5 Greatest Open Source Email Clients for Command-line (CLI) in 2025

Reviews, comparison, screenshots and more for the 5 greatest open-source email clients for Command-line (CLI).

Forward Email Team
Written by
Forward Email TeamVerified
Published
7/9/25
Time to read
Less than 5 minutes

Email Client Screenshots

⭐ RecommendedRust

Himalaya

⭐ Top RatedRust

Himalaya is an open-source email client for Command-line (CLI) and is written in the Rust programming language. The official description from its website says, "CLI to manage emails, based on email-lib."

Himalaya is an open-source email client for Command-line (CLI) and is written in the Rust programming language.
Screenshot by Clément DOUIN
Visit Website
⭐ SuggestedRust

meli

⭐ SuggestedRust

meli is an open-source email client for Command-line (CLI) and is written in the Rust programming language. The official description from its website says, "meli aims for configurability and extensibility with sane defaults. It seeks to be a mail client for both new and power users of the terminal, but built today."

meli is an open-source email client for Command-line (CLI) and is written in the Rust programming language.
Screenshot by Manos Pitsidianakis
Visit Website
C

Alpine

C

Alpine is an open-source email client for Command-line (CLI) and is written in the C programming language. The official description from its website says, "Alpine is a rewrite of the Pine Message System that adds support for Unicode and other features."

Alpine is an open-source email client for Command-line (CLI) and is written in the C programming language.
Screenshot by Office of UW Technology, University of Washington
Visit Website
C

NeoMutt

C

NeoMutt is an open-source email client for Command-line (CLI) and is written in the C programming language. The official description from its website says, "NeoMutt is a command line mail reader (or MUA). It’s a fork of Mutt with added features."

NeoMutt is an open-source email client for Command-line (CLI) and is written in the C programming language.
Screenshot by Richard Russon
Visit Website
Go

aerc

Go

aerc is an open-source email client for Command-line (CLI) and is written in the Go programming language. The official description from its website says, "aerc is an email client that runs in your terminal. It's highly efficient and extensible, perfect for the discerning hacker."

aerc is an open-source email client for Command-line (CLI) and is written in the Go programming language.
Screenshot by Debian Screenshots
Visit Website

Email Client Comparison

NameDescriptionScreenshotPlatformsLanguageWebsiteWikipedia
Himalaya ⭐ RecommendedCLI to manage emails, based on email-lib. Screenshot
  • Terminal
RustWebsite
meli ⭐ Top Ratedmeli aims for configurability and extensibility with sane defaults. It seeks to be a mail client for both new and power users of the terminal, but built today. Screenshot
  • Terminal
RustWebsite
AlpineAlpine is a rewrite of the Pine Message System that adds support for Unicode and other features. Screenshot
  • Terminal
CWebsite Wikipedia
NeoMuttNeoMutt is a command line mail reader (or MUA). It’s a fork of Mutt with added features. Screenshot
  • Terminal
CWebsite
aercaerc is an email client that runs in your terminal. It's highly efficient and extensible, perfect for the discerning hacker. Screenshot
  • Terminal
GoWebsite