NeoMutt vs Notmuch Emacs interface
NeoMutt: Full-screen terminal mail reader forked from Mutt, with notmuch, NNTP, Lua scripting and a sidebar built in.
Notmuch Emacs interface: Emacs front end for notmuch that reads, searches, tags and composes mail from a local Maildir.
Differences
- NeoMutt is a full-screen terminal client; Notmuch Emacs interface is a mail client that runs inside Emacs.
- Only NeoMutt has built-in IMAP, POP3 and mbox.
- Notmuch Emacs interface has mouse support; NeoMutt does not.
- Notmuch Emacs interface has calendar support; NeoMutt does not.
- NeoMutt has Vim-style keys; Notmuch Emacs interface does not.
- NeoMutt is written in C; Notmuch Emacs interface in Emacs Lisp.
- Configuration: NeoMutt uses neomuttrc text file, and Notmuch Emacs interface uses Emacs Lisp in init.el plus the notmuch config file.
Side by side
| NeoMutt | Notmuch Emacs interface | |
|---|---|---|
| Interface | Full-screen terminal interface | Runs inside Emacs |
| Language | C | Emacs Lisp |
| License | GPL 2.0 or later | GPL 3.0 or later |
| Latest version | 20260616 | 0.40 |
| Linux | Native | Native |
| macOS | Native | Native |
| Windows | Through WSL | Through WSL |
| BSD | Native | Native |
| Android | Through Termux | Through Termux |
| IMAP | Yes | Through a separate tool |
| POP3 | Yes | Through a separate tool |
| SMTP | Yes | Yes |
| JMAP | No | No |
| Maildir | Yes | Yes |
| mbox | Yes | No |
| notmuch | Yes | Yes |
| OpenPGP | Yes | Yes |
| S/MIME | Yes | Yes |
| OAuth2 sign-in | via script | via script |
| Threads | Yes | Yes |
| Search | built-in patterns; notmuch for full-text | notmuch Xapian full-text search with tags |
| HTML mail | via mailcap and an external viewer such as w3m or lynx | built-in, rendered with the Emacs shr library |
| Mouse | No | Yes |
| Multiple accounts | Yes | Yes |
| Offline use | with isync or OfflineIMAP; IMAP header and body cache | full; reads a local Maildir synced by mbsync or OfflineIMAP |
| Calendar | No | shows text/calendar parts; no invitation replies |
| Contacts | via query_command with abook or khard | address completion from the notmuch index |
| Vim-style keys | Yes | No |
| Configuration | neomuttrc text file | Emacs Lisp in init.el plus the notmuch config file |
Which to choose
Choose NeoMutt for
- Built-in notmuch support for tag-based virtual mailboxes and full-text search
- Reads Usenet over NNTP and supports Lua scripting
- Reads most existing muttrc files with few or no changes
Watch out for
- Configuration is a text file with hundreds of options and no setup wizard
- HTML mail needs an external viewer set up in mailcap
- OAuth2 needs an external token script such as mutt_oauth2.py
Choose Notmuch Emacs interface for
- Tag-based organization with fast full-text search over all local mail.
- Shows a whole thread in a single buffer.
- Handles PGP/MIME and S/MIME signatures and decryption through notmuch.
Watch out for
- No built-in IMAP; needs mbsync or a similar sync tool.
- Custom tags stay in the local index; only standard flags such as unread and replied reach the IMAP server.
- Requires Emacs and some Emacs Lisp to configure.
Questions
What is the difference between NeoMutt and Notmuch Emacs interface?
NeoMutt is a full-screen terminal client; Notmuch Emacs interface is a mail client that runs inside Emacs. Only NeoMutt has built-in IMAP, POP3 and mbox. Notmuch Emacs interface has mouse support; NeoMutt does not.
Which runs on Windows, NeoMutt or Notmuch Emacs interface?
On Windows, NeoMutt runs through WSL. On Windows, Notmuch Emacs interface runs through WSL.
See also: NeoMutt alternatives, Notmuch Emacs interface alternatives.