Inbox Zero
Open-source AI email assistant for Gmail. Automates sorting, bulk unsubscribing, and reply drafting in your voice. Self-hostable via Docker under AGPL
Quick Start
git clone https://github.com/elie222/inbox-zero && docker compose up Overview
Inbox Zero is an open-source AI email assistant that sits on top of your existing Gmail account. It sorts, labels, and drafts replies inside the inbox you already use.
The automation runs on plain-English rules you write yourself. Tell it to archive all newsletters from senders you have not replied to in six months and it applies that logic from then on. The model learns your voice from your sent mail, so draft replies sound like you rather than a template. Bulk unsubscribe pulls every mailing list sender into a single view so you can remove them in batches, which works through years of accumulated subscriptions far faster than handling them one at a time.
The analytics show response rates, volume by sender, and average reply time. Useful for spotting who actually eats your day. A cold email blocker filters unsolicited pitches before they hit your inbox, and Slack and Telegram integrations let you act on incoming mail without opening a browser tab.
You can run it as a cloud subscription or self-host via Docker under the AGPL license. The self-hosted path requires your own OpenAI API key and Google OAuth credentials, so it is not a beginner job, but the documentation covers the setup in detail. On the cloud, tiered paid plans cover individuals and teams, with a seven-day trial and no credit card required upfront. Inbox Zero doesn’t train models on your email.
Inbox Zero: Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Cost & Value: Self-host free under AGPL. 7-day trial, no card required. | Cost & Value: No permanent free cloud tier. Gmail only, no Outlook support. |
| Workflow: Plain-English rules are easy to write and quick to update. | Workflow: Drafts need a learning period before they match your voice. |
| Trust: Open source and SOC2 certified. No AI training on your email. | Setup: Self-host needs OpenAI keys and Google OAuth configuration. |
Use Cases
Specific ways to use Inbox Zero for your workflow.
Deployment Strategy
Recommended ways to host Inbox Zero in your own environment.