Get @yourdomain email account with Web Hosting
However, when it comes to the excisting webmail alternatives, the mentioned suppliers are far from the only ones. All web hosts today offer free e-mail accounts through their own server-based email programs. The biggest advantage with web hosted email is that you get the email address according to the domain you've registered. Rather than your.name@gmail.com you get your.name@yourdomain.com. A much more personal email.
But the email client differ quite a lot from web host to web host. If you are looking for unlimited email-accounts in size and amount, we recommend you to sign up with one of the following web hosts:
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HostMonster - unlimited email accounts and user-friendly client
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iPage - get your own domain name email-address today!
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InMotion - @gmail, @hotmail or @yourowndomain.com?
Webmail software on you own server
If you have an own web server you can also offer your users webmail. Many universities offer their students web based email access using open source webmail software like SquirrelMail and RoundCube. This enables access to the server email through the web browser.
Pros
- Mobility. Since all data is saved on a web-server you can access your email no matter where you are as long as you have an Internet connection.
- Self Upgrading. You are not bothered by upgrades or security checks. The Web client is regularly updated by an assigned administrator.
Cons
- Online dependant. Webmail usage requires an Internet connection at all times.
- Limited storage space. You only get a certain amount of space on the webmail server.
- Heavier files. When an email normally weighs around 3kb it can easily increase to 40kb on a web based email client since email are implemented in the html. This can result in decreasing client speed.
Gmail, Yahoo! Mail or Windows Live Hotmail?
Hotmail held the first position as web based email client for a long time and still has over 200 million users but has slipped down to second place under Yahoo! Mail going on 250 million users and Gmail in third with about 50 million. Note that this says nothing about the quality of the different webmail clients! The newest addition to the top web clients, Gmail, has the most storage space with over 2.6 Gb and counting. Yahoo! Mail and Hotmail have the easy navigational interface while Gmail takes some getting used to.
In the long run Gmail is definitely the most favorable web based email client with both email tagging options and POP in and POP out possibilities. This means that you can access Gmail from your computer email program and access other email accounts from Gmail. If you're looking for a dynamic and innovative webmail, Gmail should be your pick. For the more traditionally accustomed emailer Hotmail or Yahoo! Mail will be just fine!
Commented by: Josefina Argüello, 25 October, 2010
I have been using Yahoo Mail for many years, but it has over the last couple of years gotten much worse. The problem is that it packs a lot of big animated advertisments wnich slow it down significantly.
I understand that this is a way to keep it free, but may be the advertisments could be kept smaller in order to load more quickly.