# Gmail vs Mail Tracer

The clearest difference is rating: Gmail at 4.7 against Mail Tracer's 3.9. Gmail also leads on ratings volume (2.4M vs 217) and update cadence (weekly vs every 2 weeks). Mail Tracer's advantage is iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Gmail sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Mail Tracer sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Gmail holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Gmail has 2.4M ratings behind it against 217, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 30% of Gmail's written reviews are positive against 18% of Mail Tracer's.

Gmail ships an update weekly, Mail Tracer every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Gmail | Mail Tracer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (2.4M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gmail-email-by-google/id422689480/reviews)** | [3.9 (217 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mail-tracer-email-tracking/id1254940903/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **2.4M** | 217 |
| Positive reviews | **29.6% of reviews** | 18.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#3** | — |
| Size | 721 MB | 29 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **16.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Google](https://appshunter.io/developer/281956209) | [Vaibhav Narula](https://appshunter.io/developer/1116489344) |

## What reviewers say

### Gmail

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gmail-email-by-google/id422689480)

**Currently charting:** #3 Top Grossing · Productivity, #5 Top Free · Productivity, #17 Top Grossing, #18 Top Free (US App Store)

This application provides a secure and efficient email experience with advanced features like spam blocking, smart replies, and multi-account support. It integrates with other Google services for enhanced productivity and collaboration.

**Highlights:** Robust security & spam blocking, Real-time notifications, Multiple account support, Smart Reply & Compose, Undo send, Google Chat & Meet integration, Threaded conversations

**Features:** Family Sharing, Siri integration, Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 100 GB | $1.99 | per month |
| 100 GB | $1.99 | per month |
| 200 GB | $2.99 | per month |
| 200 GB | $2.99 | per month |
| 2 TB | $9.99 | per month |
| Google AI Plus (2 TB) | $9.99 | per month |
| 100 GB | $19.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Efficient email management
- 👍 Easy to use interface
- 🔒 Secure and reliable
- 😊 Positive user experience overall

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs and glitches
- 💡 Lacking advanced features
- 🔒 Security concerns
- 🔋 Drains battery quickly

**Reported bugs**

- Notifications not working properly
- Emails disappearing from inbox
- Inability to remove accounts
- Conversation view issues

**Requested features**

- Swipe to delete/snooze emails
- Ability to mark all emails as read
- Customizable notification settings
- Improved file attachment functionality


### Mail Tracer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mail-tracer-email-tracking/id1254940903)

This app provides advanced email tracking for the iOS Mail app, letting you know if your sent emails have been read, when, and how many times. It also offers insights into the location and device used to access your emails.

**Highlights:** Track email opens, See read times and frequency, View access location and device, Real-time open alerts, Unlimited free tracking

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro - Weekly | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| Pro - Monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| Pro Plan - Monthly | $6.99 | per month |
| Pro Plan - Yearly | $14.99 | per year |
| Pro Plan - Yearly | $19.99 | per year |
| Pro Plan - Yearly | $24.99 | per year |
| Pro Plan - Yearly | $29.99 | per year |
| Pro Plan - Yearly | $39.99 | per year |
| Pro Version - Lifetime | $29.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Efficient email tracking
- 👍 Simple and easy to use
- 🔒 Secure and private

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inconsistent and unreliable tracking
- 💰 Expensive paid version
- 🔍 Limited free version features
- 🤖 Poor customer support

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent crashes and errors
- Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions
- Tracking not working as expected

**Requested features**

- Improved accuracy of location and device tracking
- Ability to track replies and forwards
- Integration with more email clients


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Gmail free?

Gmail is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Mail Tracer free?

Mail Tracer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Gmail or Mail Tracer?

Gmail is rated higher. Gmail averages 4.7 out of 5 from 2.4M ratings, while Mail Tracer averages 3.9 from 217 ratings.

### Do Gmail or Mail Tracer have ads?

Both Gmail and Mail Tracer show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Gmail or Mail Tracer?

Gmail ships an update weekly, and Mail Tracer every 2 weeks. Most recently, Gmail was updated on October 28, 2026 and Mail Tracer on October 26, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*