Until recently, most people used a program on their PC to read and receive emails. The direction taken in recent years, however, especially after the expansion of Gmail, is to check mail directly from the website of the mail provider, without therefore installing and downloading anything. From this point of view, Gmail is the best site that you can use, not only to send and receive messages on the Google inbox, but also from other alternative services.
So we saw how to import and manage other Email accounts in Gmail.
But if you want to manage Gmail mail without having to open the gmail.com site every time with your web browser, you need a different program to use Gmail on your PC as an application installed on the desktop. In this article we therefore see a summary of all the programs for Gmail "Desktop client", to manage mail, receive notifications, download messages and do everything without opening the browser .
READ ALSO: Programs to receive desktop notifications from Gmail
1) Microsoft Outloook is the program used to manage various Gmail or other email addresses especially in offices. Having a specialized desktop email client can be extremely useful for downloading messages on a PC so that you can read them even without an internet connection, for creating reply rules, for managing many email addresses together and for having advanced message organization tools. Outlook is the most used Microsoft email client in the world that is provided by purchasing Microsoft Office.
Setting up a Gmail account in Outlook is very easy and we explained it in the article on how to set up Gmail in Outlook .
The guide for Outlook also applies to all other email clients alternative to Outlook which, in adding the accounts, are all the same or very similar.
I want to remember that to use Gmail from a PC program or any external application you must first enter the Gmail settings and activate, in the Forwarding and Pop / IMAP section, activate POP or IMAP (which is better, see here differences between POP and IMAP).
2) Mozilla's Thunderbird is the main alternative to Outlook, free and open source. Its extended features are quite comfortable and can be expanded thanks to the extensions. Although Mozilla has not added features to this program since 2012, it still receives timely security updates while remaining software kept alive. Personally, however, as a program for Gmail on PC, I would leave Thunderbird aside and bet on the next ones.
3) Rambox is a modern program, excellent choice not only to connect to Gmail but also messengers, excellent for managing multiple chat and email accounts in a single program.
One of the best features of this Gmail desktop client is that it allows you to use multiple Gmail accounts in one window (with separate tabs) simultaneously.
The configuration of Gmail in Rambox is automatic.
4) Wundermail is an app for Windows 10 that allows you to manage up to 5 Gmail accounts. The interface of this app has three sections. In the left section the labels of Gmail, the option to add other Google accounts, check the list of email categories, add a new label, etc. The middle section shows the list of all emails available for a particular Gmail label or category. Selecting an email you will find the content on the rest of the interface part of the app. Hence, the use of this app is quite simple and almost similar to the native Gmail web application for Windows 10.
5) Franz is a program similar to Rambox, which combines Whatsapp, Facebook, Skype and other chats together and also allows you to add Gmail to receive mail.
Similar to Rambox, Franz allows you to add and use multiple Gmail accounts in the same window on separate tabs.
It also has some additional options to enable / disable notifications and is completely free with no limitations.
6) eMClient
eMClient is the solution I personally prefer. It is a modern alternative desktop client to Outlook and Thunderbird, faster and more flexible, easy to use to import the Gmail account and manage mail as if it were a smartphone app, only on PC. emClient is free if you manage no more than two accounts, otherwise it costs 50 Dollars.
7) Mailbird
Mailbird is a modern program to which I had dedicated a specific article. It is an expandable platform with applications so you can use Gmail, Whatsapp, Facebook, Google Calendar, Evernote and other popular services all together. The only flaw is that Mailbird is free with advertising and to manage a maximum of 3 email accounts. Otherwise it costs $ 45 or $ 1 per month.
8) Use Gmail as a desktop application even offline .
Open Gmail with Google Chrome, then press the button with the three lines on the browser, go to Other tools and create a shortcut for the application . You will now find a Gmail icon on the desktop. To make Gmail work offline and to be able to read received messages even without internet connection, install Gmail Offline on Chrome. GMail Offline is activated from the settings.
9) Wavebox is a desktop client for Gmail that allows you to connect to Gmail and Inbox. The most interesting peculiarity is that it can keep two or more different Gmail accounts open simultaneously.
10) Mailstore : If you don't really want a mail client, if it's okay to read and use Gmail from your web browser, but you still want to keep a copy of the messages on your PC, there is a program called the Mail Store that allows, as already explained in another article, to save emails on your PC and download mail from Gmail or any other web account.
11) Firework is a simple Gmail desktop client that can be used to read, receive and send emails. The free software is capable of converting web applications or sites to desktop apps, so it works naturally with Gmail.
12) Station is a completely free Gmail program that can manage all Gmail accounts using them as if they were on websites.
13) Shift program for Windows works very well to connect the Gmail account and read or send e-mails from the PC. The free version has a limitation of up to 2 Gmail accounts but includes other features such as notifications, integration for Google Drive and Calendar.
14) Kiwi is a free and exclusive desktop application for Gmail that can be used to connect accounts and access your Inbox from PC with ease. It also has the ability to connect and use multiple Gmail accounts and support for G Suite, but this feature is only available in the paid version. With Kiwi for Gmail, Google web applications such as Docs, Sheets and Slides can also be used. You can also limit and filter emails by date, importance, unread, attached or special.
15) Gmail Checker Plus for Chrome
This extension puts the Gmail icon in the upper right corner and shows the unread messages with a number.
It allows you to receive notification of new messages, read them and write new emails from a browser box, without opening Gmail.
The notifications are customizable, you can choose the appearance, the type of notification if audible or only visual, whether to see previews, whether to mark the email as read and many other things.
You can reply directly to a message and integrate Gmail with Google Calendar.
Finally, those who use Gmail normally from the website without using external programs can take advantage of extensions and plugins to improve the experience:
- Best Gmail extensions on Chrome
- Best Gmail extensions on Firefox
So we saw how to import and manage other Email accounts in Gmail.
But if you want to manage Gmail mail without having to open the gmail.com site every time with your web browser, you need a different program to use Gmail on your PC as an application installed on the desktop. In this article we therefore see a summary of all the programs for Gmail "Desktop client", to manage mail, receive notifications, download messages and do everything without opening the browser .
READ ALSO: Programs to receive desktop notifications from Gmail
1) Microsoft Outloook is the program used to manage various Gmail or other email addresses especially in offices. Having a specialized desktop email client can be extremely useful for downloading messages on a PC so that you can read them even without an internet connection, for creating reply rules, for managing many email addresses together and for having advanced message organization tools. Outlook is the most used Microsoft email client in the world that is provided by purchasing Microsoft Office.
Setting up a Gmail account in Outlook is very easy and we explained it in the article on how to set up Gmail in Outlook .
The guide for Outlook also applies to all other email clients alternative to Outlook which, in adding the accounts, are all the same or very similar.
I want to remember that to use Gmail from a PC program or any external application you must first enter the Gmail settings and activate, in the Forwarding and Pop / IMAP section, activate POP or IMAP (which is better, see here differences between POP and IMAP).
2) Mozilla's Thunderbird is the main alternative to Outlook, free and open source. Its extended features are quite comfortable and can be expanded thanks to the extensions. Although Mozilla has not added features to this program since 2012, it still receives timely security updates while remaining software kept alive. Personally, however, as a program for Gmail on PC, I would leave Thunderbird aside and bet on the next ones.
3) Rambox is a modern program, excellent choice not only to connect to Gmail but also messengers, excellent for managing multiple chat and email accounts in a single program.
One of the best features of this Gmail desktop client is that it allows you to use multiple Gmail accounts in one window (with separate tabs) simultaneously.
The configuration of Gmail in Rambox is automatic.
4) Wundermail is an app for Windows 10 that allows you to manage up to 5 Gmail accounts. The interface of this app has three sections. In the left section the labels of Gmail, the option to add other Google accounts, check the list of email categories, add a new label, etc. The middle section shows the list of all emails available for a particular Gmail label or category. Selecting an email you will find the content on the rest of the interface part of the app. Hence, the use of this app is quite simple and almost similar to the native Gmail web application for Windows 10.
5) Franz is a program similar to Rambox, which combines Whatsapp, Facebook, Skype and other chats together and also allows you to add Gmail to receive mail.
Similar to Rambox, Franz allows you to add and use multiple Gmail accounts in the same window on separate tabs.
It also has some additional options to enable / disable notifications and is completely free with no limitations.
6) eMClient
eMClient is the solution I personally prefer. It is a modern alternative desktop client to Outlook and Thunderbird, faster and more flexible, easy to use to import the Gmail account and manage mail as if it were a smartphone app, only on PC. emClient is free if you manage no more than two accounts, otherwise it costs 50 Dollars.
7) Mailbird
Mailbird is a modern program to which I had dedicated a specific article. It is an expandable platform with applications so you can use Gmail, Whatsapp, Facebook, Google Calendar, Evernote and other popular services all together. The only flaw is that Mailbird is free with advertising and to manage a maximum of 3 email accounts. Otherwise it costs $ 45 or $ 1 per month.
8) Use Gmail as a desktop application even offline .
Open Gmail with Google Chrome, then press the button with the three lines on the browser, go to Other tools and create a shortcut for the application . You will now find a Gmail icon on the desktop. To make Gmail work offline and to be able to read received messages even without internet connection, install Gmail Offline on Chrome. GMail Offline is activated from the settings.
9) Wavebox is a desktop client for Gmail that allows you to connect to Gmail and Inbox. The most interesting peculiarity is that it can keep two or more different Gmail accounts open simultaneously.
10) Mailstore : If you don't really want a mail client, if it's okay to read and use Gmail from your web browser, but you still want to keep a copy of the messages on your PC, there is a program called the Mail Store that allows, as already explained in another article, to save emails on your PC and download mail from Gmail or any other web account.
11) Firework is a simple Gmail desktop client that can be used to read, receive and send emails. The free software is capable of converting web applications or sites to desktop apps, so it works naturally with Gmail.
12) Station is a completely free Gmail program that can manage all Gmail accounts using them as if they were on websites.
13) Shift program for Windows works very well to connect the Gmail account and read or send e-mails from the PC. The free version has a limitation of up to 2 Gmail accounts but includes other features such as notifications, integration for Google Drive and Calendar.
14) Kiwi is a free and exclusive desktop application for Gmail that can be used to connect accounts and access your Inbox from PC with ease. It also has the ability to connect and use multiple Gmail accounts and support for G Suite, but this feature is only available in the paid version. With Kiwi for Gmail, Google web applications such as Docs, Sheets and Slides can also be used. You can also limit and filter emails by date, importance, unread, attached or special.
15) Gmail Checker Plus for Chrome
This extension puts the Gmail icon in the upper right corner and shows the unread messages with a number.
It allows you to receive notification of new messages, read them and write new emails from a browser box, without opening Gmail.
The notifications are customizable, you can choose the appearance, the type of notification if audible or only visual, whether to see previews, whether to mark the email as read and many other things.
You can reply directly to a message and integrate Gmail with Google Calendar.
Finally, those who use Gmail normally from the website without using external programs can take advantage of extensions and plugins to improve the experience:
- Best Gmail extensions on Chrome
- Best Gmail extensions on Firefox
