Mailspring
A local desktop index and open codebase; summaries and the privacy halo are absent.
Technical Profile & Specs
verified 2026-08-10
- Cost
- $0 / forever (Open Source)
- License
- GPL-3.0
- Hosting Model
- Local (on your machine)
- Platforms
- desktopone-click install
- Installation
- Install the packaged desktop app for macOS, Windows, or Linux and create a Mailspring ID
- Operational Setup
- A Mailspring ID is mandatory, and there are no mobile clients
- Where Your Data Lives
- Mail is synchronized and indexed into a local database and cache; Mailspring's service stores account and feature metadata but says it does not store message content except for features such as shared threads
- The Catch / Trade-off
- Mailspring has a local index but no native PGP, secure-send workflow, mobile apps, or built-in AI summaries comparable to Canary.
Replaces 4 paid apps
up to $49/mo ($588/yr) in subscriptions
Mailspring FAQ
Common questions
Is Mailspring free and open source?+
Mailspring is an open-source tool licensed under GPL-3.0 that runs on local. A local desktop index and open codebase; summaries and the privacy halo are absent.
What paid software does Mailspring replace?+
Mailspring serves as a free replacement for 4 paid SaaS applications: Canary Mail, Fastmail, Mailbird, Superhuman, saving up to $49/month ($588/year) in subscription bills.
How do you install and set up Mailspring?+
Installation: Install the packaged desktop app for macOS, Windows, or Linux and create a Mailspring ID. Setup notes: A Mailspring ID is mandatory, and there are no mobile clients
What is the catch or trade-off with Mailspring?+
Mailspring has a local index but no native PGP, secure-send workflow, mobile apps, or built-in AI summaries comparable to Canary.