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Mail vs Spark or Alternatives?

Mail vs Spark or Alternatives?

  • Total voters
    71
Spark threads every email sent with any responses. Very easy to accidentally delete the whole thread or send everyone on the thread an unintended response. Just started using it. Will most likely go back to mail and keep searching for an alternative. Note, the threading option cannot be turned off. It is a major feature of Spark.
 
aznboi91 said:
Mail vs Spark or Alternatives?

I've recently heard spark saves my mail in their servers. I was wondering if this was standard practice or safe. If not, I might go back to using old Mail app that comes default. Or are there alternatives?

Thanks

References:

Spark Mail by Readdle promised privacy but didn’t deliver it.
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I might be wrong, but my understanding is that this is standard for any email app which promises push notifications (that's how they deliver it in the first place). So it really comes down to whether you trust the developer to not do anything shady.

On the desktop, I would stick with the stock mail app. It feels good enough for what you should need it for anyways.
 
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Abazigal said:
I might be wrong, but my understanding is that this is standard for any email app which promises push notifications (that's how they deliver it in the first place). So it really comes down to whether you trust the developer to not do anything shady.

On the desktop, I would stick with the stock mail app. It feels good enough for what you should need it for anyways.
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I'm sorry but you are wrong. That is not standard at all. It is a job for the mail server as detailed in the standards documentation, not of the mail client. Removing mail from my mail servers to then not have in my client, but in some third parties server. My gosh why would anyone want to do that?

If you just have a tiny little bit of awareness of your privacy then simply do not use that mail app ever. It is not an app, it is not a mail client. Anyone using it is effectively saying; hey here is a copy of all my emails, please read them for me and do with them whatever you want...
 
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I'm using GyazMail ($18); the developer very recently rewrote it for 64 bit. Clean, very customizable and fast. Sends only text emails (no rich text), but does a very good job of rendering incoming HTML emails.
 
I’ve been using Spark for a long time, here are two Cons for Spark and Apple Mail (as I understand)
  • Spark Con. No way to use inline (in the text) images or PDFs. (apple Mail does this)
  • Apple Mail Con. Cannot easily include an image in a signature (Spark Mail does this)
I want to use inline images for sending Christmas Greetings by email, havping the image as an attachment is not so friendly.
 
I use the Spark app. They must solve a glaring problem. I cannot edit emails before clicking send without glitches. It's highly frustating to have letters or words elsewhere in the email delete or some part of text jump elsewhere. I doubt Spark will ever clear up this problem anytime soon ... especially after reading about glaring privacy problems and indirect or direct association with the evil Alphabet empire (Google, YouTube, etc.).
 
I have used spark in the past but was appalled by their privacy policy so I switched back to mail, I just would like to turn off automatically opening images in Apple mail, any ideas?
 
boastboy said:
I have used spark in the past but was appalled by their privacy policy so I switched back to mail, I just would like to turn off automatically opening images in Apple mail, any ideas?
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Any app or service that offers the feature to "un-send" stores your email on their server... it's the only way to do it. Many apps and services that offer the feature "send later" also probably store the email on the server—there are exceptions, but for the most part that is the case.

Postbox is really nice. It is based on Mozilla Thunderbird code, with proprietary features and interface (a much nicer interface, I might add). Postbox is offering a lifetime license for $29 right now (normally $50 I believe).

For me, I'm willing to live with Apple's Mail client shortcomings because I don't have to worry about privacy issues. Nor do I have to worry about them changing pricing, license parameters, lack of updates, or the sale of the app or entire company to Google or someone else. I also have multiple Macs and iOS devices, and there is no other app that syncs so easily and accurately as Apple's own products.
 
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I also use Airmail, which has both a desktop and a mobile app (and you can sync settings via iCloud). It's the best email system that I've been able to find over the past few years. Highly recommend.
 
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I like mail, my one beef with it is I can't specify where to go after mail deletion. Default brings me to the next message and I'd rather go back to inbox IOS, on Mac that isn't an issue.

My needs are modest though.
 
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One thing with apple mail is that it deletes deleted messages after 30 days - when I like to keep them forever (you should see my work office365 mailbox) Is there a better way....
 
Fastsavage said:
One thing with apple mail is that it deletes deleted messages after 30 days - when I like to keep them forever (you should see my work office365 mailbox) Is there a better way....
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I admit I am a little confused here. I have mail dating back to 2013 in my box using mail app and icloud.
 
After I typed my post I went and investigated more - looks like I have a screw up in the iCloud.com preferences

I have a call logged with Apple support to sort it out

**** UPDATE ****

Well, 25 minutes on the phone with Apple Support and problem sorted, major screw up in webmail preferences, not 100% sure what they did. however, lots of logging in and out and the adviser consulting a higher up tech and... sweet all good.

Will say Apple Support was excellent - I scheduled a callback, and they did the next morning at the time I chose.

Cheers and I vote Apple Mail
 
Last edited:
MacGizmo said:
Any app or service that offers the feature to "un-send" stores your email on their server... it's the only way to do it. Many apps and services that offer the feature "send later" also probably store the email on the server—there are exceptions, but for the most part that is the case.

Postbox is really nice. It is based on Mozilla Thunderbird code, with proprietary features and interface (a much nicer interface, I might add). Postbox is offering a lifetime license for $29 right now (normally $50 I believe).

For me, I'm willing to live with Apple's Mail client shortcomings because I don't have to worry about privacy issues. Nor do I have to worry about them changing pricing, license parameters, lack of updates, or the sale of the app or entire company to Google or someone else. I also have multiple Macs and iOS devices, and there is no other app that syncs so easily and accurately as Apple's own products.
Click to expand...
I just purchased Postbox while on sale. I found it to be very sluggish on my M1 Macbook Pro. Scrolling a message using my track pad was all but impossible. It seems to be written in the old Mozilla code.
 
I recently switched TO Spark on my Mac because I was sick of not getting notified by the default Mail of new messages. However, I was unaware of their privacy issues so I might be taking another look at a different app.

I've used AirMail before and it was ok. Outlook is hit and miss. Each app has their pros and cons but it's hard to get or find the PERFECT Mail app for Mac because it might not necessarily exist.
 
jedimasterkyle said:
I recently switched TO Spark on my Mac because I was sick of not getting notified by the default Mail of new messages. However, I was unaware of their privacy issues so I might be taking another look at a different app.

I've used AirMail before and it was ok. Outlook is hit and miss. Each app has their pros and cons but it's hard to get or find the PERFECT Mail app for Mac because it might not necessarily exist.
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As a Spark user here, would you care to explain which privacy issues are you referring to? Not hesitating to change if they're serious. Thanks!!
 
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