmail, Live, or Outlook accounts in the Mail and Calendar client automatically.
Additionally, Yahoo, Gmail, and iCloud accounts can be used. There is a useful feature called Quick Actions in Mail and Calendar, which, for example, lets users flag or archive messages. In addition, it works seamlessly with Windows Calendar.
3. Thunderbird
An email client that is free and capable from Mozilla
Why you should buy
- Totally free
- Easily customize
- Plugins that protect your privacy and security
Your emails can be stored locally with Thunderbird, and you can schedule backups and change the server settings. The client includes some unique security features that aren’t found in other clients, such as end-to-end encryption. Thunderbird is open-source, which means a wide variety of developers have contributed add-ons to enhance the user experience. All of them are free.
Thunderbird does not have a particularly stylish interface-it’s modeled after Mozilla’s Firefox browser with tabs-but you would not choose it for its style anyway. Other options are available as well. They can be accessed by clicking the hamburger menu at the top right corner. From here, you can select privacy settings, customize the app’s appearance, and choose basic options like how to compose email messages. There are a variety of themes available, such as Suave, Dark Fox, and Two Little Birds (pictured above).
Thunderbird was noticeably slower than other email clients when sending emails and receiving replies.
To find out more about the extensions Thunderbird can do for you, select Tools > Add-on Options. Using Quicktext and Smart Templates, you can create email templates quickly. The Send Later feature lets you schedule future times for sending messages or emails, e.g., “every two days.”
4. Slack
Collaboration tool you don’t need to introduce
Why you should buy
- Excellent user interface
- A free version that is impressive
- Platform for communication
Rather than being an email client, Slack is an online communication tool for collaboration and communication.
It is a smart platform that has both mobile and desktop versions available. Send direct messages (DMs) and files to an individual or a group of employees, and organize conversations by channel (for example, a channel for technical support, a channel for general chat).
Video calling is also supported by the app. This feature lets you discuss your work in-depth with your colleagues without having to type it all into a DM. Although this does not replace cloud storage, your colleagues can drag and drop files directly into Slack for sharing. You can also use the software with services such as Dropbox, Google Drive, and Box.
Last but not least, Slack has a free version, though unsurprisingly it has restrictions (in terms of the number of messages it can store, overall storage size, etc.).
5. Spike
REASONS TO BUY
- Unlimited email accounts are supported
- An easy-to-use chat interface
- Encryption is available
- A mobile and desktop version is available
There is a web version of Spike for those occasions when you are pressed for time and do not want to install the software.
According to the company, this is the first conversational email app, meaning messages and replies are presented in real-time in bubbles, looking a lot like WhatsApp. For short emails sent to friends and family, this is the most convenient way to keep track of long chains of emails that would usually be a mess of nested messages.
Spike is free for personal use, supporting up to 10 group chat rooms and unlimited email accounts. You’ll appreciate the relief from sorting through long lists of replies.
In addition to voice and video meetings, there is a nominal charge per email account for business users.
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