Finding the perfect Mac email client isn't easy, especially if you want to sync with your iPhone and connect to work email accounts. So I'm pleased to see that Microsoft Outlook, one of the best Mac email apps, is now completely free on the Mac (opens in new tab) – and that's free as in completely free, not free as in "provided you subscribe to Office".
One of the things I like about Outlook is its excellent calendar features, which are really handy if you're using email as a collaboration tool with colleagues or peers. It works with Microsoft's own email plus Gmail, iCloud, Yahoo or IMAP email, and it syncs nicely with the iOS versions. And it's a proper Mac app, not a Windows one ported over without any care or consideration for the way Mac users like to do things.
What's so great about Outlook for Mac?
The app integrates really nicely with macOS, so for example you can use widgets and get reminders in the Notification Centre. There's also a new feature coming soon that'll let you see sneak peek of events from the menu bar without having to go into the app.
The app also uses Handoff, so you can move seamlessly between your Mac and iPhone, and its Focused Inbox makes it easy to see what matters without being bombarded with emails you don't need to see right now.
I've used tons of Mac and iOS email apps and I do think Outlook is one of the best ones for productivity. That's because email is only part of what it does; it's more of a do-everything app for organising your life and it can replace multiple apps to streamline things considerably. It's overkill for the odd personal email, but if you're a home worker or office worker or just need to stay on top of a lot of stuff it's definitely worth the download.
