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All-new Spark — Smart. Focused. Email
Spark is a fast, cross-platform email client designed to filter out the noise – so you can focus on what's important. Cut out distractions, develop intentional habits, and discover true productivity. Now, on Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android.
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@aaronoleary Thanks Aaron, thanks for sharing the feedback - glad you like the new Spark!
@aaronoleary I love the command centre. I hope they get the balance right long-term and don't listen **TOO** much to the Luddites out there.
I think reading pain is pretty much a must and quicker access to emails with less clicking should also be a high priority - so much of sparks ethos is speed and efficiency, several clicks to get to an email doesn't fit with this.
I think offering folk options on how they see their emails would be good - e.g. I've never been a fan of having emails bundled together.
Ohh, god, is this real? I've been waiting for this for so long.
Thanks, guys.
Congrats, guys, on the launch.
Really nice update, but I still want to be able to see my folders all the time, I don’t want them hidden. Please give us the option to show them all the time.
@craigcpaterson
The always-on sidebar is coming soon, stay tuned for updates!
@craigcpaterson @nikita_tanchuk, I'm glad the sidebar is hidden. I’ve spent too much time putting emails in folders only to do a quick search when I need to find emails. I rarely, if ever, recover an email more than a month old. The v3 Search is excellent, especially the Recent Search buttons.
Hey hunters 👋
Many of you know our Spark email client, and today we’re excited to launch the all-new Spark. Spark is more than an email app with a few new features. It's a new philosophy to help users improve their focus and prioritization and to become more organized.
Spark is designed to help you build healthier email habits and bring more intentionality into how you work with your inbox:
• Reclaim headspace
Use the Home Screen to set intentional habits by creating focused email sessions. Find more moments to breathe.
• Focus and prioritize
Spark intelligently prioritizes your emails and shows emails from real people at the top. Mark important contacts as Priority to never miss their emails. Group emails by sender to keep your inbox neat and clear it faster.
• Stop unwanted emails
Pre-screen new senders with Gatekeeper. Easily block unwanted senders to save time and mental energy on dealing with their emails later.
• Feel accomplished
Mark emails as Done, just as tasks. Master a new way to clear your inbox and get a beautiful reward in the end.
And finally, we’re releasing Spark for Windows – something thousands of people were waiting for.
Read more on our vision behind Spark: https://sparkmailapp.com/blog/in...
Try the new Spark and let us know what you think!
----
Update:
- The new Spark is free to use. Premium is a small selection of new extra tools that we’ve developed to take prioritising your inbox to new heights - but is by no means a mandatory subscription.
- Existing customers retain the features they had before at NO EXTRA COST. In case existing customers decide to upgrade for using the new premium features, they can do that with 30% lifetime discount.
- During its current development phase, Spark is working toward feature parity between platforms. Our goal is to reach feature parity with the Original Spark on Mac. Check out this page to learn more about upcoming features: https://sparkmailapp.com/help/en...
- We do recognise that the new focused approach of Spark is a dramatic overhaul from the previous version. That is why the previous version of Spark still remains and you can continue to use it. Meanwhile we are actively gathering the feedback on the new version and there will surely be further tuneups and updates of the features and logics.
@elena_obilets Can you expand on what the vision is for Spark? This change is so incredibly drastic that I cannot wrap my head around where this product is going.
No swipe actions, no dark mode, no Smart Inbox, no Smart Folders?
Is this a beta, or the finished product? Not trying to be confrontational, but as a Spark loyalist I’m completely confused by this direction. Thanks!
@jasonc1821
Everything will be added in future versions 🚀 Our goal is to reach feature parity with the Original Spark on Mac. Spark Desktop development is far from over and a lot of amazing updates are coming soon!
Check out this page to learn more about upcoming features: https://sparkmailapp.com/help/en...
@jasonc1821 Hi Jason, thanks for the question.
The major reason for the change in the design is to help you focus on what's important. We consider the 3 column design in the original Spark to be more distracting while we want to help you focus - that’s why we are creating that single-column design.
At the same time we surely understand that’s a pretty big change.
That’s why we:
- monitor customers feedback on this release and would listen to it in terms of feature/logic/design tuneups.
- plan to continue supporting Spark 2 for Mac for the next year. We are going to keep Spark 2 as a separate app which you can use, and if needed, we can add the old Smart inbox to the new Spark should many users give us this feedback. On iOS we retained the older version of the Smart Inbox, so you’ll be able to switch between the old and new Smart Inbox and choose what you prefer.
Regarding the missing features: they will be added in future versions. This release is not feature complete in terms of everything we have in our plans and yes, some of the Spark 2 features like templates are not there yet, but it’s definitely not a beta. It’s a 1.0 release of the new product that has a lot in common with the current Spark but at the same time approaches problem of the busy inbox from a different angle.
As for the feature gaps, some of them, like Dark mode will be resolved within 2-3 weeks, while majority of others will be addressed in the next few months. Our goal is to reach feature parity with the Original Spark on Mac. https://sparkmailapp.com/help/en...
@jasonc1821 @elena_obilets Let’s keep it focused. The major reason is you wanted to make it a subscription app and force everybody to pay 💰
And in the process, you ruined it.
Hello there.
Spark user since beta, loved the app no matter if it was on Mac, iPhone, iPad: it was reliable, efficient, quick, customizable. One of the many reasons I boot up an apple product to be totally honest.
First, the move to the subscription model. Just look at 1Password's fiasco, and you should know everything about why you SHOULDN'T sell your souls to shareholders when you have long time loyal customers that do NOT have a subscription based model.
"Why ?" you asked ? Because, in the native Mac app universe, it is ALWAYS followed by a move to electron.
That's for starter. With this update, the core UI / UX is changed, the usage of the app changes so much, your users have to relearn how to do simple things. Or leave for greener pastures. Dangerous gamble to believe they'll stay. Better give them plenty of reasons to do so.
As far as I can see, the only reason to remain a user that this update accomplishes is quite a low one: being available to Windows users (I happen to have been waiting for Spark on Windows, btw). Problem is, we were expecting that when Spark hit Microsoft's OS, it would still be Spark. Shame of us to dream about such things. Such a pity.
Farewell Spark, you were good to us for a long time, you'll be missed.
Like most other people in this thread (and online), I'm VASTLY disappointed by this change. I've been using Spark since 2015 and have been constantly praising it for being the best mail app since Sparrow (another botched product). And I know I didn't contribute since I didn't have a use for the premium features but I would not have expected to be backstabbed one day.
Fortunately I'm not a MacOS user so I won't complain about the transition to Electron, the loss of features such as Dark Mode or two columns, but I am nonetheless scandalized by such decisions. I don't know what kind of AB testing you've been conducting but it's hell not on par with the reality.
Now I can give you the benefit of the doubt. It's still a launch, and if you say that updates are on the way, I'll believe you. I'll stick with Spark for some time till I see some improvement, I hope you'll keep your word.
Funny story, a week ago a friend of mine told me he stopped paying for subscriptions and went back to the Mail.app, praising how good it had become, and I retorted that for me Spark is the best out there and that there is simply no way I'm going back to Mail. Well who's laughing now.
I'm sad, but I know that you didn't disappoint in the past, so I'll stay confident!
PS: couldn't you use TestFlight to evaluate customers satisfaction before the release???
Have been using it for over a year on both Mac and iOS. The best email client I've used so far 👍. Please consider adding a couple of features: the unread filter for Classic view and the possibility to save the original email with headers and all the tech info.
@pavel_pavlenko Thanks, Pavel for the kind words and support! I'll pass the feature requests to our team!
Oh god, I'm so happy I read these comments before upgrading... Some new features like approving/rejecing senders (reminds me of hey.com) looks really nice, but actually launching an app where important existing features are missing and "will come back soon", removing the 3-panel layout sounds like really bad choices.. And finally - adding ADVERTISEMENTS to my emails? That is just utterly unacceptable and I definitely expect you to walk back on that horrible decision...
@andreekeberg hi, thanks for sharing your feedback! Regarding the ‘sent with spark’: an existing customer, you maintain free use of all the features you had access to in the previous version of Spark, including disabling the Sent with Spark tagline. We identified a bug that forces users into a paywall, hot fix has been released for desktop already, this option should be disabled in settings for you once you update the app.
@elena_obilets Thanks for this clarification! While we're talking, I'm also curious if it's possible to have both the new and old version of Spark installed simultaneously - or if installing the new version will overwrite my existing version?
@andreekeberg yes, you can use them simultaneously! We do recognise that the new focused approach of Spark is a dramatic overhaul from the previous version. That is why the previous version of Spark still remains and you can use it in parallel🙌🏻
I am VERY disappointed in this design.
Spark has been my favorite email app for years, but you absolutely ignored all current design trends and created a confusing mess with V2.
NO one wants to go to a second page to read emails, they want the reading pane visible on the right side or bottom. That's all you had to replicate from V1. And yet you turned it into a poor web page substitute with fancy graphics and far too much complexity for easy reading.
I can literally turn a browser webpage into my email app that functions correctly, but Spark has been turned into a dumping group of bad design and management, so why would I pay for it?
I have always been a fan of Readdle projects, but this is poor design and implementation.
@michael_andreuzza
Hey Mickey,
I can not speak for everyone, but I do have decades of design & development experience so I know a bad product when I see it.
@deepblackmoon yes! I have been a user for a LONG time and would have happily paid a subscription for the OLD version of the app. As soon as I downloaded the new one and experienced the new design I began looking for a new app. I'll transition away from Spark before the end of the week.
This happened before when Dropbox bought Mailbox. It was a great email app and was shut down. I feel a lot like that today. Something that worked SO WELL for me is being taken away.
Also, I know the old one is still there for now, but it won't have further development. Others are making products that are more in line with my needs and I'll gladly pay a subscription to them.
@bradley_davis8
My frustrations are due to the fact that I really do enjoy Spark v1 on both Mac and iOS. They are incredibly well designed apps, and now that I added a Windows machine to my development I really wanted that same feel & flow.
I feel heartbroken that a bad UX manager was able to keep amazing designers from improving on an already amazing product.
Users should not have to work to understand an app, an app should do the work to help users. They forgot that.
No matter how many decades you have we shouldn't take for granted that every user acts the same way, even if we see, think is wrong.
Just my opinon.
@deepblackmoon Rarely do I comment on here but I have to wholeheartedly agree with you on this one, been an avid Spark fan for years and saw the latest update only to find it is a complete and utter mess.
It feels like they are trying to force an Inbox Zero (Done === Archived) way of working mixed in with a bit of task management (Priority emails) and then the process of composing emails is just shoved in as an afterthought.
For example, when you write an email it takes over the screen and collapses the email you are replying to...so unless you have a photographic memory and know exactly what you need to respond to you find yourself having to expand each and every time. Let's not even mention changing all of the shortcuts? Why?
On top of that, it feels like it is no longer a Native app and is instead a web wrapper, leading to poor performance, laggy scrolls etc...we might as well just use Gmail in a PWA 🤷🏼♂️
TLDR: Poor UX and feature creep for what was once a great email client
So you removed all the features I liked in Spark (two column layout, Smart/Classic split view, favorite labels, etc. etc.). Have you ever heard the saying "Don't fix what ain't broken?"
As an UI designer I really dislike the new direction. I have used Spark for years, soon almost a decade, but I guess it's finally time to move on... Good bye, it was fun while it lasted.
I love Spark, it is my main app since Inbox was killed. I just wish it didn't try to fetch email every time I quit it. It is the most annoying UX thing I've ever seen. If I want to quit, I don't want to load anything. I both love and hate Spark.
Anyway, it is 100x better than Apple Mail, which is a shame app, and 10x better than Outlook. So I keep recommending to my friends!
Also love that you finally got rid of App Store. Congrats!!
Edit: where is dark theme? 😭 I'll keep using the old version.
@bernardo_ferrari
Hi there! Dark Mode will be added in future versions 🚀 Our goal is to reach feature parity with the Original Spark on Mac. Spark Desktop development is far from over and a lot of amazing updates are coming soon! Check out this page to learn more about upcoming features: https://sparkmailapp.com/help/en...
I tried installing it on Windows, but Bitdefender flagged it. Screenshot: 
@choudhary Hi there, thanks for reporting the issue! 🙌 Sometimes it happens so Bitdefender flags the Spark app as malicious. We’re currently investigating this case, however, you could be assured there are no privacy issues within our app. Before the new release, we’re always using the Virus Total service to check our apps on this matter and it also doesn’t find any security issues. Our dev team informed me that it happens with every new product on Windows - until it’s checked and whitelisted by the antivirus company it will be marked as “suspicious”. In the meantime, I would highly recommend that you consider contacting the Bitdefender support team so they could clarify the situation.
Hey there,
🙋♂️ I'm Lucas, user of Spark since October 2016.
💔 Spark is one of my all times favorites app. I cannot speak for everyone, but I feel very disappointed by what feels like an incomplete and inconsistent release with this new version.
🤓 I’ve been using SparkMail on a daily basis since 2016. I’ve seen you evolve up to what you became today. In my personal experience, you always had great improvements and excellent new features added, UNTIL today with version 3.0.
❤️ I love the clean and beautiful new design, but this should not come at the expense of usability in the way it has.
👨💻 I have downloaded the two version on Mac and iOS.
👀 The iOS version does not look and feel as different from the previous version, and the fact that I can still CHOOSE to use the traditional smart inbox is excellent. It feels like a good update with a beautiful new UI. Even-thought some of the things I'll be naming next are missing here too.
🫣 On the other hand, the macOS version feels like a completely new product that has kept absolutely nothing from its predecessor. And that's a shame.
The core and essential features of what made Spark one of my favorite apps are completely gone on desktop:
👉 The fixed sidebar, which was an essential element to my workflow in allowing me to quickly see what was going on in each of my inboxes, is gone.
👉 The reading pane, which made navigating my inbox a breeze, is completely gone, having to now enter each email individually on "full screen" to read them.
👉 The dark mode is visibly gone. A feature without which it's very hard for me to work at night.
👉 The swipe action on emails is gone. This feature was one of the most relevant and important features brought by you many years ago.
👉 The smart folders seem to be gone.
👉 The grouping by newsletter, notifications, etc that allowed me to VERY quickly know how many unread emails I had is gone. Or made different.
👉 The quick actions found at the top left of the email view (very accessible) has now been moved to the opposite side, where the accessibility is clearly inferior.
👉 Your messaging has always been about keeping Spark free for individuals because you were able to monetize through teams subscriptions. This is now gone, and you're forcing users to pay to remove the "Sent with Spark" messaging in the signature. I can accept a premium tier for individuals with a greater set of features, but you're abandoning your core ethos by making the experience worst for non-paying user with the "Sent with Spark" thing.
😞 It feels like a very sad moment for me. An app that I loved deeply has turned into something completely new and different. And I'm sorry to say that new is not always better...
⏳ I'll wait to hear more from the team on what is coming next. I've spent some time reading through Twitter and ProductHunt, and I've seen mainly negative reactions to this launch.
😓 I know how long it takes to build and create new products. So I know there is no easy way to iterate quickly on all of this, except if most of the things that I named are already on the roadmap for next updates.
💡 All that I can think of, for now, is that you could keep a "Spark Legacy" app in the AppStore on both iOS and macOS so that faithful users can still use you. In my case, I will keep using the old version on macOS until there is more clarity from you. I would be very sad if I need to move to an alternative.
🙏 Thank you for reading me.
Cheers,
Lucas
@lucasdubois Hello Lucas,
Thank you for such a detailed feedback on the new version, and thanks for being our customer all this time🙏
We have released a separate Desktop app with a new concept for treating emails and which should solve the focus problems from a new angle. We do understand that it was a risky move - that’s why the previous app version for Mac is still available and you can continue to use it meanwhile.
We have released it with no feature parity with other platforms as we believed that even on the current stage, the new app would already help the broad audience with the existing email and focus problems with the new feature set - we wanted to get the feedback from the wide market on what we’ve built, so released it earlier. At the same time we are continuing to add the missing features and the goal is to reach feature parity with Spark 2 on Mac. Some of the features you’ve listed will be available in the upcoming releases (like dark mode, the fixed sidebar, etc)
I want to assure you that we monitor the feedbacks from our customers thoroughly and there would be surely the new iterations of the new Spark ahead, hopefully you can use the Spark 2 version for now until we add the missing features which were needed for your workflow.
Thanks for sharing your honest feedback - that would help to shape the vision of the new Spark.
Elena from Spark team
I am all for change and updates. Nothing should stand still and its always good to offer more features. I like some of the new design, though the lack of the 3 panel pane is a killer for me. It suits my workflow and I have no interest in any email app that doesnt have that. I have tried it before and it doesnt work for me.
@populo Darren, thanks for your sharing your feedback! We are currently evaluating the customer feedbacks over the new design, and there would be further iterations of the inbox for sure. We are already working on the 2 and 3 panel inbox and would be ready to implement if the new focused inbox design would not suit the users workflows. We do recognize that the new focused approach of Spark is a dramatic overhaul from the previous version - that is why the previous version of Spark still remains and you can continue using it.
@populo @elena_obilets It's very reassuring to hear this Elena. Focus is a highly subjective issue and I think that you'll find many users, like myself, who don't require things to be simplified or dumbed down in order to be focused. 3-columns has never been a challenge for me. In fact, 3-columns provides more awareness and context which are key to productivity and focus imo.
Given the vast choices of email platforms, many of your users have already explored different paradigms for handling email but chose Spark for it's paradigm and UI. As a result, I never once thought "I wish Spark was more like HEY."
I gather that there were lots of folks wanting Readdle to blow up Spark and start over. This might come as the biggest surprise of all to me.
Spark replaced the Mail App for me since the past year on iOS. It's an absolute treat to use. Excited to try it on Desktop! Grats to the team
@rajatkulkarni95, I couldn't agree more. It's been a long time since I’ve been excited about opening a mail app. V3 is beautiful and inviting. I'm clocking less time in the mail client than when I used Google Mail and Spike. It's so disappointing to see people bashing the redesign, especially when v2 is still available for free!
I’ve been using Spark for years, on both Mac & iPhone. can’t wait to check the updated one ❤️🔥 keep rocking!
@julia_kravchuk thanks, hope you will love the updated Desktop version too!
@elena_obilets frankly, it feels strange. no dark mode, hidden side bar ;( but I’m still trying to get used to it. and taking in account that the previous version crashes several times per day (on Mac), it’s impossible to get back to it((
@julia_kravchuk thanks for the feedback - as an existing user, you should have received an email from us regarding the new version and clarifications on the features and design decisions (subject "A note on the new Spark").
As regarding Dark Mode, fixed sidebar option - it will be added really soon in the future iterations, as well as some other features like Integration, Templates etc. Our goal is to reach feature parity with the Original Spark on Mac and we are continuing to develop the Spark 3 version. Check out this page to learn more about upcoming features: https://sparkmailapp.com/help/en...
Our goal is to make this new Spark Desktop product into something you enthusiastically switch to from Spark 2. Feature parity is our top priority and once we reach it we believe making the switch becomes easier. We do not sunset the Spark 2 version - you can continue using it if it fits better for your workflow now, both versions can work simultaneously.
As regarding the crashes - could you please drop a line to our customer support team at support@sparkmailapp.com with a subject "From ProductHunt - crashes" and provide information about how to reproduce them? The team would investigate and fix them.
Thanks in advance!
Well I tried the new Spark Desktop on MacOS and OH MY GOD. Has there been an app that had such a horrible "upgrade" in history? I'm sure there must be but this is up at the top. It's so bad.
Anyway, my question is, I see the IOS app has also updated to 3.0. Unfortunately unlike MacOS (which thankfully the new version is a completely separate app) the IOS only has one version and it's being updated to 3.0.
I'm fearing this update so much that I've turned off auto app updates just so Spark doesn't update.
What are my options? Does the new IOS version not have templates like the new MacOS version doesn't?
@1957goldtop Sorry to hear you’re not enjoying the new Spark on Desktop. iOS app has all the features you had before, templates, integrations etc, but also has additional premium features. If you preferred classic or smart inbox there - you can still using them. So the look of the iOS app hadn’t changed a lot.
We do recognise that the new focused approach of Spark Desktop is a dramatic overhaul from the previous version. That is why the previous version of Spark still remains and you can still use it while we add features to the new Spark Desktop for the feature parity.
@elena_obilets so to be clear templates are in iOS 3?
And it works exactly the same on iOS as version 2? I.e the interface is largely the same: swipe to snoose, archive etc.
What are the "premium features" on ios? If I don't use those, as an existing spark user I will be able to use spark 3 in exactly the same way I use Spark 2 now?
@1957goldtop @elena_obilets As it was referenced as a 1.0 release earlier in this discussion, we should simply consider it a different app designed with extreme indifference to the ethos of its predecessor.
@1957goldtop yes, templates are present on iOS 3 (and continue being free for existing users - as well as all other features you've used there before).
Swipe to snooze etc is present.
"Archive" action was renamed to "Done" (and "Done" emails are moved to "Archive" folder).
iOS still has classic/smart inboxes, and you'll the the new smart inbox version there which works different, but you would be able to switch between the views and choose the one you like more.
If you don't use the new premium features on iOS, you can continue using Spark for free.
New premium features on iOS 3:
- Priority Email: Highlight important emails and senders, so that you never miss a message.
- Gatekeeper: Screen and block emails from unknown senders.
- Group by sender: Bundle emails by sender, for an organized inbox.
- Mute Threads: Mute threads that are no longer relevant.
- Large Attachments: Seamlessly send files over 25 MB, through Spark Cloud.
Hey Team, many people are upset, I'm upset, but I believe in you. It's hard to be the best and stay on top all the time. It happens that you need to take a few steps back, fail several times, and sometimes do it all publicly in order to grow and come up with something great.
I saw a reference about Electron and 1Password - a good case and a good example to strive for. Only it would have been better if you did it in a similar way: a preview app (instead of a release). As long as I remember, 1Password Team spent almost 2 years rebuilding and polishing the Electron app... It's great, yes, but it takes time. I suppose we all, who continue to support Spark in any way, now embark on a long journey together with Readdle developers, UX/UI designers, project managers, etc.
Would you mind me suggesting setting up a public roadmap page (instead of a blog post) any time soon? It shouldn't have exact dates or even fixed dates, but it sure would be motivating to old users to see how the Readdle team moves along. If you are not sure of any features - divide them into the buckets: planned / considered / in works / etc.
At this point in time, I think old users do deserve some openness and clarity from Readdle because they were and some still are the word of mouth by which you've gained a lot of supporters.
I think nobody wants Spark to become "just another email app".
Good luck! We are counting on you!
I've been using Spark a very long time and when I saw there was a major update I was excited because I felt Spark was showing its age. But when I saw the new version I felt really sad. It's got to be one of the worst user experiences I have seen in a while. Not only did you change the UI drastically, you also got rid of valuable app integrations that people used. Here are my primary pain points with this horrible design:
1. You are making your users click multiple times to see an email, and then that email takes up the whole window. You got rid of the multiple pane design and now I have to navigate emails like they're a web site - clicking in and then having to navigate back (another click) to see my other emails. This is LUDICROUS!
2. The side bar doesn't stay open, so again I am having to click to reveal it every time I want to go to another mail folder (Sent, Spam, Archive, etc). Again a very piss poor user experience.
3. Your spam folder doesn't give any indication to the user that there is stuff inside it. What if I got an email from a new contact and it was important? I'd never know it ended up in Spam!
4. Taking action on an email is a chore. AGAIN, you force me to click on the email to bring up the options for deleting, archiving, etc. No swipe options - they're gone.
5. Why in the hell would you give me the option to block an email from an unknown sender? This shouldn't be an up front option - it should be in the email pane itself. So you don't even give me a chance to decide after reading the email. That one pissed me off pretty well.
6. A subscription model for this trash? Are you seriously kidding me?
I chose to uninstall Spark today on all my devices - and I have decided to go back to using Apple Mail. I loved Spark very much, as did a whole lot of people, and you have betrayed us with this monstrosity of a design that is a horrible horrible user experience! From what I'm seeing you have made a lot of people unhappy with this piece of garbage.
I wish your team the best. I wish you had spent a lot more time thinking this through. RIP Spark
i'm Spark user for years, can't remember my life before it 😅
now it's in my list of apps for basic setup when I'm migrating from device to device. because it is definitely way better at organizing work emails, folders and newsletters than any other solution I have seen. "Snooze" and "Create link" features are my favourites
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