Gmail vs Sparks
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Gmail
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.
- Robust security & spam blocking
- Real-time notifications
- Multiple account support
- Smart Reply & Compose
- Undo send
- Google Chat & Meet integration
- Threaded conversations
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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.
Sparks
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Some ideas only show up once. Sparks is a voice-note app for catching them before they vanish. Open the app, press once, and speak. Sparks transcribes what you say, gently cleans up the fillers and false starts, and files the thought away. No save buttons, no folders, no streaks — just a quiet place for the things you don't want to lose. — HOW IT WORKS — • Press the dot to start, speak, fall silent for three seconds — Sparks knows you're done. • Or pull up to release manually, the moment you're sure. • The transcript appears in seconds, already polished. • Tap a card to read it again, anytime. — AUTOMATIC CLEANUP — The way we talk isn't the way we'd write. Sparks removes the "um", the "you know", the second-guessing — and keeps the meaning. What you read back is the thought you had, not the noise around it. — WORKS IN MANDARIN AND ENGLISH — Speak in either language, or both in the same note. Sparks keeps each in its own voice — no awkward translation, no mixing. — ORGANIZED WITHOUT EFFORT — Each note is gently categorized: idea, task, question, note, or reference. You don't tag anything — the app reads the shape of your thought. — DESIGNED TO STAY OUT OF THE WAY — A single screen. Cream paper. Quiet italic serif. One small gold star. The interface is the smallest amount of design that can still hold a thought. — YOUR WORDS STAY YOURS — Notes live on your device, in plain Markdown files. No account to create. No cloud upload. No analytics. If you delete the app, the notes go with it. Nothing left behind on a server. Sparks is for the half-formed ideas on the walk home. The reminder you'll forget by lunchtime. The question worth thinking about later. The line from a book that stopped you for a moment. Speak it. Keep it. Come back to it when you're ready.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Sparks at none against Gmail's 14. Sparks also leads on ads (none vs shown). Gmail's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks) and chart position (#3 vs unranked). On price, device support and iOS requirement 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
Both are free to download. Gmail sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Sparks asks for nothing beyond the download.
Gmail ships an update weekly, Sparks every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Gmail | Sparks |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (2.5M ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 29.6% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 2.5M — better | — |
| Update frequency | Weekly — better | Every 3 weeks |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Best chart rank | #3 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | 17.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 721 MB | 15 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Google LLC | 超越 徐 |
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
Sparks
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Gmail
- 100 GB2 variants$1.991 Month
- 100 GB1 Month trial3 variants$1.991 Month
- 200 GB2 variants$2.991 Month
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- 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
Sparks
No in-app purchases









