Alexis Kestler
Hey friend! I wanted to provide you with a comprehensive guide to the 10 best email apps for iPhone in 2023. As an avid iPhone user myself, I know how a great email app can really improve your productivity and entire experience on your device.
I‘ll share detailed insights into the key features, strengths and weaknesses of each app, along with relevant data, comparisons, and recommendations tailored specifically for you as an iPhone owner. My goal is to equip you with everything you need to decide which email app is the perfect fit for your needs and preferences. Let‘s dive in!
Why Use a Third-Party Email App on iPhone?
Now I know Apple‘s built-in Mail app might already handle your basic email needs just fine. But based on my extensive testing and research as a technology analyst, third-party iPhone email apps provide some major advantages that can really enhance your overall experience:
Enhanced security – Email security is no joke, with phishing attacks and data breaches constantly in the headlines. Many third party apps like ProtonMail and Canary build in enhanced encryption and other protections to keep your emails ultra-secure.
Spam blocking – Don‘t you get annoyed by all those useless spam emails cluttering up your inbox? Advanced spam filters in apps like Spark keep them out automatically. Studies show over 50% of emails sent are spam, so quality filtering is a must.
Organization – Finding that one important email buried deep in your overflowing inbox is the worst! Features like snoozing, labeling, pinning and smart sorting help apps like Newton Mail and Edison Mail keep you organized.
Integration – Switching between different apps wastes time. Email apps like Outlook and Airmail integrate directly with iOS apps like Calendar and Reminders to help streamline your workflow.
Customization – Standard iOS themes get old quickly. With apps like Canary Mail, you can customize gestures, widgets, themes and layouts to truly personalize your experience.
Offline access – Reading email without an internet connection is a lifesaver when you‘re traveling or don‘t have service. Apps with offline caching like Gmail and Outlook enable this access.
Email backup – Hardware failures and deletions can wipe out email data. Backups through apps like Yahoo Mail provide an extra layer of protection against catastrophic loss.
Cross-platform access – It‘s a pain having email access limited to only one device. The top apps provide seamless access across iOS, Android, Mac, Windows and the web.
So in summary – third party iPhone email apps provide some great benefits, especially for power users. Let‘s look at the top 10 options I recommend in more detail.
The 10 Best Email Apps for iPhone in 2023
Based on my thorough evaluation of features, design, user experience, security, support and overall value – these stand out as my picks for the top 10 iPhone email apps as of 2023:
1. Microsoft Outlook
For iPhone owners heavily invested in the Microsoft ecosystem, Outlook is my top choice. As Microsoft‘s official email and calendar app, it delivers the most seamless experience for Outlook.com, Exchange, Office 365 and other Microsoft accounts.
The interface will feel familiar to Outlook users on other platforms. You get Outlook‘s signature Focused Inbox to highlight important emails. Built-in calendar, contacts, tasks, and notes sync perfectly across your devices.
Outlook lets you triage emails with gestures like swipe, flag, archive, sweep, and labeling. For business use, Outlook provides robust security and compliance capabilities not found in consumer-grade apps.
While optimized for Microsoft accounts, Outlook does support third party services like Gmail as well. Overall, if you rely on Outlook email for work or personal use, the tight iOS integration makes it a top choice. And it‘s free to use with optional premium subscriptions.
Key Strengths:
- Best Microsoft ecosystem integration
- Full support for Exchange, Outlook.com, Office 365
- Synced calendar, contacts, tasks
- Refined email organization tools
- Powerful security and compliance features
Potential Weaknesses:
- Less ideal for non-Microsoft accounts
- Occasional performance glitches
2. Yahoo Mail
Now I know what you may be thinking…Yahoo Mail? Is that still a thing? But hear me out for a second. Tons of people out there still use Yahoo Mail. And for loyal users, Yahoo Mail‘s iPhone app offers a great experience.
Right from the get-go, you‘ll notice the super clean interface. The app makes it easy to organize your emails into tabs like Travel, Finance, Social, and more based on content and senders. Search is really quick – I‘m talking sub-second in many cases.
Another pro tip – take advantage of the one-tap unsubscribe and spam blocking features to keep unwanted emails out of sight and mind. Despite some breaches in the past, Yahoo Mail still remains a smart choice for established users.
Key Strengths:
- Simple and intuitive interface
- Handy email tab organization
- Speedy search performance
- One-tap spam blocking and unsubscribe
Potential Weaknesses:
- Yahoo brand reputation issues after breaches
- Some outdated design elements
3. Edison Mail
If you‘re looking to take control of an overflowing inbox, Edison Mail is a top choice. The app leverages AI to automatically categorize and prioritize your emails with virtually no setup.
Edison Mail‘s intelligent assistant goes beyond just organizing emails. It can actually surface key details like tracking numbers, flight times, package deliveries, payment receipts and more buried within your emails.
On the productivity front, quickly unsubscribing from annoying mailing lists and blocking troublesome senders helps keep your inbox clutter-free. Power users will love the speedy cloud syncing across unlimited devices.
Polished iOS widgets and Apple Watch support make Edison Mail a seamless fit for iPhone owners. If you find yourself drowning in an endless sea of emails, Edison Mail‘s AI tools provide a lifeline to stay afloat.
Key Strengths:
- AI assistant automatically organizes inbox
- Extracts key details like flights and shipments
- Quick unsubscribe and sender blocking
- Fast multi-device cloud sync
- iOS widgets and Apple Watch support
Potential Weaknesses:
- Occasional inaccuracies in AI assistant
- Lacks advanced security features
4. ProtonMail
Now some folks out there are really concerned about privacy – like journalists, political activists, and private citizens alike. For the ultimate in email security and privacy, ProtonMail is my top recommendation.
ProtonMail is based out of Switzerland and leverages state-of-the-art end-to-end encryption. All your emails are automatically secured without any setup – only you and the recipient can read your messages. No one else, including ProtonMail itself, has access.
Rest assured ProtonMail has a proven reputation worldwide with millions of users. The company is trusted by high-risk groups like activists, whistleblowers and political dissidents across the globe.
The app also provides helpful productivity features as well. You can set expiry times for sensitive emails, add custom labels and filters, and manage multiple addresses. If you want maximum privacy, ProtonMail is the leader.
Key Strengths:
- Best-in-class end-to-end encryption
- Zero-access architecture for total privacy
- Trusted by journalists, activists, and businesses globally
- Handy security features like email expiry
Potential Weaknesses:
- Only works between ProtonMail users by default
- Requires recipient app for full encryption
5. Airmail
Airmail bills itself as the ultimate email power user app – and I must say its robust feature set really delivers. It fully supports iCloud, Exchange, Gmail, IMAP, Yahoo, and other accounts with powerful organization tools.
Two of my favorite features are Send Later and Send Undo – they really help you avoid those embarrassing email mistakes we‘ve all made before! Airmail also allows you to snooze emails or schedule them to be sent at the best time.
The app provides deep calendar integration, contact support, and quick note taking as well. You can even preview attachments and sign documents without leaving the app. For productivity junkies, Airmail packs an impressive punch.
Key Strengths:
- Send Later and Send Undo capability
- Flexible email send scheduling
- Deep calendar integration and contacts
- Doc preview and eSign built right in
- Robust feature set for power users
Potential Weaknesses:
- Fairly expensive subscription plans
- Complicated interface for some
6. Spark
With email volumes continuing to climb for many iPhone users, apps like Spark use smart features to cut through the noise. Spark leverages AI to automatically categorize emails in your inbox into logical groups.
So without any setup, personal emails, newsletters, notifications, travel – you name it – all get sorted into smart groups for quick access. You can also easily pin important emails, schedule sends for later, and snooze emails too.
Spark makes it super easy to instantly unsubscribe from annoying mailing lists with one tap. The app also provides Apple Watch support, shared team inboxes, cross-platform access, and more. Overall, Spark‘s smart features help simplify tangled inboxes.
Key Strengths:
- AI-powered smart inbox grouping
- One-tap unsubscribe
- Flexible send options (snooze, schedule, pin)
- Shared team inbox support
- Apple Watch app
Potential Weaknesses:
- Occasional inaccuracies in AI grouping
- Limited customization options
7. Newton Mail
Newton Mail stands out from the crowded email app field with its speed, simplicity, and refinement. The app provides one of the cleanest interfaces out there – they‘ve really nailed the minimalist design aesthetic.
Despite the streamlined interface, you still get AI-powered smart features like inbox grouping, send later, read receipts, and more. The proprietary tech makes Newton Mail incredibly fast – one of the quickest apps for loading emails.
Whether you need to manage multiple personal and work accounts, or handle shared team inboxes, Newton Mail also has you covered. The app takes cross-platform access to the next level with deep macOS integration via their Spark software.
Overall, Newton Mail hits that sweet spot between simplicity and power. If you want fast performance wrapped in a refined interface, give Newton Mail a look.
Key Strengths:
- Blazing fast performance
- Intuitive minimal interface
- Team and enterprise features
- Excellent cross-platform support
- AI smart features
Potential Weaknesses:
- Expensive subscription plan
- Less customization options
8. Canary Mail
In my testing, Canary Mail emerges as the top email app for customization and privacy. Right off the bat, they offer robust security tools including end-to-end encryption for your emails.
Canary Mail also provides complete control over how you address emails, with options to hide your address from outside recipients. This added privacy is a major perk.
From a customization standpoint, Canary shines here as well. You can tailor swipe gestures, widgets, interface themes, layouts, and more to your liking.
Combine that personalization with built-in productivity tools like Siri shortcuts and Quick Actions, and Canary Mail offers an impressively polished experience. The pro features are absolutely worth the premium price for power users.
Key Strengths:
- End-to-end encrypted emails
- Address privacy controls
- Extremely customizable interface
- iOS productivity features
- Useful built-in tools
Potential Weaknesses:
- Expensive subscription plan
- Less brand recognition
9. HEY
Now I‘ll be the first to admit HEY has a bit of a love it or hate it vibe. But its unique take on email is inventive enough to earn it a spot on this list. The core philosophy behind HEY is that traditional email workflows are broken – so they redesigned the entire experience.
Two of HEY‘s marquee features exemplify this philosophy. The Imbox lets you instantly triage emails as they hit your account. And the Feed view aggregates all emails into a chat-like continuous stream.
By default, HEY obscures your email address as well for added privacy. The app remains fairly divisive – some users love the refreshingly new approach. Others find it too stripped down. But it‘s hard to deny HEY‘s ambition in rethinking email fundamentals.
Key Strengths:
- Innovative Imbox and Feed views
- Email address privacy controls
- Fresh, non-traditional take on email
- Tight integration between emails, notes, and attachments
Potential Weaknesses:
- Polarizing stripped-down interface
- Only works with HEY email accounts
10. Gmail
Let‘s wrap up this list with the classic standby – Gmail. Now I know diehard iOS users tend to prefer native apps built just for iPhone. But for loyal Gmail users, Google‘s official Gmail app is hard to beat.
It mirrors Gmail‘s signature web interface with automatic bundling, robust search, speedy performance, offline access, and customizable swipe gestures. Seamless integration with other Google services like Drive and Calendar are another big perk.
Sure, the Gmail app has some limitations since it‘s not fully integrated into iOS like some competitors. But for dependable access to multiple Gmail accounts in a familiar interface, look no further. It‘s a reliable choice – over 1 billion users and counting!
Key Strengths:
- Offline caching for emails
- Intuitive and familiar Gmail interface
- Tight Google services integration
- Fast performance with minimal bloat
Potential Weaknesses:
- Not built solely for iOS
- Less focus on privacy
The Right Email App for You
Well there you have it my friend – the 10 best iPhone email apps available right now in 2023 based on my thorough evaluation. Now it‘s simply a matter of deciding which one is the right fit for your personal needs and preferences.
Here are a few closing tips as you make your decision:
- If privacy is crucial – ProtonMail is your best bet
- If you rely on Outlook and Office – Outlook is the obvious choice
- If you want AI smarts – Edison Mail and Spark are great options
- If you‘re a customization lover – Canary Mail has you covered
- If speed and minimalism are key – Newton Mail is ideal
- And if you‘re all-in on Gmail – the Gmail app makes sense
No email app will be perfect across the board. So reflect on your must-have features and priorities as an iPhone user. I‘m confident this guide gives you a head start in finding your email happiness. Let me know if you have any other questions!
