Sparrow also offers a few unique features like syncing via Facebook Connect to pull in your contacts’ picture, integration with DropBox and CloudApp and a convenient “Quick Response” reply box. There is also a Sparrow iPhone app, which we did not yet give a try.

It does support a lot of Gmail features like search, labels, starred items, priority inbox, one-key shortcuts and Send & Archive. Your inbox resembles more of a traditional email client inbox, with your inbox selectable on the left and a reading pane on the right. It has a much different interface than what you will experience when using Gmail in your browser (or Mailplane), but that is the point. Sparrow is a Mac desktop and iPhone app that takes a streamlined and minimalistic approach to managing your Gmail.

We’ve been using it for a few years and believe it’s well worth the $24.95 investment. In Mailplane’s latest updates they added support of full screen mode (for Lion), the Gmail Labs ‘preview pane’ feature, Evernote integration and Google ads hiding. Although it is not free (you can try it with a 30-day free trial), the Mailplane team is constantly working to make it better, releasing new features and updates. You get access to all your Gmail settings such as labels, keyboard shortcuts, custom inbox views and google chat, as well as 3rd party app integrations with services like Taskforce, Boomerang, Rapportive and Other Inbox. We like it because it mimics all the features that you get on Gmail in the browser while providing a desktop app to manage your gmail separately from the (always cluttered) browser experience. Mailplane is the Mac desktop app that we use everyday to manage our Gmail inbox. Check out my recent post where I show you a sneak peak of the new Gmail for Mac app or go right to their Kickstarter campaign and get yourself the app. I’m advising a great new Mac desktop app for Gmail.

Here are 3 Gmail desktop apps we’ve used and think you should give a try. We are always on the lookout for native desktop applications to manage our Gmail inbox. Here at WorkHacks, we use Gmail as our primary email service, and although Gmail is great in so many ways, having your email as a tab in your browser is less than efficient (and often downright inefficient).

Best free gmail app for mac