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 Mozilla Thunderbird is a free open source POP and IMAP email client developed by Mozilla.org, the same folks who brought you Firefox. Feature-wise it sits somewhere between Outlook Express and Outlook, which means that it offers an upgrade to Express users and a downgrade to those who use the more advanced PIM features of Outlook. Additional features can be added through free extensions. Notable among these is Webmail, an extension that allows POP3 access to webmail services operated by Yahoo, Hotmail, Lycos, MailDotCom, Gmail and Libero. Thunderbird email files can be indexed by the Google, Yahoo! and Copernic desktop search programs.
Outlook Express users should seriously consider switching. You’ll be rewarded with a more advanced product with these features:
On top of that, the product is more secure than Outlook Express and, unlike the latter, is still being actively developed. Switching is made easier by the fact that Thunderbird looks and works similar to Outlook Express. Tools within Thunderbird also allow you to easily import your Outlook Express account settings and stored email. If you need assistance, there is an excellent guide from Mozilla available for download in the "Product Specifications" section below.
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2.0.14 
Unrestricted Freeware 
Windows 98-Vista, Mac OS-X, Various Linux Distros
Portable version available
This software category is maintained by volunteer editor Joe Bennett. Registered site visitors can contact Joe by clicking here.
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I wonder if any of you experts can help. I currently use Outlook Express but have problems with stationary that I send to clients along with normal text.
When they reply the screen shows multiple copies of the stationary obscuring the text etc. Is this a known problem and how can I fix it? I read with great interest the review and comments regarding Thunderbird but again I need to import stationary into Thunderbird that I currently am using. Is this possible?
Thanks for any assistance and fantastic site.
Mozilla Thunderbird all the way! The additional plug-ins that you can add to this client are very flexible! You can add your free based Hotmail and Yahoo web based accounts to Thunderbird once the needed plug-ins are installed. Top notch e-mail client!
I use a desktop mail client to access my mail from home, and a really impressive Silverlight based mail client to access my mail from everywhere else:
http://silvermail.com.au
It is a simple mail client, ie, it doesn't have any of the bells and whistles... it is quite handy when checking my mail when I am not at home (at the office, on holidays etc...).
Simon Mailor.
Has anyone tried "Sylpheed",.. I haven't read any reviews and I'm curious to know how it stacks up.
I tried Sylpheed on Linux and really liked it. Doesn't compare to my preferred client Evolution but then it's not designed to. For anyone just wanting a lightweight, simple to setup and understand program though this is well worth considering. I would certainly use it if I didn't have a need for the other features in Evolution.
hello MC
2 times I tried to install evolution email for testing but it will not execute
Appearantly it has a windows version , but somehow this cannot be ibstalled
Do you have any recommendations or hints, please?
Qeqe
Unless you have a conflict with some of your system settings this issue may have been caused by the Evolution installer itself. I don't know how long it's been since you last tried this but the last two upgrades have both included improvements to the installer. This version is from July 7th.
http://www.softpedia.com/get/Internet/E-mail/E-mail-Clients/Evolution-fo...
Thanks for your advice Midnight Cowboy,..I guess that everybodys needs are different and what suits one person doesn't necessarily suit another. I've been using Thunderbird for a couple of years now with no problems but I like to look outside the square every now and again to see if there's anything better.
You're right. I too was a Thunderbird user but always felt the resource use a little too high which on my previous system was a real concern. I discovered Foxmail at that point and then Evolution when I dual booted my new PC with Ubuntu. For me the layout of Evolution works with mail, notes, tasks, calendar etc., all in one place. I'd also use it on my Windows partition as there is a version available but unfortunately it doesn't support x64 Vista.
Windows Mail should be in this list . Its free and works good .
have u heard that windows xp fail? and windows vista didn't work? the same is going to happen with 7, stop using this crap we are trying to have a real convertation about software that really works. Has escuchado que el windows xp no sirvio? y el windows vista fallo? lo mismo va a pasar con 7. Asi que deja de usar sus programas porque nosotros tratamos de tener una conversacion sobre programas que SI sirven.
Another free Email client is Pegasus Mail. Maybe someone wants to try it out: http://www.pmail.com/
Pegasus mail seems to be in financial trouble. Best avoid it.
Can you provide a link to substantiate this claim please? All I'm aware of is this one going back to the beginning of 2007 so it would be good to see an update.
http://www.pmail.com/helpus.htm
http://www.pmail.com/
http://www.pmail.com/openletter.htm
So, basically this is just a slightly more comprehensive re-write of the appeal he published almost three years ago. This is not unusual, and a situation which I'm sure the majority of single developers can identify with. Some much bigger fish have also sunk due to similar problems over this same period. I can't from personal experience say how good Pegasus Mail is because I've never used it but he certainly seems to have a strong following. Let's hope that he's able to build on the promises received so far to keep the project alive.
Thanks for coming back with these links.
Try
# Windows Live Mail
Okay, here is my need...
I use an email client for EMAIL ONLY!!!
No RSS, no Usenet, no nothing like that! Don't want any of that!
I use Agent for usenet and don't even know what RSS is and don't want to,
even if you think I should! Hahaha! :)
What is the best for JUST EMAIL?, with the best EMAIL ONLY features?
Don't care what else it does and the less I have to deal with in
setting it up (not wanting to deal with other things), the better! :)
Please talk to me like I'm six years old. :)
Anyone? :)
Oh yea, it must handle multiple email accounts for multiple ISP's, with separate inboxes and sent folders and stuff and it must automatically put the right "From" account into the compose window, when I go to write an email from that account.
I.e., With TBird, if I click on the Inbox from an account and then click on "Write", it automatically puts that account into the "From" box.
And I need it to be able to handle attachments of files and pics, etc..
And a way cool address book would be nice! :)
Thanks! :)
WindowS Live MaiL!
I think foxmail is great.
Foxmail 5 violates RFC822 by sending user names, subject, and other message headers in raw GB2312 as a result can be marked as spam by anti-spam measures:
pts rule name description
---- ---------------------- --------------------------------------------------
0.1 FROM_NO_LOWER From address has no lower-case characters
4.3 SUBJ_ILLEGAL_CHARS Subject: has too many raw illegal characters
1.6 HEAD_ILLEGAL_CHARS Headers have too many raw illegal characters
I love Thunderbird, but am seriously considering changing email clients because resent versions of Thunderbird does not include images when forwarding a message.
I searched high and low for a way to fix this, but to no avail!
Are they ever going to resolve the forwarding bug as far as images being stripped out? It seems to have been around for quite a long time.
I don't understand your problem. I get images in TBird. I too, have been considering changing, but not for that reason.
Would you like to exchange emails and see what happens? Maybe an update now strips them out?
I have Win 7 and the lack of an email client suddenly made me go through all the options available...I have Outlook, but for personal mail it's overkill and too "busy". I have to say I like the simple functionality of Windows Mail built in with Vista - I'm not into webmail and have 3 ISP email accounts in two countries and WM lets me check these quickly and efficiently. Windows Mail can be made to work in 7 - have a look at:
http://www.mydigitallife.info/2009/06/05/download-windows-mail-from-vist...
It works even if the method is a bit fiddly. None of the other clients have tempted me away...yet! Of course there are other progs such as Zimbra Desktop, Pegasus and Mulberry among others. So many programs so little time!
Emailaya is so easy to handle,even for people
like me with no know how about software, and its free.
Pedrazzoli
I tried Foxmail yesterday and really liked it except for one weird issue. When set to auto start with Windows (XP Pro SP3) I could not shutdown the system at the end of a session. Items on the taskbar disappeared until reaching Foxmail then freeze. The only way around was to switch the power off. Has anyone else encountered this with Foxmail?
I had a similar problem. Are you using Comodo Internet Security? When yes uninstall it and see what happens.
Kurt
Thanks Kurt, you sound like me! Comodo is the first thing I usually query in the forum if someone has a conflict issue!
I've sort of got mine sorted now though. I was testing BullGuard Internet Security at the time which just wouldn't live with Foxmail under any circumstances so I briefly switched back to Thunderbird. Having returned the machine back to Avira though everything is fine so long as Foxmail isn't still active in the tray when I try to shut down. If it is my system hangs but will then shut down at the second attempt, so no real agro. I know it's a "candy" thing but I do love working with Foxmail simply because (for me) the interface is so much nicer.
What about this one? http://www.incredimail.com/english/home.aspx (Incredimail) - though it may seems like it'll be resource heavy - not sure.
It is - can also be very slow to load - Sometimes it hangs around for a few minutes before you are able to view email.
Took ages to delete stuff as well
I tried Windows Live Mail but it's very cumbersome especially if you want to check multiple accounts as having to empty each account indivually detracts from it's usefulness
There are "views" you can setup in Windows Mail to view "All Inbox" or "Unread e-mail". They are located under "Quick Views" and you can select form several different views. Makes reading all your email very easy regardless of which account it comes from.
What about Postbox? The current beta version is free though it may not be free when it comes out of beta. emailaya is also a good choice.
Emailaya is indeed best,while Postbox seems will cost a bit.
I've looked at Postbox and for all intents and purposes, I see absolutely no difference between it and Thunderbird. The installation is the same (It even has the same exact phrasing for each step in the installation process). The menus are layed out exactly the same. So really I don't see much point in recommending it when I already recommend Thunderbird.
I haven't found a threaded conversation extension for Thunderbird, so I'm looking at Postbox as an offline client that gives me that Gmail-like threaded feel that I apparently can't live without. :) -Steve
Thunderbird has built-in thread support! Just head up to the menu bar, and go to: View > Sort By > Threaded.
I know, it's certainly not the most logical place to put that option.
Just tried Windows Live Mail last night. Switching from Outlook Express which I like, but Microsoft suggested I switch or else, as they are replacing OE.
Works pretty well. Similar to OE. Install was easy. Seems a lot faster to download the mail.
Only problem is that in the address book (called contacts)everyone is listed by their nicknames. And these aren't nicknames that I choose, but rather the first part of the email address. For instance, if your name is Bob Johnson and your email is Frodo123@hotmail you are listed as Frodo123.
After much fooling around I was able to change it in the address book, but when composing an email and clicking on the "to" I still had the same problem. The only solution I found was to go through each email address and delete the nickname. As I have over 600 contacts it is a real pain.
I'm fed up with Windows Live Mail after 5 minutes - everything being sent to junk - Multiple accounts with it an absolute nightmare - Think I'll be uninstalling ASAP
Well I downloaded numerous email clients that sounded good and after trying them out in search of a new email client I can't help but to say I believe that Dreammail is the best option, I've downloaded some things that quite honestly probably shouldn't have seen the light of day for email clients... To save the users trouble I'm not going to list the vast selection of clients I've tried because during alot of my install/uninstall ordeal I had avast popup with trojans at times... So I'll keep ya safe
Check out DreamMail:
http://www.softpedia.com/get/Internet/E-mail/E-mail-Clients/DreamMail.sh...
- Shane -
Why there is no Windows Live Mail? It's not part of any MS OS and it's free. The latest version is 14.0.8064.0206. It's on par with Thunderbird, and has some things which are out of Thunderbird like calendar.
And no Zimbra Desktop? It targets on Outlook. The latest version is 1.0.1537.
Several of the "Best Free..." articles here leave out MS products, even (as you say) optional ones! I think some people here just refuse to rate MS products, which sucks for us!
That certainly isn't our policy, but you have to accept that all our Editors are unpaid volunteers and only have limited time to devote to this site.
You might think of Registering; which would allow you to easily write about MS products (& any others) so we can all benefit from your rating.
I have used many clients Outlook, Outlook express, foxmail, thunderbird, Evolution in linux and windows, Eudora and few others but overall i liked three email clients Outlook express, thunderbird and Foxmail for their ease of use and features but one thing i am missing in foxmail is imap support.....
__________________________
ceveni
www.ceveni.com
These are the three I use: Foxmail for work, Outlook Express for personal and Thunderbird for everything else... online throwaways, blogging, e-lists, e-commerce signups, etc...
Comodo SecureEmail is not, strictly speaking, another email client, it's rather an additional layer of security. "Comodo SecureEmail may not operate correctly with the following software: Panda Antivirus; Avira AntiVir Premium; CA Internet Security Suite; PC Tools Antivirus; Kaspersky Internet Security 2009; ArcaVir 2008" (FAQ).
lloonn
Important question to answer here - How does Windows Live Mail compare?
So I decided to do my own short investigation and I installed:
FoxMail
DreamMail
KooMail
and ya know what I found ? I found the following info:
All 3 progs are built by the same main company they just have different sub companies under each.
Although DreamMail & KooMail are my two fav's outta the 3 KooMail uses roughly 10mb while idle (and minimized to system tray) where as DreamMail only uses 1mb.
So even though I have as well as one other person have been pushing for KooMail to be posted on this list I really think that DreamMail needs to be instead I also found the problem with KooMail as at times it really really dislikes opening links in browsers as it comes up with that task switcher popup that windows has.
So Joe I think that DreamMail should be posted up there instead of KooMail and keep FoxMail up there too as I think that ya should show 4 email clients as DreamMail (much similar to Koo) has all built in:
Back Up
RSS
Address Book
Rather easy setup of gmail addys
Plus it's still being updated.
Those are my thoughts even though it maybe that Dream may not make it to the list I will always strongly recommend it since I first came across it I have tried one or two others to see what they're like but I always go back to dream, so if it doesn't make it I'll still stand by Joe's choosing for what he feels is the best free email client (even though I may not use any of'em)
- Shane -
Shane,
Thanks for you input. I'm going to be doing an update to this category this weekend and will make a final decision on these products at that time.
Joe
Has anybody tried Simple Mail?
It's an add-on for Firefox
Works really well
Very simple and aesthetically pleasing too
Supports pop and smtp
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