IMAP vs POP3: which should I use?
IMAP vs POP3, which should I use?
When setting up your Kapsule email in an email client, you'll be asked to choose between IMAP and POP3. Use IMAP.
IMAP (recommended)
IMAP keeps your email stored on the server and syncs across all your devices. When you read a message on your phone, it's marked as read on your laptop too. When you delete an email on one device, it's deleted everywhere.
Use IMAP if you:
- Check email on more than one device (phone + laptop + tablet)
- Want email to be accessible from webmail too
- Don't want to lose emails if your device fails
Kapsule Mail IMAP settings:
- Server:
mail.kapsulecloud.com - Port:
993 - Security: SSL/TLS
POP3 (not recommended)
POP3 downloads emails to your device and (by default) removes them from the server. Once downloaded, the email only exists on that one device. If you lose your device or want to check on another device, the emails are gone.
Only use POP3 if you:
- Have one device and never want to use webmail
- Have a very limited mailbox quota and need to keep the server clear
Kapsule Mail does support POP3, but given that your mailbox includes generous storage, there's no practical reason to use it over IMAP.
Webmail, zero setup
As a third option, Kapsule Webmail works from any browser with no setup:
- Go to webmail.kapsulecloud.com
- Log in with your full email address and mailbox password
Webmail reads the same IMAP mailbox as your desktop or mobile clients, everything stays in sync.
Summary
| IMAP | POP3 | Webmail | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Multi-device sync | ✅ Yes | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Works offline | ✅ After sync | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Setup required | ✅ One-time | ✅ One-time | ❌ None |
| Recommended | ✅ Yes | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |