Difference between POP and IMAP

February 11, 2011

About POP

POP, or Post Office Protocol, lets you download messages from mail servers onto your computer so you can access your mail with a program like Microsoft Outlook Express or Netscape Mail, even when you aren’t connected to the Internet.

About IMAP

IMAP, or Internet Message Access Protocol, lets you download messages from mail servers onto your computer so you can access your mail with a program like Microsoft Outlook Express or Apple Mail, even when you aren’t connected to the Internet.

IMAP creates a constant connection between mail clients (desktop and/or mobile) and server.

Difference

Unlike POP, IMAP offers two-way communication between your web mail and your email client(s). This means when you log in to mail using a web browser, actions you perform on email clients and mobile devices (ex: putting mail in a ‘work’ folder) will instantly and automatically appear in mail (ex: it will already have a ‘work’ label on that email).

In addition, IMAP provides a better method to access your mail from multiple devices. If you check your email at work, on your mobile phone, and again at home, IMAP ensures that new mail is accessible from any device at any given time.

Finally, IMAP offers a more stable experience overall. Whereas POP is prone to losing messages or downloading the same messages multiple times, IMAP avoids this through its two-way syncing capabilities between your mail clients and your web mail.

If you’re trying to decide between using POP and using IMAP with your mail account, we recommend IMAP.

Tags: ,

Related posts

Written by Jo & Ray · Filed Under Technology 

Got something to say?

You must be logged in to post a comment.