Thunderbird vs Apple Mail: Which One Is Better

As a working professional, the day I started using email regularly for both personal and professional communication, choosing the right email client became a priority for me. Over the years, I have used multiple desktop email applications, but many users have confusion about Thunderbird vs Apple Mail. For over a decade, I have been working on both, and I decided to share my experience honestly.

In this article, I am going to explain the difference between the two email clients from a user’s point of view. I will walk you through all the important features of Apple Mail vs Thunderbird. If you are confused about which email client suits your workflow, then I hope that at the end of this guide, you will get your answer.

What Are These Two Email Apps?

Before we compare Thunderbird vs Apple Mail in terms of features and performance, I want to explain what each email is designed for. I felt it was important to know their core purpose and vision. So let’s understand.

Apple Mail

Apple Mail is the default email application of Apple. It comes by default on every Apple device, like Mac, iPhone, and iPad. Apple Mail is designed to give its users a smoother and more reliable experience within the Apple ecosystem.

It is easy to add Gmail, Outlook, and other email clients without any issues. However, Apple Mail is compatible with all email protocols and works seamlessly with macOS; users may encounter problems if, which usually requires server details. 

Overall, if you are also using other Apple services, then Apple Mail is a valuable asset.

Thunderbird

Thunderbird is an email client that was developed by Mozilla, and it is a free and open-source email client. As Apple Mail is limited to iOS and macOS, Thunderbird is not bound to one operating system, making it more flexible.

From the beginning, Thunderbird mainly focuses on customization and advanced email management. Thunderbird gives you the privilege to have full control over how emails are stored and organized. It may not look as modern as Apple at first, but I can confidently say that it is more powerful.

Once I understand the basics of each app, I can clearly see the difference between Thunderbird vs Apple Mail. One works better in its own ecosystem, and the other is flexible and adapt any operating system easily. In the Apple Mail vs Thunderbird comparison, Thunderbird is clearly a better tool.

Which One Is Better?

The day I first used Apple Mail, I was impressed as everything was comfortable to use and placed the same way I expected it to be. Reading and searching emails felt effortless. Personally, this is what I projected from Apple as a brand.

Apple Mail doesn’t give you more options. It primarily focuses on quality for many users, and this is what users look for while using the app. In the Thunderbird vs Apple Mail comparison, Apple Mail has an upper hand when it comes to simplicity.

Talking about my experience with Thunderbird, it was slightly different from Apple Mail. The interface is more complex, and I wasted my time exploring the settings, but once I learned all about it, I realised how much more control I have over the app. Some Thunderbird features that caught my attention were:

• The layout is easy to customize as you want it to be
• It has smart filters and rules to manage emails better
• You can add more features using add-ons and extensions
• It helps you in organising emails neatly
• You will get better control over attachments

If I compare Apple Mail vs Thunderbird in terms of ease of use, then I can say Apple Mail is clearly the winner because it is user-friendly, and even a beginner can ace it. On the other hand, Thunderbird gives you more features to explore. 

Despite that, when switching accounts, tasks like remove IMAP account are more flexible in Thunderbird.

Features and Customization

The biggest comparison that I have noticed during the Thunderbird vs Apple Mail comparison is customization.

Apple Mail is more inclined towards simplicity, and that is the reason you will see smart mailboxes and search filters; that’s it.  You have no control over how the app behaves and looks. Many users are happy about it as it is simple to use.

On the other hand, Thunderbird gives me the privilege to do deep customization, and I can install as many extensions and add-ons, and even more, I have full control over how my emails are indexed and stored. This made a huge difference for me and was very good at managing multiple accounts.

I can clearly say that Thunderbird offers more flexibility and advanced features than Apple Mail vs Thunderbird. So In terms of customising emails, Thunderbird wins the race.

Security and Privacy

Personally, I am very conscious of my data protection, and this is the area that I analyzed in terms of Thunderbird vs Apple Mail.

Apple Mail Security

Apple Mail relies on the Apple ecosystem, so basically, you will experience an advanced level of security. A major disadvantage that I observed is that Apple doesn’t provide built-in end-to-end encryption. You need to do a manual setting if you want to get end-to-end encryption, which is a hard thing to do, as it is so confusing.

I felt that Apple Mail is secure for everyday use, but if you want advanced or end-to-end security, then you will not get it.

Thunderbird Security

I got impressed with Thunderbird in this area because it supports OpenPGP encryption and gives the user full control over privacy. As we all know, Thunderbird is an open-source, so everything, including security features are transparent and regularly reviewed.

In the Apple Mail vs Thunderbird comparison, Thunderbird feels more privacy-focused, which is a good thing if you are dealing with issues like IMAP server timeout, sensitive emails, or confidential communication regarding any bigger projects or mergers. 

AI Visibility

When I first heard that email clients are adding AI in email apps, I wasn’t surprised, and I didn’t think much of it. But when I experience the features like smart replies and email drafting. The one thing that comes to mind is that this is the future of email apps. I think this is something that I need to cover in this article to compare Thunderbird vs Apple Mail:

Apple Mail’s AI Features

Apple Mail is also evolving in terms of smart functionality. Here are some features it offers:

• You will get typing suggestions while writing emails
• Folders will automatically sort important emails
• Important emails from selected contacts will be shown first

Personally, I feel like it is not taking over my workflow; it assists me quietly behind the scenes. I have many users who are comfortable with this because it doesn’t distract from the simplicity of the interface. 

Thunderbird’s AI Integration

Thunderbird doesn’t have smart writing and predictive sorting like any other AI-using email client. But in Thunderbird, you have the privilege to add extensions and add-ons that bring AI-like features to the app.

In my Thunderbird vs Apple Mail comparison analysis. I can say that Thunderbird doesn’t have built-in AI functionality, but if you like customization, then it offers add-ons and extensions that will help you with smart features.

So in terms of AI visibility, Apple Mail is slightly better than Thunderbird.

Performance and Handling Large Mailboxes

Over a period of time, my inbox grew. App performance becomes a key factor for me. Apple Mail works pretty well on macOS, but I have noticed that when the mailboxes grow, it slows down in handling large mailboxes or heavy attachments, such as IMAP folder is not properly syncing, especially with older or overloaded accounts.

On the other hand, Thunderbird handles large mailboxes smoothly. Even though it consumes a bit more system resources, it stays reliable even with years of saved emails. Users managing older emails benefit from options like archive IMAP emails to maintain performance.

In the comparison of Apple Mail vs Thunderbird, in terms of performance, Thunderbird seals the winning spot because if you are looking for long-term email storage and management, then it is a good choice.

Price Listing

Pricing can be a factor as much as features when choosing an email app. In the Thunderbird vs Apple Mail comparison. Here are the prices of both Apps:

Apple Mail

• Apple Mail is absolutely free and comes by default on all Apple devices
• There is no subscription, so you do not need to pay anything extra
• It is important to know that it works in the Apple ecosystem only, so you need a Mac, iPhone, or iPad in order to use it.

Thunderbird

• Thunderbird is free for everyone; there are no circumstances under which to use it.
• The one thing that I like the most is that there are no premium versions or hidden fees; everything is transparent.
• You can see that some extensions and add-ons have a paid version, but the app is free.

In the Apple Mail vs Thunderbird price comparison, it is clear that both apps are free for their users, but in choosing Thunderbird the one advantage of Thunderbird is that it can be used on multiple devices.

What if You Want to Switch between these Platforms?

There is a situation in front of me when I had to move my Thunderbird emails so I could keep a backup and access them easily at any point. That time I realized how important it is to stay in control of my data.

The best thing about the Thunderbird is that it gives its users full access to their data anytime they want for migration and backup. Using a trustworthy and professional solution like SysTools IMAP Backup Software made the process hassle-free and secure. With the help of this, you can easily migrate Thunderbird or Apple Mail data to other email clients as well, like Outlook (PST), Canary Mail, etc.

This software comes with advanced filter options like date filter, delta backup, etc. So try this now for free and leverage all the benefits of this now: 

This key factor added more value to my Thunderbird vs Apple Mail journey and showed me how effective and flexible Thunderbird can be in reality.

Author’s Verdict

After using both email clients and researching them deeply, I can say that Thunderbird is not about which app is better than another; it all depends on your requirements.

• Let’s take it this way: if you want a clean, simple, and Apple that works smoothly in the Apple ecosystem, then you can go with Apple Mail.
• If you prefer personalising your emails and want full control over your emails, then you can choose Thunderbird.

From what I have observed, in comparison of Apple Mail vs Thunderbird, it’s more like simplicity versus power, rather than which is better between them. For beginners, Apple Mail is a good choice, and for working professionals who have large mailboxes, Thunderbird is far better.

I would let you know that understanding Thunderbird vs Apple Mail helped me in choosing the right app for my workflow and suit my requirements, and I hope this article will remove all the confusion that you have regarding which one is better.