--- title: Betterbird canonical: https://saasranked.com/software/betterbird/ category: Email Clients points: 78 rank: 2 of 10 facts_checked: 2026-10-08 --- # Betterbird Open-source fork of Thunderbird with extra mail-list features, free to download for Windows, Mac and Linux. 78 points out of 100. #2 of 10 email clients. Vendor: Betterbird project. Website: https://www.betterbird.eu/ - The download pages show no price; the project asks for donations [7]. - A Windows installer and a portable zip are offered, plus Mac and Linux builds [2]. - The latest release, 153.4.0esr-bb10, is dated 29 September 2026 [2]. - Source code is under the Mozilla Public License 2.0 [8]. - The project says it sends no telemetry or crash reports, and mail goes only to your own servers [6]. Verdict: Betterbird suits people who like Thunderbird and want extra list, search and layout options without paying anything [1][7]. It is open source and says it collects no telemetry [6][8]. The catch: its own pages say little about account types, Gmail or Microsoft sign-in, and Exchange, which are inherited from Thunderbird, and it has no phone app [2][4][5]. Best for: Thunderbird users who want more control over how mail is listed, sorted and searched. ## Points | Criterion | Line | Value | Points | Note | |---|---|---|---|---| | Mail and accounts | Account types | IMAP, POP3 | 6/12 | Support page lists IMAP and POP accounts; Exchange and Google or Microsoft sign-in are not documented [4][3]. | | Mail and accounts | Unified inbox | Yes | 4/4 | Support and expert-tips pages describe unified folders that combine mail [4][5]. | | Mail and accounts | Mail tools | Templates | 2/8 | Release notes mention 'Reply with Template' and a template folder. No other listed tool is documented [3]. | | Mail and accounts | Filters and rules | Yes | 3/3 | Support page refers to Tools > Message Filters; release notes mention the Filter Editor [4][3]. | | Calendar and contacts | Built-in calendar | Yes | 6/6 | Release notes cover calendar item descriptions and the expert-tips page covers calendar alarm dialogs and event settings, so the app has a built-in calendar [3][5]. | | Calendar and contacts | CalDAV and CardDAV | Yes | 3/3 | Support page lists CalDAV calendars and CardDAV address books among online services a user may have configured in the app [4]. | | Privacy and encryption | OpenPGP | Yes | 7/7 | Home page lists search in PGP-encrypted messages; expert tips list OpenPGP settings [1][5]. | | Privacy and encryption | S/MIME | Yes | 6/6 | Home page lists global search in S/MIME-encrypted messages, so S/MIME mail is handled in the app [1]. | | Privacy and encryption | Blocks tracking pixels | Not published | 0/4 | Not published on the vendor's release notes, support or expert-tips pages [3][4][5]. | | Privacy and encryption | Open-source apps | Yes | 6/6 | Source is under the Mozilla Public License Version 2.0, per the LICENSE file in the project repository and the legal page [8][6]. | | Privacy and encryption | Mail stays on your device | Yes | 5/5 | Legal page says Betterbird only sends mail you write, not to Betterbird or Mozilla servers [6]. | | Systems and upkeep | Other systems | macOS, Linux | 4/10 | Downloads page lists Mac disk images and a Linux archive; no iOS, Android or web version [2]. | | Systems and upkeep | Released in the last year | Yes | 5/5 | Downloads page shows Windows release 153.4.0esr-bb10 dated 29 September 2026 [2]. | | Price | No ads in the app | Yes | 3/3 | Open-source app under the Mozilla Public License 2.0 [8]. | | Price | Free plan | Yes | 6/6 | Open-source download with no price shown; the donate page asks for donations. Read as free [7][2]. | | Price | Cost of a year | $0 | 12/12 | No price is charged on the vendor's pages; the full app is a free download [2][7]. | ## Plans | Plan | Price | Per month (USD) | |---|---|---| | Free | Free [2][7] | $0 | ## Strengths - Free to download, with the source under the Mozilla Public License 2.0 [7][8]. - Windows installer and portable zip, plus Mac and Linux builds [2]. - Reads and writes Thunderbird profiles, so you can switch back and forth [4]. - Says it sends no telemetry or crash reports to the project [6]. - Names IMAP, POP, filters, unified folders, CalDAV and CardDAV, OpenPGP and S/MIME in its pages [1][3][4][5]. ## Limits - No iOS, Android or web version is listed [2]. - Mac builds are not notarised, so you must run a command before opening them [2]. - Windows support covers Windows 10 and 11 only [9]. - Exchange calendars need the TbSync add-on; direct Exchange mail support is not documented [5]. - Pages do not document scheduled send, snooze, undo send or blocking of tracking images [3][4][5]. ## Vendor claims (not scored) - Betterbird says it is 100% compatible with Thunderbird ESR of the same version [4]. ## Sources 1. [Betterbird](https://www.betterbird.eu/), Betterbird project, accessed 2026-10-08 2. [Betterbird downloads](https://www.betterbird.eu/downloads/), Betterbird project, accessed 2026-10-08 3. [Betterbird release notes](https://www.betterbird.eu/releasenotes/), Betterbird project, accessed 2026-10-08 4. [Betterbird support](https://www.betterbird.eu/support/), Betterbird project, accessed 2026-10-08 5. [Betterbird expert tips](https://www.betterbird.eu/expert-tips/), Betterbird project, accessed 2026-10-08 6. [Betterbird legal](https://www.betterbird.eu/legal/), Betterbird project, accessed 2026-10-08 7. [Donate to Betterbird](https://www.betterbird.eu/donate/), Betterbird project, accessed 2026-10-08 8. [Betterbird/thunderbird-patches LICENSE](https://github.com/Betterbird/thunderbird-patches/blob/main/LICENSE), GitHub, accessed 2026-10-08 9. [Betterbird system requirements](https://www.betterbird.eu/system-requirements/), Betterbird project, accessed 2026-10-08