Both let an app read mail from your mailbox. They handle your messages very differently.
| IMAP | POP3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Where mail lives | On the server | Downloaded to one device |
| Multiple devices | Everything stays in sync | Each device sees a different picture |
| Read status, folders | Synced everywhere | Local to the device |
| Server storage used | More | Less (if set to delete) |
| If the device is lost | Mail is still on the server | Mail may be gone |
| Port on Traxio | 993 (SSL/TLS) | 995 (SSL/TLS) |
Choose IMAP if
- you read email on more than one device, including webmail
- you want sent mail and folders visible everywhere
- you’d rather not risk losing mail with a laptop
That’s almost everyone.
POP3 can make sense if
- a single computer is the only place you read email
- you need to keep server storage very low and already back up that computer
Switching from POP3 to IMAP
Add the account again as IMAP. Messages POP3 already downloaded and deleted from the server won’t reappear. To move them back, drag them from the old local folders into the IMAP account’s folders.
Keeping a backup with IMAP
IMAP isn’t a backup: deleting a message deletes it everywhere. Archive important mail to a local folder periodically. How to back up your email
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