Side by side
Alpine vs Unibox
Both stand on email clients. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan LinuxWebWindows
Alpine provides a free, release-based email client with filtering, collections, and optional certificate features. Check platform, authentication, and debug-logging details before adopting it.
Visit Alpine
Free plan iPhoneMac
Unibox focuses on grouping each contact’s email and attachments in one place. Its provider support and local handling are useful, but Exchange and cross-device synchronization have specific limits.
Visit UniboxThe facts
| Alpine | Unibox | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | Linux, Web, Windows | iPhone, Mac |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 1 | 2 |
| Maker | Not published | Unibox |
| Website | alpineapp.email | uniboxapp.com |
| On email clients | #70 of 142 | #66 of 142 |
Alpine: what it does well
- Free code download
- Apache License 2.0 distribution
- Supports Windows binaries and Unix source
- Filters can move or delete matching mail
- Optional S/MIME signing and encryption
What to know first
- Search is always case insensitive
- XOAUTH2 excludes other listed providers
- Gmail setup requires your own credentials
- Debug builds may log sensitive activity
Unibox: what it does well
- Groups incoming and outgoing mail by sender
- Browses contact attachments in list or preview views
- Searches subjects, message text and attachment filenames
- Supports major IMAP and SMTP providers
- Free plan includes one email account
What to know first
- Does not search text inside attached files
- Exchange ActiveSync, calendars and contacts are excluded
- Account setup and drafts do not sync automatically
- iOS background notifications may be delayed
Alternatives to Alpine Alternatives to Unibox The whole list