POP3, IMAP or Exchange: choosing the right type of email

Originally published in GP magazine .

Written for GP magazine around 2010. This is the version I submitted - the published article may have been edited.

There are three main types of email, and knowing the differences can help you choose the best for your needs. Several colleagues have complained to me that they don’t feel in control of their email, always missing messages or being unable to read them. At work everyone is moving over to NHSmail, and if you haven’t already switched you are likely to in the next year or so. I have some constructive criticism of it, but I’ve come to like it and now use it as my main work email. At home, however, you have several choices, and this brief guide might help you solve some of your communication needs.

POP3 is the standard for a lot of home broadband suppliers. Think of POP3 like a letter. When you check your mail with your email client, such as Outlook, you take the letter out of the post-box, which is fine if you only want to check your email from one place. However, if you want to check it at work and on your mobile, whichever device checks the mail first gets to keep it and the others don’t know about it. This is fine if you only read your email once, but if you ever want to reread an email, you will have to remember which device you read it on. You can set the mailbox to give you a copy of the mail, but then each device will get a copy of everything and you won’t be able to tell which you have read already and which you haven’t.

There is a better type of email called IMAP, and if you are given the choice, as on Google Mail, you should select IMAP, as all your email is synchronised between devices so they know which mail you have read, replied to or deleted. It simplifies your life.

NHSmail is an example of the third type, which is based on Microsoft Exchange, a proprietary system similar to IMAP. It has some extra clever features like a special mode for mobile devices. It also comes with notes, calendar and contacts, and enterprise features for multiple users.

All three types now usually have web interfaces, so as long as you have an internet connection, seeing your email shouldn’t be a problem.

When choosing a home email solution, shop around - don’t just rely on your ISP’s POP3 service. You can set up a full Exchange system for a few pounds a month, which might be worth it if you travel a lot for work, though you might just want to try NHSmail.