Email remains the killer information and communications technology. Email volume shows no sign of diminishing, despite the increasing popularity of collaborative messaging tools.
Messages are exchanged between hosts using the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol with software programs called mail transfer agents, and delivered to a mail store by programs called mail delivery agents, frequently referred to as email clients.
Email clients offer a variety of features. Many email clients offer a slew of features, some stick with just the basics. At the end of the day, what is important is that you find an email client that offers what you need, it is reliable, and works well on your computer.
Thunderbird is widely regarded as an exceptional open source desktop email client, especially on Linux. It is highly customizable, has a rich set of features, and is geared for both novices and professional users. But you may prefer a web-based email client.
Gmail is a widely used email service with a search-oriented interface, threaded conversation view, and up to 15GB of free storage shared across Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Photos. While Google says it doesn’t scan or read Gmail messages to show ads, Gmail still uses automated systems to process email content for security, spam filtering, malware detection, and smart features. If that level of automated processing concerns you, the following programs are alternatives to Gmail.
The chart below summarises our findings. They are all free and open source goodness.
Let’s explore the 9 web-based email clients. For each title we have compiled its own portal page, a full description with an in-depth analysis of its features, together with links to relevant resources.
| Web-Based Email Clients | |
|---|---|
| RoundCube | Browser-based multilingual IMAP client |
| Cypht | Webmail aggregator |
| SnappyMail | Simple, modern, lightweight fork of RainLoop |
| Mailpile | Client with user-friendly encryption and privacy features |
| Nextcloud Mail | Email client application for the Nextcloud platform |
| Afterlogic WebMail Lite | Modular IMAP client with contacts, encryption and admin tools |
| JMAP Webmail | JMAP client with shared inboxes, contacts and calendars |
| Tachyon | Lightweight, privacy-focused client with Sieve and DAV support |
| SquirrelMail | Webmail package written in PHP |
If you prefer graphical clients, read this article. Or you may prefer console based email clients. If so, read this roundup.
This article has been updated to reflect the changes outlined in our recent announcement.
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