Compare software

getmail6 vs fetchmail: catalog facts
getmail6	fetchmail
Free Free and open source.	Free Free, with source code available on GitLab.
macOS, Linux, Command line	macOS, Linux, Command line
Supports POP3, IMAP and their SSL variants Delivers to maildir, mbox or an external MDA	Supports both POP3 and IMAP retrieval Actively maintained with a public security errata page
Command line and config files only Retrieves mail but does not send or display it	Only fetches mail; reading and filtering need other tools Past security issues in optional NTLM support
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License not stated	License not stated
No account needed	No account needed
Not stated if it works offline	Not stated if it works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 24, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked October 1, 2026

Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.