Canary Mail vs Apple Mail: A Helpful Comparison

When I first searched for a better email client for my workflow, I also started comparing different email apps. I came across the debate of Canary Mail vs Apple Mail, as both are popular, well-designed, and trusted by millions of users. But as a working professional who works all day, I always have some curiosity to know small details, real differences. This is the reason I want to explore the real difference between Canary Mail and Apple Mail in a simple way, making it easy for everyone to understand.

In this article, I will share all the details that I have learned based on my personal experience. There will be no confusing terms, easy to understand, and honest reviews that will answer all your questions.

Overview: Canary Mail vs Apple Mail

Looking deeply at both Canary Mail and Apple Mail, firstly, I check what each app actually does.

Let’s check them:

Apple Mail

Apple Mail is the original app of Apple, and by default, it is the email app of the Apple operating system used on every Apple device of Apple as Mac, iPhone, and iPad. You are able to use any email in it, like Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, or business accounts; it works perfectly with them.

Canary Mail

Canary Mail is a modern email client that mainly focuses on its users’ privacy. It also has AI-assisted writing and end-to-end encryption. If you are really concerned about your mailbox data security or want to explore features like one-click unsubscribe or email snoozing, then Canary is a great choice.

After knowing the visions of each email client, I can see the difference between Canary Mail and Apple Mail. Apple Mail is trustworthy, and you can rely on it, but on the other hand, Canary Mail is smart and privacy-driven; you can say that it is the Gen-Z of email clients.

Also read: Canary Mail vs Outlook

Which One Feels Better – Canary Mail vs Apple Mail

The day is used Apple Mail for the very first time, I immediately noticed how natural it is. The interface is clean, and everything is up to the Mark. This is what you can expect from a brand like Apple. It is so smooth in reading, replying, and organizing the emails.

But when I tested Canary Mail, I realised I was using a more advanced and modern version of email. It has some good features:

• A better layout
• Smart Folders
• Easy unsubscribe buttons
• Emails snoozing
• Read receipts
• AI-powered drafting

I felt in the battle, Canary Mail vs Apple Mail, that something is better in Canary Mail, and something is better in Apple mail, as Apple has simplicity, which makes it very easy to use, and Canary wins on useful features and tools.

Security and Privacy

This is where we got to know the difference between Canary Mail and Apple Mail in terms of security.

Apple Mail Security 

Apple Mail mostly relies on Apple’s built-in security. The most negative thing that I personally felt, it doesn’t encrypt your emails on its own. You need to set it up manually using the correct certificates, and most people never do that, as some of them find it very complicated and others don’t know much about it.

Canary Mail Security

This is where Canary comes into play, as it offers:

• Automatic encryption is just a click away
• End-to-end encryption, which is very useful for many organizations
• Zero-access security, as nobody, not even Canary, can read your emails
• AI power, which is really good for threat and phishing detections.

If you are someone who needs sensitive data, clients’ details, and simply want a far better or I say top-notch, security, then Canary is the clear winner.

This is one of the main factors that we look for in an email client, and Canary simply impressed me during the Canary Mail vs Apple Mail comparison.

Related article: Apple Mail Unable to Verify Account

Email Productivity Features

Over time, the way I used to manage emails earlier and now has a big difference. Mostly, things that have changed are now I don’t just read emails, I organise them, snooze them, reply fater and filter them carefully. That’s why this section matters to most of the users who are like me.

Features that Apple Mail provides:

• Easy to organise folders and simple filters
• Messages are shown together like a neat chat thread, no hassle in finding emails
• Manually set up special notifications from important people
• Siri works smoothly for quick actions
• Connects well with your notes and calendar apps.

Features Canary Mail adds:

• If you are busy, then you can pause emails for later
• Easily unsubscribe from unwanted emails with just one click
• An inbox that highlights the most important messages from important people first.
• Go to know when someone has opened your email
• Get reminders to follow up on messages
• AI that helps you enhance your emails
• One inbox for everything, with powerful filters to keep things organised.

Canary gives more power and control to its users, so it is pretty clear to me the difference between Canary Mail and Apple Mail in terms of email productivity features.

Integration With Devices

This part of the Canary Mail vs Apple Mail might be an eye-opener for you.

Apple Mail

• Works perfectly on all Apple devices as it is the default mail.
• Syncs swiftly with iCloud
• Has native macOS and iOS support
• No additional installation needed

Canary Mail

• Works on Mac
• Works on iPhone
• Works on Android
• Works on Windows (beta)

Using Canary is a wise decision if you want diversity, as it works perfectly on all devices and operating systems, while Apple Mail is the clear choice if you are a user of Apple devices or fully inside the Apple ecosystem.

Performance & Speed

Personally, Apple Mail is extremely stable. It rarely crashes, and it loads fast because it is optimized for Apple’s hardware.

Canary is also fast, but in terms of AI features or encryption, it takes a little bit of time. It is not slow, but I personally felt that Apple Mail feels lighter.

In the Canary Mail vs Apple Mail speed test, Apple wins the race with a small margin.

Price Comparison

One more important difference between Canary Mail and Apple Mail is in terms of cost.

Apple Mail

• It is free of cost
• By default, it comes on all Apple devices
• No subscription needed

Canary Mail

• Free Plan: $0 — Basic email features.
• Growth Plan: $3 per month. Adds AI Copilot, advanced filters, and more productivity tools.
• Pro+ Plan: $10 per month, around $120/year — Includes everything above plus PGP encryption.

Official source: Canary Mail Pricing

If you want a free and simple but effective email client, then Apple Mail is the winner.

But if you are looking for advanced features and are comfortable paying for them, then Canary is a better option.

Related guide: Migrate Apple Mail Emails to Google Workspace

Backup & Data Protection

One thing that is non-negotiable for me when comparing apps like Canary Mail vs Apple Mail is the safety of my data. These are some questions that always come to my mind:

• What happens when my mailbox gets corrupted?
• What if cyber attacks destroy my server?
• What if I lose my emails mistakenly?

That’s the reason I always consider taking a backup of my emails, and all these years I have done this, and I must say it is the best decision I have made for my emails’ safety. That’s why I personally recommend a professional and reliable SysTools IMAP Backup Software. Try it for free now.

It doesn’t matter which app you use, like Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook, Canary, or Apple Mail. This tool helps you in:

• Backing up all emails swiftly and securely locally
• Export IMAP to PST, EML, PDF, and more
• Restore them easily whenever and wherever you want
• Always protect your data from loss or cyberattacks

If something goes wrong while using the difference between Canary Mail and Apple Mail, you still have emails that are safe. 

Closing Words: Which One Should You Choose?

After using both apps for months and deeply going through both of them for the Canary Mail vs Apple Mail comparison, here are my personal recommendations that I want to share:

Choose Apple Mail if:

• You don’t want to pay
• You like a clean and simple interface
• You are in the Apple ecosystem
• You want a stable performance

Choose Canary Mail if:

• You want to explore advanced features
• You are more conscious about your encryption and privacy
• You love to work with automation and AI tools
• You use mixed devices and operating systems

The real difference between Canary Mail and Apple Mail is simply the battle between simplicity vs intelligence.

Apple Mail is easy to use, whereas Canary Mail is powerful, and whichever you choose, as per your requirements and interests, make sure you keep a backup of your data so you don’t lose your data, and using a professional tool for this is a wise and secure decision you will ever take, trust me.

FAQ’s

Q. Does Canary Mail have AI features?

Yes, Camary Mail has AI features like AI writing, smart filters, and automated email actions.

Q. Is it possible to use Canary Mail on Windows or Android?

Yes, you can use Canary Mail on Windows or Android, as it supports multiple platforms.

Q. Is end-to-end encryption available on Apple Mail?

Yes, only if you set it up manually with certificates, and there is no automatic process.

Q. Canary Mail vs Apple Mail, which one is more secure?

Yes, in terms of security, it is far better than Apple Mail as it has automatic encryption and stronger privacy tools.