MailFlow review
Classifies IMAP email and drafts replies while leaving sending in your hands.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
MailFlow is an open-source AI email assistant for individuals and teams who want inbox organization and reply drafting while keeping control over deployment. It classifies incoming messages into IMAP folders and saves AI-generated replies in the mailbox’s Drafts folder. Because drafts are never sent automatically, it suits people who want automation to prepare work for review rather than send messages on their behalf.
Its mailbox coverage gives it a flexible fit: users can connect Gmail or Microsoft 365 through OAuth2, or use a generic IMAP mailbox. For language models, MailFlow supports local and hosted providers, including Ollama, OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini, vLLM, LM Studio, and OpenAI-compatible endpoints. Docker-based self-hosting is available, alongside a web dashboard with mailbox, cycle history, statistics, and billing views. The deployment options include single-tenant self-hosting and multi-tenant SaaS, so teams can choose between operating it themselves and a commercial service.
The published plans show a Free option for open-source self-hosted deployment and a Paid option listed at $12 per month for commercial SaaS; commercial SaaS use requires a commercial license. The repository does not provide detailed terms for those plans, so buyers should check the applicable license and service terms before choosing SaaS. MailFlow’s documented scope centers on classification and draft creation: thread summaries and follow-up task management are not documented. Choose it if self-hosted control, broad IMAP support, and human-reviewed drafts are priorities. Look elsewhere if you need automatic sending, documented summaries, or follow-up management as part of the assistant.
MailFlow pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Classifies incoming email into IMAP folders automatically
- Saves AI-generated reply drafts to IMAP Drafts without auto-sending
- Connects to Gmail, Microsoft 365, generic IMAP, and several LLM providers
- Where it doesn't
- Self-hosting requires Docker deployment
- Commercial SaaS use requires a commercial license
- Does not document thread summaries or follow-up task management
MailFlow fact sheet, pricing and score →
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