# Mutt vs nmail

- Mutt: Long-running text-mode email client with IMAP, POP3 and SMTP support, configured through a muttrc file.
- nmail: Terminal email client for Linux and macOS with an Alpine-like interface and built-in IMAP and SMTP.

## Differences

- Only Mutt has built-in POP3, Maildir and mbox.
- On Windows, Mutt runs through WSL and nmail is not available.
- On BSD, Mutt runs natively and nmail is not available.
- On Android, Mutt runs through Termux and nmail is not available.
- Mutt has OpenPGP; nmail does not.
- Mutt has S/MIME; nmail does not.
- Mutt has Vim-style keys; nmail does not.
- Mutt has multiple accounts; nmail does not.
- Mutt has threaded views; nmail does not.
- Mutt is written in C; nmail in C++.
- Configuration: Mutt uses muttrc text file, and nmail uses ~/.config/nmail/main.conf key=value file.

## Side by side

| | Mutt | nmail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Interface | Full-screen terminal interface | Full-screen terminal interface |
| Language | C | C++ |
| License | GPL 2.0 or later | MIT |
| Linux | Native | Native |
| macOS | Native | Native |
| Windows | Through WSL | Not supported |
| BSD | Native | Not supported |
| Android | Through Termux | Not supported |
| IMAP | Yes | Yes |
| POP3 | Yes | No |
| SMTP | Yes | Yes |
| JMAP | No | No |
| Maildir | Yes | No |
| mbox | Yes | No |
| notmuch | No | No |
| OpenPGP | Yes | No |
| S/MIME | Yes | No |
| OAuth2 sign-in | via script | Yes |
| Threads | Yes | No |
| Search | built-in patterns; server-side IMAP search | local cache index and server search |
| HTML mail | via mailcap and an external viewer such as w3m or lynx | converted to text, or opened in an external browser |
| Mouse | No | No |
| Multiple accounts | Yes | No |
| Offline use | with isync or OfflineIMAP; IMAP header and body cache | local SQLite cache; offline mode and send queue |
| Calendar | No | No |
| Contacts | via query_command with abook or khard | address book built from messages |
| Vim-style keys | Yes | No |
| Configuration | muttrc text file | ~/.config/nmail/main.conf key=value file |

Pages: [Mutt](https://terminalemail.com/clients/mutt/index.md), [nmail](https://terminalemail.com/clients/nmail/index.md)