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Free email providers are a dime a dozen these days, but finding the most suitable service for your needs isn’t always easy.
Below, you’ll discover our top picks for email providers. All offer web-based interfaces, and don’t cost a single dollar.
Do keep in mind, however, if you run a business, we strongly suggest avoiding free emails. Why? Read 3 Reasons Why You Should Never Use a Free Email for Your Business to find out.
Let’s get into the list.
Gmail
Gmail has been around for over a decade, and is an extremely popular choice. Created by Google, Gmail offers users ample storage space, and a clean, easy-to-use interface.
One of the best features of Gmail is the ‘Smart Labels’ function. This automatically sorts your inbox into a number of categories, the defaults being ‘Personal,’ ‘Social,’ and ‘Promotions’. These tabs can also be customised.
Another benefit of having a Gmail account is you’ll get access to all of Google’s other free services: YouTube, Google Drive, Google Docs, Google Photos, and more.
A downside of Gmail is its marketing tactics. Your emails will be scanned – not by humans, but by computers – for keywords. These keywords are then used for marketing purposes. If that makes you uncomfortable, we wouldn’t recommend Gmail.
What we love about Gmail
- Easy-to-use interface
- Ample storage space
- Access to Google’s features, including Google Drive and YouTube
- Smart Labelling system
Drawbacks
- Scans emails for keywords, which are then used for targeted advertising
Outlook.com
Remember Hotmail from way back in the 90s and early 00s? Well, Outlook.com is the new, updated version of Hotmail, and is based on the Outlook desktop client. In fact, if you had an old Hotmail, Live.com, or MSN.com email address, you can now login through Outlook.
If you have used the Outlook software in the past, the web-based version is a natural choice. The interface has been designed to resemble the desktop version, and much of the functionality is the same.
What we love about Outlook.com
- Familiar to users of the Outlook desktop software
- Great functionality, including the handy ‘Quick view’ feature
- Available in over 100 languages
Drawbacks
- Interface isn’t as modern or usable as other providers
- 5GB storage is very low
- Web interface can be slow and clunky
iCloud
Most of us don’t think of Apple as an email provider. In fact, when iCloud first came out, you had to own an Apple device to create an account. Things have since changed; you can now sign up for an iCloud email account right from your browser.
The web interface is very minimalist, and is similar to that of the Mail app on iOS devices (iPhones, iPads, etc.). Although it doesn’t offer automatic sorting like other free providers, you can tag senders as VIP, making your inbox a little easier to navigate.
What we love about iCloud
- Familiar interface for iOS users
- No ads
Drawbacks
- Not many extra features
Hushmail
If you are particularly concerned with security, lesser-known provider Hushmail could be a great option. The key selling point is its security – all messages are encrypted. This could be hugely valuable if you regularly send and receive sensitive information.
Messages sent between two Hushmail accounts can be opened and read without any action. However, emails sent to other email accounts can only be opened if the user knows the correct answer to a secret question. You can turn this functionality off and on when necessary.
While this is a niche product, it’s great at what it’s designed to do. A few drawbacks include the small storage space for free accounts, and the level of activity required. You’ll need to login at least once per week to keep your account open.
What we love about Hushmail
- Excellent security built-in
- No advertising
- Advanced functionalities
- Simple-to-use interface
Drawbacks
- Free accounts offer small storage space – just 25MB
- No mobile app
Yahoo! Mail
Yahoo! Mail – another surviving email provider of the late 90s. Although Yahoo! Mail’s interface has gone through many updates over the years, it isn’t as clean and modern as Gmail, iCloud, and other providers. In fact, there’s a great big ad beside your inbox, which is super distracting. You can pay to remove it, but that defeats the purpose of a free email account.
Yahoo! Mail does offer some great features – including a calendar, sorting ‘tabs’, and an impressive 1TB of free storage. But, unless it’s that extra storage you’re after, there’s probably no reason to use Yahoo! Mail.
What we love about Yahoo! Mail
- User-friendly sorting ‘tabs’
- A huge 1TB of free storage space
Drawbacks
- Old-fashioned interface
- Large, annoying adverts
Need Help Setting Up Your Email Account?
Get in contact with the team at Computer Cures. We can recommend an email provider based on your unique needs, and help with your email setup from start to finish, including addressing all of your email security needs. We can even sync your emails across all of your devices, including your phone. We can also help you with computer setup and malware removal. Give us a call on 1300 553 166 or fill out the form on this page, and we’ll get right back to you.
I have been losing mail with Telstra for months. I thought a solution would be to set up an independent mail server. At the same time I want to retain my two email boxes with Telstra. Is it possible?
Hi Susanne, Thanks for your comment.
If you are having issues with your Telstra email, we generally recommend migrating to Microsoft Office 365 for emails. However, this does mean your email address ends up changing as you will lose your old Telstra email account.
I am more than happy to have a chat about your email needs, and guide you on various solutions.
Give us a call on 1300 553 166, Thanks,
Paul.