Mutt vs S-nail
Mutt: Long-running text-mode email client with IMAP, POP3 and SMTP support, configured through a muttrc file.
S-nail: Command-line mail program that implements POSIX mailx, with MIME, IMAP, POP3, SMTP, Maildir and S/MIME support.
Differences
- Mutt is a full-screen terminal client; S-nail is a command-line program.
- On Android, Mutt runs through Termux and S-nail is not available.
- Mutt has OpenPGP; S-nail does not.
- Mutt has Vim-style keys; S-nail does not.
- Configuration: Mutt uses muttrc text file, and S-nail uses ~/.mailrc command file.
Side by side
| Mutt | S-nail | |
|---|---|---|
| Interface | Full-screen terminal interface | Command-line tools and prompts |
| Language | C | C |
| License | GPL 2.0 or later | ISC and BSD 2-Clause and BSD 3-Clause and BSD 4-Clause |
| Latest version | 2.4.2 | 14.9.25 |
| Linux | Native | Native |
| macOS | Native | Native |
| Windows | Through WSL | Through WSL |
| BSD | Native | Native |
| Android | Through Termux | No |
| IMAP | Yes | Yes |
| POP3 | Yes | Yes |
| SMTP | Yes | Yes |
| JMAP | No | No |
| Maildir | Yes | Yes |
| mbox | Yes | Yes |
| notmuch | No | No |
| OpenPGP | Yes | No |
| S/MIME | Yes | Yes |
| OAuth2 sign-in | via script | via script |
| Threads | Yes | Yes |
| Search | built-in patterns; server-side IMAP search | built-in message specifications and the search command; IMAP SEARCH on IMAP folders |
| HTML mail | via mailcap and an external viewer such as w3m or lynx | built-in tag-soup filter or external viewer via mailcap |
| Mouse | No | No |
| Multiple accounts | Yes | Yes |
| Offline use | with isync or OfflineIMAP; IMAP header and body cache | IMAP cache with disconnected mode |
| Calendar | No | No |
| Contacts | via query_command with abook or khard | aliases via the alias command |
| Vim-style keys | Yes | No |
| Configuration | muttrc text file | ~/.mailrc command file |
Which to choose
Choose Mutt for
- Packaged by major Linux distributions, Homebrew, FreeBSD, OpenBSD and Termux
- Conservative releases that rarely break existing muttrc files
- Built-in PGP/MIME, S/MIME and Autocrypt
Watch out for
- No notmuch, NNTP or scripting support (NeoMutt has these)
- Configuration is a text file with hundreds of options and no setup wizard
- HTML mail needs an external viewer set up in mailcap
Choose S-nail for
- Drop-in POSIX mailx, so it works in existing shell scripts and cron jobs.
- Built-in SMTP, POP3 and IMAP with TLS; no separate sync or send tool needed.
- S/MIME signing and encryption are built in.
Watch out for
- Line-oriented prompt instead of a full-screen interface.
- No built-in OpenPGP; upstream documents a gpg pipe workaround only.
- IMAP support is kept at an older code level and upstream advises care.
Questions
What is the difference between Mutt and S-nail?
Mutt is a full-screen terminal client; S-nail is a command-line program. On Android, Mutt runs through Termux and S-nail is not available. Mutt has OpenPGP; S-nail does not.
Which runs on Windows, Mutt or S-nail?
On Windows, Mutt runs through WSL. On Windows, S-nail runs through WSL.
See also: Mutt alternatives, S-nail alternatives.