Outlook is a personal information manager (PIM) and email client developed by Microsoft. You can use Outlook to manage your calendars and schedule events, track tasks and plan projects, organize and store email, contacts, notes, and much more.
However, while Outlook is great for Windows computers, it isn’t a good option for Mac users.
For one thing, Outlook doesn’t have any Mac-specific features and it’s not compatible with iCloud calendars.
That means that if you’re syncing your calendar between your iPhone and your Mac, you’ll have to go through a third party to get that done. This can be especially frustrating when you’re trying to access your calendar on the run.
On top of that, Outlook isn’t the most stable software out there. While it can be a lifesaver when it comes to email management, it also has a tendency to crash more often than other options.
This can result in lost data or emails not being sent at all, which can be confusing and time-consuming to fix.
Besides, Outlook’s interface looks clunky and has a lot of features that Mac users won’t use. If you’re just starting out with Outlook, you may find yourself spending more time looking for features than actually using them.
Finally, the cost can be prohibitive for some people – especially if you don’t need all of the features that come with Outlook’s paid version.
For example, if you want to purchase a standalone license for Microsoft Outlook, it will cost you $139.99 per license —and that’s just for one Mac computer. If you want the software for all the devices in your home or business, it will cost you a lot more money: as much as $799.92 per license!
Luckily, there are several email apps for Mac users that can help you get the most out of your Apple devices. Here are a few awesome alternatives to Outlook for Mac:
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Best Outlook Alternatives for Mac
1. Spark
Spark is one of the best Outlook alternatives for Mac users. Spark has all the features you’d expect from a solid email app: scheduling, task management, quick replies, and so on.
However, what makes it a great alternative to Outlook is that it’s designed specifically for MacOS and iOS. This means that you can use Spark on all of your Apple devices without having to worry about compatibility issues.
Spark’s interface is also clean and easy to navigate. Unlike Outlook’s UI, the layout of each screen on Spark makes sense and feels intuitive, so navigating around the app is easy even if you’re new to it.
Another reason to choose Spark is that it comes with a lot of features you won’t find in Outlook. For example, instead of lumping all your emails together in one place like Outlook does by default, Spark organizes your messages into separate buckets like pinned, new, newsletters, and other similar ones (which can also be customized)
In addition, unlike Outlook, Spark works seamlessly with Apple’s Files App, so you can open any file directly from the File Manager – no need to launch Spark first.
There are both free and paid versions of Spark. However, Spark’s free version includes most of the features you’ll need, and its premium versions are way cheaper than Outlook’s.
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2. Airmail
Airmail is another great alternative to Outlook. The main reason why it’s a better choice for Mac users is that Airmail was developed by a team of ex-Apple engineers who loved the ease and simplicity of Apple’s applications and wanted to bring that to an email client.
It has an intuitive interface and can be used with all major email providers, including Gmail, Exchange, iCloud, Yahoo!, and IMAP accounts.
Airmail allows you to sort messages by date, flag messages as unread or read, archive messages when they’re no longer relevant, etc.
But Airmail also has some features that Outlook doesn’t have or hasn’t implemented in the same way —things like better integration with Gmail, better keyboard shortcuts, and the ability to add attachments while you’re composing an email (not just through an attachment button).
You can also customize the look of Airmail by changing the color scheme or adding your own background image.
Airmail even has its own version of “Clutter,” which helps you take control of your inbox by filtering out emails that aren’t important so you can focus on what matters. This feature is only available in Outlook for Business users who pay for Office 365.
One more thing:
Outlook for Mac doesn’t allow you to send multiple emails from different accounts at once, but you can use Airmail to manage different accounts and send messages from them simultaneously.
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3. MailMate
MailMate is another awesome email app for Mac users.
MailMate has an intuitive interface with support for Gmail accounts and IMAP servers, as well as shared calendars where people who share a workspace can collaborate.
Unlike Outlook, MailMate is optimized for speed and efficiency. It’s designed to be lightweight and easy to use so that you can focus on your work instead of trying to figure out how to use the software.
The app also supports multiple languages and comes with a built-in spell checker and auto-correct feature so you can write emails without worrying about typos or mistakes.
Besides, MailMate has some great features like custom keyboard shortcuts, canned responses (similar to Outlook’s Suggested Replies), and customizable message filters.
You can also set up rules for when messages should be archived or deleted based on their content.
Not only that, compared to Outlook for Mac, MailMate is much more affordable. If you want to upgrade to MailMate’s paid version, it’s $60/month and comes with a free trial.
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4. Spike
Spìke is a great choice for macOS users who want a more intuitive interface than what Outlook offers. Unlike Outlook, Spike allows you to use a variety of themes to customize the look and feel of your inbox.
Spike also syncs perfectly with iCloud so your contacts, calendar, and email are always up-to-date on any device.
In addition, Spike offers a variety of unique features that Outlook doesn’t have —like automatic message triage and a built-in translator that helps you understand emails from people who speak another language.
With Spike, you can even see when someone has read your email, which is important when working with clients or colleagues and keeping them up-to-date.
Furthermore, Spike’s search feature allows users to search by sender name AND subject line at once – something that Outlook doesn’t allow at all!
5. Zoho Mail
Zoho Mail is an excellent alternative to Outlook because it offers all of its features—like search capabilities and robust scheduling tools – for free. If you want more of what Zoho Mail offers, you can upgrade anytime, and it’s cheaper than Outlook.
Zoho has a long track record of being reliable and stable. This means that when you send an email from your computer, it doesn’t crash or lose your data. With Microsoft Outlook, this can happen all too often.
But there are other benefits too. For example, Zoho Mail offers more advanced features than Outlook, like the ability to view your calendar right in the same window as your email and the ability to attach files without having to go through another program or website.
Besides, unlike Outlook, Zoho Mail is open source. This means the app is constantly being updated with new features and bug fixes by an active community of developers and users.
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6. eM Client
eM Client is an alternative to Outlook that offers many of the same features without requiring a subscription fee or limiting how many computers you can use it on at once.
eM Client’s free version also has more features than Outlook’s, like built-in tools for scheduling tasks and tracking your email performance.
In addition, eM Client’s server-based storage means that you can access your messages from anywhere you have an internet connection, which is great if you work remotely or travel frequently.
And that’s not all:
Outlook’s junk mail filter is well-intentioned, but it doesn’t always catch everything you don’t want to see.
eM Client, on the other hand, has a built-in spam filter that works better and will scan your incoming mail for spam and automatically move those messages to a junk folder.
Also, if any spam messages are missed, you can manually move them to that folder.
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7. Mailspring
Mailspring is another good alternative to Outlook for Mac. While it doesn’t have an app for mobiles like Outlook, Mailspring has better security features.
With Mailspring’s built-in 256-bit encryption, you don’t have to worry about your data being compromised by hackers or thieves. It also uses two-factor authentication and supports the popular OAuth2 authorization standard.
In addition to that, Mailspring gives you full control over your inbox with great features.
For example, you can turn off notifications and manage them on a case-by-case basis, so you only get alerted when something important comes up (and not every time someone sends you an email).
Another thing that makes Mailspring stand out is its ability to import all of your existing Outlook data into its system – including email addresses, contacts, calendars, notes, etc. – so you don’t have to start from scratch if you switch over from Outlook for Mac!
8. Polymail
Polymail is a simple email program that does everything you need it to do without any extra bells and whistles.
Like Outlook, Polymail has folders, allows you to sort emails into them based on sender or subject line, and also syncs with your other devices so you always have access to your emails from anywhere. The difference, though, is that Polymail is compatible with iCloud.
Outlook also has a pretty good task manager, but Polymail’s is better: you can assign tasks to people in your team and track their progress with just a few clicks.
It also integrates with Slack so that when someone assigns a task to you via Slack, it will show up in Polymail as well as in your task list.
In addition, Polymail is built on top of Gmail’s infrastructure, so it’s really fast. You’ll notice a difference right away: when you send emails, they’ll be delivered almost instantly.
And since Polymail runs in the background while you work, it doesn’t slow down your Mac computer or distract from what matters most.
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9. Shift
Shift is also a fantastic Outlook alternative if you’re using a Mac. Outlook has a few more options when it comes to email management, but they are more difficult to use and not nearly as intuitive as Shift’s options.
For example, when you want to create a new task in Outlook, you have to go through several steps before actually getting started on it. And those steps aren’t always clear or straightforward (for example: clicking “New Task” first opens up your calendar).
Shift makes it easy to create tasks right away by allowing users to input information into forms using templates instead of having to manually type everything in one at a time like with Outlook.
Shift is also faster than Outlook. Even with a ton of messages in your inbox, you’ll never have trouble getting through them at a reasonable pace.
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10. Front
Front is one of the best Outlook alternatives for Mac users who have large teams managing customer relationships and need to be able to share files in real-time.
Outlook is great at managing your email and calendar, but it doesn’t have all the tools that Front does.
Front offers features that make it easier to collaborate on projects and communicate with customers, including integrated video calls, file sharing via drag-and-drop, and easy scheduling of meetings.
For example, with Front, you can add notes to your emails and create reminders inside your emails. You can also add tags and assign tasks to different people on the team – all in one place.
Unlike Outlook, Front also has a calendar feature that allows users to create events and assign them deadlines or due dates. There’s also a customizable CRM tool that allows you to create custom fields based on what works best for your business needs.
11. Helpwise
While Helpwise might not be as well-known as Outlook, it offers a lot of features that make it a great alternative to Outlook for both business and personal use.
The first thing you’ll notice is that Helpwise looks very similar to Outlook, which makes it easy to find your way around once you’re used to using Outlook. But don’t let its familiar interface fool you – Helpwise has more to offer.
For example, whether you use a Mac computer or an iPhone, Helpwise works across all devices so you can access your information when you need it.
If you have a business, you’ll find Helpwise’s syncing way more helpful than Outlook’s. With Helpwise, no matter where your employees are or what device they’re using, they’ll always be able to access the most up-to-date information on any project at any time.
It also allows your entire team to use one dashboard to manage all their tasks and projects. This makes it easier for you to keep track of what everyone is working on without having to jump between systems.
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12. BlueMail
BlueMail is a cross-platform app that synchronizes across all your devices, so you can manage your emails wherever you are.
One of the best things about BlueMail is its support for Gmail’s extensions, which let you send messages from Gmail directly within BlueMail. It also has plugins for other apps like Trello and Slack.
So if you’re using those platforms, you can integrate them into BlueMail instead of using separate apps for tasks like scheduling meetings or organizing your work projects.
BlueMail has all of the same features as Outlook, like email management, calendar, and contacts. It also has some unique features that make it stand out from other email apps.
For example, BlueMail lets you merge multiple emails into one message or send them as separate messages, unlike Outlook. That way you can keep track of all your conversations in one place instead of having them scattered throughout your inbox.
13. June.ai
With June.ai, you get all the same benefits that Outlook has – like the ability to manage your emails and calendars – but in a much more intuitive way.
Unlike Outlook, June.ai’s interface is completely customizable so that you can set up exactly how you would like to use the app if there’s something about it that doesn’t quite fit how you work best.
June.ai comes with a built-in spam filter that stops unwanted emails from getting into your inbox and hence keeps your inbox clean and organized at all times. But it has more built-in integrations than Outlook does, including Google Drive, Dropbox, and Trello.
Not only that, but with its recent merger with Nylas’ email management platform, June.ai now includes a lot more features that make it more well-rounded for business owners than Outlook.
June.ai lets you create workflow automation, improve your productivity, leverage your customer’s data, and even save on time spent in your inbox by taking care of some of the things you do most often.
That’s because, unlike Outlook, June.ai has an intelligent assistant that helps you manage your inbox and automatically sorts your messages into different folders based on what they are about (e.g., travel plans).
Best of all, you can set these up to run automatically and still get the same personal touch from your customers through email replies and conversations.
14. Apple Mail
Apple Mail is a solid alternative to Outlook. Being a Mac user, you’re probably already familiar with it – but here’s what makes it better than Outlook.
First off, Apple Mail is completely free. Unlike Outlook, there are no subscription fees for accessing Apple Mail’s features. Plus, it comes with every Mac computer.
Unlike Outlook, which has a tendency to crash every time you try to send an email with more than three attachments, Apple Mail doesn’t do that. It can handle as many attachments as you need without slowdowns or glitches.
Another thing that Apple Mail does better than Outlook is its calendar. The Calendar app on your Mac is much more powerful than the calendar in Outlook for Mac.
You can create all kinds of events, from repeating weekly meetings to one-off special occasions. If you share calendars with other Mac users, you can also see when they’re available so you can coordinate schedules easily.
What’s more, Apple Mail’s built-in calendar also syncs with iCloud so all your calendars are available across devices.
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15. Postbox
Postbox gives you all of the features Mac users need in an email client, but without the headache.
For example, Postbox has a better search function than Outlook for Mac. With Postbox, you can seamlessly search through your inbox and sent items.
You can also conduct a search on attachments to find specific files quickly and schedule emails to send at a later date, while in Outlook this feature is only available in paid accounts.
Also, while Outlook for Mac has a bunch of bugs that make it unreliable, Postbox fixes all these problems by saving messages in folders automatically, syncing across Apple devices, and preventing data loss if your computer crashes.
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Final Thoughts
To me, Spark is the best Outlook alternative for Mac users. It was specifically designed for macOS and iOs and has tons of organization and customization options so that your messages are always exactly how you want them to be.
Spark has proven to be reliable, fast, and incredibly easy to use with a beautiful design that never gets in the way of getting your work done.
