Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

isync (mbsync) VS OfflineIMAP

Compare isync (mbsync) VS OfflineIMAP and see what are their differences

isync (mbsync) logo isync (mbsync)

mbsync is a command line application which synchronizes mailboxes.

OfflineIMAP logo OfflineIMAP

OfflineImap synchronizes email between an IMAP server and a MailDir or between two IMAP servers.
  • isync (mbsync) Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-08-11
  • OfflineIMAP Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-04-16

isync (mbsync) features and specs

  • Efficient Synchronization
    Isync (mbsync) efficiently synchronizes mailboxes, making it suitable for users who need to keep their mail in sync across multiple devices or platforms.
  • IMAP and Maildir Support
    It supports both IMAP and Maildir formats, offering flexibility for different email storage configurations.
  • Open Source
    As an open-source tool, isync allows users to inspect, modify, and contribute to the code, fostering community support and transparency.
  • Lightweight
    Isync (mbsync) is lightweight and doesn't consume extensive system resources, making it a good choice for users with limited resources.
  • Customizable
    The tool offers a high degree of customization, letting users configure synchronization options to match their specific needs.

Possible disadvantages of isync (mbsync)

  • Complex Configuration
    Setting up isync can be complex, requiring a solid understanding of configuration files and command-line operations.
  • Limited GUI Support
    Isync lacks a graphical user interface, which can be a hurdle for users who prefer GUI-based applications over command-line tools.
  • No Built-in Scripting or Scheduling
    Users need to rely on external scripts or scheduling tools (like cron) to automate synchronization tasks, adding an extra layer of complexity.
  • Documentation
    The documentation for isync may not be as comprehensive or user-friendly as that of some commercial alternatives, potentially causing difficulties for new users.

OfflineIMAP features and specs

  • Synchronization
    OfflineIMAP provides excellent support for synchronizing emails between a remote server and a local maildir. This ensures that your emails are easily accessible offline and the local copy remains consistent with the server.
  • Flexibility
    It offers flexible configuration options, allowing users to customize their syncing setups, such as choosing specific folders to sync and setting various syncing parameters.
  • Open Source
    Being an open-source tool, it benefits from community contributions, transparency in development, and the ability for users to modify the source code as per their needs.
  • Compatibility
    OfflineIMAP is compatible with various email servers that support the IMAP protocol, making it a versatile choice for different environments.

Possible disadvantages of OfflineIMAP

  • Complex Configuration
    The tool can be difficult to configure for newcomers due to its detailed and numerous options, which might be overwhelming for someone who isn't experienced with email configurations.
  • No GUI
    OfflineIMAP lacks a graphical user interface, which can make it less user-friendly, especially for those who prefer or require a visual setup process.
  • Limited Support
    As an open-source tool, professional support options can be limited compared to commercial alternatives, which might be a drawback for users needing immediate assistance.
  • Performance Issues
    Some users report performance issues with large mailboxes, where the synchronization process can become slow or resource-intensive on the client machine.

isync (mbsync) videos

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OfflineIMAP videos

mutt Email + OfflineIMAP and msmtp - See your email offline!

More videos:

  • Review - Now You Can Auto-Configure Mutt and OfflineIMAP!

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to isync (mbsync) and OfflineIMAP)
Email Migration
56 56%
44% 44
Email Management
0 0%
100% 100
File Management
50 50%
50% 50
Backup & Restore
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, isync (mbsync) seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 17 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

isync (mbsync) mentions (17)

  • Imapsync
    Instead of migrating from server to server — and remaining on computers I don’t own - I download locally which it looks this tool doesn’t do. I use mbsync/isync which is fast and reliable. https://isync.sourceforge.io/. - Source: Hacker News / 3 months ago
  • Seeking Advice on Backing Up Emails from External Email Providers - Not Hosting
    There are also isync and OfflineIMAP which sync email locally. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Suggestions for long term email storage
    I set up mbsync to mirror the current (last 90 days) of my Fastmail IMAP account into another local Maildir, and told Notmuch to index that as well. This ensures a Notmuch search will cover both current & archived messages. Source: about 2 years ago
  • What's the benefit of using an email client?
    On my notebook I went full-on nerd and read and write emails mostly in the Emacs text editor. In particular I use isync to fetch emails via imap (that's independent from Emacs) and the Emacs extension mu4e to view, write and send emails. It's not something I recommend if you're not used to working with code and not using Emacs anyway, but for me it makes sense, since emails are just text and Emacs is good with... Source: about 2 years ago
  • How to run a script to cleanup emails ?
    Myself, I keep a local copy of my mail using isync/mbsync. This allows me to use mutt and notmuch on my mail, or even just plain old grep. Granted, this also means you'll have to download your 30GB mailbox locally. Personally, I consider this a feature, as it gives me a local backup. Source: about 2 years ago
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OfflineIMAP mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of OfflineIMAP yet. Tracking of OfflineIMAP recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing isync (mbsync) and OfflineIMAP, you can also consider the following products

imapsync - Console-based utility for migrating IMAP mailboxes.

Softaken IMAP to IMAP Migration - Softaken IMAP to IMAP Migration allows transfer of emails from one IMAP Server to another. All IMAP Servers are compatible with this application. Users can easily migrate complete mailbox folders between IMAP Server accounts with attachments.

Fetchmail - The Fetchmail Project

MigrationWiz - MigrationWiz provides on-demand mailbox migration services through a fully automated cloud-based...

iSync - iSync is a software application published by Apple Inc.

MigrateCloudData IMAP Mail Backup Tool - A trusted software with better designs and functions to perform the backup and migration of IMAP emails.