Should i choose imap or pop3

However, we have compiled some use cases that might help inform your decision:. IMAP keeps your email account consistent across devices, so you never have to worry about your email accounts being out-of-date or differing from device to device.

If you are using POP3 and lose access to your main device, you would also lose access to all your past emails. POP3 only stores new emails on the server end. When a device access the email account, the server sends the email data to the device and then scrubs the data from its memory. IMAP stores all the email data on the server, which can potentially use a lot of disk space.

Since both options have a sort of storage system, we recommend IMAP. IMAP has two different types of folders: private and public ones. Private folders only exist on the client side your device , while public folders are available to any device that connects to the email account. POP keeps all folders on the client side. This means that folders are only available from the device they were created on.

Any other devices that access the email account will not have access to the folders. IMAP filters the mail on the server side so that it is already sorted when a device accesses it. POP server-side sorting works, but it will not download email that has been sorted outside of the Inbox folder. You use multiple devices to access your mail You only use one device to access your email You are trying to conserve space on your server You use custom folders IMAP POP You want to set up server-side delivery rules.

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Last Name. How can we help you? Please provide as much information as possible so we can help you quickly. Domain name. Attachments File uploads must be in an accepted image file format. PNG, etc. By clicking this box, I accept the Name. Most but not all POP setups wipe email from their servers by default once you download it to your local device, although you can often configure your email client to leave your messages on the server as well.

POP3, meanwhile, often requires a manual set-up. Making matters worse, IMAP-friendly email providers may not even support POP3, or if they do they may not publish detailed instructions on how to access your account using the protocol.

Alternatives such as email accounts from Internet Service Providers or website hosting services often set limits on how much mail can be stored on their servers.