Last checked October 16, 2026
Best Free Alternatives to Superhuman (2026)
Superhuman Mail is a paid email app. It uses mail you already have. It works with Gmail. It works with Outlook mail that Microsoft hosts. It can sort mail, snooze mail, and let a team write notes on a thread. It does not keep the mail on its own server.
What you pay for Superhuman
Starter is $30 USD a month, or $300 USD a year. Business is $40 USD a month, or $396 USD a year. Enterprise has no public price.
A year of Starter is $25 USD a month. A year of Business is $33 USD a month. The plans page shows those yearly rates. Starter includes the mail app, a split inbox, snooze, snippets, read statuses, calendar tools, team comments, and most of the AI tools.
How close is it?
How this works100 means it does everything the paid app does. #1 is the closest free app that did not pay us. An ad, when one is sold, is marked and sits after #1. Paying does not change the score. Open source means you can use, change, and share the code. Run it yourself means the app can live on a computer you control.
- #1 · ClosestFree. Code is private.
Spark
A free email app for Mac, Windows, iPhone, and Android.
Last checked October 16, 2026 · Rules: Proprietary
MacWindowsiOSAndroid - #2Open source
Mailspring
A desktop email app. The code is GPL-3.0.
Last checked October 16, 2026 · Rules: GPL-3.0
MacWindowsLinux - #3Open source
Thunderbird
A desktop and Android mail client under MPL-2.0.
Last checked October 16, 2026 · Rules: MPL-2.0
MacWindowsLinuxAndroid - #4Open source
FairEmail
A free Android email app. The code is GPL-3.0.
Last checked October 16, 2026 · Rules: GPL-3.0
Android
Feature by feature
Full means it does the whole job. Partial means it does some of it. Missing means it does not. Not checked counts as zero. The number under each feature is how much it counts. A bigger number moves the score more.
Scroll sideways to see every app.
| Feature | Spark#1 · 68 | Mailspring#2 · 54 | Thunderbird#3 · 43 | FairEmail#4 · 26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keyboard-first inboxCounts for 8 | PartialOn Windows, snooze is the S key. The help page does not show a command bar for the whole app. | PartialThe site lists advanced shortcuts. It does not show a command bar like Superhuman. | PartialThunderbird has keyboard shortcuts. It does not have a command bar for the whole app. | MissingIt is a phone app. The readme does not describe a keyboard-first inbox. |
| Split inboxCounts for 8 | PartialSmart Inbox is on the free plan. It groups people and newsletters. It is not a split inbox you design. | PartialIt has one inbox for many accounts, and mail rules. It does not have Split Inbox sections you design. | MissingYou can filter mail and use one inbox for many accounts. That is not a split inbox you design. | PartialA unified inbox is free. Filter rules, which could sort mail for you, are a pro feature. |
| Snooze and remindersCounts for 7 | FullThe free plan includes snooze, set aside, reminders, and send later. | PartialSnooze, send later, and reminders work a few times a week on the free plan. | MissingSnooze is not a built-in mail action. | MissingSnooze is listed under pro features. |
| SnippetsCounts for 4 | MissingCustom templates are listed on the Plus plan. | FullThe project lists templates with the app. The price page does not put a weekly cap on them. | MissingA current help page for saved replies was not available for this check. | MissingReply templates are listed under pro features. |
| Read statusesCounts for 3 | MissingRead statuses are listed on the Pro plan. | PartialRead receipts work a few times a week on the free plan. Pro removes the cap. | MissingOpen tracking is not a Thunderbird feature. | MissingThe app tries to block tracking images. It does not offer read statuses. |
| Desktop appCounts for 8 | FullMac and Windows. The download page does not list Linux. | FullMac, Windows, and Linux. | FullMac, Windows, and Linux. | MissingPhones and tablets only. The readme says it is not for TVs. |
| Phone appCounts for 7 | FulliPhone, iPad, and Android. | MissingThe docs still ask when an iPhone or Android app will exist. | PartialThunderbird for Android is an official app. The mobile page does not list an iPhone app. | PartialAndroid phones and tablets. There is no iPhone app. |
| Gmail and Outlook accountsCounts for 10 | FullGmail, Outlook, and any IMAP account. | FullGmail, Office 365, Outlook.com, and other IMAP accounts. | FullIMAP, including Gmail. A Microsoft mailbox works when the host allows IMAP. | FullGmail, Outlook, and other IMAP accounts. It does not speak Exchange Web Services or ActiveSync. |
| Team commentsCounts for 5 | MissingTeam comments are on a paid plan. | Missing | Missing | Missing |
| CalendarCounts for 4 | FullA calendar is on the free plan. | PartialVersion 1.19.0 adds a calendar menu, new events, and RSVP from an invite. The site still says a fuller calendar is coming. | FullThe Thunderbird site lists calendars in the app. | MissingAccepting a calendar invite is a pro feature. There is no calendar in the free app. |
| AI helpCounts for 4 | PartialThe free plan has a small AI preview. The full AI tools are on a paid plan. | Missing | MissingThe site says Thunderbird does not train an AI on your mail. | Missing |
What it costs
Spark
- Free plan
- The free plan includes Smart Inbox, unlimited email accounts, snooze, reminders, send later, and a calendar.
- Custom templates are on the Plus plan.
- Read statuses are on the Pro plan.
- Team comments are on a paid plan.
- They host it
- Plus is $10 USD per user a month, or $99 USD a year. Pro is $20 USD a month, or $199 USD a year.
- Run it yourself
- This app does not run on your own computer. Spark is an app you install. You do not run a Spark server.
Mailspring
- Free plan
- The Mac, Windows, and Linux apps are free. A free Mailspring ID can use snooze, send later, reminders, and read receipts a few times a week.
- Pro removes those weekly limits.
- There is no iPhone or Android app.
- They host it
- Mailspring Pro is $8 USD a month, or $85 USD a year. Pro is the unlimited snooze and tracking plan. The mail app itself stays free.
- Run it yourself
- This app does not run on your own computer. You do not host the mail. Pro features use Mailspring servers.
Thunderbird
- Free plan
- The desktop and Android apps are free to download from Thunderbird.
- They host it
- No hosted price on file.
- Run it yourself
- This app does not run on your own computer. Thunderbird is a client. The mail still lives on a provider or on a server such as mailcow.
FairEmail
- Free plan
- The app is free for reading and sending mail, with a unified inbox. Some extras are a one-time purchase. The FAQ does not list that price.
- Snooze is a pro feature.
- Reply templates are a pro feature.
- Filter rules are a pro feature.
- They host it
- No hosted price on file.
- Run it yourself
- This app does not run on your own computer. FairEmail is a phone app. It does not host your mail, and it does not run on a server you control.
Did you switch?
If you left Superhuman, tell us if it worked and how long it took. Notes stay private until we approve them. Nothing is shown until at least five are approved.
Closest pair
Move from Superhuman to Spark
Add the same Gmail or Outlook account in Spark. The mail stays where it is. Snippets and team notes do not move.
Read how to switch