ThunderJumpA Nostalgy alternative for today's Thunderbird
Nostalgy made Thunderbird fast for keyboard users: type a few letters, land in a folder, file a message. The original stopped at Thunderbird 73. Here is how the add-ons that do this job today compare, with sources.
Side by side
Figures from addons.thunderbird.net and each add-on's own files and listing, checked on 12 October 2026. “Not listed” means the add-on's listing doesn't mention it, not that it is impossible. Corrections welcome on GitHub.
| ThunderJump 1.9 | Nostalgy++ 5.2.10 | Quick Folder Move 3.3.0 | QuickFolders 6.18.1 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basics | ||||
| Price | Free | Free | Free | Free basic version; full features with a yearly license ($6 Standard, $15 Pro) |
| License | MIT (open source) | CC BY-ND 4.0 | MPL 2.0 (open source) | CC BY-ND 4.0 |
| Thunderbird versions (current release on ATN) | 91 → any newertwo builds: 91–139 and 140+, no upper limit | 128 – 157 | 128 – 158 | 140 – 159 |
| Experiment APIs (deep access to Thunderbird internals) | Noneofficial APIs only | 4 | 1 | 4 |
| Download size | ≈ 110 KB | 511 KB | 498 KB | 1.3 MB |
| Last update | 12 Oct 2026 | 9 Sep 2026 | 23 Jun 2025 | 6 Oct 2026 |
| Getting to folders | ||||
| Jump to a folder by typing | ✓ fuzzy, all accounts | ✓ name completion | ✓ | ✓ quickJump |
| Recent folders first | ✓ | not listed | ✓ | not listed |
| Folder shortcuts (j1, named) | ✓ j1–j9, any name, own keys | via the separate Text Insert add-on | not listed | ✓ bookmarked folder tabs |
| Create folders while jumping or moving | ✓ nested paths, date patterns | not listed | not listed | ✓ |
| Folder tab bar | – | – | – | ✓ with categories |
| Filing messages | ||||
| Move by keyboard | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Copy | ✓ optional | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Undo | ✓ moves and tags: Ctrl+Z, history | not listed | not listed | not listed |
| Rules / suggested folders | ✓ rules + learned from your moves (optional) | ✓ rules, learned suggestions | – | – |
| Tags | ✓ undoable (optional) | – | ✓ | – |
| Searching mail | ||||
| Search page | ✓ facets (folder, sender, year), bulk move, drag and drop | ✓ Search++ tab | – | – |
| Keys | ||||
| Default keys | Ctrl+Shift+Space, Alt+Shift+M | Alt+G, Alt+S, Alt+C, … | Ctrl+Shift+N | Ctrl+Q, F10 |
| Rebind keys | ✓ own settings page | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Why the “Experiment APIs” row matters
Experiment APIs let an add-on reach directly into Thunderbird's own code. That allows features the official API doesn't offer, but Thunderbird changes that code often, so these add-ons cap the Thunderbird versions they accept and need a new release after many Thunderbird updates. The add-ons' own listings describe this:
Nostalgy++
Its listing points users of Thunderbird 153/155 to a GitHub download while the version on addons.thunderbird.net catches up.
QuickFolders
Its listing has a “Thunderbird 143 problems” note about a new version awaiting review and a false incompatibility warning after an update.
ThunderJump
Uses only official MailExtension APIs, declares no upper version limit, and runs its test suite inside real Thunderbird builds, from 91 up to the newest release, on every change.
This is a trade-off, not a verdict: Experiment APIs are how QuickFolders draws its tab bar and Nostalgy++ hooks single keys into the mail window, which official APIs can't do today.
Which one should you use?
ThunderJump
You want a fast keyboard jumper with shortcuts, folder creation, move/copy/tag with undo, suggestions and a search page, that keeps working after Thunderbird updates.
Nostalgy++
You want Nostalgy's classic key set, archiving, or its Search++ tab with message preview.
Quick Folder Move
You mainly need move, copy and tag from one small popup.
QuickFolders
You prefer a visible bar of favorite folders as tabs, with categories.
They can be installed side by side, so trying ThunderJump costs nothing: install it, press Ctrl+Shift+Space, and type.
Coming from Nostalgy
| Nostalgy G (go to folder) | ThunderJump Ctrl+Shift+Space, type, Enter |
| Nostalgy S (move) | Alt+Shift+M, or type move name in the palette |
| Saved folder shortcuts | :jj1 / :jj name to save, j1 / :j name to jump, Alt+1…9 |
| Single-letter keys | Thunderbird only gives official-API add-ons keys with Ctrl/Alt or function keys alone. Set Alt+G, F2 or similar under :keys. |
Sources: addons.thunderbird.net pages for Nostalgy, Nostalgy++, Quick Folder Move, QuickFolders and their public API data; Experiment API counts and default keys from each add-on's manifest; QuickFolders prices from its license store.