Alternatives to Mutt
A text-based email client that runs in the terminal on Unix-like systems. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.
The original
Mutt
A text-based email client that runs in the terminal on Unix-like systems.
Replacements
Listings that take over the same core job as Mutt.
NeoMutt
A fork of Mutt that gathered decades of scattered patches into one maintained terminal mail client.
NeoMutt is a Mutt fork that bundles long-scattered patches, adding notmuch tags, compressed folders and a forgotten-attachment warning with the same keybindings.
aerc
A terminal email client with vim-style keys, an embedded terminal for composing, and first-class support for git email workflows.
aerc uses vim-style keys, composes in an embedded terminal, has asynchronous IMAP and JMAP, and is built for git patch workflows.
meli
A configurable terminal email client written in Rust with IMAP, Maildir, notmuch and JMAP support.
meli is a Rust terminal client with IMAP, Maildir, notmuch, JMAP and mbox support and saner defaults, but developers call it experimental.
Alpine
A terminal email program descended from Pine, with its full documentation built into the program.
Alpine offers a simpler menu-driven terminal interface with built-in documentation, and adds Windows builds, though releases are infrequent.
alot
A terminal mail reader built on the notmuch indexer, with a command-prompt-driven interface.
alot is a notmuch-based terminal reader with tagging and fast search, needing separate tools to fetch and send mail.
Himalaya
Manage mail accounts through a command-line client.
Himalaya is a command-line mail client licensed MIT or Apache-2.0 that runs on Windows, macOS and Linux with several protocols.
mu
A Maildir indexer and search tool with mu4e, an email client for GNU Emacs.
mu indexes Maildir mail and its mu4e client runs inside GNU Emacs, so it suits Emacs users rather than a standalone terminal program.
Similar software
Related functionality, not a direct replacement.
msmtp
A small SMTP client that sends mail for terminal mail readers and scripts through a mail server.
isync
Fast IMAP to Maildir mirroring, usually invoked as mbsync.
OfflineIMAP
Synchronises IMAP accounts into local Maildir folders.
getmail6
A command-line tool that fetches mail from POP3 and IMAP servers into local mailboxes.
notmuch
A fast, tag-based email indexing and search system used from a terminal or text editor.
