That’s E-xcellent – Which Email Host is the Best For You?

Everyone uses email. In fact, it is arguably a far more popular medium than postal mail for keeping in touch with friends, family and work colleagues. The great aspect of email as opposed to other methods of written correspondence is that it is instant no matter where in the world you are.
The market is saturated with email hosting services, many which have to be paid for, although there are also many which are free. Each of these programs offers a different consumer experience. Here are some of the best free email providers so that you the consumer can choose which is best for you:

Gmail: Gmail from Google is a one-stop resource for all your emailing needs. The online storage space is vast and the interface itself is simple, easy to use and looks clean. Furthermore, Gmail can be accessed through any device thanks to its IMAP and POP access.
One of the only real annoying negatives is that adverts based on your search preferences will be shown next to your emails. This however can be stopped by tightening up your anti-virus and using its ad-blocking capabilities.

Zoho: Zoho Mail is aimed at the professional user and is one which not everyone has heard of. It comprises of lots of storage space, IMAP and POP, office suite integration and all you would expect of a product designed for the business person. However, the program is not so good at identifying important contacts and messages and organizing them, which can be frustrating to some.

AOL: AOL’s web based AIM Mail has unlimited storage, an excellent spam filter and is very easy to use. The whole interface, however, is a little on the simple side with no message threading or labels – it does boast POP and IMAP access though.

Yahoo: Yahoo! Mail is an old favorite  It can be used for both computer and mobile phone and contains other benefits such as instant messaging, texting and even social networking. Communication in all its forms seems to be covered by this email provider; therefore it is very popular with teenagers and students. One negative point is that the spam filter is not as effective as one would hope.

Hotmail: Windows Live Hotmail is another free provider with good security, easy operation, a fast search, masses of unlimited storage and POP access. Further to this, there are many excellent ways of organizing email provided within the interface. However, there is not access to all online folders via IMAP.

Facebook: Facebook email is another great email option for the younger generation. It is fully accessible via the smartphone app and is integrated into the social networking site.  There are options to archive email and there is also the option to email media.

Drawbacks to using Facebook email are that the social networking site needs to be logged into to access email and it doesn’t have as many features as the big names.

David Brown is a writer and tech lover who is currently interested in cloud computing services, like those that the Macquarie Telecom Intellicentre provides.

Image is licensed under CC Attribution