IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) and POP3 (Post Office Protocol version 3) are both protocols used for receiving email messages, but they work in different ways and have different features.
POP3:
POP3 is an older protocol that is simple and easy to use. When an email client, such as Microsoft Outlook, uses POP3 to retrieve emails, it downloads the messages from the server and stores them on the local device. Once the messages are downloaded, they are removed from the server, which means that they will no longer be accessible from other devices or webmail.
IMAP:
IMAP, on the other hand, allows email messages to be stored on the server and synced with multiple devices. This means that if you read, delete, or move an email on one device, the changes will be reflected on all other devices that are connected to the same IMAP account. Additionally, IMAP allows for more advanced features such as server-side searching and the ability to access different folders and labels.
Another important difference is that POP3 is mainly used for downloading email from a single email account, whereas IMAP is mainly used for multiple email accounts, allowing you to access all of your emails from one place.
In summary, POP3 is a simpler protocol that downloads email messages to a single device, while IMAP stores the messages on the server and allows for syncing across multiple devices and more advanced features. If you have multiple devices and want to keep all your email in one place, you may find IMAP more suitable. However, if you only need to access your email from one device and don’t mind keeping your email history on that device only, POP3 may be a better choice.