Notes 
FairEmail is a fully featured, open-source email client for Android that uses standard IMAP/SMTP protocols and supports OpenPGP and S/MIME encryption. It blocks remote image tracking, confirms link opens, and stores no data on third-party servers.
Reviewed by Marcus Holmberg
FairEmail
email.faircode.eu 4.6 (8)
Rate FairEmail: No account needed
Threat level
Covered
A covered pick. Anyone can use it as a private drop-in, with no setup or know-how. Enough for most people. Threat levels
Our take
FairEmail is the most privacy-thorough Android email client available: it actively disables tracking pixels, strips unsafe HTML, and refuses Firebase Cloud Messaging in favor of pure IMAP IDLE push. The free tier covers everything essential; advanced features like filter rules, S/MIME signing, and scheduled send are unlocked via a one-time in-app purchase rather than a subscription. The trade-off is setup complexity, since the quick-setup wizard covers common providers but manual IMAP configuration is required for anything less mainstream. The right pick for Android users who want real email rather than a webmail wrapper.
GitHub at a glance
M66B/FairEmail GPL-3.0 androidappemailprivacysecurity
Stars
4,750
+17 this week
Forks
713
74 watching
Last commit
2d ago
healthy
Latest release
1.2339
10d ago, 100+ total
Star history
Commits, last 26 weeks
474 commits, active 26 of 26 weeks
29 contributors since Aug 2018
Languages
- Java 56%
- C++ 36.7%
- C 3%
- Other 4.3%
Updated daily from the GitHub API. Star tracking since Jun 22, 2026.
Website at a glance
email.faircode.eu
D score 30
Weak website security headers
Graded by Mozilla HTTP Observatory, tested 4d ago
Inspect this site yourself
Measures the security configuration of the tool's own website, not the privacy of the product itself. A strong tool can still score low here.
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FairEmail license, in plain English
GPL-3.0 Strong copyleft
Free to use and modify, but anything you distribute that is built on it must also be open under the same license.
Permits
- Commercial use
- Modification
- Distribution
- Patent use
- Private use
Requires
- Disclose source
- Same license
- State changes
- License and copyright notice
Does not provide
- Liability cover
- Warranty
Why it matters: Strong copyleft keeps every distributed version open. A vendor cannot fold this into a closed product and ship it without releasing their changes.
Plain-language summary of the project's license, not legal advice. Read the full text for the exact terms.