Balsa

Jul 20, 2023

Mail reader for the GNOME desktop

Balsa is a mail reader for the GNOME Desktop. It supports many features

  • Support for local mailbox formats mbox, maildir, mh
  • Allows nested mailboxes
  • Support for POP3 and IMAP mail access protocols
  • Printing
  • Spell Checking
  • Multi-threaded mail retrevial optional
  • MIME support view images inline, save parts
  • Supports SMTP and/or use of local MTA, ie. Sendmail
  • Address Book that integrates with GnomeCard
  • Highly configurable
  • Active, open development
  • Multiple character sets for composing and reading messages
  • Allows file attachments to outgoing messages
  • GPG/OpenPGP mail signing and encryption


Checkout these related ports:
  • Xpbiff -
  • Xmailwatcher - Mailbox checker which displays sender and subject lines of mails
  • Xmailbox - Mailbox checker with sound and animation for X Window System
  • Xmail - X-based interface to the Berkeley mail program
  • Xfce4-mailwatch-plugin - Mail notification applet for the Xfce panel
  • Xfaces - Display shaped icons for mail spool contents
  • Xcite - Exciting Cite for any Mail/News reading modes on Emacs
  • Xbuffy - Replacement for xbiff that handles multiple mail files
  • X-face-e21 - X-Face utilities for Emacs
  • Wmmaiload - Incoming mail monitor dockapp with a similar look to wmcpuload
  • Wmbiff -
  • Whoson - Implementation of `WHO iS ONline' protocol
  • Websieve - Web based Cyrus IMAP user admin client
  • Wanderlust - Mail and news system for Emacs
  • Vrfy - Verify mail address