Pigeon vs Airmail.
Airmail is a customisable classic. Pigeon is opinionated about the one thing you do all day: find and answer mail.
Airmail suits people who like to set an app up their own way and want it on Mac and iPhone. Pigeon suits people who want a fast, private inbox that finds things without configuring anything, and that works with Claude.
Side by side
| Pigeon | Airmail | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $69 a year or $8 a month. Free for 14 days first | Free tier with one account. Pro is an App Store subscription, priced by region |
| Runs on | Mac (macOS 26 or later) | Mac, iPhone and iPad |
| Mailboxes it connects | Gmail and Microsoft 365, together in one inbox | Not listed on the pages we could read |
| Where your mail lives | On your Mac. Mail comes straight from Google or Microsoft, with no Pigeon server in between | Airmail says messages are not stored on its servers |
| Search | Keywords and meaning together, with filters for sender, date and attachments. Answers as you type, newest first | Not detailed on their site |
| Search offline | Yes. The whole index is on your Mac | Not stated on their site |
| Works with Claude | Yes. Ask Claude to find mail or draft a reply, and the draft opens in Pigeon for you to send | Not stated on their site |
| Blocks tracking pixels | Yes, and remote images are off until you choose to load them for a message | Not stated on their site |
We make Pigeon, so read this with that in mind. Details about Airmail were checked in September 2026; they change, so check Airmail's own site before you decide.
Where Pigeon pulls ahead
Search as the centre of the app
In Pigeon, ⌘K opens search across every mailbox and answers as you type. Pigeon reads what a message is about as well as the words in it. On our own test set of paraphrased queries it found the right message in the top ten 80% of the time, against 45% for keyword matching alone.
Nothing to configure
Pigeon opens on your mail in about a minute, sorted sensibly, and does not need a settings tour to feel right.
Claude built in, not bolted on
Ask Claude to find or draft mail. The draft lands in Pigeon's composer, unsent, for you to finish.
A reader that respects the message
Human mail is set clean. Designed mail keeps its design. Remote images stay off until you choose.
Fair is fair
What Airmail does well
- A free tier.
- Runs on Mac, iPhone and iPad.
- Long-established, with a lot of customisation.
Stay with Airmail if
- You want the same app on iPhone and iPad.
- You enjoy tuning your client.
- You rely on its customisation.
Questions
Is Pigeon an Airmail alternative?
Yes, for Mac users on Gmail or Microsoft 365 who want fast search and a private local index.
Does Pigeon have snooze?
Yes. Hide a message and have it come back at the time you choose.
Try Pigeon next to Airmail
$69 a year, every feature, and your money back within 30 days.