Sperry Software vs AutoPrintEmail: Which Email Printer Wins?

You searched "automatically print Outlook emails" and found Sperry Software.

Their Auto Print add-in has been around for years. It hooks into Outlook and prints emails based on rules. Sounds exactly like what you need.

Then you read the fine print. Outlook required. Windows only. COM add-in. Subscription pricing.

Hmm.

Let's do a proper comparison.

Table of Contents

• What Sperry Software Auto Print Is
• What AutoPrintEmail Is
• The Fundamental Difference
• The COM Add-in Problem
  • They break after updates
  • They slow down Outlook
  • They're being deprecated
  • Outlook must be running
• Feature Comparison
• Pricing Comparison
• When Sperry Software Makes Sense
• When AutoPrintEmail Makes Sense
• The New Outlook Factor
• Migration from Sperry Software to AutoPrintEmail
• TL;DR

What Sperry Software Auto Print Is

Sperry Software makes a suite of Outlook add-ins. Their "Auto Print" add-in is the one we're looking at.

It installs as a COM add-in inside Microsoft Outlook. When an email arrives that matches your rules, it prints automatically.

What it offers:

• Auto-print emails based on sender, subject, folder
• Print attachments
• Works inside Outlook's rule system
• Been around since the early 2000s

What it requires:

• Microsoft Outlook (desktop, Classic version)
• Windows operating system
• Outlook must be running at all times
• COM add-in architecture

Sperry Software has built a solid product for the Outlook ecosystem. No question about that. They've been in the game a long time.

What AutoPrintEmail Is

AutoPrintEmail is a standalone desktop application.

It doesn't live inside Outlook. It doesn't need Outlook installed at all. It connects directly to your email provider -- Gmail, Outlook/Office 365, or any IMAP server -- and prints matching emails.

What it offers:

• Auto-print emails and attachments
• Filter by sender, subject, folder/label
• Gmail, Outlook, and IMAP support
• Runs independently of any email client
• Works on Windows, Mac, and Linux

What it requires:

• Download and install the app
• Connect your email account
• A printer

That's it.

The Fundamental Difference

Sperry Software is an Outlook add-in. It extends Outlook.

AutoPrintEmail is a standalone app. It replaces the need for Outlook (for printing, anyway).

This isn't a minor distinction. It affects everything: reliability, compatibility, pricing, and future-proofing.

The COM Add-in Problem

Let's talk about COM add-ins. This is important because it's the core of how Sperry Software works.

COM (Component Object Model) is a Microsoft technology from the 1990s. COM add-ins hook into Outlook's internal processes. They load when Outlook starts and run inside Outlook's memory space.

Why this matters:

They break after updates

Every time Microsoft updates Outlook, COM add-ins risk breaking. New security policies, changed APIs, updated interfaces -- any of these can disable an add-in overnight.

If you've used Outlook add-ins for any length of time, you know the drill. Monday morning, Outlook updated over the weekend, and your auto-print stopped working. You didn't change anything. Microsoft did.

They slow down Outlook

COM add-ins load into Outlook's process. A misbehaving add-in can slow down email loading, cause crashes, or increase memory usage. Outlook even has a built-in "slow add-in" detector that disables add-ins it thinks are causing performance issues.

They're being deprecated

Microsoft has been moving away from COM add-ins for years. The New Outlook (which is replacing Classic Outlook) does not support COM add-ins at all.

Microsoft's recommended migration path is to web-based Office Add-ins. But web-based add-ins can't print to local printers. So there's no migration path for printing add-ins.

This means Sperry Software's Auto Print has an expiration date. It works as long as Classic Outlook exists. Microsoft says Classic Outlook will be supported until at least 2029. After that? Nobody knows.

Outlook must be running

COM add-ins only work when Outlook is running. Close Outlook, close the add-in. Restart your computer, Outlook doesn't auto-start, emails don't print.

AutoPrintEmail runs independently. It starts with your computer and runs in the background. Outlook can be closed, uninstalled, or not even present on the machine.

Feature Comparison

The feature sets are similar for basic auto-printing. Where they diverge is platform support, independence from Outlook, and future compatibility.

Pricing Comparison

Sperry Software Auto Print:

• $49.95 for a single license
• Subscription model for updates and support
• Additional cost for their "bundle" packages
• Per-machine licensing

AutoPrintEmail:

• $99 one-time
• Lifetime license
• All updates included
• Unlimited emails and prints

AutoPrintEmail costs more upfront. But there's no subscription, no renewal, no "your license expired" emails. One payment, done.

When Sperry Software Makes Sense

Let's be fair. Sperry Software isn't a bad product. It makes sense if:

• You're committed to Classic Outlook for the foreseeable future
• Your entire team is on Windows
• You already use other Sperry Software add-ins
• You only need Outlook email printing (no Gmail, no IMAP)
• You're comfortable with COM add-in maintenance

If that's your situation, Sperry Software does the job. They've been doing it for 20+ years.

When AutoPrintEmail Makes Sense

AutoPrintEmail is the better choice if:

• You use Gmail (Sperry doesn't support it at all)
• You're on Mac or Linux
• You don't want to depend on Outlook being open
• Your organization is migrating to New Outlook
• You want a lifetime license instead of subscriptions
• You need MFA/Modern Auth support without Outlook as middleware
• You want one tool that works across all email providers

This covers most modern businesses. Especially ones that:

• Use Gmail for business
• Have mixed Windows/Mac environments
• Are being pushed to New Outlook by IT
• Want printing to work 24/7 regardless of what apps are open

The New Outlook Factor

This is the elephant in the room.

Microsoft is replacing Classic Outlook with New Outlook. The transition is happening. COM add-ins won't work in New Outlook. Sperry Software's Auto Print won't work in New Outlook.

If you invest in Sperry Software today, you're investing in a platform with a known end-of-life. Maybe that's 2029. Maybe later. But it's coming.

AutoPrintEmail doesn't care about Outlook versions. It connects to Microsoft's servers directly, not through Outlook. New Outlook, Classic Outlook, no Outlook -- makes no difference.

We covered this transition in detail in our batch print Outlook emails guide.

Migration from Sperry Software to AutoPrintEmail

Already using Sperry Software and want to switch? Here's how:

1. Document your current rules. Open Sperry's settings and note each auto-print rule (sender, subject, folder, printer).
2. Install AutoPrintEmail. Download and install.
3. Connect your email. Add your Outlook/Office 365 account via OAuth.
4. Recreate your filters. Each Sperry rule becomes an AutoPrintEmail filter.
5. Test both side by side. Run both for a few days to confirm AutoPrintEmail catches everything.
6. Disable Sperry. Once verified, uninstall the Sperry add-in.

The whole process takes about 15 minutes. Your print rules carry over one-to-one.

TL;DR

Sperry Software = Outlook COM add-in. Windows only. Requires Outlook running. Subscription pricing. Won't work with New Outlook.

AutoPrintEmail = Standalone app. Works with Gmail, Outlook, IMAP. Runs independently. Mac/Windows/Linux. $99 lifetime.

Try AutoPrintEmail Free

Just $99 for lifetime access. No add-ins. No Outlook dependency. No subscription. See the full Sperry Software comparison, read our automated email printing guide, or check out our Outlook and Gmail integrations.

Sperry Software built a good product for Outlook's past.

AutoPrintEmail is built for email printing's future.