Last Updated on May 27, 2018 by Next Century
POP3 and IMAP are two different protocols (methods) used to access email.
Of the two, IMAP is the better option – and the recommended option – when you need to check your emails from multiple devices, such as a work laptop, a home computer, or a tablet, smartphone, or other mobile device. Tap into your synced (updated) account from any device with IMAP.
POP3 downloads email from a server to a single computer, then deletes it from the server. Because your messages get downloaded to a single computer or device and then deleted from the server, it can appear that mail is missing or disappearing from your Inbox if you try to check your mail from a different computer.
Here are the differences between POP3 and IMAP.
| POP3 – Post Office Protocol | IMAP – Internet Messaging Access Protocol |
| No synchronizing of emails between devices | All emails alongs with folders are synchronized between devices |
| Your mails are stored on the computer that you use | Your mails are stored on the server |
| Sent mail is stored locally on your PC, not on a mail server | Sent mail stays on the server so you can see it from any device. |
