Every mail app has to do two jobs: bring your mail in, and send it out. IMAP and POP are two ways of bringing it in. SMTP is how it goes out. You'll meet all three when you add an account by hand, so it's worth knowing what they mean.
IMAP: your mail stays on the server
With IMAP, your mail lives on your provider's server, and your mail app shows you what's there. When you read, star, move or archive a message, the change happens on the server, so every device sees it: your Mac, your phone, the webmail in a browser.
- Folders and labels are the same everywhere.
- Read, unread and starred marks follow you between devices.
- If your laptop is lost or replaced, your mail is still on the server.
- New mail can arrive the moment it lands, without waiting for a check.
POP: your mail moves to one computer
POP is older. It downloads new mail from the server to one computer and, depending on the setting, removes it from the server afterwards. It made sense when people had one computer and little server space.
- Mail you read on one device doesn't show as read on another.
- Folders you make exist only on that computer.
- If the mail was removed from the server, the copy on that computer may be the only one.
SMTP: how mail is sent
SMTP is the outgoing half. Whether you use IMAP or POP to collect mail, sending goes through your provider's SMTP server. That's why account settings always ask for two servers: an incoming one (IMAP or POP) and an outgoing one (SMTP).
IMAP vs POP at a glance
| IMAP | POP | |
|---|---|---|
| Where mail lives | On the server | Downloaded to one computer |
| Several devices | All stay in sync | Each one on its own |
| Folders and read marks | Synced everywhere | Only on that computer |
| Lost or new computer | Mail is still on the server | Mail may be gone |
| Usual port | 993 (SSL/TLS) | 995 (SSL/TLS) |
When does POP still make sense?
Rarely. A few older or very basic mail hosts offer only POP, and some people use it on purpose to keep a single local archive and empty a small server mailbox. If you use more than one device, or care about not losing mail, choose IMAP whenever your provider offers it, and almost every provider does.
How to find your provider's IMAP settings
Your provider's help pages list the IMAP and SMTP servers, ports and encryption. We've gathered them, checked against each provider's own pages, in our email settings section:
- Gmail IMAP and SMTP settings
- Outlook IMAP and SMTP settings
- iCloud Mail IMAP and SMTP settings
- Yahoo Mail IMAP and SMTP settings
Many providers also ask for an app password instead of your normal password when a mail app signs in. Our Gmail app password guide shows how that works.
What GotEmail uses
GotEmail uses IMAP to read your mail and SMTP to send it, so everything you do on your Mac shows up on your other devices too. Outlook, Hotmail and Microsoft 365 accounts sign in with Microsoft on Microsoft's own page instead. GotEmail doesn't use POP.
For Gmail, iCloud, Yahoo, AOL, Fastmail and Zoho you don't type any servers: pick the provider in Add Account and GotEmail fills them in. For anything else, choose Other (IMAP) and type the settings from your provider. See any IMAP account in GotEmail.
Questions
What is the difference between IMAP and POP?
IMAP keeps your mail on your provider's server and syncs every change, so your phone, laptop and webmail all show the same thing. POP downloads mail to one computer, and often removes it from the server.
Is IMAP or POP better?
For almost everyone, IMAP. It keeps folders, read and starred marks and archived mail the same on every device, and a lost laptop doesn't take your mail with it.
What is SMTP?
SMTP is how mail is sent. IMAP or POP bring mail in; SMTP takes it out. A mail app needs both an incoming (IMAP or POP) and an outgoing (SMTP) server.
Does GotEmail use IMAP or POP?
IMAP, with SMTP for sending. Outlook and Microsoft 365 accounts sign in with Microsoft instead. GotEmail doesn't use POP.
What are the usual IMAP and SMTP ports?
IMAP usually uses port 993 with SSL/TLS. SMTP usually uses port 465 with SSL/TLS or port 587 with STARTTLS. Your provider's help pages list the exact settings.