Geary

A lightweight open-source email client for the GNOME desktop, built around conversations.

Verified facts: 3 of 3
Alternatives ranked: 4
Approved reviews: 0
Visits sent from here: 0

About Geary

Geary is an email client for Linux made as part of the GNOME project. It groups messages into conversations, offers fast full-text and keyword search, and has a simple composer for rich or plain text. Setup is quick because it picks up accounts already added to GNOME Online Accounts, such as Gmail, Outlook and Yahoo, and it supports any IMAP server. The interface is clean and adapts to small screens, which makes it usable on Linux phones too. It is free and open source, distributed through Flathub and most Linux distributions. Geary keeps things deliberately minimal: there is no built-in calendar or contacts manager, no PGP encryption, limited filtering, and no Exchange support beyond IMAP. Development has been slower in recent years and some long-standing bugs remain. For GNOME users who just want a tidy inbox it works well; people needing more should look at Thunderbird or Evolution.

Best for: GNOME desktop users who want a simple, tidy email client.

What works

Clean, conversation-based interface
Uses existing GNOME Online Accounts for quick setup
Free and open source

Why people leave

Linux only
No calendar, PGP or advanced filters
Slow development pace

Top Geary alternatives

See all 4

1
Thunderbird
A fuller open-source client with calendar, OpenPGP and add-ons.
66.5
2
Mailspring
Open-source desktop client with a modern look and optional Pro features.
62.6
3
NeoMutt
A terminal client for Linux users who prefer the keyboard.
59.6
4
BlueMail
Free Linux client that also has mobile apps.
57.2

Why people left Geary

In reviewers' own words, from reviews of the apps they moved to. These are their opinions, not ours.

No switching stories yet. If you moved away from Geary, review the app you switched to and tell us why.

Reviews

No approved reviews yet. How we verify reviewers

Write a review of Geary

Your rating of Geary

Name

Never shown publicly. A work email helps us verify you.

Title

Your review

What did you use it for, and what was good or bad? At least 40 characters.

Did you switch from another app?

Why did you leave it?

How can we verify you use it? (optional)

A GitHub username, your company domain, or say you can send a screenshot. Verified reviews count more.

I received money, credit or a gift for writing this review. (Incentivized reviews are shown but don't count toward rankings.)

By submitting, you confirm you're at least 16 and agree to our terms. Your name, rating, review and the date are published; your email isn't. See our privacy policy.

Geary: common questions

Is Geary free?

Yes. Geary is free, open-source software.

Is Geary open source?

Yes.

What platforms does Geary run on?

Geary is available for Linux.

What are the best alternatives to Geary?

The highest-ranked Geary alternatives right now are Thunderbird, Mailspring and NeoMutt. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.

See all 4 Geary alternatives

Geary facts

3 of 3 verified

License: LGPL-2.1; Checked Oct 25, 2026gitlab.gnome.org(opens source in a new tab); “GNU LGPLv2.1”
Design: Conversation-based, for GNOME; Checked Oct 25, 2026gitlab.gnome.org(opens source in a new tab); “email application built around conversations, for the GNOME desktop.”
Account setup: Uses GNOME Online Accounts; Checked Oct 25, 2026wiki.gnome.org(opens source in a new tab); “Quick setup Geary automatically picks up your existing GNOME Online Accounts, and adding more is easy.”