Managing email today is a balancing act of protecting privacy and control over your data, and retaining at least some level of convenience. While many decide to stick to a single cloud-based suite like Google, others are looking for Gmail alternatives and replacing Google productivity tools with an email client instead.
In this article, we will compare the features and costs of both Google Workspace and eM Client with a safe alternative email provider, so it’s easier for you to choose the best fit for your needs.
Google Workspace is Google’s completely cloud-based set of tools, launched in 2020 as a rebrand of the previous Google Apps and G Suite, which came out in 2006 and 2016, respectively. The set includes Gmail, Calendar, Contacts, Drive, Meet, Chat, Tasks, and Keep. It is designed for collaboration and cloud storage, prioritizing accessibility from any device. Google Workspace only implements Google products.
It was possible to use Gmail as a web-based mail client in the past, but the previously available Gmailify, a feature that allowed users to manage their non-Google accounts’ inboxes in the Gmail web interface and mobile app, was discontinued in January 2026, together with POP3 support. Currently, there is no easy or native way to unify email accounts from different providers.
eM Client was first released in 2007 as a desktop email client for Windows, and is currently available for both Windows and macOS, as well as a full-featured mobile app for iOS and Android devices. eM Client gives you a consolidated view of all of your accounts in one place. It has email, calendar, contacts, notes, tasks, and chat sections. You can view your email and other accounts in one user-friendly interface, regardless of the provider.
Features
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Email management
Google Workspace provides an email service called Gmail. As with any Google page, you can easily access other parts of the Google Workspace suite, like Google Calendar, Google Keep, and Google Contacts. Gmail has a clean and simple web interface with label-based organization, with the option to view your Gmail email account, but no way to add email accounts from other service providers.
Email tools include auto-categorization (“Social”, “Promotions”, etc.), snooze, rules, spam filtering, search (and search operators), and AI features.
eM Client can display mail from all your email accounts in one unified inbox. It mirrors the folder structure of your email provider, including Gmail’s system of virtual folders and labels, and the All Mail folder.
eM Client has email management tools like Quick Actions and Quick Texts, snooze, rules, attachment history, advanced search with keywords and operators, AI features, and many more.
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Calendar and contacts
Google Calendar functions as a standalone web interface and mobile app, as well as being integrated into the Gmail interface. It’s cloud-based and synced across any devices with your account logged in. It includes shared calendars and integrates with Google Meet and Google Drive. Google Contacts is integrated into the Gmail interface and also has its own web interface.
The eM Client app has Calendar, Contacts, and Tasks sections that support displaying items from multiple providers.
You can sync your Google Calendar or any other calendar via CalDAV, CardDAV, or Exchange protocol. eM Client also implements online meetings from various providers, iCal subscriptions, and a local calendar.
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AI integration
Google offers some basic AI features even for free-tier users. Gmail Smart Reply or Smart Compose feature will give you text suggestions while you type. You have to first enable these features in the Gmail settings.
Advanced AI features are tied to Google Workspace subscriptions or paid AI plans and include generating replies from prompts or summarizing long email threads using Gemini AI. Outside of the Gmail interface, other AI tools like Flow and Whisk for creating videos or Gemini in Docs are available as well, and their range is limited depending on the subscription tier.
In January 2026, Google started rolling out more Gemini AI features, like Help me Write, Proofread, AI Overview, and AI Inbox. The new features are available to anyone with the Google AI Pro or Ultra subscription. Smart Reply was renamed to Suggested Reply and is now available for free, together with Help Me Write.
eM Client integrates AI features into its interface for convenient use. The features are provided by OpenAI and allow users to send quick replies, proofread, or polish their emails’ phrasing or tone. The upcoming eM Client 11 release is expected to bring the AI summary feature and an option for users to use their own OpenAI API keys, so they will be able to stay completely in charge of their AI use. The AI features are available as an optional add-on subscription, and are included in the subscription licenses.
AI features can also be disabled in the settings in case you do not wish to use them.
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Privacy and security
Google and eM Client differ fundamentally in their functionality, which also impacts their approaches to privacy and security.
Google is an email provider and also supplies its own apps, meaning Google hosts the mail servers, stores all messages in the cloud, and manages authentication, security, and data processing. Emails and all account data are stored on Google’s servers. This significantly limits users’ control over their data and reduces data sovereignty.
All Gmail emails are encrypted in transit by TLS. Stronger encryption options include support of Client-Side Encryption (CSE) with customer-managed keys. Additionally, Google started implementing end-to-end encryption (E2EE). However, these features are only available for users with higher-tier Google Workspace Enterprise or Education plans. Furthermore, Assured Controls paid add-ons with enhanced data control tools are available for organizations. Free Google accounts don’t include any encryption beyond the basic TLS, which means that, unless you’re a paying user, Google can technically access your message contents.
Privacy is a pain point for Google - it has historically scanned user data for ad personalization, and although this was reduced in 2017, some metadata is still being processed (senders, timestamps, usage patterns), and user activity within Gmail and the broader Google account still contributes to profiling. This profiling is part of Google’s overall data collection and personalization ecosystem.
Having control over your data by using local storage is harder to achieve with a cloud-based service like Google. Manual data backup is available through Google Takeout or via third-party email clients (like eM Client).
Google has implemented measures to meet the GDPR requirements about data access and deletion rights. However, it is important to keep in mind the limited enforceability of GDPR outside of EU countries.
eM Client implements built-in PGP encryption support with an easy setup (apart from supporting the standard TLS encryption). Users can generate and manage their PGP keys directly in the eM Client app. S/MIME (certificate-based encryption mainly used in corporates and organizations) is supported as well. On top of that, digital signatures can further ensure that your identity won’t be abused by an unauthorized party.
The eM Client app database with user data and settings is saved locally on the device, with no access possible from the eM Client company. Users have full control over local backups, including automatic backups and archiving, and don’t have to rely on any single cloud provider.
The eM Client app contains no ads and blocks tracking pixels, external images, and content by default. eM Client prides itself on not collecting or selling user data and being strictly compliant with GDPR.
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Mobile app
Google Workspace is accessible via web browser and mobile apps dedicated to all of its separate services, such as Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Drive, and others. However, there is no single mobile app that would integrate all of Google’s services. This means using Google products on a mobile device can feel a bit fragmented, with the need to jump between apps.
eM Client has released their full-featured mobile app with email, calendar, contacts, tasks, and notes in September 2025. It is available free of charge for both Android and iOS, with the same features as the desktop version, including AI support. Desktop app data and settings, including all accounts, can be easily imported via the QR export/import feature.
Users can therefore access all of their accounts in a unified interface, wherever they go.
Costs
Google offers a free service tier for individuals and teams, including the Google Workspace features. The main drawback is the 15 GB storage limit that is shared over Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Photos (under the “Google One” umbrella). This limit alone will make many users consider upgrading to one of the paid tiers.
Individuals who do not need the business features might opt to just upgrade their Google One plan, which starts at around $20 per year for the 100 GB Basic tier (although a discounted offer can give you the first year for around $10).
The Google Workspace business tiers are multiple, so instead of analyzing each one, let’s calculate the costs for a medium-sized company with 50 users. The Standard tier’s usual price for 50 users is around $13 per user/month. Meaning you will pay $650 monthly, and a total of $7,800 per year.
This would give each user a pooled storage of 2TB for Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Photos. The features include secure custom business email, custom layouts and mail merge, Gemini AI assistant in Gmail, Docs, Meet, video meetings with recording for up to 150 participants, appointment booking pages, eSignature with Docs and PDFs, and Google Workspace Migrate tool for data migration.
eM Client does not provide email or cloud services, but you can estimate the cost in case of using a lightweight secure email service, such as Mailfence, and an open-source cloud provider like Nextcloud.
Individual users can combine an eM Client Personal license subscription for around $40 per year with Mailfence for around $42, and with self-hosting or other slim solutions by Nextcloud, you’ll have perfect control over your personal data with as much storage space as you wish for less. Further cost-saving can be achieved by purchasing the eM Client one-time payment Personal license with lifetime upgrades for around $150.
For a business user, eM Client is very cost-effective: a yearly subscription for 50 devices is approximately $660 (purchases for over 50 users are subject to a custom offer from the eM Client sales department). With Mailfence Business Pro, you’ll have email service for 50 users with ample safe cloud storage for around $6,600 a year. Totaling at around $7,300, this is on par with how much you’d pay for Google Workspace. An additional cloud solution with Nextcloud might require further investments, but would guarantee solid control over your company’s data.
Note: The price estimates are valid as of 13.1.2025. For current prices, always visit the official pricing pages of eM Client, Google, Mailfence, and Nextcloud.
Which one is for you?
Google Workspace might fulfill your needs in case you’re looking for a full cloud suite with documents, storage, collaboration tools, and domain email. Depending on your subscription tier, you can get enterprise-grade security and centralized admin tools. Google offers convenient, cloud-based services, which may be of interest to you if you don’t mind locking down to only using Google as a provider and having limited local data management options. All of your data will be saved on Google’s servers, so this direction will only work for users who trust Google not to misuse its power and repeat past behaviors. Users deciding to use Google Workspace also have to be okay with not having an all-in-one mobile app, instead relying on Google’s individual service apps. Google free-tier services can be a good starting point for those who cannot or do not want to invest any money at the moment.
eM Client is an all-in-one productivity tool for both desktop and mobile devices, with tight control over your own data. It will be the best choice for individuals and companies that value privacy and prefer to use a desktop and mobile email client with local data management easily available. While you’ll have to find an additional secure service provider to use with eM Client, it is a great solution for users who don’t want to limit themselves to one service. And if you run into issues with one of the providers’ accounts, it’s very easy to switch to a different one. Furthermore, high levels of security can be achieved by using PGP encryption and on-premise cloud solutions or, for individuals, simple self-hosting. eM Client is an excellent tool for users who can manage having more than one provider if it means their data will remain protected.