Email apps for Mac and iPhoneHead to head
Spark Mail vs Mimestream
Spark Mail ranks #1 and Mimestream ranks #2 in our guide to the best email apps for Mac and iPhone. Spark Mail is our pick for most people.
Spark MailPick Spark Mail if you run 2 or more email accounts and want messages from people to float to the top.Free to start#2 in the guide
MimestreamPick Mimestream if your mail is all Gmail and you want a native Mac app instead of a browser tab.From $4.99What decides it
- Mimestream costs less over 3 years: $149.97, against $297 for Spark Mail.
- Both run on Mac. Only Spark Mail runs on iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch.
- Spark Mail is included with a Setapp subscription; Mimestream isn't.
Side by side
Prices are checked every day.
| At a glance | Spark Mail | Mimestream |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free. Plus is $10 a month or $99 a year | $4.99 a month or $49.99 a year after a 14-day free trial |
| How you pay | Free, with paid upgrades | Subscription |
| 3 years of use | $297 Yearly plan | $149.97 Yearly plan Cheaper |
| Free trial | Free to start | Yes |
| Runs on | Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | Mac |
| Where to buy | App Store, Developer, Setapp | Developer |
| Rating | 4.6 83K ratings | Too few ratings |
| Features | Free trial | Free trial |
| Made by | Readdle Technologies Limited | Not listed |
| Last updated | 28 Oct 2026 | Not tracked |
Who should get which
Get Spark Mail if
You run 2 or more email accounts and want messages from actual people to float to the top.
Get Mimestream if
You live in Gmail all day and want a real Mac app instead of a browser tab.
Skip Spark Mail if
You have 1 Gmail account and the Gmail app or Apple Mail already suits you fine.
Skip Mimestream if
You keep mail on iCloud, Outlook or a work server, because Mimestream won't add those accounts.
Our verdicts
Spark Mail
Free with unlimited email accounts, Spark puts Gmail, Outlook, iCloud and any IMAP inbox together and sorts mail from real people above newsletters and notifications. Gatekeeper makes new senders wait for your approval, and snooze, send later and muting cover the daily cleanup. The AI summaries and meeting notes need Plus at $99 a year, which Setapp subscribers already get, and Gmail-only users get a more native Mac app in Mimestream.
Mimestream
Only Gmail accounts work here, because the app talks to Gmail's own API, so labels, inbox categories, filters and search behave exactly as they do on the web. On top you get a unified inbox for several accounts, aliases, templates, snooze, undo send and blocking of tracking pixels. There is no free plan after the 14-day trial, and Spark's free tier is the better fit if you also need iCloud or Outlook mail.
What each one helps you do
Spark Mail
- Read every email account in one inbox
- Screen new senders before they reach you
- Schedule an email to send tomorrow morning
- Summarize a long thread with AI
Mimestream
- Manage several Gmail accounts in 1 inbox
- Use Gmail labels and filters natively
- Block tracking pixels in incoming email
- Reply faster with saved templates
Where to get them
Spark Mail
Free. Plus is $10 a month or $99 a year
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App Store, iPhone, iPad and Apple WatchWith in-app purchasesFree downloadApp Store
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Mac App StoreWith in-app purchasesFree downloadMac App Store
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From the developerPlus and Pro have a 7-day free trialFree downloadGet it
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IncludedTry Setapp
Mimestream
$4.99 a month or $49.99 a year after a 14-day free trial
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From the developer14-day free trial with no credit card. Needs macOS 12 or later$4.99 a monthGet it
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Neither one quite right?
The other picks in our guide to the best email apps for Mac and iPhone.
Read the full guideAll Spark Mail alternativesAll Mimestream alternatives