Gmail vs Apple Mail

Gmail9.4Visit Apple Mail9.3Visit

Higher score Gmail #1 in Email Apps 9.4/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 3 features Visit Gmail

vs

Apple Mail #2 in Email Apps 9.3/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 1 of 3 features Visit Apple Mail

• Gmail fits best

  Mainstream users wanting a capable free inbox

• Apple Mail fits best

  Apple users managing several email accounts

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Side by side

Feature	Gmail 9.4/10 Visit ↗	Apple Mail 9.3/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.4	9.3
Ranking	#1 in Email Apps	#2 in Email Apps
Best for	Mainstream users wanting a capable free inbox	Apple users managing several email accounts
Pricing model	Free plan + paid	Free
Starting price	$1.99/mo	Free plan
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Cloud, Mobile	Cloud, Desktop, Mobile
Platforms	Web, iOS, Android	macOS, iOS
Integrations	2 integrations	5 integrations
Features Gmail 0/3 · Apple Mail 1/3
Unified inbox	Not checked yet	✓ (best)
End-to-end encryption	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Custom domains	—	Not checked yet
Specs
Accounts supported	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Platforms	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Included storage	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Our review
Pros	Organizes messages with categories, labels, and layout controls Predictive search, spam filtering, and phishing protection Works on web and mobile, with IMAP and POP client access	Combines multiple providers in one All Inboxes view Supports scheduled sending and Mail Drop for large files Includes Mail Privacy Protection and Apple Intelligence features
Cons	Free storage is shared across Gmail, Drive, and Photos Google One Basic adds shared storage, not a standalone mailbox tier Custom-domain email requires Google Workspace	Native Mail apps are limited to macOS and iOS Some features depend on device, system, provider, language, or region Support channels are community and documentation
Our verdict	Gmail is Google's email service for personal and organizational communication, suited to people who want an inbox with organization and search tools across web and mobile. It sorts mail with categories, labels, and layout controls, while… Read the review →	Apple Mail is a free email client included with Apple devices, aimed at people who want to manage several accounts in one application. It is available on macOS and iOS, and supports accounts from iCloud, Gmail, Microsoft Exchange, Yahoo,… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Gmail — where it wins

  • Organizes messages with categories, labels, and layout controls
  • Predictive search, spam filtering, and phishing protection
  • Works on web and mobile, with IMAP and POP client access

  Where it doesn't

  • Free storage is shared across Gmail, Drive, and Photos
  • Google One Basic adds shared storage, not a standalone mailbox tier
  • Custom-domain email requires Google Workspace

• Apple Mail — where it wins

  • Combines multiple providers in one All Inboxes view
  • Supports scheduled sending and Mail Drop for large files
  • Includes Mail Privacy Protection and Apple Intelligence features

  Where it doesn't

  • Native Mail apps are limited to macOS and iOS
  • Some features depend on device, system, provider, language, or region
  • Support channels are community and documentation

• Gmail9.4/10 · Free plan

  A capable free inbox with useful organization, search, and shared Google storage.

  Visit GmailFull verdict →
• Apple Mail9.3/10 · Free plan

  A free Apple email app with a unified inbox, scheduled sending, and provider support.

  Visit Apple MailFull verdict →