Custom webmail recommendations (to switch from gmail)

[superboyac]

I'd like to know what my options would be if I were to ween myself off of gmail and go to my own custom webmail service.  Does anyone have some recommendations?  I have server space and everything, so what application would be the best?  The default cpanel webmail options are ok, but nothing special.  I figure there are some open source gmail alternatives out there or something.

I'd love to eventually get off gmail and control my own destiny, so to speak.  I like gmail's simple search and the quality of results you get.  Other than that, there isn't much I see in gmail that is particularly important to me, other than some of their nice interface elements.  I'm sure with html5 and everything, the alternatives can look good also.

[allen]

I'm going to have to keep an eye on this thread... I went through a similar line of thought about a year ago, but came up dissatisfied with every webmail option out there (that I tried). I finally gave up on hosting it myself. I used Outlook for a while, but ultimately ended up using Fastmail. The keyboard-navigation is brilliant.

Maybe it's time to build my own webmail client.

[40hz]

Best bet IMO is to have somebody inexpensively host it for you under your own domain name.

Some, like Godaddy, will give you one free mailbox if you register the domain through them.  Basic POP3 e-mail host plans are also pretty cheap no matter who you go through. I'd suggest paying the small premium for an IMAP account. That way your folders will automatically be in sync among your devices if you still want to use an e-mail client. No need to futz with PSD and other message stores if you get a new machine either. And you're also backed up because your messages remain on the IMAP server.

If you already have a registered domain I'd strongly suggest springing for some small (5-20 mailbox) hosting plan. Prices are low, and there's some real bargains if you shop around.

If you're an Outlook fan who needs the full functionality, go with Microsoft's Exchange Online service. It runs about $5/mo per user with no contract. With that you get the full capabilities of Outlook, like shared calendars and contacts, invites, etc. It's a very good deal if you need all that. And you can pay it month to month so it's very affordable. 

[superboyac]

Best bet IMO is to have somebody inexpensively host it for you under your own domain name.

Some, like Godaddy, will give you one free mailbox if you register the domain through them.  Basic POP3 e-mail host plans are also pretty cheap no matter who you go through. I'd suggest paying the small premium for an IMAP account. That way your folders will automatically be in sync among your devices if you still want to use an e-mail client. No need to futz with PSD and other message stores if you get a new machine either. And you're also backed up because your messages remain on the IMAP server.

If you already have a registered domain I'd strongly suggest springing for some small (5-20 mailbox) hosting plan. Prices are low, and there's some real bargains if you shop around.

If you're an Outlook fan who needs the full functionality, go with Microsoft's Exchange Online service. It runs about $5/mo per user with no contract. With that you get the full capabilities of Outlook, like shared calendars and contacts, invites, etc. It's a very good deal if you need all that. And you can pay it month to month so it's very affordable. 

This sounds good.  I already have the domain and email from inmotion.  I just checked, and i think they already use roundcube which is an imap webmail application.  So it may be just a matter of changing my primary email address and letting everyone know.  I also use the bat to filter everything into the proper places on my hard drive that gets backed up.  Not sure if I need to go imap for that, but if imap can sync with the rules I have setup in the Bat, then why not?

[allen]

Best bet IMO is to have somebody inexpensively host it for you under your own domain name.

This is the most economical way to do it, yes. . . but I want a *great* web based mail experience. Horde, roundcube and squirrelmail do not deliver that compared to gmail/outlook.com/fastmail/yahoo!, etc. Is there anything better?

[wraith808]

smartermail and atmail are pretty good.  In addition, there is a good comparison on Noupe.  It's pretty old, but its how I found atmail.

My personal recommendation would be to use a commercial webmail solution, and point it towards your own mail server, especially if you want a well developed user experience.

[superboyac]

smartermail and atmail are pretty good.  In addition, there is a good comparison on Noupe.  It's pretty old, but its how I found atmail.

My personal recommendation would be to use a commercial webmail solution, and point it towards your own mail server, especially if you want a well developed user experience.

atmail is nice.

[TaoPhoenix]

Kinda tangential, but I have been using Yahoo mail for almost a decade, half of which because it was Not-Gmail, rather than any real liking for the "quality". But Yahoo seems to be the only other major web mail service out there.

I'll plead ignorance on Hotmail, your choice of one more, and then it drops off a cliff.

[Carol Haynes]

Kinda tangential, but I have been using Yahoo mail for almost a decade, half of which because it was Not-Gmail, rather than any real liking for the "quality". But Yahoo seems to be the only other major web mail service out there.

I'll plead ignorance on Hotmail, your choice of one more, and then it drops off a cliff.

I would thoroughly recommend avoiding Yahoo like the plague. The websoftware is flaky at best (doesn't even work in some browsers when you sign up) and their servers are constantly being hacked - plus the advertising is chronic.

[TaoPhoenix]

Kinda tangential, but I have been using Yahoo mail for almost a decade, half of which because it was Not-Gmail, rather than any real liking for the "quality". But Yahoo seems to be the only other major web mail service out there.

I'll plead ignorance on Hotmail, your choice of one more, and then it drops off a cliff.

I would thoroughly recommend avoiding Yahoo like the plague. The websoftware is flaky at best (doesn't even work in some browsers when you sign up) and their servers are constantly being hacked - plus the advertising is chronic.

These are fair criticisms. I've taken some measures to reduce the ads. It was more of a remark about longevity. Since my real comp skills are kinda thin, I can't think of any other solution that would be the same 8 years later. (I started using Yahoo mail about 2004.)

[Carol Haynes]

A hosting package that includes CPanel includes 3 different webmail interfaces and also gives POP and IMAP access to the same accounts.

Most hosts will also offer secure connections - but to use your own domain name securely you would have to buy an SSL certificate.

[wraith808]

A hosting package that includes CPanel includes 3 different webmail interfaces and also gives POP and IMAP access to the same accounts.

Most hosts will also offer secure connections - but to use your own domain name securely you would have to buy an SSL certificate.

Yeah... but the UX on those standard mail interfaces is one of the reasons I went away from using my own.  All of the alternatives I've seen on hosts have really sucked.

SquirrelMail?  Horde?  Bleh.  And Roundcube is only barely better.

[superboyac]

A hosting package that includes CPanel includes 3 different webmail interfaces and also gives POP and IMAP access to the same accounts.

Most hosts will also offer secure connections - but to use your own domain name securely you would have to buy an SSL certificate.

Yeah... but the UX on those standard mail interfaces is one of the reasons I went away from using my own.  All of the alternatives I've seen on hosts have really sucked.

SquirrelMail?  Horde?  Bleh.  And Roundcube is only barely better.

yup i totally agree.

But atmail has a pretty gmail-like interface.  I think the goal is to have your email data under your control (like your own computer, or your own server space, even if it's rented) and use the webmail software to navigate it.  So I'd use atmail on my own server, basically.  I don't want gmail or yahoo or outlook because they store your email data themselves.  I would love to just use the gmail software on my own server, ideally.

[wraith808]

You can use gmail and outlook (not sure about yahoo) without storing the data with them... well ostensibly.  I don't *think* that they store in the case of IMAP... but it does pass through them, so...

[TaoPhoenix]

But atmail has a pretty gmail-like interface.

Not having it unless the multi-inbox mod is supported. My best use of Gmail that I hooked my CFO on was a 7 layer spread of sorting the email by category. Nothing else matters if that was dropped in the new update.

[40hz]

You can use gmail and outlook (not sure about yahoo) without storing the data with them... well ostensibly.  I don't *think* that they store in the case of IMAP... but it does pass through them, so...

With IMAP you sync the local message store with the server rather than simply download a message. So all your messages and folders get sync-replicated. If you do something using the web interface (send a message/create a new folder, etc.), the next time you go in with a client like Outlook those changes will appear and be stored locally. It goes in the opposite direction too. Anything you do in your local mail client will appear next time you log in using the webmail interface.

[mahesh2k]

I am managing the email better with the outlook these days. I tried fastmail and older eudoramail and they were not bad compared to gmail.