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Best Free Email Client
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Other Language?
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In a Hurry?
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 Go straight to the Quick Selection Guide |
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Introduction
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With so many clients now in the cloud, rather than on the desktop, email clients have certainly taken a turn over the past few years. So, to differentiate themselves, the desktop clients have become more advanced and offer more and more features to keep customers interested. For most users finding a good email client can mean the difference between getting on with your work or hitting your head against a desk in frustration. Here's a list of the best email clients reviewed and compiled to save you from heart/headache. For ease of use I've split the review into two different categories, desktop and web-based. |
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Discussion
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Mozilla Thunderbird
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 Quick Selection Guide section below. Opera (M2 Mail Client)
DreamMail
The main features are:
Another good feature is the option to create separate accounts for different users, this enables them to have their own email accounts in their profile and the ability to password protect it. Set up is fairly straightforward, you need to copy any POP or IMAP settings across, but this isn't a major problem. Adding web mail accounts is as easy as inputting your web mail address, plus your username and password. The only downside is that it lacks the true portability of a web-based email client, but if that's not something you're worried about then this would be a good option. Foxmail
IncrediMail
The user interface is well polished with basic animations that pop up when you recieve a new email or if you delete one. This is a nice touch but can get in the way, it can however be disabled. Incredimail supports Webmail accounts for GMail, Yahoo, AOL and Windows Live Hotmail.
However, you are required to select the tool-bar integration and have Incredimail as your default search engine before you can proceed. As a basic email client that can handle all of the main accounts, this is a very easy to set up and capable program, but it's limited by the need to upgrade for other main features. eM ClienteM Client is a popular client for Windows (XP - 7) that supports all popular webmails as well as POP3 and IMAP. Upon downloading you get a 30 day free trial, which grants you all the features, but the free license constricts you to only 2 email addresses per user. The user interface for eM Client is certainly very swish (I haven't said that in a while...), and certainly looks and feels premium when using. There are no ads, or gimicks, just a clean interface, not dissimilar to Outlook 2003. Intial setup is very easy, allowing you to import your accounts and settings from the clients already installed on your computer; and even manual setup was very easy, a nice interface to guide you through. eM Client is certainly one of the better looking clients availible for Windows however, the free version is held back by the account restriction to only two email addresses. |
Gmail
Let's get this one done first! Gmail, arguably the most popular webmail client at the moment, intergrating deeply into the Google ecosystem and offering more features than it ever has before. On that note, features wise, it has a lot that you would expect such as:
- works with both POP and IMAP
- arrange emails into folders by adding 'Labels'
- filters
- contacts and tasks can be added and amended.
You'll find you'll get a lot more out of Gmail if you use other Google products. For example, if you use Google+ (which, realistically, you don't, but hypothetically...) you can chat right in the Gmail window, you can also view your circles on the right hand sidebar. Another great feature is Google Labs which is a series of add-ons that you can use to customise your Gmail; it's a very nice feature for more advanced users and it's great to see this amount of customization in a webmail client.
Although Gmail is free, there are ads displayed at the top of the list of emails which is fairly unobtrusive, but can make things look a bit cluttered and at first for me when I tested it, a little confusing as I wasn't expecting it.
You get 10GB of space for free, but if you need more (again, realistically, you won't), Google offer monthly payment plans to get you more space, which can go up to 16TB.
Gmail is at its peak, but there are downsides, the adverts while discrete can annoy some users and the Google+ intergration can seem annoying if you don't use it; however, all that put aside, it's certainly a stylistic, elegant email client and offers a great number of features.
Outlook (The new Hotmail)
Microsoft's really gone all out with it's new metro Modern UI! It's taking all their products by storm, and Hotmail's next on the list. The new user interface is very simple, with the layout of Hotmail remaining largely intact, but with better visuals that newcomers should find more appealing. Setup is fairly simple (or if you have a Microsoft account already, non-existant), like Gmail it provides options to get your old emails forwarded to one email address or access them directly through POP3 support (no IMAP support, I'm afraid).
Some nice features include: being able to delete all emails by a certain sender, or even choosing how many emails from that sender to keep before automatically deleting old ones; automated replies for when you're away from your computer; as well as filters and folder; and all that jazz. Also, being able to import up to 4 POP3 accounts should keep most users satisfied. The built-in contact list 'People' is very modern, as is the calendar, but both put style over fuctionality as it can sometimes be difficult to access the advanced options.
On the down side, if you're not a fan of the UI, it is everywhere and while for the time being you can swap back to Hotmail view, I wouldn't expect that to stick around. Another downside is no IMAP support, but overall Outlook offers a better, cleaner refresh of Hotmail.
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Related Products and Links
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Thunderbird Extensions: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/thunderbird
Webmail Plugin: http://webmail.mozdev.org/index.html
Guide for Migrating from Outlook to Thunderbird: http://opensourcearticles.com/introduction_to_thunderbird
Opera language files can be downloaded here: http://www.opera.com/download/languagefiles/
The vendors website has now acquired a poor WOT (Web Of Trust) rating. We have no reports of issues with the product itself which remains certified by the major download sites. This situation is currently under review.
The FoxMail English FAQ can be foundhere: http://www.hazeleger.net/psjs_faqs/index.html
Note: If after installing, the program comes up in Chinese, all you have to do is delete the file chinese.lgb in the installation folder.
Developer's website is in Chinese.
Gmail Blog http://gmailblog.blogspot.com
Help and Support http://mail.google.com/support/
Supports the following browsers: Google Chrome, Firefox 3.5+, Internet Explorer 7.0+, Safari 3.0+ (Only Google Chrome supports Desktop Notifications)
Help Centre www.incredimail.com/english/help/support.aspx
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Tags
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email client, thunderbird, webmail, outlook, email manager, gmail, hotmail, yahoo mail, contacts |
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Comments
I haven't tested in a very long time, maybe spell check has been added in?
No IMAP though. :-(
According to the latest post I can find in their forum (5th May), they hope to have a spellchecker in the next release. If so this will be a huge boost because the rest of the feature set has been improved and added to regularly :)
I doubt that DreamMail 5.0 will ever come. He promised to release it on Christmas and then said Chinese Christmas. He did the same one or two years ago. DreamMail 5.0 has been announced in 2006. Though if it will come I will definitely test it. Now I am using Windows Live Mail and I like it (switched to it from KoMa Mail yesterday).
A Chinese spellchecker, that could be fun :)
Let us hope it includes our choice of dictionary.
Like Thunderbird but the spam monitor is hopeless,it never remembers the mail you classed as spam.Tried the free anti spam programs but they did not work for me.
this is not the spam block page, but i'll reply.
k9 keir.net-k9.html worked well for me. oe6, tbird 2.
i use web service email, and nowadays mail usually goes into inbox or spambox appropriately. this allows me to use only a minor whitelist approach: filters for people i know.
I've been using Thunderbird for a few years now,.. sometimes try out another email client just to see what's out there but always revert back to Thunderbird 'cos it's so familiar and comfortable to use.
Couple of days ago, I installed a freebie known as "Postbox Express". It's a free basic version of it's big brother which goes by the name of "Postbox" which is a paid for app. Therefore not too sure if it qualifies for Gizmo's site as freeware.
So far, I like using Postbox Express because it seems to be a clone of Thunderbird. Just wondering if there would be any advantage by switching to Postbox Express,.. has anyone out there tried it ?
reviews here:
http://download.cnet.com/Postbox-Express/3000-2367_4-75218356.html
http://themacfeed.com/2010/06/quick-look-postbox-express/
Oh how I miss Eudora.
Do you not like how this development has progressed?
https://wiki.mozilla.org/Eudora_OSE
Not particularly. I used one of the last paid for versions of Eudora which wouldn't work on Vista. I now mainly use webmail but work for one of the last firms in the UK which doesn't have broadband and so still use dial up and need an email program at work. It's there I miss Eudora as it used to be.
Fair comment. I guess I've tried pretty much all of them and like browsers each has something but not necessarily everything that I like, plus these needs vary considerably between user types. I liked eM Client a lot but it's not exactly a light program. They keep telling me the account restrictions will be removed from the free version which supposedly is happening with the next program update (imminent). Otherwise I found Pegasus great if you need that sort of power, or Sylpheed for something more light weight. For myself I've kept coming back to Thunderbird simply because the backup (via MozBackup)has never let me down.
Foxmail does stupid things as well. If you can get past the installer and delete the language file - yes, it's in English. But replying means you don't see the previous mail. Also, although the new mail comes in at the bottom and it scrolls down it places the latest mail above the previous one. Fail.
Sylpheed. NO HTML display or sending. FAIL.
Here's something very straight forward that for some bizarre reason Thunderbird and now Windows Live Mail 2011 have decided to remove:
Autoscrolling to the latest mail, if your display is oldest mail to newset mail descending. This means when new mail arrives, at first glance, you don't see it.
Outlook, Outlook Express, Windows Mail and WLM 2010 all included this originally. Thunderbird - No. There's no explanation as to why either - all you get are Thunderbird fanboys saying that you shouldn't keep your mail in your inbox. Why? It's my choice. Then told that one mail could corrupt your entire mailbox. Well, Outlook Express NEVER did this in YEARS of use. What does that tell you about the stability of Thunderbird?
OK, Thunderbird will show you the latest mail if I have newest mail at the top - but I don't want that. This is such a simple thing. Even Outlook does it.
Anyway - however, Outlook 2010 is by far the most convaluted, complex and unintuitive client that has ever existed. It took me hours to get it right. I hate it.
Yesterday I found EM Client 3. I only use a Gmail account and have found this an absolute pleasure to use. OK, limited to two accounts and it does append a 'sent from emclient' to the bottom of emails - but for the features and simplicity, this is WELL worth it. It autoscrolls as well. I'm loving how simple it is to import from other clients. You can export email in .eml format - which is generally universally recognised. Contacts can be exported a little more clumsily, but they essentially backup as .vcf files.
Nice calendar and chat all integrated. I would recommend, but I've only just heard about Dreammail, so may check that out as well.
EMClient is well worth considering if you want simple to configure, yet pretty powerful client.
I can just add to this -
Dreammail doesn't support scrolling down to new emails if old to new descending is selected...ie, new mail doesn't show at the bottom. Does show at the top, like Thunderbird.
Does import .eml files and .vcf - so moving from EM Client is easy.
Setting up Gmail POP3 was much easier than EM Client.
Certainly doesn't look as slick as EM Client, so will be sticking with it for now. Dreammail is well worth trying out though, especially if you have many accounts.
Last month I received an email saying the account restrictions were being removed "within 48 hours" from the free version. I've emailed them again to find out what's going on. I really liked eM Client apart from the resource use and lack of backup. Backup is supposedly planned for the next version.
Just to update my post above, I am now informed by eM Client that they decided to remove the account restrictions in the free version to coincide with the new release which is due shortly.
As of its release of 3.0 and after installing eM Client they put a mail in your inbox suggesting that you obtain a free license. Once you get the license and enter it in the program, it limits you to two email accounts. Otherwise this would be a stellar program.
You also might want to try TrulyMail (trulymail.com). I've been using it for more than a year and I prefer it over Thunderbird and all the others I've tried.
Don't like that - I want a straightforward client that I can use with Gmail, not have to setup with a trulymail account.
I've been using Spicebird now for sometime. First came across it on a Linux distro I was testing. It is built off of Thunderbird, but I have found it to be more complete with calendar and such built in. I have not experienced any issues using Spicebird. Has anyone else tried this free program?
This would be the key for me:
"This release brings in all the new features that Thunderbird 3.0 brought. Spicebird 0.8 is much more stable compared to the previous versions and has also improved a lot on the user interface".
Stability was poor last time I tried Spicebird but I appreciate the world has moved on since then :D
Thanks for the prompt, I'll take another look at Spicebird myself as soon as I get some time.
Just having a quick look at Spicebird now (on XP). Extension support still seems to be limited. I used MozBackup to transfer by settings from Thunderbird and neither Adblock or Minimize to Tray will work. As a user, do you know of another way to minimize Spicebird into the tray?
I have used Incredimail for about 8 years and have loved it until about the first of the year. It has worked flawlessly and in the last 2 or 3 months has started to crash regularly. I even had problems reinstalling it. The last time that I tried to reinstall it, it could not find any of the files. I had to install it on another computer and then copy the files to the original computer, then it would reinstall. I've had no other issues with my computer. It was a pain but I did not loose any email. However, it is back to messing up and crashing again after about a week. It has become unreliable and unstable which is what brought me here. To find a good reliable program.
I'm in exactly the same situation and think having email in the cloud will reduce my backup problem. I have a Gmail account which may take care of storage but see reports of lost email, so wonder as to its reliability. My contacts were imported automatically, I think, but Incredimail messages can't be moved en masse, so I'll have to leave it in place for a year or two in case material there is needed.
Thunderbird is definitely one of the worst email client softwares I have ever used...
THere is no reason that firefox is good and many people use it so that some people would think that thunderbird is also good...
And why do you say so, kind sir? :D
What are the problems you faced with Thunderbird?
Thunderbird can easily be hacked into. No need for a password when all you have to do is hit cancel every time the incorrect caption box pops up. Anyone can still read your emails and everything personal. they need to fix this glitch.
I am personally having major issues with Thunderbird on a 32 bit Windows 7 laptop. Using IMAP it does not read incoming mail. My 64 bit system (which is set up EXACTLY with the same settings, I compared) works fine. That seems plain stupid.
I absolutely love Thunderbird, have used it for years. However, I recently lost everything on my computer and now even the ISP cannot reconfigure the reinstalled Thunderbird. That's a bit of a problem. My ISP has put me on Windows Mail, which is dreadful.
perhaps you can copy settings from winmail to tbird, side-by-side?
(i think portable mail app would need the same connection settings as any other email app. but portable is easier to backup by regular copy, and perhaps using 7zip)