Top 11 Free Email Services
(Updated December 2013)
1. Gmail - Free Email Service
Gmail (Google Mail) - Free Email Service
Gmail is the Google approach to email and chat. Practically unlimited free online storage allows you to collect all your messages, and Gmail's simple but very smart interface lets you find them precisely and see them in context without effort. POP and powerful IMAP access bring Gmail to any email program or device.
Gmail puts contextual advertising next to the emails you read.
2. Zoho Mail - Free Email Service
Zoho Mail - Free Email Service
ZOHO Corp.
Zoho Mail is a solid email service with ample storage, POP and IMAP access, some integration with instant messaging and online office suites.
Aimed at professional users, Zoho Mail could be even more helpful organizing mail, identifying key messages and contacts, and sending oft-used replies.
3. AIM Mail - Free Email Service
AIM Mail - Free Email Service
AOL Inc
AIM Mail, AOL's free web-based email service, shines with unlimited online storage, very good spam protection and a rich, easy to use interface.
Unfortunately, AIM Mail lacks a bit in productivity (no labels, smart folders and message threading), but makes up for some of that with very functional IMAP (as well as POP) access.
4. iCloud Mail - Free Email Service
iCloud Mail - Email Service
Apple Inc.
iCloud Mail is a free email service from Apple with ample storage, IMAP access and an elegantly functional web application.
That interface at icloud.com does not offer labels or other more advanced tools for productivity and for organizing mail, though, and does not support accessing other email accounts. POP access to iCloud Mail is missing, too.
5. Outlook.com - Free Email Service
Outlook.com - Free Email Service
Microsoft
Outlook.com serves free email with practically unlimited storage accessible on the web with a rich and helpful interface or using POP and Exchange ActiveSync in email programs on desktop and mobile device.
Unfortunately, IMAP access is not part of the mix, and Outlook.com could offer more help with composing in addition to organizing mail.
6. Yahoo! Mail - Free Email Service
Yahoo! Mail - Free Email Service
Yahoo! Inc.
Yahoo! Mail is your ubiquitous email program on the web, Windows 8 and mobile devices with unlimited storage, SMS texting, social networking and instant messaging to boot.
While Yahoo! Mail is generally a joy to use, free-form labeling and smart folders would be nice, and the spam filter could catch junk even more effectively.
7. Mail.com and GMX Mail - Free Email Services
GMX Mail - Free Email Service
GMX Internet Services
Mail.com and GMX Mail are reliable email services filtered well of spam and viruses whose unlimited online storage you can use with a rich web interface and mobile apps. POP and iMAP access are available as a paid add-on.
More and smarter ways to organize mail could be nice.
8. Shortmail - Free Email Service
Shortmail - Free Email Service
410 Labs
Shortmail emphasizes easy, fast and effective communication with an email service limited, essentially, to 500 characters per message.
Longer emails can be forwarded, and Shortmail offers simple but effective tools to organize and find mail. Still, hassling senders the way Shortmail does is not without peril, and you may wish for better productivity tools.
9. Inbox.com - Free Email Service
Inbox.com
Heinz Tschabitscher
Inbox.com not only gives you 5 GB to store your mail online but also a highly polished, fast and functional way to access it via either the web (including speedy search, free-form labels and reading mail by conversation) or through POP in your email program.
Unfortunately, IMAP access is not supported by Inbox.com, and its tools for organizing mail could be improved with smart or self-teaching folders.
10. Facebook Messages - Free Email Service
Facebook Messages - Free Email Service
Facebook
Facebook Messages combines emails with everybody, conversations with Facebook friends and SMS texts in a single, simple place organized by the people with whom you communicate.
Facebook Messages's chasteness works well for a limited amount of personal mail, texts and messages, but to handle all your mail, Facebook Messages could do well with more robust tools for managing emails and contacts.
11. My Way Mail - Free Email Service
My Way Mail - Free Email Service
Heinz Tschabitscher
My Way Mail is a clean, fast and fun (though not particularly advanced) free email service.
It lacks secure messaging and other advanced, non-essential features, though.