Compare

Imitate Email vs Softaken TGZ to MBOX Converter

Helps build and test email content, not migrate existing mailboxes

Short answer: Pick Imitate Email if you want embedded email sandbox with viewer; pick Softaken TGZ to MBOX Converter if you want Zimbra TGZ to MBOX conversion. Imitate Email has a free plan, paid from $7/month; Softaken TGZ to MBOX Converter has a free plan.

Which to pick

Pick Imitate Email if you want…

  • Embedded email sandbox with viewer
  • Email testing and building
  • Integrations with SMTP, IMAP or POP3 (on Imitate Email's list, not Softaken TGZ to MBOX Converter's)

Pick Softaken TGZ to MBOX Converter if you want…

  • Zimbra TGZ to MBOX conversion
  • Integrations with Thunderbird, Apple Mail or Entourage (on Softaken TGZ to MBOX Converter's list, not Imitate Email's)

Side by side

What it is
Imitate Email:Imitate Email provides a sandbox SMTP/IMAP server with an embeddable email viewer for testing email flows.
Softaken TGZ to MBOX Converter:Converts Zimbra TGZ mailbox archives to MBOX files for popular email clients.
Best for
Imitate Email:Embedded email sandbox with viewer
Softaken TGZ to MBOX Converter:Zimbra TGZ to MBOX conversion
Who it’s for
Imitate Email:Developers and QA teams building email-based features.
Softaken TGZ to MBOX Converter:IT professionals and users needing to migrate Zimbra mail to Thunderbird, Apple Mail, etc.
Pricing
Imitate Email:Freemium
Softaken TGZ to MBOX Converter:Freemium
Starting price
Imitate Email:$7/month (Developer)
Softaken TGZ to MBOX Converter:—
Free plan or trial
Imitate Email:Free plan (Free)
Softaken TGZ to MBOX Converter:Free plan (Demo) · Free trial
Plans
Imitate Email:Free $0 · Developer $7/mo per month · Starter $15/mo per month · Team $39/mo per month · Business $149/mo per month
Softaken TGZ to MBOX Converter:Demo FREE
Works with
Imitate Email:SMTP, IMAP, POP3, Firefox extension, Chrome extension
Softaken TGZ to MBOX Converter:Thunderbird, Apple Mail, Entourage, Eudora, Postbox, Opera Mail, Claws Mail, The Bat!

Imitate Email features

  • Embedded Email Viewer. Show received emails inside your app via a one-line JS snippet or browser extension.
  • Sandbox SMTP Server. Send emails to a safe server using standard SMTP from any language.
  • Programmatic IMAP/POP3 & WebSockets. Access emails programmatically for integration tests.
  • Login-less Authentication. Pre-authenticate users so they can view emails without an account.
  • Responsive Email Tools. Toggle images, view raw text and check deliverability within the viewer.
  • Multi-Project Mailboxes. Create separate mailboxes per project, environment or user with permission controls.
  • Browser Extensions. Firefox and Chrome extensions add the viewer without code changes.
  • Custom Branding (paid plans). Unbranded widget can be re-branded to match your product.

Softaken TGZ to MBOX Converter features

  • Direct TGZ to MBOX conversion. Reads compressed TGZ archives and exports MBOX without unpacking or Zimbra installation.
  • Batch conversion. Convert multiple TGZ files of any size in one workflow.
  • Preserve metadata and attachments. Keeps subject, sender, date, formatting and all attachments intact.
  • Folder hierarchy retention. Maintains original TGZ folder and subfolder structure in the MBOX output.
  • Preview and selective export. Shows mailbox tree for users to select specific folders or emails before conversion.
  • Windows compatibility. Runs on Windows 11, 10, 8.1, 8, 7, Vista, XP (32-bit and 64-bit).

Imitate Email vs Softaken TGZ to MBOX Converter FAQ

What is the difference between Imitate Email and Softaken TGZ to MBOX Converter?+

Imitate Email: Helps build and test email content, not migrate existing mailboxes.

Should I use Imitate Email or Softaken TGZ to MBOX Converter?+

Pick Imitate Email if you want embedded email sandbox with viewer, Email testing and building or integrations with SMTP, IMAP or POP3 (on Imitate Email's list, not Softaken TGZ to MBOX Converter's). Pick Softaken TGZ to MBOX Converter if you want Zimbra TGZ to MBOX conversion or integrations with Thunderbird, Apple Mail or Entourage (on Softaken TGZ to MBOX Converter's list, not Imitate Email's).

Is Imitate Email or Softaken TGZ to MBOX Converter free?+

Imitate Email has a free plan; paid plans start at $7/month (Developer). Softaken TGZ to MBOX Converter has a free plan (Demo) and paid plans.

Do Imitate Email and Softaken TGZ to MBOX Converter integrate with the same tools?+

Their integration lists don't overlap: Imitate Email lists SMTP, IMAP, POP3, Firefox extension and 1 more; Softaken TGZ to MBOX Converter lists Thunderbird, Apple Mail, Entourage, Eudora and 5 more.

On DevHunt

Imitate Email

14 upvotes · Launched on DevHunt on Jan 17, 2023

Softaken TGZ to MBOX Converter

0 upvotes · Launched on DevHunt on Jan 6, 2026

Based on each tool's website and DevHunt data. Details may change; check the official sites.