Postbox was a much-loved mail app for Mac and Windows. On October 22, 2024, it was bought by eM Client and its development ended. The app still opens, but it is no longer sold or updated, and support ended on December 22, 2024. If you're still on it, now is a good time to move.
What happened to Postbox
- October 22, 2024: Postbox announced it had been acquired by eM Client and that development would stop.
- What it recommended: moving to eM Client, with a discount for Postbox users. Existing Postbox licenses don't transfer.
- December 22, 2024: Postbox support ended. The help center stayed up for another year.
Moving your mail
- Check where your mail lives. With IMAP accounts, your mail is on your provider's server, not in Postbox. Mail in Postbox's local folders is only on your Mac.
- Move local mail to the server. Drag anything you keep in local folders into a folder on your mail account, so every app can see it.
- Add your accounts to the new app. In GotEmail, choose Add Account for each address. Gmail, Outlook, iCloud, Yahoo and others have their servers filled in for you.
GotEmail as a Postbox alternative
| Postbox (today) | GotEmail | |
|---|---|---|
| Still developed | No, since October 2024 | Yes, updated often |
| Accounts | IMAP and POP | Gmail, Outlook, iCloud, Yahoo, AOL, Fastmail, Zoho, any IMAP |
| Unified inbox | Yes | Yes, with labels across accounts |
| AI drafts and summaries | — | Built in, or your own AI key |
| Sign-in codes up front | — | Beside the subject, in a banner, in the menu bar |
| Price | No longer sold | $6.99/month, $79/year, or Lifetime ($79 for the next 100, then $199) |
GotEmail is a native Mac app for people with several accounts, the same people Postbox served. It's actively developed: 32 releases in its first nine days, many of them from users' requests. If you liked buying Postbox once, GotEmail's Lifetime plan is a single payment with every update included. GotEmail is Mac-only and uses IMAP, not POP.
Which one is for you?
Choose eM Client if…
- You want Postbox's own recommendation and its discount.
- You use Windows as well as a Mac.
- You need a built-in calendar.
Choose GotEmail if…
- You're on a Mac and want a native app.
- You want sign-in codes and AI built in.
- You'd like to pay once, with every update included.
Questions
Is Postbox discontinued?
Yes. In October 2024 Postbox was bought by eM Client and development ended. The app keeps working, but it is no longer sold or updated; support ended on December 22, 2024.
Can I keep using Postbox?
It still runs, but an email app that no longer gets updates falls behind on security and on changes mail providers make, so moving to a maintained app is the safer choice.
What did Postbox recommend instead?
Postbox pointed its users to eM Client, with a discount on eM Client for Postbox users. Postbox licenses don't carry over.
How do I move my mail from Postbox?
If your accounts use IMAP, your mail is on the server: add the same accounts to your new app and it all comes back. Mail you kept only in Postbox's local folders needs to be exported or moved to a server folder first.