• Thunderbird

Celebrating 20 Years of Thunderbird: Independence, Innovation and Community 

Thunderbird turns 20 today. Such a huge milestone invites reflection on the past and excitement for the future. For two decades, Thunderbird has been more than just an email application – it has been a steadfast companion to millions of users, offering communication, productivity, and privacy.

20 Years Ago Today…

Thunderbird’s journey began in 2003, but version 1.0 was officially released on December 7, 2004. It started as an offshoot of the Mozilla project and was built to challenge the status quo – providing an open-source, secure and customizable alternative to proprietary email clients. What began as a small, humble project soon became the go-to email solution for individuals and organizations who valued control over their data. Thunderbird was seen as the app for those in the ‘know’ and carved a unique space in the digital world.

Two Decades of Ups and Downs and Ups

The path hasn’t always been smooth. Over the years, Thunderbird faced its share of challenges – from the shifting tides of technology and billion dollar competitors coming on the scene to troubles funding the project. In 2012, Mozilla announced that support for Thunderbird would end, leaving the project largely to fend for itself. Incredibly, a passionate group of developers, users, and supporters stepped up and refused to let it fade away. Twenty million people continued to rely on Thunderbird, believing in its potential, rallying behind it, and transforming it into a project fueled by its users, for its users.

In 2017, the Mozilla Foundation, which oversaw Thunderbird along with a group of volunteers in the Thunderbird Council, once again hired a small 3 person team to work on the project, breathing new life into its development. This team decided to take matters into their own hands and let the users know through donation appeals that Thunderbird needed their support. The project began to regain strength and momentum and Thunderbird once again came back to life. (More on this story can be found in our previous post, “The History of Thunderbird.”)

The past few years, in particular, have been pivotal. Thunderbird’s user interface got a brand new facelift with the release of Supernova 115 in 2023.  The 2024 Nebula release fixed a lot of the back-end code and technical debt that was plaguing faster innovation and development.  The first-ever Android app launched, extending Thunderbird to mobile users and opening a new chapter in its story. The introduction of Thunderbird Pro Services, including tools like file sharing and appointment booking, signals how the project is expanding to become a comprehensive productivity suite. And with that, Thunderbird is gearing up for the next era of growth and relevance.

Thank You for 20 Amazing Years

As we celebrate this milestone, we want to thank you. Whether you’ve been with Thunderbird since its earliest days or just discovered it recently, you’re part of a global movement that values privacy, independence, and open-source innovation. Thunderbird exists because of your support, and with your continued help, it will thrive for another 20 years and beyond.

Here’s to Thunderbird: past, present, and future. Thank you for being part of the journey. Together, let’s build what’s next.

Happy 20th, Thunderbird!

20 Years of Thunderbird Trivia!

It Almost Had a Different Name

Before Thunderbird was finalized, the project was briefly referred to as “Minotaur.” However, that name didn’t stick, and the team opted for something more dynamic and fitting for its vision.

Beloved By Power Users

Thunderbird has been a favorite among tech enthusiasts, system administrators, and privacy advocates because of its extensibility. With add-ons and customizations, users can tweak Thunderbird to do pretty much anything.

Supports Over 50 Languages

Thunderbird is loved world-wide! The software is available in more than 50 languages, making it accessible to users all across the globe.

Launched same year as Gmail

Thunderbird and Gmail both launched in 2004. While Gmail revolutionized web-based email, Thunderbird was empowering users to manage their email locally with full control and customization.

Donation-Driven Independence

Thunderbird relies entirely on user donations to fund its development. Remarkably, less than 3% of users donate, but their generosity is what keeps the project alive and independent for the other 97% of users.

Robot Dog Regeneration

The newly launched Thunderbird for Android is actually the evolution of the K-9 Mail project, which was acquired by Thunderbird in 2022. It was smarter to work with an existing client who shared the same values of open source, respecting the user, and offering customization and rich feature options.