Switching from Mailbird to Kanmail
Mailbird is a long-standing Windows email client (it added a Mac app in 2025). People look for alternatives when they want a simpler, board-based workflow, Linux support (which Mailbird lacks), or a cleaner pricing story — Mailbird’s free tier is limited to a single account, and its paid options split between a subscription and a fairly steep one-time licence. Here’s how to move to Kanmail.
What changes when you switch
| Mailbird | Kanmail | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free (1 account) · subscription · or one-time (~$99.75) | One-time purchase ($49), free trial with no time limit |
| Free tier | One account only | Full app, free to evaluate for as long as you like |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS (newer); no Linux | macOS, Windows, and Linux |
| Layout | Unified inbox + app sidebar (list) | Kanban board, drag email between columns |
Both keep your mail local and both do a unified inbox, so that part will feel familiar. The big shift is the board layout and the simpler pricing.
Your email is safe → nothing to export
Your messages live on your provider’s servers, not inside Mailbird. Connecting Kanmail to the same accounts brings everything across automatically. No export or import step.
Steps
- Download Kanmail from kanmail.io and install. On Windows, ensure the Webview2 runtime is installed if the app doesn’t start.
- Add each account from Mailbird:
- Gmail → Sign in with Google
- Outlook / Microsoft 365 → Sign in with Microsoft
- Other IMAP accounts → app-password setup
- Mail loads from each provider; all accounts share one board with per-account colours.
- Recreate your workflow as columns — the folders you used in Mailbird become draggable columns. (Boards & Columns →)
- Once you’re set up, uninstall Mailbird (and cancel its subscription if you were on one).
After you switch
- Add multiple boards if you used Mailbird across several contexts (work / personal / projects).
- Learn a few keyboard shortcuts and set per-sender colours.
Questions about migrating? Email hello@oxygem.com.