Comparison

Winmail Reader vs msg Lense

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

Head to head
About

Winmail Reader

Easily open and manage "winmail.dat" attachment files on your iOS device. This app decodes the TNEF format, allowing you to view, save, share, or resend any contained attachments and the original email message.

Highlights
  • Decodes winmail.dat files
  • Lists all attachments and email message
  • Inbuilt quick-look preview for attachments
  • Save, copy, print, and share attachments
  • Resend decoded email with attachments
  • Create/add Outlook appointments to iOS Calendar
  • Add contact address cards to iOS Contacts
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Winmail Reader is ultimate tool for reading "winmail.dat" attachment files on iPhones, iPads and iPod touch. Winmail Reader decodes "winmail.dat" file, and allows any attachments contained in them to be opened, read, saved or e-mailed. * * * Winmail Reader for Mac is also available on the Mac App Store. * * * Winmail.dat files are in fact TNEF format (Transport Neutral Encapsulation Format). Microsoft Outlook e-mail program for Windows send e-mails as TNEF. Most other e-mail programs, including Mail, do not understand TNEF. If your e-mail program doesn't understand TNEF, you may only see an attachment named "winmail.dat" that you cannot open. The easy-to-use solution to circumvent this problem is provided by Winmail Reader. FEATURES: ◆ Decodes "winmail.dat" files and list all attachments contained in it including email message. ◆ Inbuilt quick-look preview to view attachments. Tap on attachment button to popup quick-look preview. ◆ Allows attachments files to Copy to… another application, Save to Files, Copy, Print, share file to nearby iOS devices via AirDrop and more... Long press on attachment button to show share action options. ◆ Resend entire decoded email as it is with message and extracted attachments. ◆ Creates, edit and adds Microsoft Outlook Appointment and Meeting to iOS Calendar. It also reads embedded note. ◆ Creates and adds contact address card into iOS Contacts. ◆ Reads nested message in full RTF format as separate file.

About

msg Lense

This application allows users to easily view and manage Microsoft Outlook .msg files directly on their iPhone or iPad. It supports viewing attachments, embedded files, and even opening files from cloud storage. Users can also reply to and forward emails contained within these files.

Highlights
  • View .msg message content
  • Access message attachments
  • View embedded .msg files
  • Open files from cloud storage
  • Reply and forward emails
  • Access recent files
Features
Read full description

Open and read MSG and EML email files right on your iPhone and iPad. Got an email file you can't open? msg Lense renders the full message — sender, recipients, subject, rich HTML body, inline images, and every attachment — exactly as it was sent. Tap a file in Mail, Files, or any app and read it in seconds. WHY MSG LENSE • Opens .msg and .eml (standard email) files natively • Keeps rich HTML formatting, inline images, and the full recipient list intact • Preview, open, and save every attachment — PDFs, images, documents, and more • Quick Look and Share sheet support: open a message straight from Files, Mail, or anywhere • Print a clean copy or export a message for your records • Reply or forward by handing the message off to Apple Mail, Gmail, Outlook, or Spark • Built-in search across every message you've imported • Designed for both iPhone and iPad PRIVATE BY DESIGN msg Lense does all of its work on your device. No accounts, no servers, no analytics, no tracking — your email never leaves your device. Subscriptions are handled securely by Apple. HOW IT WORKS 1. Receive a .msg or .eml file by email, AirDrop, or in your Files app 2. Tap it, or use Quick Look and the Share sheet 3. Read the full message, save attachments, print, or forward it PERFECT FOR • Business and legal email saved as .msg files • Forwarded message files that won't open on iOS • Archived emails exported from Apple Mail, Gmail, Thunderbird, and more • Anyone who receives email files they can't read on their phone MSG LENSE PLUS An active msg Lense Plus subscription is required to open and read messages. One subscription unlocks everything: • Unlimited message viewing • Open and save attachments • Printing • Reply and forward • Quick Look and Share extensions Choose a monthly or yearly auto-renewing plan. Payment is charged to your Apple Account at confirmation of purchase. Your subscription automatically renews unless it is cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period; your account is charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. Manage or cancel anytime in Settings → [your name] → Subscriptions. Privacy Policy: https://msglense.credeo.io/privacy.html Terms of Use: https://msglense.credeo.io/terms.html Questions or feedback? Email support@credeo.io

Screenshots

Winmail Reader4 screens
msg Lense4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: msg Lense at Free against Winmail Reader's $1.99. Winmail Reader's advantage is rating (4.5 vs 3.6) and in-app purchases (none vs 2). On review sentiment, update cadence, ads 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

msg Lense is free to download; Winmail Reader costs $1.99 up front. msg Lense sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Winmail Reader asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Winmail Reader holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 256 and 55 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 50% of Winmail Reader's written reviews are positive against 44% of msg Lense's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Winmail Reader ships an update every 4 months, msg Lense every 6 months. Both last shipped on October 12, 2026.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
Winmail Reader versus msg Lense: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterWinmail Readermsg Lense
Price$1.99Free — better
Rating4.5 (256 ratings) — better3.6 (55 ratings)
Positive reviews50.0% of reviews — better44.4% of reviews
Number of ratings256 — better55
Update frequencyEvery 4 months — betterEvery 6 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree — better
Best chart rank#196 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.6 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size2 MB13 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRootRise Technologies Pvt. Ltd.credeo GmbH

Customer experience

Winmail Reader

All ratings256 ratings
Positive87.9%
Neutral3.9%
Negative8.2%
Written reviews16 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%

msg Lense

All ratings55 ratings
Positive63.6%
Neutral3.6%
Negative32.7%
Written reviews45 reviews
Positive44.4%
Neutral4.4%
Negative51.1%

In-app purchases

None

Winmail Reader

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

msg Lense

Subscriptions2
  • msg Lense Plus Monthly$1.991 Month
  • msg Lense Plus Yearly$14.991 Year

Questions

Is Winmail Reader free?
Winmail Reader costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is msg Lense free?
msg Lense is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Winmail Reader or msg Lense?
Winmail Reader is rated higher. Winmail Reader averages 4.5 out of 5 from 256 ratings, while msg Lense averages 3.6 from 55 ratings.
Do Winmail Reader or msg Lense have ads?
Neither Winmail Reader nor msg Lense shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Winmail Reader or msg Lense?
Winmail Reader ships an update every 4 months, and msg Lense every 6 months. Most recently, Winmail Reader was updated on October 12, 2026 and msg Lense on October 12, 2026.

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