Web-based Email or Email Client. Which is Better?
Over since the Internet came to India and email became the mainstay of communication, the question ‘Which is better for my use, Webmail or an Email Client? ‘
We at Shivaami take the opportunity to end this debate once and for all.
To begin with, let us see the pros for Webmail:
- There is no need to download any email clients like Outlook or Apple Mail, etc.
- Your email is stored in the cloud and hence is accessible from anywhere.
- Webmail does not take up space on your laptop/PC
- Since every email is stored, you can look up old emails without much ado.
- Even if your hardware fails at any point, your mails are still accessible.
- Minimum human intervention is required. There is no necessity for backup.
- Webmail is platform-independent. You can access email from any hardware/PC running any OS. For example, Windows, macOS, Linux, etc.
- Various models for collaboration and virtual meetings are available with Webmail.
Just like the pros, there are cons too. Let’s look at some of the cons for Webmail:
- There is total dependence on the Internet. If the internet is down, then work can remain stuck, till service resumes.
- There are chances of ads being shown in the interface, which may lead to malware if the user clicks on that intentionally or unintentionally.
- If you use multiple accounts, changing browser windows may be confusing, leading to the wrong email be sent to the wrong recipient.
So far as Email clients are concerned, the following are some of the pros:
- It is convenient to track multiple accounts from within a single application.
- Even if the Internet is down, you still have access to your old email.
- You can back up your emails as often as you need.
- When you are reading/replying to emails, you can do so with complete attention.
Where there are pros, the cons are not far behind:
- You are compelled to use the same OS.
- If there is a hardware malfunction, you may not be able to access emails.
- Manual intervention is required for backups, etc.
- If your hardware is infected with a virus and crashes, you lose out on important emails.
To conclude, we would say that there are pros and cons for each but as a user, the choice is yours.