Daccanomics
Over the last two decades, the way we communicate has changed dramatically. Most people have already switched to digital communication channels. We no longer write long letters and wait for days to get a reply. Nowadays people prefer to interact instantaneously.
Email is one of the most convenient ways to communicate or convey messages. It’s similar to writing a letter, but you won’t need a pen or paper, and you won’t have to wait days for it to be delivered. All you’ll need is an email address with any email service provider and access to the internet to get started.
What is an Email?
The term “email” refers to electronic mail. It’s a digital mode of communication that’s come a long way since its inception. Initially, email was primarily used by corporations for business interactions. Slowly, it began to be used for technical communication and exchanging documents.
However, in the early 2000s email became mainstream as more people began to use it as their primary means of communication. People got introduced to email services like AOL and Yahoo messenger. As interest peaked, more email services were launched along with webmail which was browser-based email services.
In recent years, businesses and brands have been using email for marketing purposes. In the world of digital marketing, “email marketing” has become a buzzword.
Writing an email is easy. You can compile an email from your computer or smartphone and send it to another computer through the internet.
There are a number of email service providers to choose from.
Microsoft Outlook and Apple Mail are now the most popular non-browser-based email services. You can also use web-based email services or “webmail” such as Gmail, Yahoo Mail.
If you are someone who is concerned with privacy and want a secure end-to-end encrypted email service you can use ProtonMail.
In this segment, we will discuss the best free email service providers & free SMTP servers.
Difference between Email Client & Webmail
The terms “webmail” and “email” are frequently misunderstood. Even though they have different names, Email and Webmail are basically the same things with a subtle difference. The key difference is the price and how they are accessed.
Webmail is a web-based email service provider that is accessible from anywhere. Most webmail services have their own mobile app but you can also access your webmail from a web browser. They are also free to use and offer a lot more functionality than an Email client.
You can send and receive emails using email client software (non-browser-based) on your PC in addition to webmail. The most popular non-browser alternative is Microsoft Outlook, which is included in the Office 365 suite. Although it is not a free email service provider.
There are also other non-browser-based email clients like Inbox By Gmail, Mozilla Thunderbird, Apple Mail, eM Client, Mailbird, Postbox, etc.
In a nutshell, webmail is only accessible via web browsers, whereas Email Clients are only accessible via desktop apps.
Why do you need an ESP?
The term “ESP” stands for email service provider. There are many email service providers in the market with their own distinct features. You can create an email address with your email service provider and it will provide you with an inbox where all your incoming and outgoing emails will be stored. Most email service providers have an inbuilt spam filter that automatically detects malicious and unwanted emails. ESPs can help you simply handle all of your emails and make the communication process much simpler.
How to choose an ESP?
Choosing your email service provider can be a bit tricky. Each ESP has its own distinct feature. Although most email service providers give all of the essential features and functionality. But if you are using it for business or official purposes you probably need some additional features. However, if you’re using it for business or official purposes, you’ll almost certainly require some additional features.
Make sure the email service provider that you choose offers these basic features and all additional features that you require. This way you can evaluate better email service providers.
Here are some must-have features in any email service provider:
- Email templates
- Spam filter
- Storage capacity
- Email tracking
- Conversion tracker
- Email Scheduling
- Privacy & data security
- User-friendly interface
- Attachment size allowed
- Archiving capabilities
- No. of attachment allowed
- Responsiveness & mobile access
If you are looking for an email client for business use you will need these features. Most premium email service providers offer these important features and ensure security and privacy. We will further look into all these features in detail.
Free Email Service Providers
Here we have curated a list of free email service providers (ESP) that you can use for business and personal use. These free email service providers have all the features that you need for business communication.
| ESP | Storage | Price |
|---|---|---|
|
20 GB Free Space |
Free/Paid |
|
|
15 GB Free Space |
Free/Paid |
|
|
15 GB Free Space |
Free/Paid |
|
|
5 GB Free Space |
Free/Paid |
|
|
5 GB Free Space |
Free/Paid |
|
|
10 GB Cloud Storage |
Free/Paid |
|
|
5 GB Free Space |
Free/Paid |
|
|
Unlimited Free Space |
Free/Paid |
|
|
5 GB With Mail Drop |
Free/Paid |
|
|
2 GB Cloud Storage |
Free/Paid |
|
|
65 GB Email Storage |
Free/Paid |
|
|
1 GB Free Storage |
Free/Paid |
|
|
Shared Inbox |
Free/Paid |
|
|
4 GB Storage |
Free |
|
|
Local Storage |
Free |
|
|
Local Storage |
Free/Paid |
|
|
Local Storage |
Free/Paid |
Best Free Email Service Providers (ESP)
Although there are hundreds of free email services available, just a handful stand out. They have all of the features you’ll need for instant communication, maximizing marketing opportunities, and keeping your business moving forward.
Here are the some of the best email service providers:
- Gmail
- Outlook
- Protonmail
- Yahoo
- Zoho Mail
- Mailbird
- AOL Mail
- Thunderbird
- iCloud
- Tutanota
Gmail
Gmail is right now the most popular and widely used email service provider in the market. It is a free email service developed by Google. Gmail is undoubtedly one of the best email service providers with all the important features available. It is a free Web-based e-mail service. Gmail can be accessed with any online browser, as well as through the Gmail mobile app.
We can also access Gmail using third-party software. These apps use the IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) or POP (Post Office Protocol) protocols to synchronize email information.
Gmail allows users to send emails to several recipients at once. Users can send attachments with their email that comprise a variety of file formats, including pictures, movies, and music. You can send up to 25 MB in attachments.
Gmail also provides users with a storage capacity of 15 GB for free. The best part about Gmail is its security and user interface. Using Gmail is a piece of cake. What makes it more interesting is that Gmail is multilingual, which means it can be used by users worldwide. Also, their end-to-end encryption makes sending and receiving emails more secure.
Features:
- Free to use
- Well organized
- Very secure
- Mobile application available
- 15 GB free storage capacity
- Supports multiple accounts
- Built-in spam filter
- Supports multiple languages
- Draft is saved automatically
- User-friendly interface
- Works with other third-party programs
Protonmail
Protonmail is an easy-to-use secure email service. It is one of the best free email service providers in the market, and it has recently gained a lot of attention. As security has become a huge concern, more people are looking for alternate communication services. Most people are worried about their privacy online as their data is being misused by corporations. Because of its end-to-end encryption and cutting-edge security features, many organizations and individuals prefer to use Protonmail.
Because Protonmail is based in Switzerland, all user information is protected by Swiss privacy laws. The organization takes pride in its neutrality and data security, as well as providing secure communication services.
All emails sent using Protonmail are encrypted which means you don’t have to worry about your privacy or data being stolen. ProtonMail may be used on any device without the need to install any additional software. It is compatible with other email providers so you can send and receive emails easily. You can also install their apps on your smartphone so you can have access to your emails from anywhere.
Features:
- Free to use
- Well organized
- End-to-end encryption
- Data protected with swiss privacy law
- Mobile application available
- 20 GB free storage capacity
- Supports multiple accounts
- Cutting-edge spam filter
- Open-source codes
- compatible with other email providers
- Proton Calendar and Proton Drive available
- Supports multiple languages
- next-generation inbox design
- Available worldwide
Outlook
Microsoft Outlook was the most popular email service back in the early 2000s. Before free webmail services were introduced, most people were using Microsft Outlook. You can get Outlook with the Microsoft Office suite.
Outlook is a Microsoft standalone application that allows you to receive and send emails. However, it has more features than only sending and receiving emails. Outlook allows you to manage your personal information, such as calendar appointments and other similar entries, tasks, contacts, and notes.
A premium Outlook account automatically scans and removes unsafe links that contain phishing scams, viruses, or malware. Outlook uses data encryption for their email services so your data remains private and secure. You can simplify your scheduling and create tasks with Outlook.
You may sync your personal data with Microsoft Outlook on your phone, tablet, and other PCs as long as you can log in with your Microsoft Account on those devices.
Unlike Gmail, Microsoft Outlook isn’t free. You need to pay a subscription fee to use Outlook. Also, Outlook lets users set up multiple email providers which aren’t possible with Gmail. But both of these email service providers use POP3 or IMAP.
If you are just looking to send and receive emails, and manage your inbox you don’t need to purchase Microsoft Outlook. You can simply use the “Mail” software from Microsoft that is available in Windows 10. Microsoft Outlook is available for Windows and Mac OS X, as well as for mobile devices and the web.
Features:
- Powerful email management program
- Email services are free to use
- Easy to use interface
- Well organized
- Data encryption to keep email secure
- 15 GB free storage capacity
- Set up multiple email providers
- Supports multiple accounts
- Cutting-edge spam filter
- Schedule appointments
- Create tasks and save notes
- Manage task with Microsoft calender
- Supports multiple languages
- Minimalist inbox design
- Available worldwide
Yahoo Mail
Before Google came into the limelight, Yahoo was the main source of information. Even now billions of people use Yahoo to look for answers and search cat memes online. But Yahoo is more than just a search engine. It is also a major free email service provider.
You can send and receive emails for free using your Yahoo mail account. The flexibility to customize Yahoo Mail sets it apart from other free email service providers. You have complete control over how your email is organized.
Yahoo has revamped its application and is constantly updating its features. Now you can find deals from your favorite brands, shop directly from your inbox, book hotels, see your photos and videos straight from your Yahoo mail account.
But there is a downside to adding all the features. In comparison to Gmail, Yahoo mail looks a bit more cluttered with all these features. Yahoo Mail’s homepage is crammed with lots of information. It features news, recent updates from social networking sites, and even trending topics. But Gmail goes for the much simple approach. It goes straight to your inbox and has a very minimal interface.
Features:
- Email management tools
- Free email service
- Interactive interface
- In-app shopping
- Various features
- Shop groceries
- Book hotels
- Find documents and pictures
- Secure email service
- 15 GB free storage capacity
- Supports multiple accounts
- Spam filter to avoid unwanted emails
- Schedule appointments
- Create tasks and save notes
- Supports multiple languages
- High contrast themes
- Compatible with other email providers
- Easy customization
- Available worldwide
Zoho Mail
Zoho Mail is a webmail client that looks and feels a lot like Microsoft Outlook. There are other free email services available, but Zoho Mail stands out due to its secure and reliable email solution. Zoho Mail is mostly used by Corporates and small businesses and is well-tailored to meet their communication needs.
With Zoho Mail, you can create unique domain-based email addresses for all of your workers and create email groups for different departments. Email and domain aliases are just a few of the features that let you handle your custom domains like an expert.
Zoho Mail also has a migration feature that let users migrate their inbox from a different email service provider to Zoho Mail with ease. In this day and age data security has become a huge concern for businesses. Zoho Mail ensures privacy and data security so your email or data doesn’t end up in a data firm. Your emails will always remain secure and accessible.
And it’s not just the email service, Zoho Mail also provides users with other features like calendar, contacts, tasks, notes, and bookmarks right within your inbox. Zoho Mail also lets users collaborate. So you can share all the needed information such as announcements, assigned tasks, events calendar, and even share notes with your teammates.
You may also use filters or rules to automatically categorize your email. This can be really helpful to organize and find all your important emails easily. And if you find it hard, you can simply use the advanced search to find anything from your inbox.
Features:
- Easy email management tools
- Free email service
- Make customization from cPanel
- Secure and reliable email solution
- Interactive interface
- Create domain-based email address
- Find anything from your inbox with Advanced search
- Easy migration tools
- Secure email service
- 15 GB free storage capacity
- Supports multiple accounts
- Spam filter to avoid unwanted emails
- Schedule appointments
- Create tasks and save notes
- Supports multiple languages
- Collaborate with team
- Compatible with other email providers
- Easy customization
- Available worldwide
Mailbird
Mailbird is another free email client that is compatible with other email providers such as Google, Yahoo, and Outlook. Mailbird lets users create and manage multiple accounts from a single dashboard. You can get a unified inbox for all your email account.
The elegant and minimal user interface makes managing emails a lot easier. Over the years Mailbird has established itself as one of the best alternatives to Mail. A lot of corporations use Mailbird for their internal communications service.
What makes Mailbird different from other free email clients is the ability to integrate other social media apps like Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp, Dropbox, Google Calendar, Asana, Todoist within the dashboard. Mailbird is also customizable, which means you can organize your dashboard the way you find it convenient. There are multiple layouts to choose from to enhance your work experience.
Mailbird also has other interesting options like email snooze, customer sounds, shortcuts, task scheduler, and more. Mailbird also supports multiple languages and is available worldwide. Mailbird is a freemium email client. You can unlock additional features with a monthly subscription.
Features:
- Freemium email client
- Free email service
- Multiple layout and themes
- Compatible with other email providers
- Secure email solution
- Easy email management
- Unified inbox
- Speed reading available
- Elegant interface
- Social media app integration
- Snooze email function
- Custom notification sound
- LinkedIn lookup
- Supports multiple accounts
- Spam filter to avoid unwanted emails
- Schedule appointments
- Create tasks and save notes
- Easy customization
- Supports multiple languages
- Available worldwide
AOL Mail
America Online Mail a.k.a AOL Mail is a free email service provider from verizon. It is a free web-based email client that allows users to send and receive emails over the internet. AOL Mail started its journey back in 1997 and had over 9 million subscribers.
The service was initially named Netmail but later changed to AOL Mail. In 2005 AOL Mail integrated with AOL instant messenger in order to compete with Hotmail & Yahoo Mail. During that time AOL Mail also started to provide users with 2 gigabytes of mail storage which was more than enough.
AOL Mail is very popular in the United States and also in other regions. Even though AOL is a free email client, it offers some really useful features. Just like Gmail, AOL also offers a maximum email attachment size of 25 MB.
But what makes AOL different from other free email clients is, it offers unlimited email storage space. Even top email service providers like Gmail and Yahoo Mail only offer 15 GB of email storage. AOL Mail also supports POP3, SMTP, IMAP. Which means it is compatible with other email service providers.
AOL also provides built-in spam and virus protection. All embedded links within emails are automatically disabled and can only be activated by the email user. It helps users avoid any spam or malicious links.
Features:
- Free email service
- Multiple layout and themes
- Easy email management
- Compatible with other email providers
- Secure email solution
- easy to use interface
- Supports multiple accounts
- Spam filter to avoid unwanted emails
- Schedule appointments
- Create tasks and save notes
- Easy customization
- Supports multiple languages
- Available worldwide
Thunderbird
Thunderbird is a free email application developed by the Mozilla Foundation. It is a cross-platform open-source email client that lets users send and receive emails with ease. Thunderbird provides a user-friendly interface that makes managing emails a lot easier.
You can customize the theme and use addons to redesign a workspace that suits your needs. If you are worried about your data being stolen, you can use thunderbird as it ensures your privacy online. Just like Protonmail, Thunderbird is one of the most secure email service providers. It has built-in features like “Do Not Track” and “remote content blocking” to make sure your data is safe and secure. Thunderbird also provides an integrated lightning calendar to make sure you are n schedule.
Thunderbird is available on all major operating systems, including Windows, Linux, and macOS and is available in 59 languages.
Features:
- Free email service
- Open-source email client
- Easy to use
- Multiple theme & layout
- Well organized
- Very secure
- Addons available
- Supports multiple accounts
- Do Not Track feature
- Remote content blocking
- Built-in spam filter
- Supports 59 languages
- User-friendly interface
- Works with other third-party programs
