# Terminal email clients for BSD

FreeBSD packages most clients (pkg install), and OpenBSD (pkg_add) and NetBSD (pkgsrc) package many of the same ones. A client listed as "build from source" compiles on BSD but has no package yet.

## Clients

| Client | BSD | Install |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [Forward Email](https://terminalemail.com/clients/forward-email/index.md) | Native | `npm install -g forwardemail` |
| [aerc](https://terminalemail.com/clients/aerc/index.md) | Native | `pkg install aerc` |
| [alot](https://terminalemail.com/clients/alot/index.md) | Native | `pkg install mail/py-alot` |
| [Alpine](https://terminalemail.com/clients/alpine/index.md) | Native | `pkg install alpine` |
| [Cone](https://terminalemail.com/clients/cone/index.md) | Native | `pkg install cone` |
| [Gnus](https://terminalemail.com/clients/gnus/index.md) | Native | `pkg install emacs` |
| [Himalaya](https://terminalemail.com/clients/himalaya/index.md) | Build from source | `cargo install --locked --git https://github.com/pimalaya/himalaya.git` |
| [Matcha](https://terminalemail.com/clients/matcha/index.md) | Build from source | `git clone https://github.com/floatpane/matcha && cd matcha && go build .` |
| [mblaze](https://terminalemail.com/clients/mblaze/index.md) | Native | `pkg install mblaze` |
| [meli](https://terminalemail.com/clients/meli/index.md) | Native | `pkg_add meli` |
| [mu4e](https://terminalemail.com/clients/mu4e/index.md) | Native | `pkg install mu isync` |
| [Mutt](https://terminalemail.com/clients/mutt/index.md) | Native | `pkg install mutt` |
| [NeoMutt](https://terminalemail.com/clients/neomutt/index.md) | Native | `pkg install neomutt` |
| [nmh](https://terminalemail.com/clients/nmh/index.md) | Native | `pkg install nmh` |
| [Notmuch Emacs interface](https://terminalemail.com/clients/notmuch-emacs/index.md) | Native | `pkg install notmuch-emacs isync msmtp` |
| [S-nail](https://terminalemail.com/clients/s-nail/index.md) | Native | `pkg install s-nail` |
| [Sup](https://terminalemail.com/clients/sup/index.md) | Build from source | `gem install sup` |
| [Wanderlust](https://terminalemail.com/clients/wanderlust/index.md) | Native | `pkg install wanderlust` |

## Mail tools

| Client | BSD | Install |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [getmail6](https://terminalemail.com/tools/getmail6/index.md) | Native | `pkg install py312-getmail6` |
| [isync](https://terminalemail.com/tools/isync/index.md) | Native | `pkg install isync` |
| [msmtp](https://terminalemail.com/tools/msmtp/index.md) | Native | `pkg install msmtp` |
| [mutt-wizard](https://terminalemail.com/tools/mutt-wizard/index.md) | Native | `pkg_add mutt-wizard` |
| [notmuch](https://terminalemail.com/tools/notmuch/index.md) | Native | `pkg install notmuch` |
| [OfflineIMAP](https://terminalemail.com/tools/offlineimap/index.md) | Native | `pkg install mail/py-offlineimap` |
| [Pop](https://terminalemail.com/tools/pop/index.md) | Native | `go install github.com/charmbracelet/pop@latest` |

## Questions

### Which terminal email clients run on BSD?

18 clients run on BSD: Forward Email, aerc, alot, Alpine, Cone, Gnus, Himalaya, Matcha, mblaze, meli, mu4e, Mutt, NeoMutt, nmh, Notmuch Emacs interface, S-nail, Sup and Wanderlust.

### Which BSD clients have built-in IMAP?

aerc, Alpine, Cone, Gnus, Himalaya, Matcha, meli, Mutt, NeoMutt, S-nail and Wanderlust. The others read local mail that a sync tool such as isync keeps up to date, or, for Forward Email's app, connect through its API.

### Does Forward Email work on BSD?

Yes. Its terminal app installs from npm, and every other client on this page can use a Forward Email mailbox over IMAP and SMTP, directly or through a sync tool.