These 5 Programs Are Way Better Than Microsoft Outlook

Back in May 2022, Microsoft started ‘Project Monarch’ to deliver a unified Outlook app on Windows. Often known as ‘One Outlook’, it’s a progressive web app (PWA) designed to replace the Win32 and UWP apps for Windows and even Mac. Fast-forward to today, Microsoft has already announced that it will retire and replace the default Mail app with a new Outlook client on Windows. I gave the new Outlook app a fair shot on my laptop and came away frustrated.

Microsoft really dropped the ball with the new Outlook app on Windows. It’s slow, memory-hungry, doesn’t look or feel native (of course), and misses out on many important features. Thankfully, there’s no shortage of Outlook mail app alternatives for Windows. Among them, I have picked the top five options for you.

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1 Spark

Spark used to be a Mac-exclusive email app. The popular email app officially launched on Windows in late 2022, and it can be an ideal companion to manage your inboxes. Spark for Mac is loaded with useful features, and the company’s Windows version is no different.

Let’s start with Smart Inbox. It acts exactly like Outlook’s Focused Inbox and separates main emails from other messages. If you have several email accounts linked with Spark, the unified inbox comes in handy to check all of your messages. Its list of features continues with the ability to block senders, pin important emails, group emails by folder, mute threads, snooze email notifications, reminders, send later, and more.

Spark + AI is another useful add-on with a neat implementation. It’s basically an email writing assistant that drafts professional messages in no time. It can rephrase, proofread, and adjust your email tone, just in time for those moments when you really aren’t in the mood to filter yourself.

Spark’s user interface is straightforward and easy to use. It offers a new, clean home screen to check your unread emails at a glance. Spark is available on Windows, Android, Mac, iPhone, and iPad. It’s free to download and use. Features such as Spark + AI, priority email, a new home screen, and more are unlocked with a $5 Premium plan. You can check the detailed feature comparison from Spark’s official webpage.

Spark

2 Canary Mail

Canary is another cross-platform email app that can replace the new Outlook software on Windows. The company prioritizes AI and privacy features to stand out in a crowded market.

Canary Mail enables SecureSend encryption by default to send encrypted emails to anyone. You can also enter the expiry date and revoke sent emails at any time. The company has done a splendid job with the user interface. It uses a translucent theme, which looks modern and native on Windows. You can change font size, preview lines, and change the default theme from the Preferences menu.

Other features include AI Copilot to compose and summarize emails, 1-click unsubscribe button, read receipts, PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) & SecureSend Encryption, unlimited mail account size, customization options, and more. The Canary Pro plan starts at $30 per year or $80 for a lifetime license. You can also get the Canary Pro universal plan at $49 per year or $149 as a one-time purchase and enjoy your favorite email app with pro features on all the major platforms.

Canary Mail

3 Postbox

Thanks to an intuitive UI, a long list of features, email organization features, customization options, and a few thoughtful add-ons, Postbox can be an excellent alternative to Outlook. It supports dark and light themes, and you can even purchase additional theme packs from the official website.

Postbox has a handy focus mode to filter your messages based on attachments, unread status, reminders, subscriptions, social, and more. You can also categorize emails into different topics, such as Important, Work, Home, Personal, Later, to easily find them again with a single click.

Postbox supports smart folders, too. It shows all your email messages that meet the specific criteria you set. For instance, you can create a smart folder that stores all emails from credit card companies, regardless of the current folder where a message is stored.

Postbox offers a 30-day free trial. After that, you can purchase the lifetime license for $49.

Postbox

4 Twobird

Created by the makers of the popular note-taking app Notability, Twobird uses a unique approach to replace your current Outlook setup. It basically treats your inbox as a to-do list, cleans the clutter, lets you focus on what matters, and tries to bring everything together in one place. Twobird identifies and marks irrelevant emails as low priority and keeps such messages in a separate Low Priority inbox. It works exactly like Outlook’s Other Inbox feature.

You can also create notes, check your upcoming events from the Calendar tab, and manage your email subscription from the Unsubscribe menu.

When you open an email, you don’t see the typical interface for forwarding or replying to a message. It looks and feels more like an instant messaging app with a message box at the bottom to type your replies. You can expand the message to access other options like schedule email, notes, file attachments, and trash.

Twobird only supports Google and Microsoft email accounts for now. Explore other apps on the list if you want to integrate your Yahoo, iCloud, or other inboxes. Twobird is free to download and use. However, the company intends to launch a premium version soon.

Twobird

5 Mailbird

Mailbird used to look outdated, but it received a nice UI makeover with version 3.0. The app shines with third-party app integrations. If you want to check your Slack messages, Trello cards, Google Drive files, even ChatGPT or WhatsApp conversations without leaving your email inbox, Mailbird is for you.

Each app appears on the sidebar with one-click access. Like Outlook, Mailbird offers several themes and background wallpapers to change the app’s look instantly. The feature list includes send later, snooze emails, AI replies, email templates, read receipts, undo sent emails, and more.

It omits several features, including email templates, AI replies, and others you may want, but Mailbird is free to download and use. Mailbird Standard plan starts at $3.25 per month. You can also go with the Premium plan to unlock all the features at your fingertips. The company offers an option to pay a one-time fee upfront for a lifetime license. They are priced at $49.50 for the Standard version and $99.75 for the Premium pack. Head to the company’s official pricing page to learn their offerings in each plan.

Mailbox

The new Outlook app is a noticeable downgrade

Having to deal with a slow and unreliable email client is the last thing you need during your work hours. I’m sure that Microsoft will improve Outlook with frequent updates, but until then, you are better off using one of the alternatives from the list above.

If you want to explore more software solutions, check out our top productivity apps for Windows.