This article explains the difference between IMAP and POP3. After reading, you may understand which is the better option for you when setting up your email address with email clients and devices.
IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) and POP3 (Post Office Protocol) are two different protocols (methods) used to access email. Each has its own advantages.
IMAP is the better option if you need to check your emails from multiple devices, such as a working laptop, a home computer, a smartphone, tablet, or other mobile devices. Tap into your synced (updated) account from any device with IMAP and emails saved in the server will be accessible.
In cases where your devices like phone or computer are non-functional or inaccessible, you can access your emails online via Webmail. Also see How to access my webmail (URL)?
POP3 on the other hand, downloads email from the server to the device, then deletes it from the server. So POP3 is most useful if you want to keep all your email in one device and check emails there, and not from any other device.
Depending on your personal style of communication and whom you prefer to get your email services from, you can narrow down on how you should use your email. The following are guides you can utilize.
- If you check your email from multiple devices, like phones or computers, it is highly suggested that you setup the email account with IMAP.
- If you use mostly webmail and want your phone or iPad to sync with your webmail, use IMAP as well.
- If you’re using one email client on one dedicated machine (e.g. in your office), you may use POP3.
- If you have a huge history of email and you’re using an old mail provider without a lot of email storage space, you may want to use POP3 to keep from running out of space on the remote email server.
