MXDeck compared with other Mac mail apps
MXDeck is a light native Mac mail app for people with 10 to 30 mailboxes on their own domains and servers. It is not for everyone, and these pages say so. Each one tells you when the other app is the better pick.
MXDeck vs Apple Mail
Free, built in, and fine for a few mailboxes.
MXDeck vs Spark
Cross-platform, team and AI features, some processing on Spark’s servers.
MXDeck vs Thunderbird
Free, open source, every platform, endless options.
MXDeck vs Outlook for Mac
Best when your mail lives in Microsoft 365 or Exchange.
MXDeck vs Mimestream
A native Mac client for Gmail only.
The short version
| Your mail lives on | Good pick |
|---|---|
| 2–3 mailboxes, any provider | Apple Mail: free and already on your Mac |
| Microsoft 365, Exchange, Outlook.com | Outlook for Mac |
| Google Workspace only | Mimestream |
| Mac, Windows and Linux, or POP3 | Thunderbird |
| Phones and a team, with AI help | Spark |
| 10–30 IMAP mailboxes on your own domains and servers | MXDeck (in development) |
What MXDeck does, and does not
Built so far: all IMAP and SMTP mailboxes in one window, conversation threads, replies always sent from the mailbox the mail came to, a coloured mailbox tag on every message, bulk import from YAML or JSON with each mailbox verified, a domain mail-health grade from A to F (MX, SPF, DKIM, DMARC, TLS, blacklists, reverse DNS) with fix hints and an alert when a grade drops, undo send, macOS notifications and a menu bar icon. Passwords stay in the macOS Keychain, there is no analytics, and the app talks only to your mail servers and api.mxdeck.com. The code will be published under the FSL licence.
Coming: drafts synced to the server’s Drafts folder, send later, remind me.
Not supported: POP3, Google or Microsoft sign-in (Gmail works with an app password; Microsoft 365 and Outlook.com do not work yet), Exchange, rules, AI features, iPhone, Windows. Spam filtering is left to your server on purpose.
MXDeck is not out yet. Until it is, the free mail health checker runs the same domain check in your browser, and the guide on managing email for many domains covers the setup.
Questions
Which Mac mail app is best for many domains?
It depends on where the mail lives. Microsoft 365: Outlook. Google Workspace only: Mimestream. A few mailboxes anywhere: Apple Mail. Many mailboxes on your own IMAP servers, with domain health checks: that is what MXDeck is being built for.
Are these comparisons fair?
We try. Every claim about another app links to that vendor’s own page, and each page says who should pick the other app. If something is out of date, write to hello@mxdeck.com and we will fix it.
Is MXDeck available now?
Not yet. The Mac app is in development and the waitlist gets the beta first.
One Mac inbox for all your domains. MXDeck is in development. Join the waitlist and get the beta first.
Get early access