How do I choose between the POP or IMAP protocol for receiving email?

Procédure

What is the POP protocol?

The POP (Post Office Protocol) protocol was developed in the early 1980s. It was designed to enableemails to be accessed using a computer that was not directly connected to the server on which the email was being sent.

The POP protocol is very simple to use. All you have to do is configure your Outlook software with a user name and password, and the POP protocol will create a connection between your computer and the mail server. New e-mails will then be downloaded to your local computer and deleted from the remote server once your software has been disconnected.

The weak point of this type of protocol is that there is no synchronisation between your email software and the remote server. All the actions carried out on your software will not affect the remote server. However, it does allow emails to be consulted without an Internet connection.

• Port 110 (unencrypted port)
• Port 995 (SSL/TLS or POP3S port)

The advantages of the POP protocol are as follows:

• Messages can be downloaded to your email software (and therefore to your computer's storage space).
• No need for a permanent Internet connection

The disadvantages of the POP protocol are as follows:

• emails cannot be synchronised with other devices
• No synchronisation of folders on the remote mail server
• Emails stored on one device cannot be viewed on other devices.

What is the IMAP port?

IMAP stands for "Internet Message Access Protocol". It was designed to eliminate the limitations of the POP protocol. IMAP allows you to access your emails from any email client and from any device, including your Webmail. One of the advantages of this protocol is that it allows your software to be synchronised with the remote server. As a result, any actions carried out on your software are also carried out on the server and vice versa.

The other advantage of using this protocol is that you can configure several devices (Smartphone, Tablet, Computer) insofar as any action carried out on one of the devices will be taken into account on all the others.

One of the only disadvantages of this protocol is that you need a permanent internet connection.

• Port 143 (unencrypted port)
• Port 993 (SSL/TLS port)

The advantages of the IMAP protocol are as follows:

• Synchronisation of folders on the remote server with your email software and various devices
• Synchronisation of sent emails with the remote server and your various devices
• Possibility of connecting several devices to the remote server

The disadvantages of the IMAP protocol are as follows:

• Permanent Internet access is required to enable real-time synchronisation of emails.
• Storage space depends on your hosting package and may be limited (2 to 20 GB in most cases per email address).

Conclusion

You are now able to tell the difference between POP and IMAP protocols so that you can make the right choice according to your needs for configuring the emails attached to your web hosting package on a messaging software.

Don't hesitate to share your comments and questions!