FranklyMail + Mailwell: a native Mac email workflow with JMAP

Owning your email address is easier than it used to be. Finding a good Mac app to read it in is still harder than it should be.

FranklyMail hosts email on your own domain. Mailwell is a native Mac mail app. Both use JMAP, a newer open standard for email, and together they make a simple, private setup.

Here’s how to set up both, and what to expect day to day.

Step 1: Set up FranklyMail

Add your domain in the FranklyMail panel. You’ll get the DNS records to copy into your DNS provider’s settings, and FranklyMail checks them as you go. Keep your existing mail service active while you prepare the move, and change your MX records when you’re ready to receive mail at FranklyMail.

Then make a mailbox and create an app password for it under Settings → App passwords. Name it Mailwell so you can identify it later. Copy the password when it appears; you’ll use it in the next step.

The hands-on setup is short, though DNS changes can take longer to propagate. If you’re moving from another provider, FranklyMail can copy your old mail across through IMAP when your old provider allows access. See our email setup guides for more help.

Step 2: Set up Mailwell

Download Mailwell from mailwell.app and type your FranklyMail address in Add Account. Mailwell recognizes FranklyMail, including addresses on your own domain, and fills in the settings. Paste your mailbox’s app password, click Connect, and you’re ready.

Use the mailbox address and its app password here, rather than your FranklyMail panel sign-in. If discovery does not complete, check Mailwell’s setup documentation or contact support below.

Have more than one mailbox? Add each one with its own app password, and they’ll show up together in one unified inbox.

What it’s like day to day

New mail without periodic checks

With JMAP, FranklyMail can notify Mailwell when your mailbox changes, including when mail arrives in a folder. While connected, the app can update without waiting for the next scheduled check.

Filters at both ends

FranklyMail’s server-side filters sort mail before you open your app. Mailwell adds inbox tabs and rules on your Mac, so you can organize how you read it too.

Your mail stays yours

Mailwell stores a local copy on your Mac and syncs straight with FranklyMail, with no Mailwell servers in between. Downloaded mail is available for local search and offline reading. Remote images and tracking pixels are blocked by default.

What it costs

FranklyMail is $9 a year for unlimited mailboxes and domains, with 10 GB of shared storage. Your domain registration is separate.

Mailwell is free for 14 days, then $5 a month or $49 a year for up to three Macs. Check Mailwell’s website for current pricing and Mac requirements.

A special offer for FranklyMail users: get 30% off your first year of Mailwell with code FM30 at Mailwell checkout. The discount applies to your first year.

Prices and trial details checked on October 17, 2026. FranklyMail hosting and Mailwell are separate purchases.

Need a hand?

Email hello@mailwell.app about Mailwell or hello@franklymail.com about FranklyMail.