Gmail deserves a desktop client. Here's one.

The browser tab problem

Gmail in a browser works. But for people who spend hours a day in email, "works" isn't enough. Browser-based email has real costs:

• Tab clutter — your inbox competes with Slack, Jira, Google Docs, and 20 other tabs. Alt-Tab doesn't help because everything is in one window.
• Distractions — you're one click away from YouTube, news, or whatever your browser has open. There's no separation between work email and everything else.
• No taskbar presence — you can't glance at your taskbar to see if you have new mail. You have to remember which tab Gmail is in.
• Limited keyboard shortcuts — Gmail's shortcuts conflict with browser shortcuts. Ctrl+N opens a new browser window, not a new email.
• Browser resource usage — every tab consumes RAM. If you keep Gmail open all day alongside other web apps, your browser slows down.

What a desktop client gives you

ChainMail runs as a standalone desktop application on Windows. It connects to your Gmail account via Google's official API and gives you a proper email experience:

Its own window, its own space

Email gets a dedicated spot on your taskbar. Alt-Tab between your email and other apps. Minimize it when you need focus. No browser needed.

Classic 3-pane layout

Folders on the left. Message list in the center. Reading pane on the right. The layout that Outlook, Thunderbird, and Apple Mail made standard — because it's the most efficient way to process email.

Quick reply without context switching

Reply inline from the reading pane. No full-screen compose window unless you want one. Pop out replies to a separate window if you need to reference the original while writing.

Templates and signatures

Create reusable email templates with smart variables like {first_name} and {full_name}. Type a semicolon in the compose window to search and insert a template instantly. Attach files to templates too.

AI drafting that respects your privacy

Bring your own API key from OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Grok, OpenRouter, or a local Ollama instance. AI requests go directly from your machine to the provider. ChainMail never sees the content.

Light and dark mode

Switch themes with one click. The entire interface — including the native window frame and email body rendering — follows your preference.

How it compares to alternatives

There are other desktop email clients that support Gmail. Here's how ChainMail differs:

Feature	ChainMail	Thunderbird	eM Client	Mailspring
Gmail API (native)	✓	✕ IMAP	✕ IMAP	✕ IMAP
Gmail labels as folders	✓	Partial	Partial	Partial
Email templates with variables	✓	Basic	✓	✓ (paid)
AI email drafting (BYOK)	✓	✕	✕	✕
Privacy (no cloud sync)	✓	✓	✓	✕ Cloud sync
Modern UI	✓	Dated	✓	✓
Free trial	7 days	Free (open source)	30 days	Free tier + paid

The key difference: ChainMail uses the Gmail API directly, not IMAP. This means labels, categories, and Gmail search work exactly as they do in the web interface. IMAP-based clients often struggle with Gmail's label system, resulting in duplicated messages or missing folders.

Getting started takes 2 minutes

1. Download the installer from our homepage
2. Sign in with your Google account (OAuth — we never see your password)
3. Start reading email — your inbox loads immediately