Apple Mail keeps getting new tricks, but it never quite solves the problems that made me leave in the first place. I’ve tried to make it work, but it’s always missing the little things I depend on.

8

Apple Mail Offers an Inconsistent Experience

While I prefer to avoid using email on my smartphone and tablet, it’s sometimes unavoidable. So, on those rare occasions that I do need to use these tools, I’d like a consistent experience across desktop and mobile. Apple Mail, however, does not provide this.

While Apple Mail is usable on iOS, I do not like the desktop app at all. It feels clunky and reminds me of trying to access iCloud in 2012. Gmail and Proton Mail both offer better cross-device experiences.

7

I Experience More Glitches With Apple Mail

Apple Mail was briefly my go-to email app when I first got an Apple device, but I stopped using it because of the many glitches I encountered. While these have improved, they’re still far too frequent for me. For example, I still sometimes can’t sync my emails across all devices in real time.

When using Apple Mail, I’ve been needlessly signed out more times than with Gmail and other apps, too. Though tolerable if they happen occasionally (no app is perfect, after all), it’s unacceptable when I have to experience this every couple of weeks.

The Apple Mail app is also prone to crashing for me, especially after a recent iOS, iPadOS, or macOS update. While there are several fixes when Apple Mail isn’t working on a Mac or iPhone/iPad, I’d rather not have to deal with this issue so often.

6

Other Apps Are More Intuitive

Even if Apple Mail didn’t crash or would sync my emails in real time, I still wouldn’t make it my go-to email client. The app’s user experience (UX) is much better than before, but it’s still not as intuitive as other tools.

Gmail, for example, is easy to use straight away. I never needed to second-guess where everything was, even as a total beginner. It’s much easier to navigate different files and folders, and if I want to, I’ll have no issues getting back to the homepage.

I’ve used Apple Mail enough times now, so I find the app easy enough to navigate, but every time I’m on it, my overriding thought is “let’s be real—Gmail is so much better”.

5

Apple Mail’s Customization Feels Harder to Use

It’s possible to customize the Apple Mail app on Mac and iPhone in several ways, such as changing the toolbar and layout. However, I still think these features are more difficult to use than other email apps.

I really like Outlook’s customization features, for example. Besides having lots of handy features and tools, changing the interface is very straightforward. Similarly, Gmail has some user-friendly tools—such as creating labels and changing their colors.

The door is still open for Apple Mail if it can improve customization and make it easier to use, but for now, I don’t see why I’d switch from any other email clients I currently use.

4

Writing Emails Is More Annoying in Apple Mail

The whole point of an email client is it should be easy to read, organize, and send emails. Needless to say, I have zero interest in using an email client that’s hard to type with. Unfortunately, this is exactly how I feel about Apple Mail.

Writing emails in Apple Mail always feels strenuous to me. From personal experience, I feel like the messages almost always take longer to send than in Gmail, Proton Mail, Outlook, or any other app I use.

Even with Apple Mail extensions, writing emails in the app is less enjoyable for me than in virtually every other email client.

3

I Don’t Have Devices That Use Mail’s Apple Intelligence Features

Apple Intelligence has added some new features to the Mail app, such as the option to create faster responses and summarize emails. That sounds great, as long as you have a device that works with Apple Intelligence. I, however, do not.

While I’ll eventually upgrade my iPhone, iPad, and MacBook, I have no reason to do so right now. I especially don’t see the need to upgrade just for Apple Intelligence, especially when I can use AI for similar features in other apps. For example, I can summarize and craft emails with AI in Gmail.

Buying last-gen tech has saved me money and given me many of the same advantages as getting the latest version. If I saw a true need for Apple Intelligence, I’d consider getting a new device. But without it, I don’t see much use in the Mail app compared to its alternatives.

2

Apple Mail Is Slower Than Other Email Apps

Besides taking longer to send emails, Apple Mail generally feels clunkier to me. I’ve always felt like the app takes longer to load than some of its alternatives, and this gets very frustrating when I just want to check if someone has sent me something.

I’ve tried everything to increase the speed, too. Updating my software, clearing the cache, and fixing my internet connection hasn’t worked. Changing different iPhone Mail settings didn’t do much, either. It always just comes down to the tool itself.

By the time Apple Mail loaded, I always felt like I could have gone directly to a different email client instead.

1

Other Apps Are Better at Segmenting Important Emails

Apple Mail now has segmentation tools that make it easier to view essential emails and browse different categories when needed. While having this option is nice, I don’t feel like the Mail app is as good as other tools for doing this.

Gmail seems to be more effective in organizing my emails and determining what should and shouldn’t get my attention. Moreover, I feel like the app gets smarter each time at understanding what I do and don’t want to see. Apple Mail is not on the same level as this, though this could change with enough iteration in the future.

Apple Mail still has a long way to go before it can truly compete with the likes of Gmail, and the app lets itself down in multiple areas. Glitches are, unfortunately, still common, and writing messages feels like a chore. Moreover, its customization features need significant work.