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What is POP email?
POP is short for Post Office Protocol, one method used by email programs to retrieve mail from the server. When you retrieve your mail, the messages are pulled into your email programand deleted from the server.
What is IMAP email?
IMAP is short for Internet Message Access Protocol, the other method usually used to get email. Unlike POP, IMAP keeps a copy of all your your messages on the server. When you click to read a message, the saved message is accessed directly from the server. Webmail programs like Squirrelmail use IMAP.
Which is better?
Depends on how you use your email as to which is better for you.
- If you access email from several computers and need to have the same mails available each time, IMAP is a good choice. Or if you start a draft at work and want to finish it later at home, for example, IMAP will allow you to do this.
- If you need a backup achrived of your email, IMAP is a good choice.
- If you usually access your email from a single computer (besides occassionally checking via webmail), POP is a good choice.
- If you're concerned about storage space for your hosting account, POP is a good choice.
- If you prefer all your email accounts show in the same inbox folder in your email program, POP is the best choice.
Notes: While POP will allow you to select "Leave messages on Server," that's not a good idea unless you want to download multiple copies of the same email each time you check your mail. IMAP also tends to be a little slower in working with email, because each change has to be synced up with the copy of the email on the server.
If you have difficulty setting up your accounts or trouble understanding your options, please don't hesitate to ask! And happy emailing, Good Karma Hosts!
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