Side by side
mu4e vs Triage
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 Linux
mu4e brings search-centered email management into GNU Emacs, with offline use and extensive integration options. Setup depends on Emacs, mu, Maildir, and separate retrieval and SMTP tools.
Visit mu4e
Free plan iPhoneMac
Triage focuses on quickly processing unread email rather than broader inbox management. Its card workflow and on-device storage are useful for Apple users, with paid additions beyond the free plan.
Visit TriageThe facts
| mu4e | Triage | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | Linux | iPhone, Mac |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Annual Subscription: $9.99 a year |
| Plans published | 1 | 2 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | djcbsoftware.nl | triage.cc |
| On email clients | #106 of 142 | #102 of 142 |
mu4e: what it does well
- Free and GPLv3 licensed
- Search-based Maildir workflow
- Unified inbox and offline access
- Supports message encryption
- Extensible with Emacs Lisp
What to know first
- Linux desktop focus
- Requires GNU Emacs
- Requires mu and Maildir
- Mail retrieval needs external tools
Triage: what it does well
- Card view supports archive, defer, or short replies
- Works with Gmail, iCloud Mail, Fastmail, and IMAP
- Email content remains on the device
- CloudKit syncs selected account and preferences
- Free plan is available
What to know first
- No calendar tools are included
- No unified inbox is provided
- Triage 2 requires iOS 16 or later
- Additional features require payment