Gmail vs. Apple Mail | Comparison Guide & Migration Solution

Updated On - October 23, 2024 by Nasir Khan | Reading Time: 6 minutes

There’s a good chance you’ve made (and used) an Apple Mail account if you own an Apple product. All versions of Apple Mail put together make up the world’s most widely used email client. So how does Apple Mail operate, and how does it stack up against Gmail? Specifically, if you use Apple products and rely on Apple Mail, should you stick with Apple Mail or switch to Gmail? Find out the key differences between Gmail and Apple Mail so you can pick the right email service. In this blog we compare Gmail vs Apple Mail email client in detail and introducing a Regain Email Migration tool for migrating emails from one platform to another one or Vice versa.

Gmail vs. Apple Mail: The Basics

First, we’ll define Apple Mail and briefly contrast it with Gmail. Apple Mail, or the Mail app on Apple devices, is the official name for the company’s email client.

To clarify, Apple Mail is an email client, while Gmail is an email client and an email service. As you learn more about how Gmail and Apple Mail differ, you’ll see this distinction more clearly.

Apple Mail and Google’s email service, Gmail, share many similarities.

• Managing your outgoing and incoming mail and inbox: Email clients like Gmail and Apple Mail perform as one would expect them to. As is customary, you can compose, send, and receive emails and manage your inbox by archiving, sifting, and deleting messages.
• Available Apps: Apple Mail is available on all Apple devices, and Gmail is accessible from any computer or mobile device. You can get Gmail on an iPhone, but you’ll have to go through some hoops.
• Mail composition:The process of writing a message on either service is equivalent. Whether you use Gmail or Apple Mail, you’ll have the same options for font, formatting (including bold and italics), and attachments. But for some gadgets, like iPhones, adding an attachment is more of a hassle.
• Connectivity amongst all your contacts: Both email platforms make it easy to maintain, sort, and access your contact list. If you start entering a name, you’ll be suggested the appropriate email address.

From here, though, the email clients begin to split apart.

Both Gmail and Apple Mail win in terms of design and functionality. (Tie)

Gmail vs. Apple Mail: Appearance and Usability

It’s easy to use both Gmail and Apple Mail. For example, you can delete an email from your inbox with a left swipe and use the same gestures and methods across most of your accounts. It might be difficult to tell them apart if the Gmail mobile app and the Apple Mail mobile app were compare without their respective brands.

However, there are few advantages and disadvantages of Apple Mail. For example: Apple Mail’s usability could be better. By pressing down firmly on an iPhone screen, you can take advantage of what Apple calls “3D touch.” A preview will pop up if you press down on an email in Apple Mail. The official Gmail mobile app lacks this functionality.

There are, however, certain drawbacks to using Apple Mail; for instance, attaching a file in the iPhone app is much less obvious than on the desktop version. If you want to add something to an open email, such as a picture, but there’s no attachment option, you’ll have to click and hold on to the body content.

Moreover, it’s important to recognize the efficacy of Apple Mail alerts.

You may configure Chrome when you receive new messages and the Gmail mobile app to alert you when you have new messages. Apple Mail has a feature with similar benefits, plus the added flexibility of customizing alerts per account.

You can, for instance, designate certain emails to receive notifications while others, including those sent to you personally, remain unread (or vice versa). If you check your email too often or are easily sidetracked by notifications, you may adjust how often it scans for new messages by turning off periodic checks.

Winner: Tie

Gmail vs. Apple Mail: Organization

Apple Mail is one of a kind in that it can store and organize messages from many accounts in separate inboxes within the same program.

Let’s imagine you use multiple email services, such as Gmail, iCloud, and Yahoo! Using the Apple Mail app, you may link all three accounts at once, allowing you to check all three inboxes simultaneously or individually if you’re using to check many email accounts at once and require an overview of all of them while on the go, this is a major benefit.

Of course, Gmail provides a comparable service, allowing users to synchronize multiple email accounts with a single inbox. Yet, it is more difficult to differentiate between emails from several accounts in the context of the Gmail app.

Those who value efficiency and neatness in their digital lives will find Gmail the best option because of its special organizational features. You already know that Google has the best search engine and that it’s Gmail apps have a powerful and comprehensive search feature. You may sort through your inbox and locate the message you’re looking for with its help.

Apple Mail makes searching a little more of a hassle. In addition, Gmail has several useful features that can help you stay organized, such as the ability to sort incoming messages into different tabs according to their subject matter and highlight particular messages as urgent or important by using stars or other symbols.

While Apple Mail is the clear winner when managing multiple accounts from a single interface, Gmail’s extensive collection of useful organizational features is impossible to ignore.

Winner: Gmail

Gmail vs. Apple Mail: Add-ons and Extensions

Gmail and Apple Mail each have add-ons and extensions that need to be discussed. You can find several add-ons to enhance Apple Mail on your Mac if you know where to look. For instance, you may use a third-party app to modify how email attachments are display, enhance your contact management, or add new keyboard shortcuts. In contrast, altering how Apple Mail works on iPad and iPhone is a lot more difficult.

In contrast, Google encourages the use of third-party apps that improve upon the default Gmail interface. Some third-party apps can provide in-depth data on your email account usage, for instance, and they can be integrated into your inbox. Some of the time-consuming processes associated with email can be automated, and additional features can be made available to you, allowing you to get more done in less time. The Internet and your email account can be made more user-friendly with the help of several different Google Chrome extensions.

Gmail is the superior option. It’s more adaptable to individual needs and compatible with third-party software than its predecessor.

Google Email Comes Out on Top in Term of Add-0n & Extension

Gmail vs. Apple Mail: Security and Reliability

Although both Apple Mail and Gmail have earned a good reputation for their security features, there are some things to remember when comparing them. First, Apple Mail is not the only variable you need to worry about regarding email security because it is an email client connecting to numerous email accounts. To illustrate, even if Apple has strict security measures, your information may be at risk if you use Apple Mail to access a Yahoo Mail account and Yahoo suffers a big data breach.

Apple Mail is one of the most trustworthy email clients since it uses S/MIME for end-to-end encryption.

There is a similar feature in Gmail. Furthermore, Gmail offers a few extra layers of security, such as two-factor authentication, which allows you to request a verification code by SMS before a recipient can read a message. There’s also an option to have the message automatically delete itself after a certain time. In either case, the option is easily accessible via the lock and clock icon at the foot of the email composing window.

Winner: Tie

The Bottom Line:  What Should You Choose Gmail or Apple Mail?

To compare Gmail and Apple Mail is rather unfair, as the two are designed for slightly different tasks. Additionally, you may combine the two; keep a Gmail account and utilize the Gmail desktop app for most of your email interactions while adding your Gmail account to the Apple Mail app for when you’re on the road.

As an added note, Apple Mail is not an actual email service but rather an email client; Gmail, on the other hand, serves as both.

Gmail is the best email service overall, so I’ll recommend it; however, if you prefer Apple Mail or are otherwise accustomed to using Apple products, you can still use Apple Mail in conjunction with your Gmail account.

How to move Apple Mail to Gmail and vice-versa

Whatever you decide to use after the comparison, if you need to move your data from Apple Mail to Gmail or vice versa, I suggest using Regain IMAP Backup and Migration tool. The tool works best in both terms. You must try the free version.

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