List of Best Alternatives to Thunderbird in 2025

Introduction of Thunderbird

Thunderbird, a popular open-source email application which is free to download. Developed by Mozilla company it is one of the earliest desktop software providing a smooth email management experience. The program provides you with multiple email accounts, a customizable interface, search filters, great email security, cross-platform compatibility, offline access to your email, and more.

Other than that, there are limitations of using Thunderbird such as,

• Interface of the program has become outdated
• There is no option of integrating cloud storage.
• Non-technical users may have issues in syncing their accounts.

Thus, Thunderbird has both pros and cons. That’s why some users want to switch to other email programs.

Criterion to Choose Right Thunderbird Alternatives

Everyone has their needs, preferences, or features that they expect from their email programs. Based on these you can determine which one is the best thunderbird alternative for you. However, some users do not know what they want from their program. So, below we suggested criteria that help you choose your program.

• Nowadays, it is very beneficial if the email client supports multiple platforms. So, compare the programs that provide cross platforms with others.
• Privacy is very much needed in today’s times, therefore, look for those alternatives to Thunderbird that focus on more security and privacy.
• For business work, we need collaboration features to help in their activity. So, search for those email programs that provide you with collaborative tools.
• Simple interface and customer support are also important. Before using the email client check the interface and see if the customer support is responsive.

On the basis of these, we have created a list of the best free alternatives to Thunderbird. We explain each program with pros and cons to help you in your decision.

List of Top 10 Thunderbird Alternatives for Windows

Here are the list of best Alternatives to Thunderbird that act as substitute to the email program.

Gmail

A widely used email service provided by Google. It is a Web-based interface and has a mobile application available. Many users use this email client to send/receive emails and manage their contacts and calendars. It is a webmail which means you can easily access your account on any device. The program provided you with free storage of 15 GB shared with Google Drive.

It provides strong security measures like spam filtering, two-step verification, etc. Also, you can sync your Gmail account with Google Workspace to get the benefits of other Google products. If we talk about the limitations then, it is heavily reliant on the internet network. However, you can add your Gmail account to Thunderbird to make your data offline.

Microsoft Outlook

Another widely popular email program, developed by Microsoft, is a great email client suitable as a Thunderbird alternative for Windows. The program gives you a platform to manage your emails, calendars, contacts, and other tasks. Here, you can also integrate your Outlook with the Microsoft 365 suite to take the benefits of amazing applications created by Microsoft. Security wise you can get the options for password protection of data, two-step verification, and spam filtering.

It has its own proprietary file, PST which you can use to store your data on your local storage. Also, you can read your data in offline mode. However, the free version of Outlook provides you with limited storage and it can be heavy for your system.

emClient

A not so popular as the above two email clients, but it is a very good program. emClient is a desktop-based application which supports multiple email accounts and connects calendars and contacts. It provides chat features and supports PGP encryption as a security measure.

The limitations of the program is that the free version of the emClient allows you to add two email accounts and offers limited advanced customization options. But overall, it is a good Thunderbird alternative for Windows.

Mailbird

Another great Thunderbird alternative for Windows email client. In this, where you will get a unified inbox for managing your multiple email accounts easily. Mailbird application allows you to integrate your account with popular apps like WhatsApp and Google Calendar. Other than that, it also offers you many customizable options with fast and responsive performance speed. But, this program provides fewer features in free versions and lacks spam filtering options.

Mailspring

Just like Thunderbird, Mailspring is an open-source email client with modern features like email tracking, customizable themes, and joined inbox. This email client is good for cross-platform and is lightweight which makes it easier to download. It has a special feature where users can read their email receipts and track the link.

However, the limitations of using this program is that it requires premium subscriptions to use advanced features and does not provide a calendar integration facility.

Proton Mail

Another Thunderbird alternative for Windows is Proton Mail. The email program focuses on privacy and offers end-to-end encryption to secure your communication. Therefore, this software is great for high-level encryption and an easy-to-use interface. Also, you don’t need to spend money to get the essential features of Proton Mail.

But, it provides limited storage space of 500 MB on the free plan and you cannot configure other email clients with the Proton Mail.

Zoho Mail

It is another popular email client with a clean and ad-free interface. It is best for professional use, but personally, it is also great. Zoho Mail has a built-in calendar and task management tools. You can also take advantage of other Zoho apps. For security, it offers encryption at rest and in transit, S/MIME message encryption. So, Zoho Mail is the best for security and surveillance of emails.

The main drawback of Zoho Mail is that you have to buy the paid plans to enjoy its all features. Many users have difficulty in setting up another email account in the program.

Windows Mail

A default email client on Windows 10 and 11 developed by Microsoft. It has basic email management but it is a nice Thunderbird alternative for Windows. It is pre-installed in your Windows systems and it is easy to use. You can integrate your Microsoft accounts and calendars to manage multiple accounts at the same time. However, it lacks advanced features with limited support for non-Microsoft email accounts.

Apple Mail

It is also a default email client for macOS, iOS, and other Apple devices. This program offers you smooth integration with the Apple system. It is already pre-installed and provides you with a clean and intuitive design. It also supports multiple email accounts to manage your data. But Apple Mail also provides you limited customization options and you cannot install this application on non-Apple devices.

Evolution

Last but not least, Mozilla Thunderbird’s alternative is Evolution. It is a Linux-based email client where you can easily add your emails, calendar, address book, and task list. The program is free and open source and uses PGP encryption. However, it is difficult to use for non-technical users.

Here is the list of the top 10 alternatives to Thunderbird, we explained each email client with their pros and cons. You can use any program from the list to manage your Thunderbird emails. If you have any problem moving your Thunderbird data to another account, we have a solution that you can use.

Summary

In this article, we have seen various email clients that can be alternatives to Thunderbird. First, we have introduced you to Thunderbird and set the criteria to help you choose the email client. After that, we have listed out 10 best Thunderbird alternatives for Windows according to the experts. Also, if you have a problem in moving the Thunderbird emails. We also suggested a great solution.