InboxSweeper

InboxSweeper pairs bulk mail cleanup with unsubscribe controls and lets users choose how aggressively to sweep. Its strongest case is Gmail cleanup from a local browser interface, Windows executable, terminal, or AI-agent workflow. Yahoo and other IMAP users face more uncertainty, and Yahoo’s folder visibility limit can leave older mail untouched.

Overview

InboxSweeper can unsubscribe from mailing lists, move selected messages to Trash, or report selected senders as spam. Before a sweep, it previews counts and protects financial, security, payment, receipt, and government mail. Moving messages to Trash rather than deleting them outright gives users about 30 days to recover mistakes, though that window does not eliminate the need to review a sweep carefully.

Gmail is the primary, fully supported provider; Yahoo and other IMAP inboxes are experimental. Yahoo IMAP exposes only about the 10,000 most recent messages in each folder, so users with older mail may not be able to clean their entire backlog.

Key features

Cleanup modes

• Sloth targets mail older than two years and caps a run at 25 senders. It suits a cautious pass over older clutter.
• Normal targets mail older than one year, with a 50-sender cap. This is the middle ground for users who want a broader sweep without including recent promotions.
• MadMax includes recent promotional mail and allows up to 100 senders per run. Its wider reach is useful for a badly overloaded inbox, but the larger scope makes the preview especially important.

Unsubscribe and privacy controls

One-click and mailto unsubscribe methods are supported; senders that offer only a web-link unsubscribe option are identified for manual handling. The software runs on the user’s computer and says mail, credentials, and tokens are not uploaded. Anonymous usage counters can be disabled with INBOXSWEEPER_NO_TELEMETRY=1.

InboxSweeper uses a scoped app password rather than Google OAuth. Credentials are stored in macOS Keychain or a locked file, a practical local-storage approach that may not suit users who prefer OAuth sign-in.

Pricing

InboxSweeper’s Free plan costs free, is open source, and requires no account or subscription. There is no free trial because the software is free. The plan includes unsubscribe tools and support for Gmail, Yahoo, and other IMAP inboxes, but it does not include bulk delete and archive or automatic cleanup rules. Its run caps also limit each sweep to 25, 50, or 100 senders depending on the selected mode.

Platforms

InboxSweeper supports Linux, macOS, web, and Windows. It offers a local browser interface, a one-file Windows executable, a terminal CLI, and instructions for use with Claude Code, Codex, Jules, Cursor, and Gemini CLI. The project recommends the browser app for people who want to avoid technical setup, the Windows executable for zero-setup use on Windows, and the terminal path for coders. Users with an unlisted issue are directed to open a GitHub issue with their OS, browser, and the exact wording of the problem.

Who it's for

InboxSweeper fits Gmail users who want a free, locally run tool with preview counts, protected categories, and recoverable Trash moves. It also suits coders and users who want to integrate cleanup into an AI-agent workflow. It is a weaker fit for anyone who needs dependable cleanup across non-Gmail IMAP providers, particularly Yahoo users whose older messages may fall outside the 10,000-message-per-folder window.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Free and open source, with no account or subscription required.
• Pros: Preview counts, protected mail categories, and Trash recovery of about 30 days help reduce the risk of an overly broad sweep.
• Pros: Multiple modes and interfaces accommodate both cautious cleanup and broader backlog clearing, from a browser to a CLI.
• Cons: Yahoo and other IMAP support is experimental, and Yahoo’s message visibility limit can exclude older mail.
• Cons: Web-link-only unsubscribe options require manual follow-up, and the tool does not provide bulk delete/archive or automatic cleanup rules.
• Cons: The scoped app-password approach is not Google OAuth, which may be a drawback for users who want OAuth-based credential handling.

Alternatives

For a broader comparison, see Email Cleanup Software.

• Clean Email is a better fit for readers who want a service spanning Android, iOS, macOS, and web, and can accept a free account capped at 1,000 messages without its Screener, Sender and Mailing List Settings, or Auto Clean features.
• Gmail Bulk Unsubscribe & Cleanup Tool is another free, MIT-licensed option across Linux, macOS, self-hosted, web, and Windows; it also offers a 1-on-1 Setup Service for $8, paid once.
• Cleanfox suits readers looking for a free inbox-cleaning and newsletter-unsubscribe option on Android, iOS, or web.
• Paperweight is worth considering for desktop users who value MIT-licensed software they can inspect or build, with Linux, macOS, and Windows support.
• Unroll.Me is a free option for Android, iOS, and web, but it requires access to commercial emails and uses commercial-email data for measurement products.
• Leave Me Alone offers a free Casual Emailer plan with four email accounts, unlimited unsubscribes, Private Emails, Screener, and Spam Blocker for readers who want those tools.
• Trimbox is an alternative across Android, extension, iOS, and web, with its first 10 unsubscribes free.
• Smart Delete for Gmail offers a free plan with 500 deletions per month and three deletion rules for readers who want rule-based Gmail deletion.

Verdict

Choose InboxSweeper if you want free, local Gmail cleanup with reviewable sweeps, protected message categories, and several ways to work. Its main advantage is the combination of those safeguards with flexible cleanup modes and interfaces; its main reason to look elsewhere is the experimental status of non-Gmail IMAP support, especially Yahoo’s limited folder visibility.