Many people believe that all email service providers are the same and differ only in price, but this is not true.


This is similar to saying that FedEx and UPS are the same since they provide mail delivery services. Nonetheless, POP3 and IMAP services are also different, as I discovered in 2010 when I founded a web development agency and had trouble accessing my emails on devices other than those in my home office. I used a POP3 email client, which was not suitable for my business, and missed out on several potential clients due to late responses.

POP3 has various advantages, but I learned the hard way that it does not suit everyone's needs. In consequence, I started using both POP3 and IMAP, learning more about them while using various email providers. I now recommend seven of the best POP3 and IMAP email providers, as listed below:

Top 3 Hosts | Others (4) | FAQs

1. A2Hosting.com
A2 Hosting review
Monthly Starting Price
$2.99

 
FREE software for webmail, newsletters, contact forms, list management, and spam filtering
Unlimited inboxes, forwarding, and autoresponders
Secure POP3, IMAP, and SMTP messaging
Unlimited storage and transfer with FREE SSL
Get more than 75% off today (was $7.99/month)
Get started on A2 Hosting now.
 

2. Hostinger.com
Hostinger review
Monthly Starting Price
$1.99

 
Easily import contacts, messages, and calendars
FREE domain name with annual plan
1-click integrations with 50+ productivity tools
Collaborate with polls, shared to-do lists
Less than $1 per mailbox per month!
Get started on Hostinger now.
 
These hosts look promising and have good ratings from users. A2 Hosting, for example, offers a high-speed, secure infrastructure, and multiple spam filtering programs to ensure deliverability. It supports both POP3 and IMAP protocols and has automatic backups, making it a safe email provider. On the other hand, Hostinger offers a free domain name with an annual plan, and tools for collaboration like polls and shared to-do lists.

Great email providers with robust productivity tools:

Gmail (Google Workspace):
- Part of the Google Workspace suite, integrates with Google's productivity apps like Docs, Sheets, Slides, Calendar, Meet, Drive
- Clean, intuitive interface with powerful search and organization features
- Smart Reply and Smart Compose for faster email composition
- Email scheduling, snoozing, and nudging to improve productivity
- Tasks, Notes, and integrated to-do list for central task management
- Seamless collaboration with the ability to share emails and documents
- 30GB of storage on the basic plan, more on higher tiers
- Advanced security and administrative controls for enterprise use

Microsoft 365 (Outlook):
- Flagship email client from Microsoft, deeply integrated with Office apps
- Traditional email experience with robust calendar, contacts, and task features
- Integrates with OneDrive, SharePoint, Teams for file sharing and collaboration
- Intuitive workflow features like email templates, quick parts, and send later
- Focused Inbox and other AI-powered organization and productivity tools
- Large 50GB mailbox and ability to send files up to 150MB
- Enterprise-grade security and compliance features for businesses

Zoho Mail:
- Part of the extensive Zoho productivity suite of apps and services
- Clean, mobile-friendly email interface with robust search and organization
- Templates, follow-up reminders, mailbox delegation for team collaboration
- Integrates with other Zoho apps like Writer, Sheets, Projects, CRM, etc.
- Built-in video conferencing, team chat, and project management tools
- Customizable email domains and branding for business users
- Privacy-focused with optional end-to-end encryption

ProtonMail:
- Highly secure and private email service with end-to-end encryption
- Simple, streamlined interface focused on essentials like inbox, calendar, contacts
- Self-destructing emails, custom email domains, and anonymous accounts
- Limited but core productivity features like calendar, tasks, and notes
- Paid plans provide more storage, custom filters, and other advanced options
- Excellent for privacy-conscious individuals or teams handling sensitive data