Mailshade and Ugly Email compared

Mailshade and Ugly Email both describe blocking, not merely warning about, email tracking pixels. Ugly Email's official site describes a Gmail extension that labels tracked messages with an eye, blocks the pixel and keeps its data in local IndexedDB; its public repository provides auditable source. Mailshade 1.1.0 declares opt-in integrations for Gmail, Outlook, Office 365, Superhuman, Yahoo Mail and Proton Mail, uses Chrome declarativeNetRequest rules for reviewed tracker endpoints, and records detected events locally for sender-level reporting. Those are documented product facts, not a head-to-head performance result. The shared benchmark has not yet completed, so this page leaves blocking recall and false-positive rates unreported. The useful current distinction is scope: Ugly Email is designed for Gmail, while Mailshade targets several webmail surfaces. Users should also consider the tested evidence once raw results are available.

Comparison record

Facts reviewed on 2026-08-21.

Result: pending

Test date: Not yet tested; no performance winner is claimed.
Methodology: Read the published method

Versions in scope

Mailshade: 1.1.0 — Current public Chrome Web Store version confirmed on 2026-08-19.
Ugly Email: 4.1.2 — Version recorded from the official source repository.

Method and current result

Each pinned extension must run in a clean Chrome profile against the same versioned pixel, link and benign-content fixtures before comparative performance is stated.

Versions and publisher-stated features are sourced, but no shared-corpus performance result or winner is claimed until the raw benchmark is published.

Claim evidence

[verified] Ugly Email's publisher says the Gmail extension blocks detected tracking pixels and stores its data locally. source 1
[verified] The versions recorded for this comparison are Mailshade 1.1.0 and Ugly Email 4.1.2. source 1, source 2
[verified] Mailshade makes AGPL-3.0-or-later source archives and checksums available; an archive must be matched to the exact tested package version before it is package evidence. source 1
[pending] Relative blocking efficacy and false-positive rates on the shared corpus remain unmeasured.

Sources

Mailshade Chrome Web Store listing, Mailshade; accessed 2026-08-19.
Mailshade source archives and checksums, Mailshade; accessed 2026-08-21.
Ugly Email official FAQ, OneClick Lab; accessed 2026-08-16.
Ugly Email package version, OneClick Lab; accessed 2026-08-16.

What the primary sources establish

Ugly Email's own FAQ says it scans Gmail, marks tracked messages, blocks the tracking pixel and stores its data locally. Mailshade's official listing documents reviewed endpoint blocking, opt-in webmail permissions and local reporting. Mailshade also makes AGPL-3.0-or-later source archives and checksums available; reviewers must match an archive to the exact tested package version before treating it as package evidence. Both projects publish source code.

What is different before testing

Ugly Email is a focused Gmail product. Mailshade declares six opt-in webmail integrations and adds a local sender-level report plus warnings for supported tracking-link patterns. A wider declared scope is useful for people who use several inboxes, but it is not proof that every client or tracker passes the shared corpus.

What remains unresolved

No shared run has yet compared these pinned versions on the same Chrome build, fixtures and settings. Blocking efficacy, detection recall, link behavior and false positives therefore remain pending. This page will only adopt a comparative performance conclusion when the test date and raw results are linked above.

How to choose today

Ugly Email is the narrower option for someone who wants an open-source Gmail-focused blocker. Mailshade is the broader option for someone who wants opt-in support across multiple webmail services and local per-sender history. Treat both descriptions as product scope, not a benchmark ranking.

FAQ

Does Ugly Email block tracking pixels?

Yes. Ugly Email's official FAQ says tracked messages receive an eye icon and the tracking pixel is blocked. Earlier wording on this page that described it as warning-only was incorrect.

Which webmail services do the products target?

Ugly Email's official site describes a Gmail extension. Mailshade declares opt-in integrations for Gmail, Outlook, Office 365, Superhuman, Yahoo Mail and Proton Mail. Tested coverage is still pending.

Are both products open source?

Yes. Ugly Email links its public repository and MIT license. Mailshade makes AGPL-3.0-or-later source archives and checksums available; reviewers must match an archive to the exact tested package version.

Which product blocks more trackers?

There is no result yet under the shared method. The page will not answer that question until both pinned versions are run on the same corpus and raw results are public.

Why does this page show a pending result?

Official pages can verify versions and advertised behavior, but they do not replace a controlled comparative test. Pending prevents those claims from being presented as measured performance.