Webmail, Best Free Email Service Provider, Hosting

Best free webmail service

Gmail

Gmail gets great reviews for its speed, ease of use, unobtrusive text ads and excellent free features. Users can assign multiple colored labels to individual emails, and Gmail automatically organizes related messages into… threads. Reviews also praise the search function as excellent; Gmail is designed for people who handle loads of emails a day. You can now use Gmail even when not connected to the Internet, or access it through desktop email software such as Outlook, Windows Mail or Apple Mail. Reviewers say the Gmail interface takes some getting used to, but it isn't hard to master.

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Expert & User Review Sources:

About.com: Gmail earns a near-perfect rating here, taking the top spot among more than 20 webmail providers. The About.com guide to email ...

WebUser: This brief but recent review of Gmail (called Google Mail in the U.K., where WebUser is based) gives it a four-star rating (on a ...

Macworld: This detailed review also gives Gmail a four-star rating, saying that "Gmail dominates its rivals in flexibility" and praising ...

Windows Secrets: Gmail loses points in this review because of privacy concerns and its unusual interface. However, the reviewer finds it faster ...

Web Worker Daily: Gmail gets top ranking in this three-way comparison review, earning praise for its innovative interface and unobtrusive ads. Its ...

GoogleTutor.com: Reviewer Mark O'Neill finds significant improvements in Gmail 2.0, praising it both for faster speed and for improved handling of ...

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Familiar interface, unlimited email storage

Yahoo! Mail

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Yahoo! Mail is the only webmail provider to offer unlimited storage. Reviews say the main difference between Yahoo! and Gmail, however, comes down to which interface you prefer. For users looking for drag-and-drop folders… as in most email software, Yahoo! Mail is the way to go. Reviews note that the ads on the site can be annoying, however, and to avoid them -- and get some of the features Gmail offers free -- requires upgrading to Yahoo! Mail Plus (*est. $20 year). The upgrade adds POP support, so you can download emails to a desktop program. However, you still don't get the automatic synchronization with the online program that Gmail offers with its IMAP support.

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About.com: Yahoo! Mail earns a slightly lower rating than Gmail in this full review by Heinz Tschabitscher, About.com's guide to email. The ...

WebUser: This British review of Yahoo! Mail praises its unlimited storage but adds that users aren't likely to need even 5 GB. This site ...

Macworld: Yahoo! Mail earns praise here for a "great new interface" with excellent integration with calendars, maps, chat and messaging. ...

Windows Secrets: The top ranking in this comparison review goes to Yahoo! Mail Plus, the paid version, but the free Yahoo! Mail comes in second -- ...

Web Worker Daily: This three-way comparison review gives kudos to Yahoo! Mail for excellent integration of services. However, it's criticized for ...

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Customizable webmail

Windows Live Hotmail

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Reviews praise Windows Live Hotmail for the way it's easy to customize the display. You can not only choose colors, but move the reading pane where you prefer it. Reviews also like the way Hotmail makes it easy to switch… among different email accounts. Like Yahoo! Mail, Hotmail offers a full preview of email -- something Gmail doesn't do. A paid version, Windows Live Hotmail Plus (*est. 20 per year) bumps up storage and attachment sizes and removes ads, though you'll still receive tips and product information from Microsoft.

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Expert & User Review Sources:

About.com: Though Windows Live Hotmail seems to rank 10th on this list of the best free email services, it actually earns the same rating ...

WebUser: This short, but recent, review of Windows Live Hotmail in the English magazine WebUser praises its ease of use. However, it rates ...

Windows Secrets: This review notes that if you have multiple email accounts, Windows Live Hotmail is the webmail that makes it easiest to switch ...

Web Worker Daily: Windows Live Hotmail loses points in this three-way comparison review for big ads and for playing catch-up when it comes to ...

TechCrunch.com: Michael Arrington compares the three leading webmail services. Gmail is rated best overall, but he notes that Yahoo! Mail and ...

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Webmail: Reviews

Best free webmail service

Familiar interface, unlimited email storage

Customizable webmail