Leave gmail to a desktop client

Question

My institute decided to block gmail access to the mail server, because if you are doing that it means you are providing your password to a third party, which is forbidden.

I am really stuck.

All the desktop clients seem programs from the 90s (my institutes suggests alpine!). I need something that is focused on productivity: snooze feature (I need something to remember me what replies I am waiting for), archive (as in gmail to archive the task done), automatic completition, suggestion of recipients, labels (not folders) ... and it must be fast.

I need a linux desktop client. I tried Thunderbird but:

• it is terribly slow (I get 100+ emails everyday)
• sometimes it gets stuck just downloading one message
• it is full of options that are really cosmetics and distracting
• it focuses on the emails, not the tasks
• it's ugly

I also need a replacement for my Android phone.

Since I am desperate it can be a non-free application.

Answer 1

Since you have mentioned that "Thunderbird" was slow, I have used "Mailspring" It is lightweight, good looking, has calendar Integration support and you can personalise the tool up-to a certain level. There other opensource tools which are having some good features. You can search for them and find out the best alternative.