Foremost it should be free Allow multiple Gmail accounts Option to set up an IMAP server Calendar, Chat, Meetings, and Task Scheduler would be secondary options

So after trying dozens of email client apps for Windows, I stuck on to one of them. So, here are the best free Outlook alternatives for Windows 10.

Free Outlook Alternatives for Windows 10

1. Mail & Calendar

It would be an unfair list to not include the native Windows Mail Application. For most basic users, the native Mail app should do the job. You can use multiple email accounts from Yahoo, Hotmail, Gmail, iCloud, and Microsoft Exchange servers. I was able to use 3 Gmail accounts so the requirement for multiple mail accounts was fulfilled. Mail also lets you link the inboxes of multiple email accounts into a single Linked Inbox. It can also pull up my calendar events and mail contacts. Although Calendar comes inbuilt with Mail, I have to install People as an additional app to access the contacts. Moreover, you can also install Microsoft To-Do to manage reminders and To-Do lists. Apart from these apps, you have the Microsoft Outlook for Android and iOS. Mail can sync your settings with the Outlook mobile app.

I quite liked the number of features baked into the free version of Mail. The only thing which bugged me was I have to leave the Mail Screen to check Calendar and my To-Do tasks. Another thing was the UI, it’s plain simple which could be good for most of us. But, me coming from Outlook, I found it annoying that I have to leave the screen every time to view an email or write a new one. It would be helpful if the screen was divided into an extra pane which could serve as Reading or Composing space. Features:

Multiple email accounts from Gmail, Yahoo, iCloud, etc Calendar, Contacts, and To-Do List support Works well with the notification center Android and iOS app sync

Download Mail 

Read: How to Track Gmail Emails on Android

2. Mozilla Thunderbird

I stumbled upon an excellent offering from Mozilla Foundation, Mozilla Thunderbird. Thunderbird is not only open-source but has a huge community of add-ons. These add-ons are similar to browser extensions which add additional functionality to the existing application. One such popular add-on is Lightning which adds Calendar and reminder support to Mozilla Thunderbird. Apart from the add-ons, Mozilla Thunderbird is a feature-rich software in itself. It supports both IMAP and POP3 clients. Additionally, you can also set up an SMTP relay server but that requires further configuration at your ISP and email service provider end.

Moreover, Thunderbird also integrates with Google Chat, IRC, Twitter, etc. Now, all that is fine but what made me really like Thunderbird is the UI design. It is made around Mozilla Firefox. If you press Ctrl and double click on an email, it opens in a tab. This tabbed structure makes Thunderbird so efficient that it could put Calendar, Reading Pane, Quick Preview all under one window. Moreover, you can search for anything over the web within the email client search bar itself. I really liked the whole idea of creating an email client that behaves like a web browser. But, the UI still feels like it hasn’t been developed in a long time. It feels like Microsoft Outlook from 2012. All that said, the community tab of Thunderbird seems to be active and we can expect a UI makeover in the coming time. I so wanted to use this email client but somehow the user experience keeps begging me not to. Features:

Multiple email accounts from any email service provider Calendar and Chat support Huge range of add-ons to add functionality

Download Mozilla Thunderbird

Read: How to Send Encrypted Emails in Gmail and Outlook

3. Zimbra Desktop

Jumping from one open source email client to another, I landed on Zimbra Desktop. Zimbra is built entirely on Java so you would require Java Runtime Environment 1.6 installed on your desktop. The unique feature of Zimbra is that it can even function offline. In case you open Zimbra with no network connectivity, it lets you use the features and synchronization starts when it connects to the Internet. Similar to Mozilla Thunderbird, Zimbra features extensions called Zimlets. You can download them from the Zimbra.org. They have some interesting Zimlets like Zimbra Bash Autocomplete which lets you run Bash/Shell commands in Zimbra or Zimbra Bulk Reply which lets you reply to multiple emails at once. In a nutshell, Zimbra has an active development and Zimlet support. Zimbra on most part feels like an extended version of Mozilla Thunderbird. The UI is quite traditional and feels cluttered at times. Zimbra Desktop is the free open-source variant and you can also upgrade to Zimbra Collaboration which is a whole suite of enterprise tools. I ended up skipping on Zimbra due to the same reason I had for Mozilla Thunderbird.

Features:

Calendar & Address Book Support Zimlets or Zimbra Mail Extensions for additional functionality Offline functionality Zimbra has a paid version called Zimbra Collaboration

Download Zimbra Desktop

4. Mailbird Lite

Amongst all the email client apps in this list, Mailbird Lite has the best UI and user experience. Mailbird is a lightweight email client app but the look and feel can be entirely customized. The UI feels a breath of fresh air and if you are someone who is new to the whole desktop email client thing. You will definitely love this one. Mailbird Lite lets you integrate with 30+ third-party apps like Google Docs, Slack, Whatsapp, etc. My most favorite feature is the mail search by user name. All I have to do is hover over the profile and click on the search icon when it appears. You will be presented with all the emails sent by the user.

Mailbird Lite is the free version of Mailbird Pro which costs around $43.  Other premium features include snoozing emails, calendar support, and reminders. I really liked the UI of Mailbird Lite and it could be an ideal email client app for most of the people. What I didn’t like are the email notifications. There are no quick actions when you receive email notifications. While the rest of the email apps give me the choice to delete or mark read an email quickly, Mailbird just gives me plain texts. Moreover, I am so spoiled by the Outlook app, I feel the free version is too basic for me. Features:

Clean, modern, and minimal UI 30+ third-party app and services integration Linked Inboxes and quick user email search

Download Mailbird Lite

5. eM Client

After all the chaos, I finally found the best email client to use on Windows. eM Client is the one I ended up using and I have a number of reasons. First of all, it has the same Outlook kind of design. Most of the experienced users love this conventional design. You can easily manage everything on one screen. eM client gives me the liberty to use Calendar, Contacts, Task Scheduler all under one screen. I could go ahead have assigned a task to someone, set up a meeting on my calendar, and reply to emails from one single screen. Similar to the other apps, it also supports Jabber, Google Talk, IRC, or Yahoo. Adding Slack to that list would have made it perfect but that’s too much to expect in a freeware.

Overall it’s a good communication app to have for your small startup. It lets you create distribution lists which saves me the time of entering each and every email ID individually. There is another neat little feature called DeDuplicator. It identifies duplicate emails for you and moves them to trash. It supports some 50+ languages and automatically provides you the option to translate the email. Other basic features include archiving emails, importing and exporting emails, setting up auto-replies, email rules, requesting read receipts, etc. eM Client is an ideal Windows desktop client available for free. The only caveat is that you can use only 2 accounts in the free version. You can upgrade to the pro-variant by paying a one-time fee of $18 per user. Pro variant includes unlimited accounts, unrestricted translation of emails, etc. Features:

Option to run 2 instances of eM Client simultaneously Inbuilt Chat Integration with Jabber, Google Talk, etc DeDuplicator and automatic archiving Inbuilt Email Translator Calendar, Task Scheduler, and Contacts

Download eM Client

6. EssentialPIM

EssentialPIM is another Outlook alternative and the best thing about it is file support. It allows importing and exporting of PST files. In case you have some of those important Outlook files downloaded locally, you can use it under EssentialPIM. Now, EssentialPIM has both paid as well as a free variant. The free variant allows unlimited email accounts, calendar-support, tasks, and inbuilt sticky notes. The pro variant costs around $40 and provides a bunch of important features. It allows syncing data to Google Drive and across mobile devices.

Features:

Calendar, Task Scheduler, and Contacts Import and export in PST file format

Download EssentialPIM

7. Hexamail Flow

Hexamail Flow is a paid app but the initial 1 year is free. The only distinguishing factor about Hexamail Flow is Google app support. It enables you to send large files along with Google Drive. Moreover, it also syncs with Google Calendar which makes accessing tasks even on your Android device. Other minor features include delayed email sending, email reminders, PST export-import, etc.

Features:

Google Calendar and Drive support Schedule Email sending and email reminders Import and export of PST files Import of Skype contacts

Download Hexamail Flow

Wrapping Up

If you are someone who needs more of a communication platform, Mailbird Lite would be a good choice. Coming from Outlook, I stuck onto eM Client and I would recommend the same to most of the users. For fairly basic use, the native Mail & Calendar is the best choice. You can also try Mozilla Thunderbird or Zimbra Desktop in case you have to set up an IMAP client. For any queries or issues, let me know in the comments below. Also Read: Best Email Apps for Android (2018)