The Mailbox app was released a decade ago as a capable 

. Unfortunately, it was discontinued in 2016, soon after the release of the 

, leaving users in need of a replacement.

If you’ve tried a few options but still haven’t found a suitable Mailbox app alternative, this guide will help by explaining 

what you should look for in an email client

With its end-to-end encryption and a user-friendly interface, Skiff provides a first-rate service for both security and convenience

Discover a secure and intuitive email solution

Mailbox drew a lot of attention when it launched in 2013. A well-known startup called Orchestra created it, and over a million users wanted to try the app before it officially launched.

The email client quickly became so popular that it piqued the interest of Dropbox, which reportedly 

bought Mailbox for an astounding $100 million

Dropbox had the idea to “fundamentally fix email” using Mailbox, so it kept supporting the app’s growth. 

After the iPhone version, Mailbox was developed for Android and macOS

, though the latter never made it past the beta version.

After unsuccessful experiments with new features, Dropbox announced shutting down Mailbox. By February 2016, 

What to look for in alternatives to Mailbox

Mailbox had some useful features, but it wasn’t perfect. It only supported 

 accounts, which would be quite limiting for today’s average user. Your email client should support other major providers (

you should consider four factors when choosing an email client

—Even if you’re looking for an iPhone email client specifically, you never know which device you might use to access your emails, so your chosen platform should support all major operating systems or have a web version accessible from different devices

—Your email client’s design should accommodate productivity and avoid unnecessary clutter. While the esthetic appeal is largely subjective, minimalistic web clients are currently the most popular due to being easy on the eyes

—Filters, labels, folders, and advanced email search are among the key features of every solid email client. They’re particularly important if your work heavily relies on email

—You shouldn’t pay for an email client unless you genuinely need advanced options. Even then, you should do some diligent research to avoid overpaying

—An email client should store as little information as possible and protect stored data and correspondence with 

. This ensures emails are encrypted using the keys created and stored on your device, so nobody but the recipient can see your messages

Each email client has a unique selling point, so your chosen platform mainly depends on your preferences and workflow. To give you some diverse options, we’ll cover five email clients:

If you specifically need an email client for the Apple ecosystem—and aren’t looking for any over-the-top features—Apple Mail can be a solid option. Many users won’t need to move away from the native app solution, as it has decent features.

The interface is clean and mostly intuitive, though 

Apple Mail comes with some unnecessary complications

, you first have to tap the left-facing arrow on the right side above the keyboard and then choose the attachment type you want to add.

This should satisfy the needs of casual or personal users, but if you need a business email client, 

Apple Mail’s organization features are a bit lackluster

. A particularly notable drawback is that 

—you can only label emails with predetermined colors.

Apple Mail doesn’t offer end-to-end encryption by default

. There’s optional S/MIME integration you can find with most 

 and clients, but it can be time-consuming to set up as 

you first have to buy a certificate and then configure it manually

, which removes tracking pixels from incoming mail to prevent the tracking of your 

Even though Apple Mail is exclusive to Apple devices, 

it can be accessed through the web version if needed

Edison Mail is a multi-platform client available on iOS, macOS, and Android. It’s primarily focused on convenience and email organization, so it suits casual and more advanced users.

dedicated Focus tab similar to Outlook’s

, highlighting the most important emails. It’s not always 100% accurate, as it sometimes misplaces important emails, but most email clients make such mistakes occasionally. The feature 

 and is useful if you receive many emails daily.

The Assistant feature is by far the most notable one

 because it sets Edison Mail apart from most alternatives. It’s an 

AI-based organizer that pulls various data from your emails

the Assistant creates widgets with the key information

, which you can access from a dedicated tab. The widgets are organized by relevance so that you have the necessary details readily available.

The only downside of the Assistant is that 

, so users from other countries can’t enable it.

you can subscribe to Mail+ for $14.99 per month

. This is the only additional feature you get, so it may not be worth the investment.

Spike is an innovative productivity platform that can combine emails from various providers into a chat-like interface. It brings together traditional emailing and real-time communication to create a more streamlined workflow.

various features business users might appreciate

Unified search encompassing conversations, attachments, notes, etc.

available as a web app and also has designated Android and iOS apps

. There’s no desktop support for Windows or 

, which might be inconvenient for some users.

 to add more users to your workspace. You can choose from two tiers:

, so it may not be the best choice unless you’re specifically looking for a collaboration platform. While it’s possible to use the app independently, some of its main features won’t be useful.

Spike uses the AES-256 algorithm for encryption

 and claims to only collect the necessary user data. While this is the industry standard and generally considered secure, you may not get as much privacy as you would with an 

 platform created by a well-known VPN provider. It’s an end-to-end encrypted solution aimed primarily at security-conscious users and has become a popular alternative to Big Tech providers.

, and you can get access to four additional platforms when you sign up:

The interface is clean and modern, so the 

overall emailing experience is pleasant enough

 for an average user. You get some basic organization features like folders and labels without any advanced functions.

it uses the Pretty Good Privacy (PGP) encryption

, which several providers have moved away from due to 

. While you get more privacy than with a typical Big Tech platform, 

Proton Mail’s privacy policies also underwent scrutiny in 2021 after a 

. This was an isolated incident, but it still made users somewhat uncomfortable and skeptical.

limited storage is another notable disadvantage

. You only get 1 GB with the free plan, and 

even the highest-paid tier is limited to 500 GB

, which may not be enough for advanced users.

Skiff Mail is an end-to-end encrypted email provider that keeps your data and emails confidential using two separate encryption keys—public and 

The public key is used to encrypt the email and is shared with the recipient, while the private decryption key remains safely stored on the recipient’s device. Key creation and storage happen on the user’s device only, so 

nobody can see unencrypted copies of emails

To allow users to keep their personal identifiers private, 

 implements three additional security measures

—Used to encrypt all critical account data, such as login credentials and encryption keys, for 

—Secures your account beyond login credentials using a one-time passcode generated by the Authenticator app

A guide to choosing a Mailbox App alternative

While Outlook is free and has features sufficient for an average user, it suffers from a few notable shortcomings. It’s not particularly user-friendly due to its somewhat complex layout compared to other leading providers.

Spam detection occasionally lets phishing emails into the primary inbox

, exposing you to considerable risks of account breaches. You also 

 beyond using the S/MIME protocol, the drawbacks of which will be explained in this guide.

Most importantly, you’ll learn what to look for in an 

 Outlook alternative and discover some popular options worth considering.

With its beautifully designed feature-rich interface, Skiff gives you secure email and collaboration tools for enhanced productivity

Discover a comprehensive emailing solution

How to choose the best Outlook alternative for Android

Whether you only want to change your email client or switch to a 

 altogether, you should consider four factors when comparing different options:

Your email service’s ultimate goal should be to provide convenient and safe correspondence. You’ll likely send 

 that fails to keep your information away from prying eyes.

Still, none of the above protective measures will matter much if your emails aren’t properly encrypted. Encryption turns your messages into ciphertext 

While there are various types of encryption, 

. It encrypts emails on your device before you send them, and plaintext copies are only visible to the recipient holding the decryption key.

not available with Outlook and most Big Tech providers

 using the keys they created and stored. This allows your email provider to access your correspondence, effectively 

. With E2EE, you retain full control of your data.

Note that E2EE protocols can vary greatly. 

S/MIME encryption is common among Big Tech

manual configuration of a certificate you must buy separately

This exposes you to unnecessary costs and might be too complicated if you’re not tech-savvy. A far better option is to 

email provider offering end-to-end encryption by default

The features you’ll look for in an email provider depend on your needs, though there are some universal functionalities every service should offer, such as:

Email organization features (labels, folders, etc.)

Thorough email search, preferably allowing you to search email contents

Mobile email platforms should particularly focus on 

. Viewing emails on your smartphone means you’re likely working on the go, so the app should enable flexibility.

scheduled sending, auto-replying, and reminders

 in case you forget to add the attachment or want to make a change to the email.

A well-designed user interface is important on any device, but it’s absolutely essential on smartphones due to the smaller footprint. Intuitively structuring all the necessary features is quite a challenge when you don’t have much space, and not every email provider gets it right.

If you’re unsure what makes an excellent mobile user interface, 

Clearly visible key functions while composing an email

Ideally, your app's user interface should be equally well-designed on other platforms to ensure cohesiveness. You likely won’t spend as much time emailing on your phone as you will on your laptop or PC, so

 look for solutions with solid cross-platform support

If you’re switching from Outlook’s free version, you likely aren’t looking to invest in an email solution unless you need some advanced features. The good news is that there are 

 that should meet the needs of regular users, though you might encounter some trade-offs.

free email providers often don’t offer sufficient security

. The only exceptions are privacy-first options, one of which you’ll learn about in the review section of this guide. Carefully choosing between 

 is also imperative as some of them sacrifice user experience for privacy, offering 

 or omitting features like advanced search

The good news is that you don’t have to make compromises as 

finding an app that checks all the necessary boxes is possible

Skiff Mail's user-friendly design and encrypted communication make it a perfect choice if you value security and feature variety

Simplify your email management with Skiff Mail

Four Outlook Android alternatives reviewed

To give you some variety and cover apps with unique selling points, we’ve picked the following four 

The main reason Gmail is on this list is the fact that Google owns Android, making Gmail the platform’s native email provider and client. The app is well-optimized, which is no surprise. You shouldn’t encounter many bugs or usability issues, so your email experience will be smooth enough.

Gmail’s user interface is clean and modern

, so there aren’t any particular objections in this area. The main screen shows your inbox with the search bar at the top and the hamburger menu that opens the familiar

. At the bottom of the screen, you’ll see the Google Meet icon, so you can organize and enter meetings directly from the main screen.

. Whichever way you slide an email, you only get an option to archive it. Other platforms like 

 feature a far more elaborate solution with more actions, making it easier to manage incoming mail.

, compared to Outlook’s dedicated 15 GB for email, plus 5 GB for OneDrive. You’d have to sign up for Google One or one of the Business tiers to expand it.

—your emails are only protected by the 

BlueMail is a third-party email client you can use to manage multiple accounts (Gmail, Outlook, 

, etc.). It offers multi-platform support, including a well-designed Android app focused on customization and personalization.

You can switch between a light and dark theme or choose automatic switching depending on the time of day. There are also 

various design options and custom color schemes

 that let you make the interface more esthetically pleasing.

. You can organize mail in clusters based on senders, groups, and other criteria to enjoy a cleaner-looking inbox. This can be particularly valuable if you add several accounts to the platform.

The Later Board feature is also quite useful—it lets you 

assign tasks related to emails and add them to one place

 for a clear overview. This way, there’s a lower chance of forgetting to read or reply to an important email.

Security-wise, BlueMail isn’t particularly impressive. You get 

 and optional S/MIME integration. The upside is that you don’t need to upgrade to a paid plan to use S/MIME, but you still need to buy the certificate separately.

Besides this, there aren’t many downsides, barring an occasional complaint about the 

platform not showing timely notifications

 and lagging if you add several email addresses at once. While the latter is mostly an annoyance, missed messages could lead to more serious problems.

Spark Mail is another third-party email platform worth considering if you’re only looking to leave the stock app behind while retaining your 

. It’s equipped with various features that set it apart from other solutions, so it’s suitable for beginners and advanced users.

prioritize conversations and contacts by pinning them in your inbox

, which is a decent way to avoid clutter. You can also 

, which is helpful if you tend to check your email too often and want to set some boundaries.

Spark Mail’s standout feature is the AI assistant

, which helps you write emails more quickly and summarizes messages to give you the necessary highlights. It can streamline your emailing experience and significantly reduce manual labor.

Unfortunately, the AI assistant and prioritization are only available with Spark Mail’s paid plans:

There are still some helpful organizational features included with 

Casual users might find the free plan suitable for their needs, but 

 to enjoy the platform’s full potential.

, which most clients and providers offer. It’s worth factoring this even if you’re only looking for an Android app as you should have a backup in case the app crashes.

 providing complete privacy and security to every user. Each email you send and receive is 

. The public key encrypts the message on your device and is shared with the recipient, while the private decryption key is safely stored on the recipient’s device.

 and can’t access plaintext copies of your emails—they’re only visible to the recipient.

Unlike most email clients and providers, 

. Zero-knowledge login enables complete confidentiality, and the 

encrypts critical account data to provide enhanced security.

The above security measures are combined with 

various features that streamline your workflow

Android Outlook alternative—four apps reviewed

 worldwide, Outlook is among the most popular 

. This is the case largely due to Microsoft’s prime position in the market combined with Outlook’s many features included in the free plan.

Still, Microsoft’s email service isn’t ideal. 

Some of its weakest points are the user interface, 

, pushing many users to look for free Outlook alternatives.

If you’re one of them, this guide will teach you 

what to look for in your new email provider

 worth considering and their most notable features.

Skiff Mail offers end-to-end encryption and advanced privacy features, providing secure and private email communication

Opt for privacy with Skiff Mail

 can be challenging due to vendor lock-in. If you’ve been using Outlook for a long time, you likely have lots of 

 and an established workflow you’ll likely disrupt.

You need to choose your next service wisely to 

avoid unnecessary additional changes down the line

. If you’re not sure what to look for in your 

One of Outlook’s main disadvantages is its relatively complex and cluttered user interface. While advanced users might appreciate the variety of features, beginners may struggle to get used to it. An ideal alternative should eliminate this problem by ticking two boxes:

If you compare Outlook to many competitors, you will likely notice it has a more 

squared, busy design with numerous icons around the inbox

. Many providers offer a cleaner, minimalistic interface that is far more esthetically pleasing.

This isn’t only a matter of visual appeal—

a minimalistic user interface is also easier to navigate

, especially if the email client has well-structured features and commands.

All of this makes for a smoother, more efficient user experience. A well-designed platform can 

minimize distractions and increase productivity

You might have heard the popular saying: “If you’re not paying for a product, you 

Jason Ginsberg