Comparison

Gmail vs Varuna

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Gmail

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
Read full description

The official Gmail app brings the best of Gmail to your iPhone and iPad with helpful AI features, robust security, real-time notifications, multiple account support, and intelligent search that works across all your mail. With the Gmail app, you can: • Make Gmail your default email app on iOS • Stay up to date on your latest packages, upcoming events, bills, and travel details with helpful summary cards • Declutter your inbox with built-in email subscription management • Use Gemini* in Gmail to summarize lengthy emails, craft or refine responses, or search your inbox to find what you’re looking for • Connect and switch between multiple email accounts from different providers • Automatically block more than 99.9% of spam, phishing, malware from ever reaching your inbox • Quickly add events to Google Calendar based on your emails with Gemini in Gmail • Find top deals faster with a personalized Promotions tab • Respond to emails faster with AI-powered Suggested Replies that understand the context of your emails and match your unique tone and style • Undo send for up to 30 seconds, to prevent embarrassing mistakes • Access Google Meet and Google Chat without leaving Gmail • Organize your mail by labeling, starring, deleting, and reporting spam • Swipe to archive/delete, to quickly clear out your inbox Gmail is part of Google Workspace, allowing you and your team to easily connect, create, and collaborate. You can: • Connect with coworkers via Google Meet or Google Chat, send an invite in Google Calendar, add an action to your task list, and more without leaving Gmail • Use Gemini in Gmail features like Help me write, Suggested Replies, AI Overviews, and Proofread to help you stay on top of work and take care of simple tasks, so you can be more efficient with your time • Stay safe. Our machine learning models block more than 99.9% of spam, phishing, and malware from reaching our users *Some Gemini features may require a Google One AI subscription. Internet connection required. Language and country availability may vary. Check responses for accuracy.

About

Varuna

Features
Read full description

Varuna is the official mobile application of the Urban Flood Early Warning System (UFEWS) developed for Gorakhpur by Nagar Nigam in collaboration with Canarys Automations Limited. The app provides real-time flood alerts, rainfall and water level updates, and a platform for residents to report civic issues such as waterlogging, drainage blockages, or flooding.

Screenshots

Gmail4 screens
Varuna4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Varuna at none against Gmail's 14. Varuna also leads on ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). Gmail's advantage is chart position (#3 vs unranked). On price, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Gmail sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Varuna asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Gmail ships an update weekly, Varuna every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 7 level
Gmail versus Varuna: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterGmailVaruna
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (2.5M ratings) — better—
Positive reviews29.6% of reviews—
Number of ratings2.5M — better—
Update frequencyWeeklyEvery 5 days — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
Best chart rank#3 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS18.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size707 MB22 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperGoogleCanarys Automations Pvt. Ltd.

Bugs and requests

Gmail

Reported bugs

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

Requested features

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

Varuna

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

7 purchases

Gmail

Subscriptions7
  • 100 GB2 variants$1.991 Month
  • 100 GB1 Month trial3 variants$1.991 Month
  • 200 GB2 variants$2.991 Month
Show 4 more
  • 200 GB1 Month trial$2.991 Month
  • 2 TB1 Month trial$9.991 Month
  • Google AI Plus (2 TB)2 variants$9.991 Month
  • 100 GB1 Month trial$19.991 Year
None

Varuna

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Gmail free?
Gmail is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Varuna free?
Varuna is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Gmail or Varuna have ads?
Gmail shows ads; Varuna does not.
Which is updated more often, Gmail or Varuna?
Gmail ships an update weekly, and Varuna every 5 days. Most recently, Gmail was updated on November 3, 2026 and Varuna on October 25, 2026.

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