# Fastmail vs eM Client

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: eM Client at none against Fastmail's 1. eM Client also leads on update cadence (every 10 days vs every 3 weeks). Fastmail's advantage is ratings volume (609 vs 51). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Fastmail sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $6.49 per month. eM Client asks for nothing beyond the download.

Fastmail holds the better App Store score, 3.9 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Fastmail has 609 ratings behind it against 51, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 49% and 48% positive.

Fastmail ships an update every 3 weeks, eM Client every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Fastmail | eM Client |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.9 (609 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fastmail-email-and-calendar/id931370077/reviews)** | [3.7 (51 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/em-client/id1561166404/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **609** | 51 |
| Positive reviews | **48.6% of reviews** | 48.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 21 MB | 179 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.4 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Fastmail Pty Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/931370076) | [eM Client](https://appshunter.io/developer/1561166526) |

## What reviewers say

### Fastmail

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fastmail-email-and-calendar/id931370077)

This app offers a privacy-focused email, contacts, and calendar experience with powerful tools for organization and communication. It provides features like offline access, advanced search, and customizable actions to streamline your workflow. Enjoy a secure and ad-free environment designed for efficient personal and professional use.

**Highlights:** Offline email, contacts, and calendar access, Powerful search with attachment indexing, Inbox decluttering tools (snooze, mute, block spam), Customizable swipe gestures, Shared calendars for planning, Secure, private, and ad-free experience

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Fastmail Monthly Plan | $6.49 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and efficient
- 🔒 Secure and private
- 👍 Intuitive and easy to use
- 🔥 Excellent email service
- 💯 Great customer support

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy app with frequent crashes
- 🔍 Lacking offline support
- 🔀 Confusing navigation and UI
- 🔋 Poor battery life
- 💤 Slow app performance

**Reported bugs**

- Blank screen on app launch
- Notification badges not updating correctly
- Delayed email delivery
- Unreliable swiping gestures
- Disappearing toolbar buttons

**Requested features**

- Offline email access
- Customizable notification sounds
- Integration with native iOS apps
- Dark mode support
- Multiple account management


### eM Client

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/em-client/id1561166404)

Manage emails, calendars, tasks, contacts, and notes efficiently in one application. Features AI assistance for drafting and replying, robust security with PGP and S/MIME encryption, and instant message translation. Offers advanced privacy options and seamless integration with cloud storage and online meetings.

**Highlights:** Unified inbox for emails, calendars, tasks, contacts, and notes, AI-powered email drafting and reply assistance, PGP and S/MIME encryption for secure communication, Instant message translation, Advanced privacy and mail-tracking pixel detection, Integration with cloud storage and online meetings

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Reliable and customizable
- 🔒 Great privacy and security features
- 👍 Clean and intuitive interface
- 🚀 Smooth and fast performance
- 👍 Seamless sync between desktop and mobile

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Slow email sync and loading issues
- 🐛 Unreliable push notifications and badge counts
- 🐛 Inconsistent behavior compared to other email apps
- 🐛 Bugs and glitches, especially in the initial release
- 🔋 High battery consumption

**Reported bugs**

- Emails not sending immediately
- Drafts not visible or editable
- Inconsistent behavior when switching between folders
- Trouble signing in to multiple Google accounts

**Requested features**

- Calendar integration
- Improved background refresh and sync
- Custom notification sounds
- Ability to sort emails by sender
- More customization options


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Fastmail free?

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

### Is eM Client free?

eM Client is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Fastmail or eM Client?

Fastmail is rated higher. Fastmail averages 3.9 out of 5 from 609 ratings, while eM Client averages 3.7 from 51 ratings.

### Do Fastmail or eM Client have ads?

Neither Fastmail nor eM Client shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Fastmail or eM Client?

Fastmail ships an update every 3 weeks, and eM Client every 10 days. Most recently, Fastmail was updated on November 6, 2026 and eM Client 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.*