nmail vs Notmuch Emacs interface
nmail: Terminal email client for Linux and macOS with an Alpine-like interface and built-in IMAP and SMTP.
Notmuch Emacs interface: Emacs front end for notmuch that reads, searches, tags and composes mail from a local Maildir.
Differences
- nmail is a full-screen terminal client; Notmuch Emacs interface is a mail client that runs inside Emacs.
- Only nmail has built-in IMAP.
- Only Notmuch Emacs interface has built-in Maildir and notmuch.
- On Windows, nmail is not available and Notmuch Emacs interface runs through WSL.
- On BSD, nmail is not available and Notmuch Emacs interface runs natively.
- On Android, nmail is not available and Notmuch Emacs interface runs through Termux.
- Notmuch Emacs interface has mouse support; nmail does not.
- Notmuch Emacs interface has calendar support; nmail does not.
- Notmuch Emacs interface has OpenPGP; nmail does not.
- Notmuch Emacs interface has S/MIME; nmail does not.
- Notmuch Emacs interface has multiple accounts; nmail does not.
- Notmuch Emacs interface has threaded views; nmail does not.
- nmail is written in C++; Notmuch Emacs interface in Emacs Lisp.
- Configuration: nmail uses ~/.config/nmail/main.conf key=value file, and Notmuch Emacs interface uses Emacs Lisp in init.el plus the notmuch config file.
Side by side
| nmail | Notmuch Emacs interface | |
|---|---|---|
| Interface | Full-screen terminal interface | Runs inside Emacs |
| Language | C++ | Emacs Lisp |
| License | MIT | GPL 3.0 or later |
| Latest version | v5.16.4 | 0.40 |
| Linux | Native | Native |
| macOS | Native | Native |
| Windows | No | Through WSL |
| BSD | No | Native |
| Android | No | Through Termux |
| IMAP | Yes | Through a separate tool |
| POP3 | No | Through a separate tool |
| SMTP | Yes | Yes |
| JMAP | No | No |
| Maildir | No | Yes |
| mbox | No | No |
| notmuch | No | Yes |
| OpenPGP | No | Yes |
| S/MIME | No | Yes |
| OAuth2 sign-in | Yes | via script |
| Threads | No | Yes |
| Search | local cache index and server search | notmuch Xapian full-text search with tags |
| HTML mail | converted to text, or opened in an external browser | built-in, rendered with the Emacs shr library |
| Mouse | No | Yes |
| Multiple accounts | No | Yes |
| Offline use | local SQLite cache; offline mode and send queue | full; reads a local Maildir synced by mbsync or OfflineIMAP |
| Calendar | No | shows text/calendar parts; no invitation replies |
| Contacts | address book built from messages | address completion from the notmuch index |
| Vim-style keys | No | No |
| Configuration | ~/.config/nmail/main.conf key=value file | Emacs Lisp in init.el plus the notmuch config file |
Which to choose
Choose nmail for
- Built-in IMAP and SMTP with setup wizards for Gmail, iCloud and Outlook
- Local cache, address book and outgoing queue can be encrypted
- Compose HTML mail using Markdown
Watch out for
- One account per running instance
- No threaded view and no PGP or S/MIME
- Linux and macOS only; no Debian or Fedora package
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 nmail and Notmuch Emacs interface?
nmail is a full-screen terminal client; Notmuch Emacs interface is a mail client that runs inside Emacs. Only nmail has built-in IMAP. Only Notmuch Emacs interface has built-in Maildir and notmuch.
Which runs on Windows, nmail or Notmuch Emacs interface?
On Windows, nmail is not available. On Windows, Notmuch Emacs interface runs through WSL.
See also: nmail alternatives, Notmuch Emacs interface alternatives.