Help Keep Thunderbird Alive
Thunderbird’s latest donation drive has reignited debate over how the open‑source email client is funded, governed and evolving under Mozilla’s for‑profit subsidiary MZLA. Many users praise Thunderbird’s cross‑platform feature set and longevity, but others are frustrated by UI changes, stability issues, and what they see as slow or misguided development compared with leaner projects and commercial rivals. Commenters also question why a Mozilla‑owned product dependent on user donations isn’t better supported by Mozilla’s substantial search‑deal revenues, even as MZLA prepares a paid “Thundermail” email service to diversify funding.
Funding, Structure, and “Who Gets the Money?”
- Thunderbird is developed by MZLA Technologies, a for‑profit wholly owned by the Mozilla Foundation, separate from Mozilla Corporation (Firefox).
- MZLA leadership says Thunderbird gets no search/Google money; it is funded by user donations and soon a paid “Thundermail” email service.
- Some posters are confused or skeptical about a for‑profit soliciting donations; others explain US tax law makes funding FOSS via 501(c)(3) difficult.
- Several people request clearer on-page disclosure: current income, spending breakdown, and guarantees donations are ring‑fenced to Thunderbird.
Reactions to the Donation Campaign and UX
- Many find the full-screen donation prompt inside the app intrusive; one claim of “back button hijack” on the web page is disputed by others.
- Some call this a dark pattern inconsistent with Mozilla’s self‑image; others say a once‑or‑twice‑yearly dismissible banner is reasonable for a free app.
- Stripe usage, mandatory email, small-donation fees, and minimum amounts also draw criticism.
Quality of Thunderbird: Praise vs. Frustration
- Long‑time users report Thunderbird as stable, cross‑platform, and “just works” for IMAP/POP, Gmail, and RSS; many donate for that reason.
- Others say development is slow and misdirected: UI overhaul since ~2023 considered bloated, “web‑alike,” and less customizable; extension APIs repeatedly broken; some long‑standing bugs (search, filters, calendar, contacts, junk mail, profile portability) cited as unresolved.
- A few describe severe calendar/contacts performance issues and folder/UX regressions; they hold back upgrades or are planning to leave.
- Disagreement over whether Thunderbird is “feature complete”; some want better search, sieve, text editor, JMAP, per‑folder settings, and saner keyboard shortcuts.
Alternatives and Competition
- Suggested alternatives: Evolution, KMail, Geary, Claws Mail, Seamonkey, Betterbird, The Bat!, AERC, em Client, Apple Mail, Gmail/Fastmail web UIs, Proton Mail.
- Many note no other client matches Thunderbird’s cross‑platform, all‑in‑one feature set; several use Thunderbird solely because of Exchange/OAuth support or lack of better options.
Mozilla, Governance, and Future Plans
- Strong criticism of Mozilla Foundation: high executive pay, perceived “side quests” (activism, AI, DEI, branding) vs. core engineering, and historical neglect of Thunderbird.
- MZLA’s CEO outlines roadmap: Exchange/Graph support, later JMAP; improved calendar UX; Android (via K‑9) and native iOS clients; Thundermail hosted in Germany on Stalwart, with encryption and custom domains.
- Some are excited about Thundermail as a Gmail/Outlook alternative; others worry about US jurisdiction or say they’d only switch from Gmail, not from privacy‑focused providers like Proton/Fastmail.