MailVault — Desktop app to archive your emails locally before you lose them

Hey IH 👋

I'm building MailVault — a desktop app that lets you download and archive your emails locally as standard .eml files before they disappear.

The problem:

• Email providers give you limited storage. When it's full, you either pay for more or start deleting.
• If you cancel a hosting plan, switch providers, or close an account — your emails are gone.
• Services like Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 can lock you out or shut down with little warning.
• Most people have years of important emails (contracts, receipts, conversations) sitting on someone else's server with no backup.

What MailVault does:

• Connects to any IMAP email account (Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, custom domains)
• Downloads your emails to your computer as standard .eml files — a universal format you own forever
• Works offline once archived — no cloud dependency
• Supports OAuth2 for Gmail, Outlook)
• Threads conversations, handles attachments, full search
• macOS and Linux (Windows coming)

Who it's for:

• Freelancers/agencies shutting down client email accounts
• Anyone switching email providers and wanting to keep history
• People running out of email storage who don't want to pay $$/month just to keep old mail
• Privacy-conscious users who want their emails on their own hardware

Business model: free - no subscription. Your emails, your files, no recurring cost.

Where I'm at: Working product, actively used, iterating on polish and distribution. Built with Tauri (Rust backend) + React.

What I'd love feedback on:

1. Does the positioning resonate? "Archive your emails locally" vs "email client" vs "email backup tool"
2. Would you pay for this? What price feels right for a one-time purchase?
3. Any use cases I'm missing that would make this a must-have for you?

Website: https://mailvault.app

Thanks for reading — happy to answer any questions about the technical side or the market.