Are desktop clients out of fashion? Far from it!
Albeit the rapid rise of mobile device usage goes strong, the benefits of desktop email clients make them an irreplaceable solution for many businesses and private users.
Among the notable advantages of desktop email clients are the offline mode, limitless storage (integrate with at least one external service, e.g., Dropbox), spotless encryption and superb backups.
Shortly put, if you frequently rely on public networks, like reusable email templates, prefer to schedule messages to be sent automatically when the device goes online, and don’t like your messages being intercepted along the way, a desktop email client is a choice for you.
Best-Loved Desktop Email Clients for Windows
According to research performed by Litmus Email Analytics, the most popular email clients include Apple iPhone (28%), Gmail (26%), Outlook (9%), Apple iPad (9%), Apple Mail (8%), Yahoo! Mail (7%), Outlook (2%) and Google Android (2%).
Both webmail and desktop email clients are popular, with many people choosing to use both. Keeping in mind the fact that 26% of people check incoming messages before even getting out of bed and 18% while driving, it is no wonder why both solutions may come in handy.
Further out, business users often manage multiple email accounts, as to separate private and business emails from each other and for backup.
When it comes to non-business users, it is not so rare to come across people using one email account for recovery purposes. Think in terms of password recovery, social media notifications, and so on.
Finally, email marketing campaigns are a whole new dimension of marketing and, as such, require their own email account.
Let us not forget temporary email accounts either, nor those used for multiple aliases and maintaining anonymity. I.e., people subscribing to multiple services may have an email account just for that purpose; people hanging out in chat rooms use an email corresponding with their alias, etc.
Webmail is usually the first choice for the above-mentioned purposes, while desktop email clients are used for personal and professional correspondence.
So, which are the most widely used desktop email clients?
Possibly the most popular desktop email client for Windows (or at least most widely used) is MS Outlook. It has been around for a while and has a good reputation. It is not cheap, however, nor is it necessary for all users.
There are numerous alternatives that are at least as good, and many even better. Others offer a fair share of features for less demanding users and are free for all. Here are some of the best desktop email clients to suit everyone’s needs.
MS Outlook
MS Outlook is traditionally popular among business users. On top of seamless messaging, it also features bill pay reminders, meeting RSVP tracking and forwarding. It suggests event locations and meeting rooms, lists multiple time zones, bcc warnings, and proxy support.
MS Outlook is most widely known for its Quick Stepstool, which allows the user to create and apply multiple actions to multiple messages. Quick Steps are fully customizable.
Mozilla Thunderbird
Mozilla Thunderbird runs on Windows, Mac, and Linux. It uses the Gecko engine also employed by Firefox, which allows it to seamlessly integrate with themes, extensions, and add-ons.
The Thunderbird design is simple and clean, with numerous filtering options. It comes free.
Mailbird
Mailbird is a handy tool often considered among the best alternatives to MS Outlook. It is highly customizable, with a clean design, and brings together emails from all accounts into one unified inbox.
Mailbird integrates with a number of services, including Twitter, Facebook, Whatsapp, Asana, Google Calendar, Dropbox, etc.
It features the Speed Reader functionality, which allows for fast email browsing, as well as attachment search. Mailbird supports 17 languages and features Linkedin Lookup (directly from inbox).
Postbox
Featuring clean design coupled with Focus Pane, Postbox enables real-time filtering, organized emails by tags and contacts and offers a range of search options (messages, files, and images).
It allows the user to organize accounts into groups, opens folders in tabs and sends emails directly to a range of apps, such as are Slack, Evernote and Todoist.
Postbox offers a range of options to professionals, including HTML editing.
eM Client
eM Client is a user-friendly desktop email client, resembling MS Outlook somewhat (in terms of clean design and ease of access). It automatically detects languages in a message (39 languages supported) and features the Deduplicator (finds duplicate messages, contacts, tasks, and events), chat and message translation.
Windows Live Mail
Possibly best known for its two-line vertical view, Windows Live Mail is a simple tool many users choose to use on a regular basis. Another email client using the same principle is Opera Mail (formerly part of the Opera browser).
Windows Live Mail supports Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync and DeltaSync protocols, newsgroups, calendar integration, and RSS feed.
SeaMonkey
SeaMonkey is a multi-functional tool powered by the Mozilla Firefox source code. On top of offering standard features, the client also supports chat, RSS feeds and newsgroups.
All in all, with the offer so rich, chances are, everyone will find the best solution calling to their needs (and budgets). From Thunderbird to MS Office, desktop email clients rule the offline world.
Webmail or a Desktop Email Client?
Arguments in favor of both are many and often result in heated discussions. The truth is that there is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to choosing an email client. In actual fact, many people use both, and why not?
With so many free email services to choose from, options are close to limitless.
Still, desktop email clients are generally considered safer; they rarely get hacked and never misplace old messages, unlike webmail.
Pros of desktop email clients
· Offline mode: they allow for composing messages when offline and schedule them to be sent once the device goes online.
· Spotless encryption: desktop email clients allow the user to maintain control over generation tools and store keys.
· Superb backups: they back up messages, address contacts and folders.
· Limitless storage space: desktop email clients allow for hosting attachments either in the email body or uploading them externally (e.g., on Dropbox).
Finally, desktop email clients are the right choice for people who like keeping things organized. No webmail can hold a candle to desktop clients’ prioritizing, categorizing, filtering and flagging. In addition, extended priority features are integral to all serious desktop email clients.
Everything considered, using a desktop email client even when using webmail is recommended. The only question that remains to be answered is which one to choose.
