Short answer: Thunderbird for iPhone and iPad isn't on the App Store yet, but an early public beta is available through TestFlight, linked from Thunderbird's iOS roadmap. It's an early test version, so for everyday use Apple Mail is the best free option and is already on your phone. If you use OpenPGP in Thunderbird and want encrypted mail on your iPhone too, look at Canary Mail (ours) or Proton Mail. Thunderbird itself still runs well on the Mac.
Disclosure: we make Canary Mail, one of the apps below. Prices and features were checked on each vendor's own site or App Store listing on October 16, 2026.
Is Thunderbird available on iPhone?
Only as an early beta. Thunderbird is available on Windows, Mac and Linux, and on Android as Thunderbird for Android, which grew out of K-9 Mail and is on Google Play and F-Droid. There is no Thunderbird app on the App Store yet, but you can try the iPhone and iPad app as a public beta through Apple's TestFlight app, using the link on Thunderbird's iOS roadmap.
The app is still early. In an October 2026 post, the Thunderbird team described it as a native app written from scratch, not a port of the Android version. Its roadmap links the public TestFlight beta, and the team says the full release timeline may shift. Its public iOS roadmap (last updated July 2026) shows the team still finishing the core reading and writing experience, with IMAP first and JMAP support planned. Encrypted mail (OpenPGP and S/MIME) is part of that work. Expect the beta to do less than the desktop app, and expect changes before a full App Store release.
So if you use Thunderbird on your computer and want something dependable on your iPhone today, you can test the beta, but most people will want a finished app alongside it. Because Thunderbird talks to your email provider over standard IMAP, any of the apps below will show the same mail and folders.
iPhone alternatives to Thunderbird compared
| App | Best for | Price | Accounts | PGP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apple Mail | Free, built-in default | Free | iCloud, Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, Exchange, any IMAP | No (S/MIME only) |
| Canary Mail | PGP on iPhone and Mac | Free plan; Pro+ with PGP $100/year | Gmail, Outlook, iCloud, Yahoo, Exchange, IMAP | Yes (Pro+) |
| Spark | A sorted inbox | Free; Plus $99/year | Gmail, Outlook, iCloud, Yahoo, IMAP | No |
| Microsoft Outlook | Microsoft 365 and calendar | Free with ads; Basic $19.99/year | Outlook, Gmail, iCloud, Yahoo, IMAP | No |
| Gmail | Gmail users | Free | Gmail plus Outlook, iCloud, Yahoo | No |
| Airmail | Custom actions and power features | Free for 1 account; Pro $39.99/year | Gmail, Outlook, iCloud, Yahoo, IMAP | No |
| Proton Mail | Switching to an encrypted service | Free; Mail Plus $47.88/year | Proton addresses only | Built in |
The best Thunderbird alternatives for iPhone and iPad
1. Apple Mail: Best free option
Apple Mail is already on your iPhone, costs nothing and shows no ads. It handles iCloud, Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo and Exchange accounts and any IMAP account you used in Thunderbird, with an All Inboxes view. Recent versions sort mail into categories (Primary, Transactions, Updates, Promotions), let you schedule mail with Send Later, and offer Mail Privacy Protection, which hides your IP address and stops senders seeing when you open a message.
- Who it's for: most people who just want their Thunderbird accounts on the phone
- Price: free
- Platforms: iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Vision Pro
- Downside: no PGP (Apple's apps use S/MIME certificates instead), no read receipts and no add-ons. Rules and filters you made in Thunderbird don't come with you.
2. Canary Mail: Best for PGP encryption on iPhone and Mac
Disclosure: we make Canary Mail.
Canary is the closest fit if encryption is why you chose Thunderbird. The Pro+ plan adds PGP, plus SecureSend for sending protected messages to people who don't use PGP, and phishing and impersonation detection. Every plan blocks email trackers by default, inbox sorting runs on your device, and your email isn't used to train AI. It works with Gmail, Outlook, iCloud, Yahoo, Exchange and other IMAP accounts, and the same app runs on Mac, Windows and Android. More than 2 million people use it, and Apple has featured it on the App Store and the Mac App Store.
- Who it's for: Thunderbird users who want encrypted mail and the same app on iPhone and Mac
- Price: free for unlimited accounts on 2 devices, with AI inbox sorting; Growth $36/year adds AI writing and summaries, read receipts, send later and a calendar; Pro+ $100/year adds PGP; lifetime licenses $100 and $300; 7-day trial
- Platforms: iPhone, iPad, Mac, Windows, Android
- Downside: PGP needs the Pro+ plan, while Thunderbird's OpenPGP is free, and paid plans are yearly or lifetime only.
More: how to use PGP on iPhone and iPad and Canary Mail vs Thunderbird.
3. Spark: Best for a sorted inbox
Spark's Smart Inbox groups mail from people above newsletters and notifications, and it adds snooze, send later and a calendar. The free plan covers unlimited accounts, and it's on Mac, Windows and Android too.
- Who it's for: people who want their inbox triaged for them
- Price: free; Plus $10/month or $99/year; Pro $20/month or $199/year, per user
- Platforms: iPhone, iPad, Mac, Windows, Android
- Downside: some of your mail is processed on Readdle's servers, which is the opposite of Thunderbird's approach, and AI writing is on paid plans.
More: Canary Mail vs Spark.
4. Microsoft Outlook: Best for Microsoft 365 and calendar
Outlook for iPhone is free and handles Outlook.com, Microsoft 365, Gmail, iCloud, Yahoo and IMAP accounts, with Focused Inbox and a full calendar in the same app. If your work account is on Microsoft 365, it's the app your IT team expects you to use.
- Who it's for: Microsoft 365 users and people who want mail and calendar together
- Price: free with ads on free accounts; Microsoft 365 Basic ($1.99/month or $19.99/year) removes them
- Platforms: iPhone, iPad, Mac, Windows, Android, web
- Downside: ads on free accounts, and the current iPhone app needs a recent version of iOS.
5. Gmail: Best if you mostly use Gmail
Google's Gmail app gives you Gmail's labels, categories and search on the iPhone, and you can add Outlook, iCloud Mail, Yahoo and other non-Gmail addresses to it as well.
- Who it's for: people whose main account is Gmail
- Price: free
- Platforms: iPhone, iPad, Android, web
- Downside: it works best with Gmail, and it isn't a privacy upgrade for people who chose Thunderbird to keep Google out of their mail.
6. Airmail: Best for power users
Airmail is the most configurable app here, which may appeal to Thunderbird users who liked add-ons: custom actions, smart folders, snooze, send later and integrations with apps like Fantastical and OmniFocus. It also has a Mac app.
- Who it's for: people who want to tune every swipe and button
- Price: free for one account; Pro $7.99/month or $39.99/year on the iPhone App Store ($49.99/year on the Mac)
- Platforms: iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch
- Downside: the free version covers one account, and its yearly price rose sharply for long-time subscribers in 2026.
Or switch email service
7. Proton Mail: Best for end-to-end encryption by default
Proton Mail is an email service, not just an app, so you'd get a new address. Mail between Proton users is end-to-end encrypted automatically, and its iPhone, Android, web and desktop apps are built around that. It can also exchange PGP mail with other PGP users.
- Who it's for: people ready to move to an encrypted email service
- Price: free plan; Mail Plus $4.99/month or $47.88/year
- Platforms: iPhone, iPad, Android, web, Mac, Windows
- Downside: it only handles Proton addresses, so your existing Gmail or Outlook accounts can't live in the same app.
More: the best secure email apps and services.
FairEmail, a popular open-source pick, is Android-only, so it isn't an option on iPhone. For a wider list, see our guide to the best email apps for iPhone.
Using Thunderbird on your computer with an iPhone app
Most people who search for Thunderbird on iOS want to keep Thunderbird on their Mac or PC and read the same mail on the phone. That works, with a few things to check:
- Use IMAP, not POP. IMAP keeps mail on the server, so Thunderbird and your iPhone show the same folders. A POP account downloads mail to one computer, and the phone won't see it.
- Local Folders stay on the computer. Mail you moved into Thunderbird's Local Folders isn't on the server. Move anything you need on the phone back into an IMAP folder.
- Filters run where they live. Thunderbird's message filters run on the computer. If you want mail sorted while Thunderbird is closed, set up the rules on your provider's website instead.
- Encryption keys need moving. If you use OpenPGP in Thunderbird, you'll need an iPhone app that supports PGP and a copy of your key on the phone. Apple Mail can't read PGP mail.
On the Mac itself, Thunderbird is still a solid choice. See Apple Mail vs Thunderbird and the best email clients for Mac if you are weighing a change there too, or Thunderbird alternatives for Windows and Linux.
Frequently asked questions
Does Thunderbird work on an iPhone?
Not yet. Thunderbird isn't on the App Store yet; an early public beta of its native iPhone app is available through TestFlight.
Is there a mobile version of Thunderbird?
Yes, on Android. Thunderbird for Android is free on Google Play and F-Droid and grew out of K-9 Mail. The iPhone and iPad version is an early TestFlight beta.
When will Thunderbird for iOS be released?
Thunderbird hasn't given a release date. Its roadmap says timelines for the full release may shift.
Which is better, Apple Mail or Thunderbird?
On iPhone, Apple Mail, since Thunderbird is only available there as an early TestFlight beta. On a Mac, Apple Mail is simpler and fits macOS better, while Thunderbird has built-in OpenPGP, add-ons and a calendar and runs on Windows and Linux too.
Is Thunderbird discontinued?
No. Thunderbird desktop is actively developed (version 158 came out in October 2026), the Android app is maintained, and an iPhone app is on the way.
What is the best email app for iPhone?
For most people, Apple Mail, because it's free and built in. Canary Mail adds PGP and AI, Outlook suits Microsoft 365, and Spark suits people who want a sorted inbox.
Sources
- Thunderbird for iOS: a first look (Oct 2026)
- Thunderbird iOS roadmap
- Thunderbird Mobile (Android)
- Thunderbird release versions
- Apple: Send email in Mail on iPhone
- Apple: Mail Privacy Protection on iPhone
- Apple Platform Security: S/MIME in Apple apps
- Canary Mail pricing
- Spark on the App Store
- Microsoft: About ads in Outlook
- Google: Add another email account in the Gmail app
- Airmail on the App Store
- Proton Mail pricing