Godwit

Godwit is an open-source desktop email client for any IMAP/SMTP account with a built-in assistant, Wit, that summarizes, translates and drafts replies using the AI model you choose, including local models, and never sends without your approval.

Why it matters

For people who want AI help in their inbox without handing their mail to a cloud service. Mail stays on your computer, you pick the model, and there's no Godwit account or telemetry.

Highlights

• Works with any IMAP/SMTP account, with setup detected for Gmail, Outlook, iCloud, Yahoo and others; includes offline changes, conversations and full-text search.
• Wit answers questions about your synced mail, reads PDF, Office and CSV attachments, and drafts replies that wait for your approval.
• Use any OpenAI-compatible or Anthropic-compatible service, or local models through Ollama or LM Studio; API keys stay in the system keychain.
• Extend it with a SKILL.md file, TypeScript plugins with declared permissions, or MCP servers; godwit mcp also lets Claude, Cursor and other agents read mail and create drafts, but not send.
• v1.21.0 (October 30, 2026) added single-line quick replies, folder bulk actions like empty trash, and per-account labels in the sidebar.

Taken from the project's own README, docs or launch page. Claims about speed or accuracy are the maker's unless stated otherwise.

Worth knowing: If you pick a cloud model, the messages you ask Wit to work on are sent to that provider.

Quick facts

Links

• Official site: https://godwit.email/
• Repository: https://github.com/godwit-email/godwit
• Release notes: https://github.com/godwit-email/godwit/releases

Related ranking

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Checked 2026-10-31 from the tool's own pages. Prices and star counts change, so confirm on the official site. Listing here is not a ranking or an endorsement.