Top 13 Free POP3 Email Services and Free IMAP Email Services

Free email sounds nice, but isn't that the crippled deal where you get slow-loading pages and lots of ads?

No and no. Some free email services offer POP or IMAP access, which means you can download your messages to any email program (such as Windows Mail, Outlook, Mozilla Thunderbird or Mac OS X Mail). And while you're on the road, you can still take advantage of the free web interface — which, I promise you, is often fast and slender.

Find the best free POP3 email service and free IMAP email services here.

1. Gmail (Google Mail) - Free POP and IMAP Email Service

Gmail is the Google approach to email and chat. Practically unlimited free online storage allows you to collect all your messages, and Gmail's simple but very smart interface lets you find them precisely and see them in context without effort. POP and powerful IMAP access bring Gmail to any email program or device.
Gmail puts contextual advertising next to the emails you read.
Gmail Review | Gmail Resources | Gmail Tips

2. AIM Mail - Free POP and IMAP Email Service

AIM Mail, AOL's free web-based email service, shines with 2 GB of online storage, very good spam protection and a rich, easy to use interface. Unfortunately, AIM Mail lacks a bit in productivity (no labels, smart folders and message threading), but makes up for some of that with very functional IMAP access.
AIM Mail Review | AIM Mail Tips

3. GMX Mail - Free POP and IMAP Email Service

Heinz Tschabitscher

GMX Mail is a reliable email service filtered well of spam and viruses whose 5 GB of online storage you can use not only through a rich web interface but also via POP or IMAP from a desktop email program.
More and smarter ways to organize mail could be nice.
GMX Mail Review | GMX Mail Tips

4. Lavabit - Free POP and IMAP Email Service

Heinz Tschabitscher

Lavabit nets you a solid, secure and privacy-conscious email account which you can access in your email program using POP or IMAP and in your browser using a rudimentary web interface.
It's a pity Lavabit restricts statistical spam filtering to paid accounts and lacks a fully fledged web interface.
Lavabit Review

5. FastMail Guest Account - Free IMAP Email Service

Heinz Tschabitscher

FastMail is a great free email service with IMAP access, useful features, one of the best web-based email interfaces and few ads.
FastMail Review | FastMail Resources | FastMail Tips

6. Zenbe - Free POP and IMAP Email Service

Heinz Tschabitscher

Zenbe organizes your emails and attachments (from Zenbe and existing POP accounts) with labels and search — and integrates calendar, to-do list, twitter and Facebook updates, too.
With a focus on elegant simplicity, Zenbe provides many sweet shortcuts but also shows quirks and omissions in others. The spam filter is good, but it would be great if IMAP access was possible for all folders (not just the inbox).
Zenbe Review | Zenbe Tips

7. HotPOP - Free POP Email Service

Heinz Tschabitscher

HotPOP offers free, reliable email accounts you can use with any email program using POP3 and SMTP. In addition, HotPOP lets you forward incoming messages to multiple other addresses. Unfortunately, HotPOP lacks IMAP access and a web-based email interface and is a bit short on storage space.
HotPOP Review

8. Inbox.com - Free POP Email Service

Heinz Tschabitscher

Inbox.com not only gives you 5 GB to store your mail online but also a highly polished, fast and functional way to access it via either the web (including speedy search, free-form labels and reading mail by conversation) or through POP in your email program.
Inbox.com Review | Inbox.com Tips

9. Gawab.com - Free POP Email Service

Heinz Tschabitscher

Gawab.com is a speedy, stable and very usable free email service with 2 GB online space, POP access and many a web-based goodie.
It's a pity Gawab.com lacks IMAP access and full message search.
Gawab.com Review

10. Zapak Mail - Free POP Email Service

Heinz Tschabitscher

Zapak Mail is a bare-bones free email service with unlimited storage and POP access to boot. With the exception of some background images, Zapak Mail offers no frills and does not help much with handling mail efficiently.
Zapak Mail Review

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