# Gmail vs Mail App for Outlook

The clearest difference is monetization model: Gmail at free with in-app purchases against Mail App for Outlook's subscription. Gmail also leads on ratings volume (2.5M vs 8K) and rating (4.7 vs 4.4). Mail App for Outlook's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, review sentiment, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Gmail sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Mail App for Outlook sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 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 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Gmail has 2.5M ratings behind it against 8K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 30% of Gmail's written reviews are positive against 31% of Mail App for Outlook's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Gmail ships an update weekly, Mail App for Outlook every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Gmail | Mail App for Outlook |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (2.5M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gmail-email-by-google/id422689480/reviews)** | [4.4 (8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mail-app-for-outlook/id1544804494/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **2.5M** | 8K |
| Positive reviews | 29.6% of reviews | **31.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Best chart rank | **#3** | — |
| Size | 707 MB | 36 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **17.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Google LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/281956209) | [Intrepid](https://appshunter.io/developer/1544804826) |

## 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, #22 Top Free, #22 Top Grossing (US App Store)

Manage your emails efficiently with intelligent AI features, robust security, and real-time notifications. This app offers multiple account support, smart search, and tools to declutter your inbox and stay organized.

**Highlights:** AI-powered email summarization and response drafting, Intelligent search across all mail, Automatic spam, phishing, and malware blocking, Multiple email account support, Email subscription management, Integration with Google Meet and Chat

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| 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 |
| Google AI Plus (2 TB) | $9.99 | per month |

**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 App for Outlook

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mail-app-for-outlook/id1544804494)

This app offers a fast and efficient way to manage your Outlook inbox, focusing on quick triaging and instant message sending/receiving. It prioritizes privacy and utilizes a modern codebase for a seamless experience.

**Highlights:** Privacy aware, Fast email management tools, Rich keyboard shortcuts, Modern Swift codebase, Instant sync, Secure HTTPS communications

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly | $3.99 | per 7 days |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and easy to use
- 👍 Organized and practical
- 💡 Excellent for managing multiple accounts

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezes
- 🔌 Issues with email syncing and access
- 💰 Expensive subscription model

**Reported bugs**

- Unable to access emails received on laptop
- Difficulty deleting emails and slow performance
- Incompatibility with certain email providers

**Requested features**

- Improved email management tools
- Better integration with Microsoft Outlook
- Customer support and troubleshooting options


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Gmail free?

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

### Is Mail App for Outlook free?

Mail App for Outlook is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Gmail or Mail App for Outlook?

Gmail is rated higher. Gmail averages 4.7 out of 5 from 2.5M ratings, while Mail App for Outlook averages 4.4 from 8K ratings.

### Do Gmail or Mail App for Outlook have ads?

Gmail shows ads; Mail App for Outlook does not.

### Which is updated more often, Gmail or Mail App for Outlook?

Gmail ships an update weekly, and Mail App for Outlook every 3 weeks. Most recently, Gmail was updated on November 6, 2026 and Mail App for Outlook on November 3, 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.*