In this article, we will explain the most generally used email protocols. Each of these protocols has a distinguishing role and working function.
Both IMAP and POP3 are used for receiving emails, while SMTP is the protocol used for sending emails.
Post Office Protocol version 3 (POP3).
Post Office Protocol version 3 (POP3) is a standard protocol used to receive emails. Using POP3 will download the emails to your local device before displaying them.
You may have the following issues using POP3 for receiving emails:
- You need to download all emails again when using another desktop PC to check your email.
- May get confused if you need to check email both in the office and at home.
The downloaded email may be deleted from the server depending on the setting of your email client.
POP3 default Ports.
The POP3 protocol works on the following two ports:
- Port 110 – non-encrypted port;
- Port 995 – this is the port you need to use if you want to connect using POP3 securely.
Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP).
While the Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP) protocol reads the emails directly from the server using your local mail client.
Since email is kept on the server, it would gain the following benefits using IMAP for receiving emails:
- No need to download all emails when using another desktop PC to check your email.
- Easier to identify the unread email.
IMAP default Ports.
The IMAP protocol works on the following two ports:
- Port 143 – IMAP non-encrypted port;
- Port 993 – this is the port you need to use if you want to connect using IMAP securely.
What is the difference between IMAP and POP3?
If we put the differences between POP3 and IMAP side by side, we recommend using IMAP over POP3.
- POP3
- IMAP
1. All messages, as well as their attachments, will be downloaded to a desktop PC during the ‘check new email’ process.
2. Mailboxes can only be created on desktop PC. There is only one mailbox (INBOX) exists on the server.
3. Filters can transfer incoming/outgoing messages only to local mailboxes.
4. Outgoing email is stored only locally on the desktop PC.
5. Messages are deleted on the desktop PC. Comparatively, it is inconvenient to clean up your mailbox on the server.
6. Messages may be reloaded onto a desktop PC several times due to the corruption of system files.
1. A whole message will be downloaded only when it is opened for display from its content.
2. Multiple mailboxes can be created on the desktop PC as well as on the server.
3. Filters can transfer incoming/outgoing messages to other mailboxes no matter where the mailboxes are located (on the server or the PC).
4. Outgoing email can be filtered to a mailbox on the server for accessibility from another machine.
5. Messages can be deleted directly on the server to make it more convenient to clean up your mailbox on the server.
6. The occurrence of reloading messages from the server to the PC is much less when compared to POP3.
Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP).
Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) is the standard protocol for sending emails across the Internet. This protocol allows applications to transmit email messages over the Internet. Your email client connects to your mail server via SMTP and sends the messages.
SMTP default Ports.
The SMTP protocol works on the following two ports:
- Port 25 – this is the default SMTP non-encrypted port;
- Port 465 – this is the port used if you want to send messages using SMTP securely.
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