What is a Gmail notifier?
A Gmail notifier is a small program, usually a browser extension, that checks your Gmail for new mail and tells you about it: a count on its toolbar button and a notification on your screen, without Gmail open in a tab. Most also show a short list of unread mail, and many check several accounts at once.
What it is not
- Not an email client. You still read long threads, write and search in Gmail. A notifier is for knowing what came in.
- Not a desktop Gmail app. Google makes none for Mac or Windows; see Gmail on a computer.
- Not an email address checker. Tools that test whether an address exists are sometimes called “Gmail checkers” too. They are a different thing.
How notifiers check your mail
Most read Gmail in one of two ways: through the Gmail account already signed in to your browser, or with access you grant on Google’s own consent screen (OAuth). Either way, a notifier asks Gmail for news on a schedule, or keeps a connection open for real-time updates.
Choosing one
- Which mail notifies? Every message, or only some. A notifier that rings for every newsletter soon gets turned off.
- How many accounts? Personal and work accounts, and whether there is a limit.
- What it asks for. Read the permissions in the install prompt and the privacy policy: where your mail goes, and whether it is stored anywhere but your computer.
- What it costs. Free, paid, or free with paid features.
Two long-standing examples are Checker Plus for Gmail and Notifier for Gmail. We compared one of them with ours in Peekat and Checker Plus.
Peekat Email
Peekat Email is a free browser extension (Gmail notifier) for Chrome and Edge that checks every Gmail account signed in to your browser, notifies you only about mail that needs you, and puts sign-in codes one click away. Mail is read only from Google and stays in your browser.
Add to Chrome — free
Chrome Web Store and Edge Add-ons. Other browsers