# alot vs Cone

- alot: Terminal mail reader written in Python that works on a local notmuch database, with tag-based search and threads.
- Cone: Full-screen console mail client and newsreader from the Courier mail server project.

## Differences

- Only alot has built-in notmuch.
- Only Cone has built-in IMAP, POP3, SMTP and mbox.
- On Linux, alot runs natively and Cone builds from source.
- On macOS, alot runs natively and Cone is not available.
- alot has mouse support; Cone does not.
- alot has Vim-style keys; Cone does not.
- alot is written in Python; Cone in C++.
- Configuration: alot uses INI-style config file plus optional Python hooks, and Cone uses interactive setup screens; settings saved under ~/.cone.

## Side by side

| | alot | Cone |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Interface | Full-screen terminal interface | Full-screen terminal interface |
| Language | Python | C++ |
| License | GPL 3.0 or later | GPL 3.0 |
| Linux | Native | Build from source |
| macOS | Native | Not supported |
| Windows | Through WSL | Through WSL |
| BSD | Native | Native |
| Android | Not supported | Not supported |
| IMAP | Through a separate tool | Yes |
| POP3 | Through a separate tool | Yes |
| SMTP | Through a separate tool | Yes |
| JMAP | No | No |
| Maildir | Yes | Yes |
| mbox | No | Yes |
| notmuch | Yes | No |
| OpenPGP | Yes | Yes |
| S/MIME | No | No |
| OAuth2 sign-in | No | No |
| Threads | Yes | Yes |
| Search | notmuch queries | built-in folder search; server-side on IMAP |
| HTML mail | via mailcap, e.g. w3m -dump | built-in HTML renderer |
| Mouse | Yes | No |
| Multiple accounts | Yes | Yes |
| Offline use | always; reads a local notmuch database | No |
| Calendar | No | No |
| Contacts | via an external lookup command such as abook, khard or notmuch address | built-in address books, stored locally, in an IMAP folder, or on LDAP |
| Vim-style keys | Yes | No |
| Configuration | INI-style config file plus optional Python hooks | interactive setup screens; settings saved under ~/.cone |

Pages: [alot](https://terminalemail.com/clients/alot/index.md), [Cone](https://terminalemail.com/clients/cone/index.md)