IMAP and POP3 are two protocols for receiving mail. They work fundamentally differently and the choice affects how you work with mail every day.
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POP3
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Downloads messages from the server and (by default) removes them. Mail lives only on one device.
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- Pros: saves server space, works offline, simple
- Cons: won’t see old mail from another device, no Sent/Drafts sync
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IMAP
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Mail is stored on the server, the client shows it “as is”. All devices see the same thing.
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- Pros: sync across all devices (phone, laptop, web), Sent shows up everywhere, easy switching between clients
- Cons: needs server space, no old mail without internet (unless local cache)
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What to pick
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- IMAP — almost always. For most users the only right choice.
- POP3 — only if: server space is very limited, you work from a single device, you have a lot of mail (archival correspondence)
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How to set up on Navju Cloud hosting
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Parameters for both protocols — in the “Setting up mail in Outlook and Thunderbird” article. IMAP port 993, POP3 port 995 (both SSL).