But with the Gmail app installed on virtually every Android phone, is there a reason to switch?
Lets compare Gmail and Outlook side-by-side and find out which is the better email app for you.
Throughout this article the screenshot on the left is Gmail and the screenshot on the right is Outlook.
Image Credit: Piotr Swat/Shutterstock
The design is simple yet sleek and modern.
From the sidebar menu, it’s possible for you to easily access different folders along with the options.
In contrast,Outlookhas more of a traditional interface.
The tabs at the bottom allow you to switch between Email, Search, and Calendar.
The sidebar menu has your folders, and this is where you could switch between accounts.
The default view shows emails from all of your accounts, though.
However, if you like more options in an app, Outlook would be a better option.
you’re free to add multiple accounts from multiple email providers and set different configs for each account.
Gmail allows you to add multiple accountsthrough an automatic or manual setup.
The manual setup lets you addPOP3 or IMAP accounts.
Outlook also offers both of these kinds of setups.
There is no clear winner here.
However, you could say that Outlook offers slightly more if we were to go down to the wire.
This is why emails and email clients have added various cool composition features.
Gmail has a smoother navigation process for writing new emails.
It is more focused on ease of use and feature accessibility.
you could also schedule your messages for later delivery.
you’re free to add attachments from local storage or Microsoft OneDrive.
Its text editing and formatting features help you create more dynamic emails.
you might even annotate or draw on your email through drawing tools.
In terms of features, Outlook is the obvious winner here.
However, if you like simplicity, Gmail is pretty effective too.
you might also mark an email as important.
The AI used by Gmail will automatically remember your preferences and custom-manage your emails.
It also provides features like the ability to ignore conversations from specific senders.
you could flag an email or pin it to keep it on the top of your inbox.
Most of the options are similar in both apps, with a few unique ones here and there.
Customization Options in the options
In Gmail, you could customize the theme and change the default notification actions.
you’re able to also enable a conversation view to make your emails threaded.
Similarly, Outlook offers quite a few customization options.
you might enable or disable contact and calendar syncing and block external images for security reasons.
It also has a text prediction feature that allows you to write professional emails efficiently through auto-completion.
Outlook has more options.
Value-Added Features
Gmail has a Smart Compose feature that provides you with quick suggestions for an email reply.
And its vacation responder feature allows you to notify your contacts that you are out of your office.
It also has a Play My Emails feature that reads your emails while you’re on the go.
Outlook offers more features within the app.
Gmail relies on Googles Calendar and Contacts app for additional features.
Pricing
Both Gmail and Outlook are free to download and use.
However, both of them offer in-app purchases, which let you buy services from their suites.
you’re free to expand Gmail by buying Google Drive storage, and Outlook with OneDrive storage.
However, for basic use, you dont need to spend a dime on either app.
Which of These Email Apps Is Better?
Gmail and Outlook are both great apps by two tech giants and offer unique features.
If you look at the fundamental features of sending and receiving emails, youll find both apps equally useful.
If you want more options and something less Google-y, you should definitely go for Outlook.
Besides, it is the more versatile of the two.
