Spark is a free, feature-packed mail app on every platform, with AI on its paid plans. Dusk is a Mac app with AI included, and that AI never leaves your Mac.
The short answerIf you want a free app on every device, or work with a team, Spark is hard to beat. If you want AI in your inbox without a subscription or your email going to a cloud model, Dusk is built for that.
At a glance
| Dusk | Spark |
|---|
| AI stays on your Mac | ✓ Yes, always | ✗ No, cloud (Azure OpenAI) |
|---|
| AI included in the price | ✓ Yes | ✗ Paid plans only |
|---|
| Pay once, no subscription | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
|---|
| Gmail and iCloud in one inbox | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
|---|
| Cost over 3 years | $49 | $360 with AI (Plus, yearly) |
|---|
Why people choose Dusk over Spark
- AI that stays on your Mac. Spark +AI sends prompts and email content to Azure OpenAI. Dusk's AI runs only on your Mac.
- AI included, paid once. Spark's AI needs Plus ($10 a month) or Pro ($20 a month). Dusk's is part of the $49 price.
- Built for the keyboard. Dusk is designed around J, K, E, R and ⌘K.
- Small and fast. About a 12 MB download, and it opens in under half a second.
Private and quick by design
- 12 MB
- download
- 0.46 s
- to open
- 65 MB
- of memory
- 0.9 s
- to sort and sum up an email
- No Dusk server between you and your mail. Dusk talks to Google and iCloud directly from your Mac, and there's no analytics.
- AI with no cloud fallback. Sorting, summaries and drafts use only Apple's on-device model, and still work offline.
- Tracking blocked. Emails are shown with scripts off and every remote image and tracker blocked, so senders can't see when you open them.
- Phishing set aside. A stranger's urgent email linking to a different site goes to Screened, not your inbox.
- Safe sending. Undo send, reply all only when you choose it, and a failed send is never resent blindly.
- Your keys stay yours. Sign-ins are stored in the macOS Keychain, and your licence is checked on your Mac.
Measured on a pre-release build on a MacBook Pro with M3 Max: zipped universal download, warm launch, idle memory with example mail, and triage of one email. Older Macs are slower.
Every detail, side by side
| Spark | Dusk |
|---|
| Price | Free. Plus $10 a month ($8.25 billed yearly). Pro $20 a month | $49 once (launch price) |
|---|
| Free plan | Yes. 7-day trial of Plus and Pro | No |
|---|
| Where the AI runs | In the cloud (Azure OpenAI) | On your Mac only (Apple's on-device model) |
|---|
| AI features | Smart Inbox, AI writing, summaries, meeting notes (paid plans) | Sorting, summaries, thread digests, reply suggestions, Ask |
|---|
| Accounts | Any | Gmail, Google Workspace, iCloud |
|---|
| Platforms | Mac, Windows, iPhone, Android | Mac (iPhone planned) |
|---|
| Requires | Mac, Windows, iOS or Android | macOS 26 on a Mac that supports Apple Intelligence |
|---|
Is Dusk right for you?
- ✓ You use Gmail, Google Workspace or iCloud Mail
- ✓ Your Mac has Apple silicon and runs macOS 26 or later
- ✓ You want to get through email fast, from the keyboard
- ✓ You would rather your mail never went to a cloud AI
If that sounds like you, Dusk is built for you. If you need something else, Spark may fit you better.
Switching from Spark takes a minute
Your mail stays with Google or iCloud, so nothing needs moving. Add the same account to Dusk and your inbox arrives already sorted. Keep Spark for a week alongside it if you like. Most people don't open it again.
Questions
- Does Spark send my email to OpenAI?
- Spark says its AI features use Azure OpenAI, and that email content is shared only to provide those features. Check Spark's own security page for details.
- Is Dusk free?
- No. It's $49 once, with the AI included.
- Does Dusk work on Windows?
- No. Dusk is Mac only.
Sources
Checked September 2026. Prices change, so check each maker's site before you buy.
Fast, private email for $49 once
Pre-orders are open at the launch price. One payment covers the Mac app and the AI, and the iPhone app when it arrives.
Pre-order Dusk