Pigeon vs Spark.
Spark works everywhere and is good at teams. Pigeon does one thing, on the Mac, and does it with the best search.
Spark is a sensible choice if you need one app on Mac, iPhone, Android and Windows, or shared inboxes for a team. If you are one person on a Mac with Gmail and Microsoft 365, Pigeon is simpler, keeps more of your mail local, and is much better at finding it.
Side by side
| Pigeon | Spark | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $69 a year or $8 a month. Free for 14 days first | Free tier. Plus $99 a year, Pro $199 a year, or $10 and $20 monthly |
| Runs on | Mac (macOS 26 or later) | Mac, iPhone, Android and Windows |
| Mailboxes it connects | Gmail and Microsoft 365, together in one inbox | Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, Exchange, IMAP and iCloud |
| Where your mail lives | On your Mac. Mail comes straight from Google or Microsoft, with no Pigeon server in between | Connects directly to your provider. Spark keeps a token, and team features and push run through 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 | Their own Spark +AI, on paid plans with monthly limits |
| 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 Spark were checked in September 2026; they change, so check Spark's own site before you decide.
Where Pigeon pulls ahead
Local first, all the way
Spark says it connects straight to your provider, but for push notifications it holds an encrypted piece of each message for a few hours, and team features run on its servers. Pigeon has no servers of its own at all.
Search over everything
One search across every mailbox, answering 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.
AI you already pay for
Spark's AI is a paid add-on with monthly quotas. Pigeon works with your existing Claude, with no separate quota to hit.
A calmer inbox
Pigeon sorts mail into Primary, Transactions, Updates and Promotions by search, and never hides or moves anything.
Fair is fair
What Spark does well
- It runs on every platform you own.
- A free tier that is genuinely useful.
- Shared inboxes, comments and shared drafts for teams.
- The widest account support of the group.
Stay with Spark if
- You use Android or Windows alongside your Mac.
- You collaborate on email with a team inside the app.
- Your mail is on an IMAP or iCloud account.
Questions
Is Pigeon better than Spark?
For a single person on a Mac with Gmail or Microsoft 365, we think so, mainly for search and privacy. Spark is better for teams and for people who need Windows, Android or iPhone.
Does Spark read my mail?
Spark says your mail stays on your provider's servers, but it stores a token, and some features process content on its servers. Its privacy page explains exactly which.
Try Pigeon next to Spark
$69 a year, every feature, and your money back within 30 days.