privacyguides.org/docs/email-clients.en.md

---
title: "Email Clients"
icon: material/email-open
---
Our recommendation list contains email clients that support both [OpenPGP](encryption.md#openpgp) and strong authentication such as [Open Authorization (OAuth)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OAuth). OAuth allows you to use [Multi-Factor Authentication](basics/multi-factor-authentication.md) and prevent account theft.

??? Attention "Email does not provide forward secrecy"
    When using end-to-end encryption (E2EE) technology like OpenPGP, email will still have [some metadata](email.md#email-metadata-overview) that is not encrypted in the header of the email.

    OpenPGP also does not support [forward secrecy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forward_secrecy), which means if either your or the recipient's private key is ever stolen, all previous messages encrypted with it will be exposed: [How do I protect my private keys?](basics/email-security.md). Consider using a medium that provides forward secrecy:

    [Real-time Communication](real-time-communication.md){ .md-button }

## Cross-Platform

### Thunderbird

!!! recommendation

    ![Thunderbird logo](assets/img/email-clients/thunderbird.svg){ align=right }

    **Thunderbird** is a free, open source, cross-platform email, newsgroup, news feed, and chat (XMPP, IRC, Twitter) client developed by the Thunderbird community, and previously by the Mozilla Foundation.

    [:octicons-home-16: Homepage](https://www.thunderbird.net){ .md-button .md-button--primary }
    [:octicons-eye-16:](https://www.mozilla.org/privacy/thunderbird){ .card-link title="Privacy Policy" }
    [:octicons-info-16:](https://support.mozilla.org/products/thunderbird){ .card-link title=Documentation}
    [:octicons-code-16:](https://hg.mozilla.org/comm-central){ .card-link title="Source Code" }

    ??? downloads

        - [:fontawesome-brands-windows: Windows](https://www.thunderbird.net)
        - [:fontawesome-brands-apple: macOS](https://www.thunderbird.net)
        - [:fontawesome-brands-linux: Linux](https://www.thunderbird.net)
        - [:pg-flathub: Flatpak](https://flathub.org/apps/details/org.mozilla.Thunderbird)

## Platform Specific

### Apple Mail (macOS)

!!! recommendation

    ![Apple Mail logo](assets/img/email-clients/applemail.png){ align=right }

    **Apple Mail** is included in macOS and can be extended to have OpenPGP support with [GPG Suite](/encryption/#gpg-suite), which adds the ability to send encrypted email.

    [:octicons-home-16: Homepage](https://support.apple.com/guide/mail/welcome/mac){ .md-button .md-button--primary }
    [:octicons-eye-16:](https://www.apple.com/legal/privacy/en-ww/){ .card-link title="Privacy Policy" }
    [:octicons-info-16:](https://support.apple.com/guide/mail/toc){ .card-link title=Documentation}

### Canary Mail (iOS)

!!! recommendation

    ![Canary Mail logo](assets/img/email-clients/canarymail.svg){ align=right }

    **Canary Mail** is a paid email client designed to make end-to-end encryption seamless with security features such as a biometric app lock.

    [:octicons-home-16: Homepage](https://canarymail.io){ .md-button .md-button--primary }
    [:octicons-eye-16:](https://canarymail.io/privacy.html){ .card-link title="Privacy Policy" }
    [:octicons-info-16:](https://canarymail.zendesk.com/){ .card-link title=Documentation}

    ??? downloads

        - [:fontawesome-brands-app-store: Mac App Store](https://apps.apple.com/app/id1236045954)
        - [:fontawesome-brands-app-store-ios: App Store](https://apps.apple.com/app/id1236045954)
        - [:fontawesome-brands-windows: Windows](https://canarymail.io/downloads.html)
        - [:fontawesome-brands-google-play: Google Play](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=io.canarymail.android)

!!! attention

    Canary Mail only recently released a Windows and Android client, though we don't believe they are as stable as their iOS and Mac counterparts.

Canary Mail is closed source. We recommend it due to the few choices there are for email clients on iOS that support PGP E2EE.

### FairEmail (Android)

!!! recommendation

    ![FairEmail logo](assets/img/email-clients/fairemail.svg){ align=right }

    **FairEmail** is a minimal, open source email app, using open standards (IMAP, SMTP, OpenPGP) with a low data and battery usage.

    [:octicons-home-16: Homepage](https://email.faircode.eu){ .md-button .md-button--primary }
    [:octicons-eye-16:](https://github.com/M66B/FairEmail/blob/master/PRIVACY.md){ .card-link title="Privacy Policy" }
    [:octicons-info-16:](https://github.com/M66B/FairEmail/blob/master/FAQ.md){ .card-link title=Documentation}
    [:octicons-code-16:](https://github.com/M66B/FairEmail){ .card-link title="Source Code" }
    [:octicons-heart-16:](https://email.faircode.eu/donate/){ .card-link title=Contribute }

    ??? downloads

        - [:fontawesome-brands-google-play: Google Play](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=eu.faircode.email)
        - [:pg-f-droid: F-Droid](https://f-droid.org/packages/eu.faircode.email/)

### GNOME Evolution (GNOME)

!!! recommendation

    ![Evolution logo](assets/img/email-clients/evolution.svg){ align=right }

    **Evolution** is a personal information management application that provides integrated mail, calendaring and address book functionality. Evolution has extensive [documentation](https://help.gnome.org/users/evolution/stable/) to help you get started.

    [:octicons-home-16: Homepage](https://wiki.gnome.org/Apps/Evolution){ .md-button .md-button--primary }
    [:octicons-eye-16:](https://wiki.gnome.org/Apps/Evolution/PrivacyPolicy){ .card-link title="Privacy Policy" }
    [:octicons-info-16:](https://help.gnome.org/users/evolution/stable/){ .card-link title=Documentation}
    [:octicons-code-16:](https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/evolution/){ .card-link title="Source Code" }
    [:octicons-heart-16:](https://www.gnome.org/donate/){ .card-link title=Contribute }

    ??? downloads

        - [:pg-flathub: Flatpak](https://flathub.org/apps/details/org.gnome.Evolution)

### K-9 Mail (Android)

!!! recommendation

    ![K-9 Mail logo](assets/img/email-clients/k9mail.svg){ align=right }

    **K-9 Mail** is an independent mail application that supports both POP3 and IMAP mailboxes, but only supports push mail for IMAP.

    In the future, K-9 Mail will be the [officially branded](https://k9mail.app/2022/06/13/K-9-Mail-and-Thunderbird.html) Thunderbird client for Android.

    [:octicons-home-16: Homepage](https://k9mail.app){ .md-button .md-button--primary }
    [:octicons-eye-16:](https://k9mail.app/privacy){ .card-link title="Privacy Policy" }
    [:octicons-info-16:](https://docs.k9mail.app/){ .card-link title=Documentation}
    [:octicons-code-16:](https://github.com/k9mail/k-9){ .card-link title="Source Code" }
    [:octicons-heart-16:](https://k9mail.app/contribute){ .card-link title=Contribute }

    ??? downloads

        - [:fontawesome-brands-google-play: Google Play](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.fsck.k9)
        - [:pg-f-droid: F-Droid](https://f-droid.org/packages/com.fsck.k9)
        - [:fontawesome-brands-github: GitHub](https://github.com/k9mail/k-9/releases)

### Kontact (KDE)

!!! recommendation

    ![Kontact logo](assets/img/email-clients/kontact.svg){ align=right }

    **Kontact** is a personal information manager (PIM) application from the [KDE](https://kde.org) project. It provides a mail client, address book, organizer and RSS client.

    [:octicons-home-16: Homepage](https://kontact.kde.org){ .md-button .md-button--primary }
    [:octicons-eye-16:](https://kde.org/privacypolicy-apps){ .card-link title="Privacy Policy" }
    [:octicons-info-16:](https://kontact.kde.org/users/){ .card-link title=Documentation}
    [:octicons-code-16:](https://invent.kde.org/pim/kmail){ .card-link title="Source Code" }
    [:octicons-heart-16:](https://kde.org/community/donations/){ .card-link title=Contribute }

    ??? downloads

        - [:fontawesome-brands-linux: Linux](https://kontact.kde.org/download)
        - [:pg-flathub: Flatpak](https://flathub.org/apps/details/org.kde.kontact)

### Mailvelope (Browser)

!!! recommendation

    ![Mailvelope logo](assets/img/email-clients/mailvelope.svg){ align=right }

    **Mailvelope** is a browser extension that enables the exchange of encrypted emails following the OpenPGP encryption standard.

    [:octicons-home-16: Homepage](https://www.mailvelope.com){ .md-button .md-button--primary }
    [:octicons-eye-16:](https://www.mailvelope.com/en/privacy-policy){ .card-link title="Privacy Policy" }
    [:octicons-info-16:](https://mailvelope.com/faq){ .card-link title=Documentation}
    [:octicons-code-16:](https://github.com/mailvelope/mailvelope){ .card-link title="Source Code" }

    ??? downloads

        - [:fontawesome-brands-firefox: Firefox](https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/mailvelope)
        - [:fontawesome-brands-chrome: Chrome](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/mailvelope/kajibbejlbohfaggdiogboambcijhkke)
        - [:fontawesome-brands-edge: Edge](https://microsoftedge.microsoft.com/addons/detail/mailvelope/dgcbddhdhjppfdfjpciagmmibadmoapc)

### NeoMutt (CLI)

!!! recommendation

    ![NeoMutt logo](assets/img/email-clients/mutt.svg){ align=right }

    NeoMutt is an open-source command line mail reader (or MUA) for Linux and BSD. It's a fork of [Mutt](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mutt_(email_client)) with added features.

    NeoMutt is a text-based client that has a steep learning curve. It is however, very customizable.

    [:octicons-home-16: Homepage](https://neomutt.org){ .md-button .md-button--primary }
    [:octicons-info-16:](https://neomutt.org/guide/){ .card-link title=Documentation}
    [:octicons-code-16:](https://github.com/neomutt/neomutt){ .card-link title="Source Code" }
    [:octicons-heart-16:](https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/russon/){ .card-link title=Contribute }

    ??? downloads

        - [:fontawesome-brands-linux: Linux](https://neomutt.org/distro)
        - [:fontawesome-brands-apple: macOS](https://neomutt.org/distro)

--8<-- "includes/abbreviations.en.md"