MailWasher

Overview

MailWasher is a screening step, not an email service or a replacement for Outlook, eM Client or Thunderbird. It works with services including Gmail, Outlook.com, Yahoo, AOL and Hotmail, and its supported platforms also include Microsoft 365. Pro supports POP3 and IMAP accounts. That breadth makes it relevant to people managing different kinds of mail accounts, but the free edition is a single-account choice.

MailWasher Mobile is available for iPhone and iPad through the Apple App Store and for Android through Google Play. Firetrust is based in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Key features

Screen mail before download

You can preview messages while they remain on the mail server and delete unwanted ones before downloading them to your computer. This is useful if you want to screen incoming mail before opening it in a desktop program. There is no quarantine access, however, so MailWasher does not offer a separate place to review messages after they have been set aside.

Multiple filtering controls

Filtering options include Friends List, Blacklist, RBLs, custom and learning filters, a profanity list and spam ratings. The range offers several ways to assess unwanted mail; it is a better fit for users who want filtering controls than for someone seeking only a simple holding area.

Privacy and login security

Firetrust says email content stays on the PC and that only the license key is transmitted to its servers. For services such as Gmail and Outlook.com, MailWasher uses OAuth or app passwords, so you do not have to enter your actual email password in the app. The maker also lists phishing detection and malware scanning.

Pricing

MailWasher Free costs 0.00 USD per free and supports one email account, with no support. It is the sensible way to try the screening approach or manage a single account, but not for anyone who needs multiple accounts or customer assistance.

MailWasher Pro offers a 30-day free trial with full functionality. Paid Pro licenses include customer support, which Firetrust provides by email. The listed plans are:

• Pro — 1 year: 49.95 USD per year, billed Thereafter $34.95 per year; use on 3 computers.
• Pro — 2 year: 77.21 USD per year, billed Thereafter $34.95 per year; use on 3 computers and includes 2 years of updates.
• Pro — 3 year: 99.90 USD per year, billed Thereafter $34.95 per year; use on 3 computers and includes 3 years of updates.
• Pro — Lifetime: 149.95 USD per once; use on 3 computers and includes all future version updates.

Every Pro plan supports unlimited email accounts, so it is the practical upgrade for people screening several mailboxes. The one-year option has the lowest listed upfront price, but renews at $34.95 per year. The longer plans cost more initially and add two or three years of updates; their listed renewal is also $34.95 per year. Lifetime costs more upfront but avoids that annual renewal and includes future version updates. Firetrust offers a 30-day money-back guarantee for purchases.

Platforms

The listed platforms are Android, iOS and Windows. The Windows download page lists Pro version 8.5.1 for Windows 7, 8, 10 and 11, and Vista. Mobile apps are available for iPhone, iPad and Android devices.

Who it's for

MailWasher is best suited to people who want to inspect and remove unwanted mail before it reaches a computer-based email program, especially those with multiple accounts who can use Pro's unlimited-account support. Free is a reasonable fit for a single mailbox. It is less suitable if you need a quarantine area or want a free plan that covers multiple accounts.

Pros and cons

• Pro screens mail before download: you can delete unwanted messages while they remain on the mail server.
• Broad account and client compatibility: it supports major mail services, POP3 and IMAP in Pro, and works with familiar email programs.
• Free covers only one account: managing multiple mailboxes requires a Pro license.
• Renewal matters: the annual Pro plans renew at $34.95 per year, so compare that ongoing cost with the lifetime option.
• No quarantine access: users looking for a separate review area for held messages will need another approach.

Alternatives

Email Anti-Spam Software is a useful starting point if you want to compare more tools in the category.

Choose JetEmail instead if you want a web-based email marketing service with a free tier for up to 1,000 subscribers and 1 GB of image storage, rather than screening incoming mailbox messages.

Mailprotector is another option, with a free email security check and paid products priced through an account manager.

Mimecast Data Leak Prevention is a web-based paid option with custom pricing for its Advanced plan, which adds data protection.

Cleanmail is a paid alternative with a free trial and self-hosted and web platforms.

Retarus Transactional Email may suit transactional email use: its free trial runs for 30 days and is capped at 5,000 emails and 200 emails per hour, with no load testing.

Mailinblack Protect is a paid alternative available through API, self-hosted and web deployments; its Protect Advanced plan combines multi-engine and AI protection with inbound and outbound coverage and management controls.

MX Guarddog is a freemium web option that charges $0.25 per email address per month, with no limits on addresses or messages and no charge for aliases.

Proxmox Backup Server is a freemium Linux and web option for backup needs rather than email screening.

Verdict

Choose MailWasher if you want to screen mail on the server and remove unwanted messages before downloading them, particularly across multiple accounts in Pro. The main trade-offs are the free plan's one-account cap, annual renewal costs and lack of quarantine access; look elsewhere if you need a separate message-holding area or broader free account support.