Alternatives to Balsa

A lightweight GTK email client for the GNOME desktop. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.

Replacements

Listings that take over the same core job as Balsa.

  • Geary

    GNOME email client built around conversation threads.

    FreeOpen sourceLinux

    Geary is another GNOME mail client, organised around conversation threads with fast search, but it lacks encryption, a rules engine and a calendar.

  • Thunderbird

    Mozilla’s desktop mail client, with calendar, contacts and a unified inbox, funded by donations rather than ads.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinuxAndroid

    Thunderbird is heavier but adds calendar, contacts, OpenPGP and add-ons, and runs on Windows and macOS as well as Linux.

  • Evolution

    GNOME's mail, calendar, contacts and tasks suite, and the usual answer for Exchange on Linux.

    FreeOpen sourceLinux

    Evolution adds calendar, contacts, tasks and Exchange support on GNOME, but is heavier than a mail-only client and slower to start.

  • Claws Mail

    A fast, keyboard-driven email client that loads a hundred thousand message folder without thinking about it.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinux

    Claws Mail is a fast, keyboard-driven client with PGP, spam and RSS plugins that handles very large folders, and also offers Windows installers.

  • KMail

    KDE's email client with IMAP, filtering and OpenPGP support.

    FreeOpen sourceLinux

    KMail is KDE's client with integrated OpenPGP and S/MIME, but it depends on the Akonadi storage service and fits the KDE desktop better.

  • Mailspring

    A desktop mail client with a unified inbox, snooze and send later, whose paid tier adds read receipts.

    FreemiumOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinux

    Mailspring offers a unified inbox, snooze and templates across Windows, macOS and Linux, but it is Electron-based and heavier than a native GTK client.

  • Betterbird

    A Thunderbird fork that ships extra fixes and features, and can run side by side on the same profile.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinux

    Betterbird is a Thunderbird fork with extra fixes and features, bringing a much larger feature set than Balsa on Windows, macOS and Linux.

Similar software

Related functionality, not a direct replacement.