The best email services to use with Mailspring on Linux

Mailspring is a modern, visual and cross-platform email client, available for Linux, Windows and macOS. On Linux, it is especially interesting for those looking for a more polished application than many classic clients, with a unified inbox, fast search, support for multiple accounts and a simple interface.

Unlike more traditional clients such as Thunderbird, Evolution or KMail, Mailspring focuses on a more modern and direct experience. It works especially well with popular providers such as Gmail, Outlook, iCloud, Yahoo, Fastmail and accounts compatible with IMAP/SMTP. (getmailspring.com)

On Linux, Mailspring fits well on desktops such as GNOME, KDE Plasma, Cinnamon or Xfce, and can be used on distributions such as Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, Arch Linux, openSUSE or Linux Mint.

In this comparison we are going to look at some of the best email services to use with Mailspring: StartMail, Mailfence, Fastmail, Infomaniak Mail, Gmail, Outlook, Proton Mail and Zoho Mail.

Comparison table

Email	Compatibility with Mailspring	Ease of setup	Privacy	Price	Best for
StartMail	Very good	Medium	High	Paid	Privacy with IMAP
Mailfence	Very good	Medium	High	Limited free / paid	Privacy and productivity
Fastmail	Excellent	High	Medium-high	Paid	Daily and professional use
Infomaniak Mail	Very good	Medium-high	High	Free / paid depending on service	European users and domains
Gmail	Excellent	Very high	Medium	Free / paid	General users
Outlook	Excellent	High	Medium	Free / paid	Microsoft users
Proton Mail	Possible, with Bridge	Medium-low	Very high	Limited free / paid	Advanced privacy
Zoho Mail	Very good	Medium	Medium-high	Limited free / paid	Businesses and custom domains

1. StartMail: privacy with classic integration

StartMail is a very interesting option to use with Mailspring if you are looking for a more private email service, but without giving up classic configuration through IMAP and SMTP. This is important because Mailspring works especially well with accounts that follow common email standards.

For users of Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora or Linux Mint, StartMail can be a good alternative to Gmail or Outlook if you want an account more focused on privacy and less dependent on Big Tech.

Advantages of StartMail in Mailspring

• Good privacy approach.
• Compatible with external clients through IMAP.
• Good alternative to Gmail and Outlook.
• Fits well with modern email clients.
• Suitable for users who want privacy without making things too complicated.

Disadvantages

• It is a paid service.
• It may require manual setup.
• It is not as well known as Gmail, Outlook or Proton Mail.
• It is not the most affordable option for basic users.

Opinion

StartMail is one of the best private options for Mailspring. It does not have the fame of Proton Mail, but its advantage is clear: it allows a more direct integration with desktop clients compatible with IMAP.

2. Mailfence: privacy and productivity

Mailfence also fits very well with Mailspring, especially if you want a European alternative to Gmail and Outlook. It offers email, calendar, contacts, documents and collaborative features, although Mailspring focuses mostly on the email part.

Its main appeal lies in combining privacy with productivity tools. For users of GNOME, KDE Plasma or Cinnamon, it can be a very complete option if you want to use Mailspring as your main client and Mailfence as a trusted provider.

Advantages of Mailfence in Mailspring

• Good privacy approach.
• Compatible with standard protocols on compatible plans.
• Includes calendar, contacts and documents.
• European alternative to Gmail and Outlook.
• Good option for those who want more than basic email.

Disadvantages

• Some features depend on the chosen plan.
• It may require manual setup.
• Mailspring does not take advantage of Mailfence’s entire productivity ecosystem.
• It is not as simple for beginners as Gmail.

Opinion

Mailfence is a highly recommended option for Mailspring if you want privacy, compatibility and a more complete suite behind the email service. It is not the simplest, but it is one of the most interesting options for leaving Google or Microsoft.

3. Fastmail: the best balance for Mailspring

Fastmail is one of the providers that best fit Mailspring. In fact, Mailspring mentions Fastmail among the major compatible providers, along with Gmail, iCloud, Office 365, Outlook.com and Yahoo. (getmailspring.com)

The combination makes a lot of sense: Fastmail is fast, stable and highly compatible with external clients, while Mailspring offers a modern and comfortable interface. For users of Fedora, Ubuntu, Debian, Arch Linux or openSUSE, it is a very balanced pairing.

Advantages of Fastmail in Mailspring

• Excellent compatibility with Mailspring.
• Very good support for IMAP and SMTP.
• Fast and stable service.
• Ideal for custom domains.
• Very good option for advanced personal or professional use.

Disadvantages

• It does not have a full free plan.
• It is not as focused on end-to-end encryption as Proton Mail.
• It may not be the best option if you are only looking for a free account.
• Less attractive for users who already use Gmail or Outlook.

Opinion

Fastmail is probably the best email service for Mailspring if you are looking for balance. It is not the cheapest or the most private in the strict sense, but it is one of the most convenient and reliable options to use with this client.

4. Infomaniak Mail: European alternative for professional email

Infomaniak Mail is a very interesting option for those who want a European provider, with professional email, domains, hosting and collaborative tools. It can work very well with Mailspring if configured through standard protocols.

It is especially recommended for users who want an alternative to Google Workspace or Microsoft 365, but without leaving a modern environment. On distros such as Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, openSUSE or Arch Linux, Infomaniak Mail can combine very well with Mailspring as the main client.

Advantages of Infomaniak Mail in Mailspring

• Good option for European users.
• Interesting for custom domains and professional email.
• Compatible with external clients through standard configuration.
• Alternative to Google Workspace and Microsoft 365.
• Good balance between privacy, productivity and price.

Disadvantages

• It may require manual setup.
• It is not as popular as Gmail or Outlook.
• Some features are better used within the Infomaniak ecosystem.
• It is more oriented toward professional users than basic personal accounts.

Opinion

Infomaniak Mail deserves to be among the best options for Mailspring if you are looking for European, professional email with a good privacy approach. It is not as well known as Gmail, but it can be a more interesting alternative for freelancers, small businesses and users with a custom domain.

5. Gmail: the easiest for general users

Gmail is one of the most convenient options to use with Mailspring. The client includes it among its main compatible providers, and for many users it will be the simplest setup. (Mailspring Community)

If you already use Android, Google Drive, Google Calendar or Google Workspace, Gmail in Mailspring makes a lot of sense. It is an especially practical combination on Ubuntu, Linux Mint, Fedora or Debian, and works well on desktops such as GNOME, KDE Plasma or Cinnamon.

Advantages of Gmail in Mailspring

• Very simple setup.
• Excellent compatibility with Mailspring.
• Lots of storage.
• Ideal if you already use Google services.
• Good option for personal and professional accounts.

Disadvantages

• It is not the best option for privacy.
• It depends heavily on the Google ecosystem.
• Some Gmail features are better used from the web.
• It may not convince those looking for independence from Big Tech.

Opinion

Gmail is probably the easiest email service to use with Mailspring. It is not the most private, but it is one of the most convenient and reliable options for general users.

6. Outlook / Hotmail: very good option for Microsoft users

Outlook and old Hotmail accounts also work very well with Mailspring. The client includes Outlook.com and Microsoft Office 365 among the compatible providers, so it is a logical option for those who use Microsoft services. (Mailspring Community)

It makes sense if you work with Windows, OneDrive, Microsoft 365 or a Microsoft account, but want to manage email from Linux with a modern application.

Advantages of Outlook in Mailspring

• Very good compatibility with Mailspring.
• Ideal for Microsoft users.
• Suitable for personal, academic and professional use.
• Solid alternative to Gmail.
• Free accounts and paid plans.

Disadvantages

• It does not stand out for privacy.
• Some features are better used from Outlook web or Microsoft Outlook.
• It may require extra authorization steps.
• It is not the most independent option.

Opinion

Outlook is a great option for Mailspring if you already use Microsoft. It is convenient, well known and reliable enough for most users.

7. Proton Mail: lots of privacy, but less convenient in Mailspring

Proton Mail is one of the strongest providers for privacy, but with Mailspring you need to be careful. To use Proton Mail in external clients, Proton Mail Bridge is required, an application that creates a local IMAP/SMTP server to connect the account with the email client. (Proton)

The problem is that Proton states that Bridge is optimized and officially tested for clients such as Thunderbird, Apple Mail and Outlook, while other clients may work but with more limited support. (Proton) That is why Proton Mail may work with Mailspring, but it would not be the most convenient option.

Advantages of Proton Mail in Mailspring

• Very high privacy.
• Strong encryption within the Proton ecosystem.
• Possible use through Proton Mail Bridge.
• Good alternative to Gmail and Outlook.
• Complete ecosystem with email, VPN, storage, calendar and password manager.

Disadvantages

• Requires Proton Mail Bridge.
• It is not a direct integration.
• Support may be more limited than in Thunderbird or Outlook.
• To use Bridge, a paid plan is normally required.
• It may be too complex for someone who only wants simple email.

Opinion

Proton Mail is excellent as a private service, but it is not the most convenient email service for Mailspring. If the priority is privacy with better classic integration, StartMail or Mailfence may be more practical options.

8. Zoho Mail: good option for businesses and domains

Zoho Mail is a very interesting alternative to use with Mailspring if you need professional email, a custom domain or a solution for a small business. It is a competitive option compared with Google Workspace and Microsoft 365, especially if you already use other Zoho tools.

It can make a lot of sense in work environments with Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, Arch Linux or Linux Mint, where Mailspring can be used as a modern client to centralize several accounts.

Advantages of Zoho Mail in Mailspring

• Good compatibility with IMAP and SMTP.
• Very useful for custom domains.
• Interesting for freelancers and small businesses.
• Alternative to Google Workspace and Microsoft 365.
• Good balance between price and features.

Disadvantages

• It may require manually enabling IMAP.
• Some features depend on the chosen plan.
• It is not as simple as Gmail for home users.
• The Zoho ecosystem may be excessive if you are only looking for email.

Opinion

Zoho Mail fits well with Mailspring if you want professional email. It would not be my first choice for a casual user, but it is a very competitive option for businesses, freelancers and projects with a custom domain.

Final ranking

Rank	Email	Rating
1	Fastmail	The best balance for Mailspring
2	StartMail	Best private option with IMAP
3	Mailfence	Privacy and productivity
4	Infomaniak Mail	Very good for European users and domains
5	Gmail	The easiest for general users
6	Outlook	Very good for Microsoft users
7	Zoho Mail	Very good for businesses
8	Proton Mail	Very private, but less convenient in Mailspring

Which one should you choose?

For the best overall experience in Mailspring, I would choose Fastmail. It is fast, stable, compatible and fits very well with a modern client focused on multiple accounts and a unified inbox.

If privacy is the priority, StartMail is one of the best options because it allows a more classic integration through IMAP. Mailfence is also highly recommended if you want privacy and a more complete suite behind the email service.

Infomaniak Mail deserves to be among the main options for European users, professionals, freelancers or small businesses. It is a very interesting alternative if you are looking for a custom domain, serious email and services hosted in Europe.

For users looking for ease of use, Gmail and Outlook are the most convenient options. They are among the providers best supported by Mailspring and are ideal for those who already use Google or Microsoft.

Zoho Mail stands out for businesses and custom domains, while Proton Mail remains an advanced privacy option, but less convenient in this client because it depends on Bridge.

Conclusion

The best email service for Mailspring depends on the type of user:

• Best overall: Fastmail
• Best private option with IMAP: StartMail
• Best private option with a complete suite: Mailfence
• Best professional European provider: Infomaniak Mail
• Easiest to use: Gmail
• Best for Microsoft users: Outlook
• Best for businesses: Zoho Mail
• Best advanced privacy: Proton Mail

If you use Mailspring on Linux, especially on GNOME, KDE Plasma, Cinnamon or Xfce, and on distributions such as Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, Arch Linux, openSUSE or Linux Mint, Fastmail is the most balanced option. For privacy, StartMail and Mailfence fit especially well. For European and professional users, Infomaniak Mail is a very strong alternative. And for those who want something fast, simple and well known, Gmail and Outlook remain the most practical options.