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SpamSieve for Mac

Robust spam filter for major email clients.

$39.99
In English
4.6
Based on 118 user rates

SpamSieve overview

SpamSieve is a robust spam filter for major email clients that uses powerful Bayesian spam filtering.

SpamSieve understands what your spam looks like in order to block it all, but also learns what your legitimate messages look like to avoid confusion. SpamSieve only marks spam in your email client so you never lose any mail.

The following is a partial list of SpamSieve’s features, so that you can quickly see what it can do and how it’s unique:

  • Powerful Bayesian spam filtering results in high accuracy and almost no false positives. It adapts to the mail that you receive to get even better with time. Some other e-mail programs include Bayesian filters, but SpamSieve is more accurate.
  • Integrates with your e-mail program for a superior user experience. Plus, you get the same great filtering if you ever switch e-mail programs or use more than one at a time.
  • SpamSieve works with any mail provider/host. It filters all your mail accounts. There is no extra charge for additional addresses or devices.
  • SpamSieve running on your Mac can keep the spam off your iPhone/iPad, and you can even train SpamSieve from afar.
  • Colors show how spammy each message is, so you can quickly focus on the borderline ones if you want to check SpamSieve’s work.
  • Integrates with the macOS Contacts app (and also Eudora’s and Entourage’s address books) so that messages from friends and colleagues are never marked as spam.
  • Automatically maintains a blocklist so that it can instantly adapt to spam messages sent from particular addresses, and catch 100% of them.
  • Automatically maintains a whitelist to guarantee that messages from particular senders or mailing lists are never marked as spam, without cluttering your address book with these addresses.
  • You can customize the whitelist and blocklist, adding sophisticated rules that match various message headers, or the message body. The rules can match text in a variety of ways, including using regular expressions.
  • Can use the Habeas Safelist, which indicates messages that are not spam, as well as the "ADV" subject tag indicating that a message is spam.
  • Many spammers encode the contents of their messages so that filters cannot see the incriminating words they contain. SpamSieve can decode and look inside these messages. Optionally it can mark them all as spam, on the theory that legitimate senders do not try to obscure their messages.
  • SpamSieve keeps track of how accurate it is, how many good and spam messages you receive, and how these numbers change over time.
  • Turn off new-mail notification in your e-mail program, and let SpamSieve notify you only when you receive non-spam messages.
  • The corpus window and log let you see how each spam message was caught.
  • Unlike server-based spam filtering services, your mail data stays on your own Mac, so your privacy is preserved.
  • SpamSieve supports AppleScript, so you can connect it to additional apps and fully integrate it into a custom workflow.

What's new in version 3.3.2

  • Microsoft has again changed its plans for the Mac version of Outlook:

    • Legacy Outlook had been scheduled to stop working on November 1, 2026. Microsoft now says that Legacy Outlook will continue to be available until October 2029. Some customers will no longer be able to connect to Exchange accounts starting in October 2026, but IMAP and POP accounts should continue to work.
    • Microsoft is reversing many years of public statements and no longer plans to bring AppleScript support to New Outlook. As a result, SpamSieve’s current direct integration with Outlook will end when Legacy Outlook is no longer available at the end of 2029. We hope that another method of integration will become possible before then.

    For more information about this and about how you can continue filtering your mail with SpamSieve, please see the End of Support for Legacy Outlook section.

  • When you move a message to the TrainSpam mailbox, after training the message SpamSieve now moves it to whichever custom location for trained spam messages you’d set (instead of always using Junk).

  • Checkbox values, such as for the Locked and Enabled columns, are now included when copying from rules windows.

  • Help links once again open in the system help viewer on recent versions of macOS.

  • Improved the following sections of the manual:

  • Restored the Help menu icons on macOS 27.

  • Improved the functionality of the app after the trial period has expired:

    • SpamSieve will automatically clean up its launch agent file to simplify uninstallation if you choose to delete the app.
    • The About SpamSieve, Software Update…, and Save Diagnostic Report… menu commands are now available.
    • The help and Quit commands were previously available as buttons. These can now be accessed via the menu bar, too.
  • Improved the error reporting when moving spam messages in Apple Mail.

  • Tried to work around a seeming Xcode change that caused crashes when reading the corpus database.

  • Tried to work around a bug where Apple Mail failed to move Gmail messages out of a training mailbox.

  • Tried to work around a bug in macOS 27 where the Dock icon wasn’t hidden.

  • Fixed a regression where an error would be shown when launching Mail or Outlook if you had just deleted the SpamSieve app file (but had not yet logged in again).

  • Fixed a bug where replacing an old diagnostic report with a new one didn’t work.

  • Fixed a type-safety bug with software update.

  • Fixed a crash that could occur after software update.

View older SpamSieve versions

SpamSieve for Mac

$39.99
In English
Version 3.3.2

What users say about SpamSieve

Porschi
By Porschi on Dec 13, 2023 for v.3.0.2

Value: 2.0

Für deutschsprachigen Spam kann ich die Software nicht empfehlen. Ich bekomme immer wieder Spam von denselben Anbietern. Spamsieve ist trotz intensivem Training einfach nicht in der Lage da Konzepte zu identifizieren. Der Spamfilter von Apple Mail allerdings auch nicht. Hilft dann nur Regeln aufzustellen.

Other user ratings:

Ease of use | 4.0
Features | 4.0
Reliability | 2.0
Customer support | 3.0
Write a detailed review about SpamSieve

What customers like

Regular updates
Value
Stability

What needs improvements

Social media integration
Customization

SpamSieve qualities

Value
4.3
Ease of use
4.4
Features
4.4
Reliability
4.3
Customer support
4.4

Write your thoughts in our old-fashioned comment

MacUpdate Comment Policy. We strongly recommend leaving comments, however comments with abusive words, bullying, personal attacks of any type will be moderated.
4.6

(188 Reviews of SpamSieve)

  • Comments

  • User Ratings

detlevski
detlevski
Oct 7, 2026
3.3.2
0.0
Oct 7, 2026
0.0
Version: 3.3.2
It would be nice if the developer of SpamSieve would honestly state on his website that SpamSieve just doesn't work in several languages. In my case it is totally useless for filtering out mail in Dutch. Despite two weeks of training EVERY mail it just not flagging spam. This morning I had 7 spam messages, most of them containing the same subjects over and over again and it flagged NONE as spam. So no sale for me, It is a pity Michael Tsai is a good developer and a good company to buy from. But be more clear about the limitations in non-english languages. Installed somewhat disappointed.
Buegelfrei
Buegelfrei
Jun 20, 2026
3.3
5.0
Jun 20, 2026
5.0
Version: 3.3
I reviewed SpamSieve here in 2007 and gave it 5 stars. I would rate it even higher now. Its accuracy is still far better than any server-side filtering and, what's more, SpamSieve can check your IMAP junk folders to rescue good messages that your email provider's anti-spam setup flagged incorrectly. (This sanity-saver is but one of myriad advanced settings and options you can find in the app's documentation.) I've reached out to the developer several times over the past 19 years and he's always been quick to respond and very helpful. Updates have been frequent, but the only paid update to date was in 2024. Talk about value!
Pogmoor
Pogmoor
Oct 20, 2023
3.0.1
0.0
Oct 20, 2023
0.0
Version: 3.0.1
Thanks for version 3.01. Version 3.0 failed to filter a lot of spam from an old email address. Version 3.01 fixed it straight away. Brilliant!
dsotm52
dsotm52
Oct 7, 2023
3.0
5.0
Oct 7, 2023
5.0
Version: 3.0
This app has tremendous value especially when we get inundated with spam. To date it has trapped all mail not based on my whitelist. It easily lets you identify what it might have considered spam by telling the system that particular mail was "Good". And the most important thing was when I had a learning issue, the support was fast and phenomenal. The developer was johnny on the spot helping me learn what I did to cause the issue. I highly recommend this app for those of you sick of being spammed and phished.
ERNEST UNGUREANU
ERNEST UNGUREANU
Sep 25, 2023
3.0
0.0
Sep 25, 2023
0.0
Version: 3.0
Whenever I open Apple Mail, 2 (two) SpamSieve dialogue boxes appear, which terrorized me ! Obviously, I'll kindly put Spamsieve in the trash...
Buegelfrei
Buegelfrei
Jun 20, 2026
3.3
5.0
Jun 20, 2026
5.0
Version: 3.3
Jlbro
Jlbro
Nov 3, 2023
3.0.1
5.0
Nov 3, 2023
5.0
Version: 3.0.1
dsotm52
dsotm52
Oct 7, 2023
3.0
5.0
Oct 7, 2023
5.0
Version: 3.0
thearhmovement
thearhmovement
Apr 27, 2023
2.9.52
5.0
Apr 27, 2023
5.0
Version: 2.9.52
stevensimrin
stevensimrin
Jan 13, 2023
2.9.51
5.0
Jan 13, 2023
5.0
Version: 2.9.51
Maylbu
Maylbu
Jun 22, 2022
2.9.49
5.0
Jun 22, 2022
5.0
Version: 2.9.49
jozpy1
jozpy1
Dec 4, 2021
2.9.46
5.0
Dec 4, 2021
5.0
Version: 2.9.46
slaverat
slaverat
Sep 9, 2021
2.9.45
5.0
Sep 9, 2021
5.0
Version: 2.9.45
elby77
elby77
Dec 29, 2020
5.0
Dec 29, 2020
5.0
Version: null
baxsur
baxsur
Dec 12, 2020
5.0
Dec 12, 2020
5.0
Version: null
Just-Fred
Just-Fred
Dec 12, 2020
5.0
Dec 12, 2020
5.0
Version: null
Fariborz
Fariborz
Oct 20, 2020
5.0
Oct 20, 2020
5.0
Version: null
Aargl
Aargl
Oct 19, 2020
5.0
Oct 19, 2020
5.0
Version: null
DOCa-Cola
DOCa-Cola
Oct 8, 2020
5.0
Oct 8, 2020
5.0
Version: null
lauriefaen
lauriefaen
Sep 21, 2020
3.0
Sep 21, 2020
3.0
Version: null
ben-marko
ben-marko
Dec 26, 2019
4.0
Dec 26, 2019
4.0
Version: null
richard-219
richard-219
Nov 26, 2019
5.0
Nov 26, 2019
5.0
Version: null
DragonMaster
DragonMaster
Sep 9, 2019
5.0
Sep 9, 2019
5.0
Version: null
Gilles9
Gilles9
Aug 19, 2019
5.0
Aug 19, 2019
5.0
Version: null
tim-lueth
tim-lueth
Aug 13, 2019
5.0
Aug 13, 2019
5.0
Version: null
msandman1943
msandman1943
Jun 9, 2019
5.0
Jun 9, 2019
5.0
Version: null
gockcnca19771
gockcnca19771
Jun 4, 2019
3.5
Jun 4, 2019
3.5
Version: null
facebook-480
facebook-480
Mar 22, 2019
5.0
Mar 22, 2019
5.0
Version: null
jeff-151
jeff-151
Sep 7, 2018
1.0
Sep 7, 2018
1.0
Version: null
Andrewrodney
Andrewrodney
Aug 30, 2018
5.0
Aug 30, 2018
5.0
Version: null
Roger-Rodrigues
Roger-Rodrigues
May 21, 2018
5.0
May 21, 2018
5.0
Version: null
laurent-houze
laurent-houze
Sep 28, 2017
3.5
Sep 28, 2017
3.5
Version: null
anonymous-orca-210245
anonymous-orca-210245
Aug 25, 2017
5.0
Aug 25, 2017
5.0
Version: null
Ervins Strauhmanis
Ervins Strauhmanis
Aug 25, 2017
5.0
Aug 25, 2017
5.0
Version: null
Jimsinsd
Jimsinsd
Jul 25, 2017
1.0
Jul 25, 2017
1.0
Version: null
Mikael-B
Mikael-B
Feb 8, 2017
5.0
Feb 8, 2017
5.0
Version: null
Seenderella
Seenderella
Dec 23, 2016
4.0
Dec 23, 2016
4.0
Version: null
@mitic@
@mitic@
Oct 6, 2016
4.0
Oct 6, 2016
4.0
Version: null
RebeccaA
RebeccaA
Jun 1, 2016
4.5
Jun 1, 2016
4.5
Version: null
supppi
supppi
Nov 19, 2015
3.5
Nov 19, 2015
3.5
Version: null
maverick-1
maverick-1
Jun 4, 2015
3.0
Jun 4, 2015
3.0
Version: null
Valdimar-Thor-H
Valdimar-Thor-H
Jun 4, 2015
4.5
Jun 4, 2015
4.5
Version: null
Callitho
Callitho
Jun 3, 2015
4.5
Jun 3, 2015
4.5
Version: null
Steve-Frawley
Steve-Frawley
Jun 3, 2015
5.0
Jun 3, 2015
5.0
Version: null
Bluestar
Bluestar
Feb 17, 2015
2.5
Feb 17, 2015
2.5
Version: null