Alternatives to Gmail
Google's email service, used on the web and through Android and iOS apps. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.
The original
Gmail
Google's email service, used on the web and through Android and iOS apps.
Replacements
Listings that take over the same core job as Gmail.
Yahoo Mail
Yahoo's free web and mobile email service with inbox organisation and AI-assisted features.
Yahoo Mail is another free web and mobile email account with inbox organisation tools, run by a large advertising company, with no paid tier listed.
Microsoft Outlook
Microsoft's email, calendar and contacts app for desktop, mobile and the web.
Microsoft Outlook adds desktop apps for Windows and macOS alongside web and mobile, ties into Microsoft 365, and keeps Copilot and some features on paid plans.
Proton Mail
Official Proton Mail apps for reading and sending end-to-end encrypted email on phones, desktops and the web.
Proton Mail encrypts email end to end by default and has apps for every major platform, but its desktop apps need a paid plan after the trial.
Fastmail
A paid, privacy-focused email, calendar and contacts service with web and mobile apps.
Fastmail is a paid, privacy-focused host with email, calendar and contacts, a choice of EU or USA data residency, custom domains and no free plan after the trial.
Zoho Workplace
An online suite from Zoho combining mail, team chat, meetings, file storage and office editors.
Zoho Workplace bundles mail with team chat, meetings, file storage and office editors, and is aimed at business teams rather than individuals, with a freemium model.
Mailfence
Encrypted email service from Belgium with OpenPGP support, calendars, contacts and document storage.
Mailfence is a Belgian service with OpenPGP encryption in the browser, standard IMAP and POP access, calendar and documents, with advanced features on paid plans.
Posteo
German ad-free email provider with calendar, address book and notes, run on green energy.
Posteo is a German ad-free provider with a low fixed monthly price, signup without personal details, and IMAP access, but has no free tier and 4 GB base storage.
mailbox.org
A German email and workspace service with mail, cloud storage, video meetings and office tools.
mailbox.org hosts mail, storage, meetings and office tools in Germany under GDPR, and requires a paid subscription after the trial instead of a free account.
Also worth comparing
These listings name Gmail as their own alternative, so the relationship runs both ways.
Disroot
Donation-funded platform offering free email, cloud storage, XMPP chat and other privacy-focused online services.
Gmail is a free, widely supported account with strong spam filtering and AI drafting, but it is tied to Google and some AI features need payment.
HEY
An email and calendar service from 37signals that screens senders before they reach your inbox.
Gmail is a free, widely supported account with strong spam filtering and AI drafting, but it is tied to a Google account and has no sender screener.
Mimestream
A native macOS email client built specifically for Gmail using the Gmail API.
Gmail's own web and mobile apps are free with Google's spam filtering and AI drafting, but there is no native Mac app like Mimestream.
Shortwave
An email client for Gmail accounts with an AI agent that sorts, writes, searches and schedules.
Gmail's own web and mobile apps include AI drafting and thread summaries without a third-party client, though some AI features require a paid plan and there is no desktop app.
Similar software
Related functionality, not a direct replacement.
Kiwi for Gmail
A desktop app for Mac and Windows that runs Gmail and Google Workspace outside the browser.
Boomerang for Gmail
A browser extension adding send-later, email reminders and meeting scheduling to Gmail.
Checker Plus for Gmail
Reads, deletes and manages Gmail from a browser popup.
Mailtrack
Adds read receipts to Gmail with double check marks.
