Tech

The best free email providers

There is no shortage of messaging software on the internet. Many free services exist to meet user demand, whether for personal or professional use. We help you find it.

email messaging

The offer in free mailboxes is plethoric and you don’t know which way to turn? We offer you a list of the best platforms currently available on the market to help you choose. We will of course mention references like gmail Where Outlookbut also alternatives to these giants.

gmail

gmail android 2

We start with the obvious: gmail. Far from being a precursor, the mailbox was launched by Google in 2004. But its simplicityhis clear interfaceI’regular addition of new features and his integration with the Google ecosystem enabled it to outpace the competition. Today, Gmail has over 1.5 billion active users.

We appreciate its large central space dedicated to the list of messages received on the home and then to the body of the emails once opened. The automatic division into three tabs: main, social networks and Promotions makes it possible to automatically prioritize the importance of messages without having to go and adjust a whole bunch of settings yourself. The simplified unsubscription to newsletters is also a feature that makes life much easier.

On desktop, Gmail even offers enriched services by directly integrating other Google platforms. We think of Hangouts for live communication, including voice and video, but also of Agenda, with the possibility of automatically filling in its calendar from information received on Gmail (a reservation in particular). There are also the Keep and Tasks tools. Many additional modules are also available to improve the experience: Dropbox, Slack…

In short, Gmail is the user-friendly messaging par excellence. Being able to open a document sent as an attachment without even opening the email is another example of how cleverly Gmail is designed to save us time. Keep in mind, however, that you will only be entitled to 15 GBshared between all Google services, including your emails, your Google Drive and your photos.

ProtonMail

proton mail

Like Mail.fr, ProtonMail is a European solution whose main interest is the protection of personal data and security. Developed by CERN researchers, the platform’s servers are all based in Switzerland. Communications benefit from end-to-end encryption to ensure messages cannot be intercepted or accessed.

The interface is nice and is reminiscent of that of a CMS. It differs from the other email services presented in this file, and that’s a good point. On the other hand, customization options are few. The free plan only allows you to create three folders for storing your emails. This is not suitable for everyone, but may still be sufficient for some users.

Another restriction, ProtonMail only offers 500 MB of storage space for archiving messages and their attachments. Here again, it is up to everyone to estimate whether such a volume can meet their needs. If ProtonMail is used as a secondary email for the most important communications only for its high level of security, 500 MB may be sufficient. Also pay attention to the limit of 150 emails maximum per day.

To sum up, it is a relevant option for anyone who wants to have secure messagingbut do not necessarily intend to use it a lot.

Outlook

outlook

Microsoft succeeded in makingOutlook one of the most used messaging services on the market. But the platform does not start from scratch, far from it. Initially, Microsoft acquired Hotmail, which then integrates the MSN ecosystem of the American giant. Over the years, the name has changed many times, based on Hotmail, MSN and other Windows Mail, before becoming Outlook, which thus includes the “hotmail” and “live” addresses that many of us used before the rise of Gmail.

One of its main assets is necessarily its excellent integration into the Windows environment as well as Microsoft software suites (OneDrive, Office, etc.). Where Gmail has Hangouts, Outlook to Skype. Its reliability is also to be highlighted, as is the staggering number of customization and management options. On the other hand, we can regret an interface that looks like a Windows menu: certainly simple, but not the most pleasing to the eye.

Several features really make the difference. We particularly like the possibility of write an email and schedule it to be sent at the date and time of your choice. The fact of configuring the classification of the messages received is also very valuable for sorting out what is personal, professional or messages of lesser importance. You can even target a particular word and instruct Outlook store it in a specific folder. For example, place all emails containing the word “order” in a “purchases” tab or the word “reservation” in “outputs”.

Mail

windows mail

Note that Outlook is often associated with Mail, the application for Windows 10 and Windows 11. No need to look far to find quality, the Mail application present by default on Windows does the job perfectly. Note here that this is a client, allowing in particular the management of received emails and the sending of emails from several addresses. You can configure it to receive all your messages from Gmail, Outlook, iCloud and others on this single interface.

Of course, as in the case of Outlook, one of the main advantages of this service is also that it works well with other Windows applications, such as the calendar. Unlike Outlook, which generally uses the logic of the Office suite, Mail is much more inspired by the interface and operation of Windows 10.

So it’s a matter of preference and habit. Recommended for beginners for its incredible clarity or for those who want to easily combine several email addresses from different platforms in one place. For more advanced users, this may not be the best solution, as it still lacks some advanced features.

Read also: Windows 11: new features, release date, all about Microsoft’s new OS

Yahoo! Email

Yahoo Mail

Whether it’s a mailbox or a search engine, Yahoo! has been around longer than Google. But the one who was at a time almost without competition and crushed the market today approaches the status of outsider on the market.

Yahoo! Mail is particularly distinguished by its gigantic 1TB storage space. Enough to come, and enough for most users to last a lifetime without ever deleting a document or attachment. However, the service does not directly offer file storage in the cloud, this must be done through integrated third-party platforms, such as Google Drive Where Dropbox.

Also read: How to back up all computer data from Google Drive

Interface level, Yahoo! Mail is enough close to what Gmail offers. On the left is the column of menus and tabs to manage your messages, with several categories that allow better organization: favorites, social networks, e-commerce, finance, travel… As with the competition, it is possible to import other addresses to have all its content in the same place.

If you need lots of storage and you are not interested in services other than pure sending/receiving emails, this is a good alternative. For a more complete experience, Gmail and Outlook seem to be a better choice.

Mail.fr

While services like Gmail or Yahoo! Mail are not above reproach in terms of privacy and personal data of their users, accused of using our information for targeted advertising and without guarantee of security as to the location of the servers where the data is stored, Mail.fr is a possible option.

The servers are located in Germany and the information must be processed under the GDPR. The exchanges are encrypted via the SSL/TLS protocols and the DKIM signature for better security. From this point of view, this tool does better than most solutions, especially American ones.

Another good news, it is possible tosend particularly large files up to 60 MB, compared to less than 30 MB per file with the competition. On the other hand, you benefit only 2 GB of free storageshared between the mailbox and the cloud.

GMX

gmx

GMX (Global Message eXchange) is a German service that has existed since 1998. But it has only been available in France since 2009, when the domains of the mythical platform were bought CaraMail. GMX is very popular in German-speaking European countries (Germany, Austria, Switzerland), and deserves to be known here.

It offers a guarantee of security to users since its servers are located in Europe, and it must comply with the GDPR. Communications are also encrypted. GMX offers storage up to 65 GB for email archiving and any attachments they contain. Another advantage: the possibility of sending files up to 50 MBfar more than on most competing services.

The interface is not the most attractive, but remains effective. Personalization options are offered, including the possibility of installing a different theme to obtain a user experience closer to what we aspire to.

🧐 What is the best free email client in 2022?

If you are looking for the best free option, Gmail’s free service is the industry leader, and for good reason. Not only does it come with a hefty 15GB of storage, but you can also manage other email accounts from your Gmail interface and easily filter messages into categories for reference. The interface is also easy to use.

Alternatively, ProtonMail is probably the best email service provider due to its high level of privacy and security, in addition to its easy-to-use interface. When it comes to secure email services, few can match it.

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *