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Best Free Email Client
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Other Language?
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 Read this article in Spanish |
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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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Editor
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This software category is in need of an editor. If you would like to give something back to the freeware community by taking it over, check out this page for more details. You can then contact us from that page or by clicking here |
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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
For business you might consider Outlook rather than Outlook Express as they are very different and have different capabilities. Outlook is not a free email client, but may come free with Office and maybe other programs. I did not know how many more things it can do than Outlook Express. Outlook Express is just a sub-part of Internet Explorer and Outlook is a complete program with client list, calendar, search capable, etc., etc.,and to my estimation is much more capable for business than Outlook Express. I seem to have problems trying to convert to IMAP in O. Express. I tried the latest 8 Eudora, and like others here, find it difficult or a bit difficult to configure, etc..
Someone should create a companion Email client to go along with Open Office 3.1 which would do what Outlook can do! Naahh, Bill Gates probably wouldn't like that at all.
Do NOT trust Thunderbird. I had uninstalled it and it left behind a 1 gig file of every email I had deleted!
I am not a Thunderbird user for it is lacking in many of the features I've come to expect in a well-rounded e-mail client. My preference is Pegasus Mail, as near perfect an e-mail client as I've ever used, and I've used it for many years. I often wonder why it rarely appears in most freeware listings.
I would like to see a test of incredimail (though it seems it adds ads to every email sent).
is there any program which autamatically filters the messages as you have created filters in your email account???
Yes, Eudora 7 filters your incoming (or received) messages, and transfers them to designated folders ("mailboxes"). It is free and runs on most Windows systems.
Apologies - I gave my email address wrong. It needs "06" (for the year 2006) before the @.
I have found PoP peeper to be the best for me. Its is outrageously simple and useful.
poppeeper is NOT an email client, it's merely a pop3 checker albeit a good one.
I would like to see DreamMail and KoMa-Mail tested. The website from KoMa-Mail is http://www.koma-code.de/ (English). The official website from DreamMail is Chinese, but there is also an Englisch website available at http://www.dreammail.eu/intl/en/home.html . Both Programs are portable (just unzip them and use them).
[Moderator's Note : Link to non-English site removed. Not allowed.]
Just a site note. DreamMail 5 is in the works and said to have IMAP support. It should be available this year (hopefully before December). There will be some more changes though.
I'm waiting for v5 since without proper unicode support it's worthless for me :(
Lets hope one of them is a spell check :)
Seems to be not mentioned. I only read new engine, unicode support, skin support, SQLite3, Schedules / Tasks / Reminders, IMAP, "clues" and business models support (business contacts, share contacts, etc. for enterprise applications).
Shame. Thanks for the info though.
Thunderbird Sucks!
I had been a very satisfied user for years when suddenly several weeks ago, I stopped being able to send.
The forum was no help, and I found several others with the same problem. In frustration I started using Foxmail, which functioned perfectly, albeit with fewer functions.
But I tried TB once again and was pleasantly surprised to find that it suddenly worked.
Then I updated to the latest version. It worked for about 3 days, then stopped sending again. Outside of the update, I had changed nothing. I noted from the forum that the problem exists for others, too. [A sentence here is removed]
It is simply not the program it used to be, and should be taken from your list. I'm sitting at my desk with dozens of emails to send, and almost helpless. I'll load foxmail and Opera and get the emails out at a the cost of a large amount of time lost downloading, installing, locating and re-typing addresses, and groups, re-keying signatures. This "free" program just cost me several hundred dollars.
Tom Markham
[Edit: Software suggestions and issues, except for impolite or abusive arguments, are welcome.]
I also rejected Thunderbird after trying it two separate times. I really wanted to like it, since I use and LOVE Firefox. I really wanted to have all those add-ons available since I love to tweak and fine tune the software I use on a daily basis. IN the end however I found Thunderbird to be inferior to Outlook.
To be fair, it has been a couple of years since I gave Thunderbird a shot. They might have improved since then.
Hello
I think you are using 64bit machine. Thunderbird 3.x is not compatible with 64bit machine yet.
Arshad
Well, are you saying now that you haven't found the right e-mail client?
I personally also did not have comfortable experience with Thunderbird.
You mentioned that you found Foxmail working perfectly, do less functions in Foxmail hinder your work?
My only suggestion right now is to try to stick to Foxmail for a while, whle trying other e-mail clients.
I recommend Sylpheed(or Claws Mail) from my past experience.
I was just starting to become the editor of this page, so I found your feedback is extremely valuable.
Diaz
I am using Incredimail......Is there a comparable program , and can I import my contacts and emails from incredimail?
I used to use Incredimail, but switched to WikMail (www.wikmail.com), which has both a free and pro version. The programs are similar and it seems to me that Wikmail is more stable. You can export your Incredimail contacts to a CSV file and than import them into WikMail.
I tried A LOT of e-mail clients out there, whether free or otherwise but so far none ever managed to replace Outlook for me, especially when it came to Arabic support.
I suggest all to try www.everdesk.com which has a free email client version. It is good and has nice features, appearance wise is like Outlook. Other good email clients worth a try: Koomail and Spicebird.
But ofcoure, in the end nothing beats MS Outlook.
I've been using Thunderbird and only it for e-mail for years and previously used the email tool in the Mozilla suite, which I kept installed and updated after switching to Firefox and Thunderbird for my regular Internet apps. I uninstalled Seamonkey over the past several months, but just reinstalled it over the past few days due to needing an html editor and the one in Seamonkey being good enough for my present needs.
Foxmail and Pegasus Mail:
But I just downloaded Foxmail and, upon the recommendation that a user posted here, Pegasus Mail and will check both of these out. Of the little I've read over the past half hour or so about PM, it apparently has higher security than all other e-mail apps. People can quickly look that over in the download page at Softpedia for "Pegasus Mail". The developer, whose website is pmail.com like the other reader here said, also provides an e-mail server that sounds very good and some readers here might be interested in this as well.
Midnight Cowboy and Seamonkey:
MC posted a comment saying that he has found that Seamonkey's better than Opera now that more add-ons are available for SM. After re-installing SM a couple of days ago, I checked out some of the add-ons and there are apparently some potentially useful ones, but I didn't find ports of some that I use with Firefox, so went to the Firefox add-ons part of mozilla.org to try to install some of my favorite add-ons there in SM and this failed. I downloaded a few of the add-ons and modified the minimum version in one or two of them, in the .idf files, to see if this'd make a difference and these add-ons are still not installable with SM.
As someone posted in the SM section at mozilla.org, it seems that while it was reported or said that SM 2.x is using the same code as Firefox, this apparently is not true; not fully anyway. Otherwise, as the user said or inferred, add-ons for Firefox should install in SM; I guess as long as the minimum version number is 2.0.x, whatever the version of SM is. I tested that by modifying the min. version and then trying to install the extension again, but this also didn't work. So it seems to be necessary to get into the actual code for these extensions and trying to figure out what needs to be modified in the code. It'd take me quite while to be able to do that, since I'm not familiar with the programming language(s) used. So I won't be doing that anytime soon due to lack of time.
That's getting off-topic for it has nothing to do with e-mail apps, but will add that I now have Firefox, Thunderbird, SM and Opera installed, and will keep them all updated as I always do with these apps. Sometimes Web pages don't load properly in Firefox and Opera has come in handy when this has happened.
The e-mail tools in SM and Opera are surely both good. The one in the Mozilla suite is the e-mail app. that I used prior to switching to Thunderbird and I never had any problems. It might have had and possibly might still have limitations for other people, but provides everything I need, so far.
Thunderbird and GMail problem:
A reader here posted a comment in 2009 about Thunderbird apparently not working with GMail at that time and I've had problems of this sort ongoingly.
When first adding the gmail account in Thunderbird I can then both receive and send, but while the receiving continues to work, the sending quickly comes to fail and this is strange, for it happens without any configuration changes that I'm aware of or make.
When freshly installing Thunderbird and letting the install process create the gmail account in the app., this works, and I think it also first worked when I added the gmail account myself after Thunderbird was installed. But, and in the latter case anyway, sending using the gmail account doesn't work for long. Within a matter of days the sending fails and this is repeated from that point onward.
I haven't done a search of either mozilla.org, mozillazine.org, or Google yet to see if anyone has posted about this problem there and I should do this. For now I just use my Yahoo! account for sending and when wanting replies to go to my gmail account, then I add my gmail address for "Reply To"; where a person might otherwise not specify anything, or would specify, f.e., an address for CC.
If this problem was due to malware, then I don't see why my Yahoo! account through Thunderbird would continue to work for receiving [and] sending e-mails, both. So malware shouldn't be the problem; unless it'd be malware that targets gmail users and not users of Yahoo! Mail. I don't see why anyone making malware that hypothetically might be causing this problem would target GMail and not Yahoo! Mail though.
Gmail definitely is far better than Yahoo!. I have not received any spam or junk at all with the gmail account, but get plenty with the Yahoo mail account. We can add filters in Thunderbird, but I've noticed that some spammers and malicious senders modify their sending email addresses and I don't feel like adding filters every time this damn trick is used.
Gmail is greatly "clean as a whistle", but there's this clench-my-teeth problem with sending e-mails in Thunderbird. That doesn't happen if I use the GMail website with a Web browser; only happening when trying to send using Thunderbird.
If anyone reading this has had this Thunderbird-GMail problem and learned what the solution is, then it might be good to mention this here since this page promotes the use of Thunderbird and many people use it and gmail, both. If it's not a short explanation, then the forums here would evidently be the place to post the solution, but I doubt that the solution requires a long explanation.
I've just tried Thunderbird after Outlook has crashed for the third time. I'm having the same problem with Thunderbird you had. Their help advice isn't solving the problem. Uninstalled and reinstalled twice. Dumping it and moving on.
I only experienced the Gmail "send" issue once and it was definitely caused by Immunet Protect. Their advice was to make an exclusion rule for these two files until they were able to release a fix build:
nsmail.tmp and
C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Application
Data\Thunderbird\Profiles\
Unfortunately, due to other demands I had already uninstalled Immunet by this time and so was unable to verify if this worked. Doubtless if Immunet can cause this then so might other security software.
Please, it would be good if such a long discussion is carried out in the forum, because such a long comment here takes up a lot of valuable vertical space. Forum are specially for such discussions.
I just tried to edit my post to replace the Thunderbird-GMail problem with the following link for the post that I just made, but your reply blocked being able to edit the post.
http://www.techsupportalert.com/freeware-forum/general-computer-support/...
Should I delete this comment of yours since you posted in the forum?
Post says that 64 bit Thunderbird is available, but I don't see a link. Where is it? Thanks.