ComparisonUpdated October 17, 2026

Best email MCP servers for Gmail, Outlook and IMAP in 2026

The right email MCP server depends on where your mail lives and whether your agent should send on its own, so no single server is best for everyone. Google now runs an official Gmail MCP server in preview without a send tool, google_workspace_mcp and ms-365-mcp-server are actively maintained self-hosted options for Google and Microsoft accounts, mcp-email-server covers IMAP mailboxes that allow password sign-in, AgentMail creates inboxes for agents, and Superhuman Mail and Zapier MCP serve their own users[1][3][4][7][16][18][20]. Command Mail is our product; it fits when several addresses from different providers should share one inbox and you want each sending permission granted separately[22].

Updated: Fact-checked: About 11 min readAs Markdown

Contents
  1. How we compared, and our interest
  2. Hosted email MCP services compared
  3. Built-in, official and self-hosted options
  4. Each option in more detail
  5. When another server is the better choice
  6. When Command Mail fits
  7. Who Command Mail is not for
  8. Setup: connecting an email MCP server
  9. Questions to ask any email MCP server
  10. Frequently asked questions
  11. Sources

01How we compared, and our interest

Command Mail is our product, so we kept the criteria explicit and applied them to every option:

  • Accounts: Gmail, Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, personal Microsoft accounts, IMAP mailboxes, or new addresses created for agents.
  • Sign-in: OAuth with the provider, or a mailbox password stored by the server.
  • Sending and safeguards: whether the agent can send, and what sits in front of it: a confirmation prompt, a read-only mode, a review window or a daily cap.
  • Hosting: a service run by the vendor, or your own machine or cloud project.
  • Maintenance: for self-hosted projects, GitHub data on 2026-10-17: stars, last push, archive status.
  • Price: taken from each vendor's pricing page on 2026-10-17.

We read vendor documentation, READMEs and the GitHub API. We did not run the servers side by side, and where a fact isn't documented we say so. The limits of Command Mail get their own section below.

02Hosted email MCP services compared

These four services run on the vendor's infrastructure; you add a URL to Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor or Codex and sign in[16][18][20][22].

CriterionCommand MailAgentMailSuperhuman MailZapier MCP
AccountsAny address you own via forwarding, custom domains included; import of old mail[24]New inboxes for agents rather than your existing addresses[16]Gmail and Outlook accounts set up in Superhuman Mail[18]Gmail and other apps connected to your Zapier account[20]
Sign-inOAuth 2.1 with PKCE and dynamic client registration[22]OAuth for Claude and ChatGPT, API key for Cursor[16]OAuth with your Superhuman account[18]Zapier login; Zapier manages app credentials[20]
Sending and safeguardsSeparate permissions for drafts, sending the exact approved version, and independent sending with a daily limit (50 by default)[22]send_message sends directly; allow and block lists; API keys with allow-listed permissions, scoped to an inbox or pod[16][25]send_draft sends instantly with undo window; read-only mode available, per-call confirmation in the client recommended[18]Choose tools per server, including a fixed tool set[20]
Autonomy for sorting and filingPer mailbox: read, suggest, rules, auto; does not limit sending[23]Not documentedNot documentedNot documented
Price on 2026-10-17Free €0 without sending; Pro €19/month as a founder price for the first 100 paying Pro accounts while the subscription runs, otherwise €29/month[22]Free 0 $; Developer 20 $/month[17]Business 40 $ monthly or 396 $ a year; no MCP on Starter[19][18]Free 0 $ (100 tasks/month); Professional as the cheapest paid plan, Team from 69 $/month billed annually; two tasks per call[21][20]

03Built-in, official and self-hosted options

If you'd rather not add a service, there are three groups: the connectors built into the assistants, servers from Google and Microsoft themselves, and projects you run yourself[11][1][3][4][7].

OptionAccountsSign-inSendingHostingMaintenance on 2026-10-17
Claude Gmail connectorOne Google account per connectionGoogle OAuthYes, approval before each send by default[11]Anthropic, all Claude plansVendor service; attachment metadata only[11]
ChatGPT Gmail and Outlook appsGmail, Outlook; some apps allow more accountsGoogle or Microsoft OAuthDepends on the app; permission level can be set per connected account[14]OpenAIVendor service
Google Gmail MCP (Developer Preview)Google accountsYour own OAuth client in a Cloud projectNo, drafts only[1]Google; preview program requiredReference last updated 2026-07-21[2]
google_workspace_mcpGoogle Workspace and GmailYour own OAuth client; OAuth 2.1 multi-userYes; read-only mode and tool tiers[3]Self-hosted, local or central3,353 stars, pushed 2026-10-09, MIT[3]
ms-365-mcp-serverPersonal Microsoft accounts; work accounts with --org-modeSofteria's default app or your own Azure appYes; read-only mode and --allowed-scopes[4]Self-hosted, local or HTTP1,052 stars, pushed 2026-10-17, MIT[4]
outlook-mcp (ryaker)Outlook via Microsoft GraphYour own Azure app with client secretYes, send-email tool[6]Self-hosted, local445 stars, pushed 2026-03-30, no license stated[6]
mcp-email-serverIMAP/SMTP accounts whose provider allows password or app-password sign-in; several at onceEmail address and passwordYes, via SMTP[7]Self-hosted on Windows, macOS, Linux361 stars, pushed 2026-10-13, BSD-3-Clause[7]
thunderbird-mcp and apple-mail-mcpWhatever your desktop mail app hasThrough the mail appThunderbird opens a review window by default; Apple Mail can run --read-only[8][9]Your computer384 and 230 stars, pushed 2026-10-05 and 2026-10-16, both MIT[8][9]
Gmail-MCP-Server (GongRzhe)GmailNot checkedYesSelf-hostedArchived, last push 2025-08-06[10]

04Each option in more detail

Claude and ChatGPT connectors

Claude's Gmail connector searches, reads, drafts, sends and forwards for one Google account and asks before each send by default[11]. Its separate Microsoft 365 connector accepts work accounts in an Entra tenant only and sends only after an admin enables write tools[12]. ChatGPT's Gmail and Outlook apps follow a permission setting that ranges from Always ask to Allow all actions[14]. Good for: one account you use inside a conversation, with nothing to install.

Google's official Gmail MCP server

Google offers a remote MCP server at gmailmcp.googleapis.com as part of its Workspace Developer Preview Program[1]. Setup means enabling the Gmail API and the Gmail MCP API in a Cloud project, configuring an OAuth consent screen with the gmail.readonly and gmail.compose scopes, and creating a client flagged for AI agents. The tools search threads, read messages, manage labels and create drafts, and you send from Gmail yourself[2]. Google also tells developers to screen prompts and responses for injection, for example with Model Armor. Good for: teams comfortable with Google Cloud who want reading and drafting and prefer that the agent can't send.

google_workspace_mcp

taylorwilsdon's project has 3,353 GitHub stars, the most of the self-hosted servers we looked at[3]. Its README lists more than 120 tools across twelve Google services, three tool tiers, a read-only mode, per-service permissions and OAuth 2.1 for central multi-user deployment. You bring your own OAuth client from the Google Cloud Console, and the README says data goes nowhere except Google's APIs. Good for: developers and IT teams who want Gmail alongside Calendar, Drive and Docs under their own control.

ms-365-mcp-server, outlook-mcp and Microsoft's own servers

Softeria's ms-365-mcp-server uses the Graph API, works with personal Microsoft accounts by default and with work accounts and shared mailboxes in --org-mode[4]. The --read-only flag and --allowed-scopes keep both the tool list and the requested permissions narrow. For organizations, Microsoft provides Work IQ MCP through Agent 365 and steers new projects away from its older workload-specific Mail server[5]. The smaller outlook-mcp by ryaker needs your own Azure app and secret, and its last push was on 2026-03-30[6]. Good for: ms-365-mcp-server for individuals and admins on Microsoft accounts; Work IQ for companies that manage Microsoft 365 centrally.

mcp-email-server for IMAP

mcp-email-server reads, searches, organizes and sends over IMAP and SMTP, handles several accounts and runs on Windows, macOS and Linux[7]. Each account is set up with its address and password, so the provider has to allow IMAP and SMTP with that kind of sign-in; with two-factor sign-in it usually means an app password. It provides a direct route for mailboxes that have no API of their own. Good for: developers who want a local connection to an IMAP provider that allows password sign-in and who accept a stored password.

Desktop mail apps: Thunderbird and Apple Mail

thunderbird-mcp exposes 40 tools through a Thunderbird extension that listens on localhost only[8]. Send, reply and forward open a review window by default, and direct sending only works after you switch that safety setting off yourself. apple-mail-mcp works with Apple Mail on macOS, and its --read-only flag blocks every send[9]. Good for: people whose accounts already live in a desktop client and who want the agent to stay on their own machine.

AgentMail

AgentMail gives agents their own inboxes through an API and runs a hosted MCP server with 43 tools, including sending, drafts, attachments and allow and block lists[16]. Claude and ChatGPT connect with OAuth, while Cursor and Windsurf use an API key. An API key can be scoped to one inbox or a group of inboxes (a pod) and limited to specific permissions such as reading, drafting or sending[25]. Agent Armor scans inbound mail for attempts to manipulate agents and can hold messages; AgentMail lists it as a beta in its Labs, available in US production but not yet in the EU[26]. The Free plan costs 0 $ with three inboxes, and the Developer plan is 20 $ a month[17]. Good for: developers whose agent needs an address of its own, for sign-ups, support bots or outbound workflows.

Superhuman Mail MCP

Superhuman's MCP server connects the Gmail and Outlook accounts in your Superhuman Mail seat, several at once, to Claude, ChatGPT, Codex, Cursor, Gemini CLI, Perplexity and other clients[18]. It searches, drafts in your voice, manages events and sends with send_draft; because that send is immediate, Superhuman advises turning on per-call confirmation in your AI client, and you can run the server in read-only mode. You need the Business plan at 40 $ monthly or 396 $ a year, since the Starter plan doesn't include the MCP server[19]. Good for: Superhuman customers who want to run their existing inbox from an AI client.

Zapier MCP

Zapier MCP links an AI client to more than 9,000 apps, Gmail among them, and handles app connections, credentials and rate limits[20]. Zapier MCP is available on every plan. Each successful tool call uses two tasks from your plan, so the 100 tasks in the Free plan cover about 50 calls. The cheapest paid plan is Professional, and Team starts at 69 $ a month billed annually[21]. You can let the agent enable tools as it goes or pin a fixed tool set to keep access tight. Good for: workflows that tie email to a CRM, spreadsheets or chat.

Archived: GongRzhe's Gmail MCP server

GongRzhe's server still shows up in search suggestions, but the GitHub repository is archived and the last push was on 2025-08-06[10]. Bugs and security issues there won't be fixed. Good for: existing installs that you should review for support and security risks; for new production setups we recommend an actively maintained project.

05When another server is the better choice

Several options beat Command Mail in specific, nameable situations:

  • You need changes in the original mailbox. google_workspace_mcp, ms-365-mcp-server and the Claude and ChatGPT connectors work on the real Gmail or Outlook account, so labels, folders and drafts stay in sync[3][4][11]. Command Mail works on forwarded copies.
  • You want nothing in between. Self-hosted servers run on your machine or in your own cloud project; google_workspace_mcp's README says it sends data only to Google's APIs[3][7]. Command Mail is a hosted service and its source code is not public.
  • You want no license fee. The MIT- and BSD-licensed self-hosted projects charge nothing for the software; you still pay for hosting and possibly a provider account or AI client. mcp-email-server reaches IMAP mailboxes whose provider allows password or app-password sign-in[7]. outlook-mcp states no license, so check the terms of use before relying on it[6].
  • You want narrowly scoped keys or read-only access. AgentMail limits API keys to specific inboxes and permissions, and Superhuman Mail and several self-hosted projects offer a read-only mode[25][18][3][4].
  • You need many agent addresses. AgentMail is built for agents that each need their own inbox, at volume[16].
  • You want a polished mail client too. Superhuman Mail comes with its own client, calendar, reminders and read status for sent mail[18].
  • Email is one step among many apps. Zapier connects Gmail with thousands of other apps[20].

06When Command Mail fits

Command Mail fits when Gmail, Outlook and custom-domain addresses should land in one inbox and an agent should work there under fixed rules[24]. Each address gets its own private forwarding destination; with the mailboxes permission an agent can set that up itself, verify a domain through a TXT record and import old mail from MBOX or EML files.

Sending comes in three permissions that you grant separately[22]. mail:draft only saves drafts. mail:send-approved sends exactly the draft version a person approved in the browser, once. mail:send allows independent sending with a unique send key per email, a daily limit of 50 by default and at most 20 recipients per message. For sorting and filing, each mailbox has an autonomy level of read, suggest, rules or auto[23]. These levels do not limit sending: sending permissions apply to the whole account, so an agent with mail:send can send from a mailbox set to read. Don't give mail:send to an agent that should only sort.

Command Mail treats message content as untrusted data and flags suspected prompt injection. The reply tool refuses to answer messages whose headers mark them as automated, such as Auto-Submitted, Precedence: bulk or List-Id[24]. Claude, ChatGPT, Codex, Cursor and your own scripts over the CLI or REST all get the same permissions and limits.

07Who Command Mail is not for

  • People who need edits to sync back to Gmail or Outlook: forwarding and import are not synchronization, and nothing flows back to the original mailbox[24].
  • People who want to send for free: the Free plan reads, sorts and drafts but doesn't send; sending starts with Pro[22].
  • Teams that must self-host or audit the code: Command Mail is a hosted service run by FYN Labs LLC in the United States.
  • ChatGPT users who want a one-click directory install today: our listing is still under review. Until then the route is a custom MCP server, which OpenAI allows on the web: read and fetch actions only on Pro, and full support including sending on Business, Enterprise and Edu, subject to roles[15].

08Setup: connecting an email MCP server

Hosted servers follow the same pattern almost everywhere. In Claude, open Customize → Connectors and add a custom connector with the server URL; the Free plan allows one custom connector[13]. In ChatGPT, go to Plugins, select the plus button and choose Add custom MCP server; you no longer need to turn on developer mode first. This works on the web only, with read and fetch actions on Pro and full support on Business, Enterprise and Edu if your role allows creating connections[15]. Then sign in with the vendor and approve the requested permissions.

For Command Mail, these are the commands for Claude Code and the Codex CLI[22]:

claude mcp add --transport http commandmail https://commandmail.app/mcp
codex mcp add commandmail --url https://commandmail.app/mcp
codex mcp login commandmail

Command Mail is also listed in Claude's connectors directory. On first sign-in, approve reading and drafting only and add sending later as its own permission[23]. Every session starts with the capabilities call, which returns the owner, granted permissions, mailboxes and limits.

Self-hosted servers add their own steps: an OAuth client in a Google Cloud project, an Azure app registration or an app password. Each project's README walks through them[3][4][7].

09Questions to ask any email MCP server

Email is a risky channel for agents because every incoming message is text written by strangers. Google's own Gmail server guide warns that hidden instructions in mail can hijack a session and lead to data being changed, stolen or deleted[1]. Three questions help with any choice: can sending be switched off separately from reading, does the server see your password or only a token, and who runs it and how recently was it updated?

For how ChatGPT and Claude confirm sends, read Can ChatGPT send emails for you?. To bring several accounts to one agent, follow Use multiple email accounts with an AI agent; the built-in Gmail route is in Connect Gmail to Claude. Command Mail's permissions and connection options are on For agents and in the documentation.

You can start free and connect your agent afterwards.

Frequently asked questions

Is there an official Gmail MCP server from Google?

Yes, in Developer Preview at gmailmcp.googleapis.com. It requires membership in the Google Workspace Developer Preview Program, a Google Cloud project and your own OAuth client. It searches, reads, labels and creates drafts, and it has no send tool.

Which email MCP server works with IMAP accounts?

mcp-email-server talks IMAP and SMTP, handles several accounts and runs locally on Windows, macOS and Linux. Its README sets accounts up with an email address and password, which works with providers that allow IMAP and SMTP and sign-in with a password or app password. Command Mail accepts any address by forwarding instead, so the agent never holds a mailbox password.

Can I still use GongRzhe's Gmail MCP server?

The repository is archived on GitHub and its last push was on 2025-08-06. For a new setup, a maintained project such as google_workspace_mcp or Google's own server is the safer choice.

Which email MCP servers can send without asking?

Most can, if the client allows it. Superhuman's send_draft sends instantly; Superhuman recommends per-call confirmation in your AI client and also offers a read-only mode. AgentMail lets you issue API keys without send permission. Thunderbird's MCP opens a review window by default. Command Mail splits drafting, approved sending and independent sending into separate permissions with a daily limit.

Do any hosted email MCP services have a free plan?

AgentMail, Zapier and Command Mail start free. Command Mail Free does not send, AgentMail Free includes three agent inboxes, and every successful Zapier MCP tool call uses two tasks from your plan.

Sources

  1. Google for Developers: Configure the Gmail MCP server developers.google.com, accessed
  2. Google for Developers: MCP Reference gmailmcp.googleapis.com developers.google.com, accessed
  3. GitHub taylorwilsdon/google_workspace_mcp (README, stars, last push) github.com, accessed
  4. GitHub Softeria/ms-365-mcp-server (README, stars, last push) github.com, accessed
  5. Microsoft Learn: Understand MCP server options in Agent 365 learn.microsoft.com, accessed
  6. GitHub ryaker/outlook-mcp (README, stars, last push) github.com, accessed
  7. GitHub Wh1isper/mcp-email-server (README, stars, last push) github.com, accessed
  8. GitHub TKasperczyk/thunderbird-mcp (README, stars, last push) github.com, accessed
  9. GitHub patrickfreyer/apple-mail-mcp (README, stars, last push) github.com, accessed
  10. GitHub GongRzhe/Gmail-MCP-Server (archived) github.com, accessed
  11. Claude Help Center: Use Google Workspace connectors support.claude.com, accessed
  12. Claude Help Center: Connect to Microsoft 365 support.claude.com, accessed
  13. Claude Help Center: Get started with custom connectors using remote MCP support.claude.com, accessed
  14. OpenAI Help Center: Managing app permissions in ChatGPT help.openai.com, accessed
  15. OpenAI Help Center: Connecting custom MCP servers in ChatGPT help.openai.com, accessed
  16. AgentMail Docs: MCP docs.agentmail.to, accessed
  17. AgentMail: Pricing agentmail.to, accessed
  18. Superhuman Help Center: Superhuman Mail MCP Server help.superhuman.com, accessed
  19. Superhuman Help Center: Pricing Plans help.superhuman.com, accessed
  20. Zapier Help Center: What is Zapier MCP? help.zapier.com, accessed
  21. Zapier: Pricing zapier.com, accessed
  22. Command Mail: llms.txt with plans, MCP endpoint and permissions commandmail.app, accessed
  23. Command Mail: For agents commandmail.app, accessed
  24. Command Mail: Documentation commandmail.app, accessed
  25. AgentMail Docs: Permissions docs.agentmail.to, accessed
  26. AgentMail Docs: Agent Armor (Labs, Beta) docs.agentmail.to, accessed
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