We spent 120 hours testing 16 free email services, narrowing our list to the eight services we believe are the best options. These services have sufficient inbox storage and tools to make it easy to send, receive and store messages.
- Best Free Email Provider Review
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- Best Free Email Provider For Business
Gmail is our top pick because it’s the easiest to use and comes with the most services, including access to Google Calendar, an attachment preview, automatic spam filters and direct import of social media contacts into its address book. But there are a number of great options – you'll find our pick of the best free email services below.
Do you need a VPN to protect your email?
An independent writer who has reviewed hundreds of email programs and services since 1997. The Mail application that ships with macOS and OS X is solid, feature-rich and spam-eliminating software that is also an easy-to-use email client. Optimized to work on the Mac, the Mail app is trouble free. The best free email services for 2018 We're going to take a look at the best free e-mail services that the Internet currently has to offer, and tell you which ones are the best. By Martyn Casserly. Aug 19, 2013 CNET's forum on computer help is the best source for finding the solutions to your computer problems. You'll find discussions about fixing problems with.
Your email account contains a lot of personal information, from details about your work to where you live, who your friends and family are, where you shop and more. If it's hacked, it can quickly lead to serious problems like identity theft, which could have huge financial implications.
Best Email for Mac. To help us compare the features and services of email providers. We narrowed the 16 free email services to eight that we believe are the best. Free email accounts may seem like a dime a dozen, but there are some free services that stand way above the rest. This article will help guide you through the best free email accounts and which features make them the best.
The easiest and most secure way to keep your email safe is with a virtual private network service (VPN). These encrypt your emails and help you stay anonymous online – and they're becoming increasingly popular. They’re a particularly good idea if you’re using public Wi-Fi to send emails (at a hotel or cafe, for example) where anybody could read what you're writing if it isn't encrypted.
We think the best VPN service is ExpressVPN. It's fast, offers superb security, and it's very easy to use. But if you're not sure which one is right for you, take a look at our best VPN service guide, where you'll find plenty of advice.
ExpressVPN: Save 49% | $6.67/month (was $12.95/month)
ExpressVPN is the best VPN service there is. It'll keep your email secure, whether you're using a computer, cell phone or tablet – and with this exclusive offer you can get it almost half price, at just $6.67/month. That's fantastic value. (Plus there’s a 30-day money back guarantee if you don't like it.)
ExpressVPN is the best VPN service there is. It'll keep your email secure, whether you're using a computer, cell phone or tablet – and with this exclusive offer you can get it almost half price, at just $6.67/month. That's fantastic value. (Plus there’s a 30-day money back guarantee if you don't like it.)
Best Overall
Gmail
Best Free Email Provider Review
Google Gmail
No inbox ads
Includes a language translator
Attaches one file at a time with the mobile app
Gmail has all the tools and features you need for an email account, including 15GB of inbox storage space, a 100-per-day limit on sent messages, and no inbox ads to interfere with navigating the program. Along with an email address, Gmail also gives you automatic access to many of Google’s other services, such as Drive, Calendar, Maps and Google Plus. You can also use Google Translate within Gmail to translate messages in other languages.
You can attach files up to 25MB and upload more than one at a time. Once they are attached, documents and images are displayed as thumbnails, so it’s easy to verify you’ve attached the correct files. When you receive attachments in an incoming message, these, too, are displayed as thumbnails so you can preview and sure they are safe to download to your computer.
Gmail keeps your inbox safe by automatically identifying and sending spam messages to a spam folder. It also has virus scanning and phishing blocks, so you know the messages you’re getting don’t have hidden threats attached to them.
Gmail keeps your inbox safe by automatically identifying and sending spam messages to a spam folder. It also has virus scanning and phishing blocks, so you know the messages you’re getting don’t have hidden threats attached to them.
Best for Spam Blocking
Yahoo Mail
Yahoo Business mail$1.19
Automatic spam filters
Allows up to 500 sent messages daily
Tricky to navigate
Yahoo Mail takes extra steps to keep your account secure by automatically enabling spam filters and directing messages into the spam folder. It also recognizes some junk mail and will place these items in the trash bin rather than your primary inbox. Another positive feature our testers liked is the sender block, which lets you add an email address to a black list. Rather than redirecting emails from these senders into the spam or trash folders as other email services do, Yahoo Mail blocks these messages entirely.
Yahoo Mail does have a fair number of ads that border your inbox, and some sponsored ads are inserted into the message lists so they look like legitimate emails. These aren’t too difficult to ignore, but they do cause some initial confusion and may make it harder to navigate your inbox.
Yahoo Mail gives you 1 terabyte of inbox storage (enough to hold 20 million email messages) before you must delete some to receive more messages. You also have a daily sent-message limit of 500 emails – five times more than most free email services allow, but less than Gmail. The Yahoo Mail app is also easy to use, with the same features available as the online account.
Yahoo Mail gives you 1 terabyte of inbox storage (enough to hold 20 million email messages) before you must delete some to receive more messages. You also have a daily sent-message limit of 500 emails – five times more than most free email services allow, but less than Gmail. The Yahoo Mail app is also easy to use, with the same features available as the online account.
Best for Email Encryption
ProtonMail
Proton Mail Plus$4
![Best Best](/uploads/1/3/3/2/133283645/917116276.png)
$6.25
Proton Mail Visionary$24
Encrypts outgoing messages
25MB maximum attachment size
If you reset your password, you’ll lose access to previous messages
ProtonMail is a basic email service that is easy to set up because it doesn’t ask for any personal information. You just pick a user name and password, and you’re set. Be aware that some features – such as mail collection and the ability to sync across multiple devices – are only available with its paid email service. But the free version does have email encryption, which is important if you send messages with sensitive information you want to protect. ProtonMail automatically unencrypts the message when it reaches the recipient’s inbox and is opened.
To further protect your messages, ProtonMail has a secure password recovery process. Although you can reset your password if you forget your old one, ProtonMail won’t allow access to the messages you received in your inbox or saved in folders before you reset your password. This means you will lose all emails, both sent and received.
ProtonMail lets you attach multiple files at once to outgoing messages, up to the maximum attachment size of 25MB. Once they’re attached, you can’t preview the files without downloading and opening them again. You also have only 500MB of inbox storage, which is enough to hold about 1,200 messages.
ProtonMail lets you attach multiple files at once to outgoing messages, up to the maximum attachment size of 25MB. Once they’re attached, you can’t preview the files without downloading and opening them again. You also have only 500MB of inbox storage, which is enough to hold about 1,200 messages.
Best Email for Mac
iCloud Mail
Requires a lot of steps to set up
iCloud Mail is the official email service from Apple and is designed to be accessed easily from any Mac computer or mobile device, though you can send and read messages from Windows computers, too.
We learned that it takes a lot of steps to set up and verify an iCloud account and it isn’t easy. But the email program itself is impressive as it automatically saves contact information to your contact folder as messages are opened or sent. You can create alias email accounts and view them all in a single inbox and write automated reply messages for when you can’t return messages right away. We were really impressed with how fast our images and documents attached to outgoing messages using iCloud Mail, much faster than most services we tested. But you can’t preview these files once they’ve been attached.
Best for Home Businesses
Zoho Mail
Zoho Standard$1
Zoho Standard$2
Zoho Pro$5
Collects messages from other email accounts
Zoho Mail is part of a group of free services from Zoho that are designed for small businesses, especially if you have a home-based business or are a sole proprietor.
Programs include a calendar, contact manager, expense tracker and project reports that all sync together so you can see and manage your entire business from your email inbox. When you send or receive any messages from clients, Zoho Mail automatically makes a note of it in the CRM. And it will remind you of meetings or follow-up messages you need to send after checking the Zoho Calendar. One good feature is you can redirect email from other email services into your inbox so you don’t have to check messages in each individual account. And because Zoho has unlimited inbox storage, you won’t have to worry about running out of space. One feature the service doesn’t include is the ability to import contacts from social media sites, so you’ll have to manually enter each one. Or you can import them into either the Zoho ContactManager or Zoho CRM that will sync with your inbox and give you access to this information.
Why Trust Us?
While Top Ten Reviews has been evaluating free email services for 12 years, our testers have been familiar with email programs for much longer. To update our recommendations, we spent 120 hours using and testing 16 free email services.
One tester used an 18-year-old free email account (originally a Hotmail account, now an Outlook account), along with other free accounts, to help us compare the features and services of email providers.
We narrowed the 16 free email services to eight that we believe are the best options. We eliminated services that allow you to send free email messages but won’t let you receive messages without purchasing the service. We also discounted services that currently have free email accounts available but are either no longer offering support or have plans to discontinue them. We didn’t feel comfortable recommending a service that may not be around long term.
How We Tested
To test free email services, we performed common tasks with each service and took note of the ease or difficulty. For example, we noted how many steps it took to set up a new account, the amount of personal information required and whether we needed to provide a cellphone number to verify and officially activate the account.
We followed a similar process to test the tools for attaching files and images to outgoing emails. We recorded the number of steps it took to attach a file, whether we could attach multiple files at once, and how long the program took to upload attachments to our message.
Since each of the free email services we tested has a mobile app, we tested how easy it was to set up and access email accounts this way, too. Again, we tracked the steps and made note of any challenges in attaching images and files to messages via the app. We also determined whether any functions from the desktop version were missing in the app.
Can I Have 2 Gmail Accounts?
Yes you can! Many people have multiple Gmail accounts, each with its own email address. Each free Gmail account comes with 15GB of inbox storage space, enough to hold around 300,000 messages before you have to start deleting some to make room for incoming email. You can always choose to convert to a paid email account and get unlimited storage.
Gmail lets you log into multiple email accounts at once and simply toggle between them without having to log out and re-enter your credentials each time. We found this to be a very helpful perk especially if you have a personal Gmail account and another dedicated to your work or home business. This multi-account feature works on mobile, too, so you’re always connected and can quickly access important email while on the go. It’s hard to attach files to outgoing messages using the Gmail app, though, since it only allows you to upload one file at a time.
How Much Can I Expect to Pay for a Premium Email Account?
Email services typically charge between $2 and $10 per month for their paid services, depending on how much mail you need to send and receive. The biggest differences between free and paid email services is the size of the files you’re allowed to attach to outgoing mail, how many emails you can send per day, how much backup and inbox space you’re given, and the level of customer support you can access. Most free email services give you enough inbox and online backup space combined to hold hundreds of thousands of emails, but they typically limit the number of email messages you can send in a day to about 100. This is plenty for most people using an email account for personal use. But if you have a home business or know a lot of people you need to email every day, then it may be worth purchasing an email account with unlimited outbound messaging.
What to Look For When Choosing a Free Email Service
Inbox and Folders
Nearly all free email services have inbox ads, so there’s that most services include. Since they’re all but unavoidable, look for services that make them less obtrusive. Some place ads to the side, so they don’t create too much distraction. However, some services place ads all around the inbox, making it difficult to navigate the program. Some free email services even allow pop-up ads that cover your inbox and require you to click out of them to access your messages.
Nearly all free email services have inbox ads, so there’s that most services include. Since they’re all but unavoidable, look for services that make them less obtrusive. Some place ads to the side, so they don’t create too much distraction. However, some services place ads all around the inbox, making it difficult to navigate the program. Some free email services even allow pop-up ads that cover your inbox and require you to click out of them to access your messages.
Pay attention to the amount of inbox storage available, because once you reach the cap, you’ll have to start deleting messages in order to receive more. Many free email services offer a terabyte or even unlimited storage, which is helpful if you tend to receive messages with large attachments, like image and video files. However, even a few gigabytes of storage gives you enough space to hold between 100,000 and 300,000 messages.
Free email services do cap the number of email messages you can send out per day. This is to cut down on spam messages sent with their services. The cap is generally around 100 messages per day, which is sufficient for keeping in touch with family or other personal email uses. But if you need an email service for business purposes, it may be better to purchase an email service that permits unlimited messages each day.
Composition Tools
It’s easy to write and send email messages with any service once you figure out where the New Message and Send buttons are. It’s more important to examine the attachment features, including the maximum file size you can send and whether you can preview files once they are attached.
It’s easy to write and send email messages with any service once you figure out where the New Message and Send buttons are. It’s more important to examine the attachment features, including the maximum file size you can send and whether you can preview files once they are attached.
During testing, we looked at the maximum size allowed for attached files. Most of the accounts we tested can handle between 20MB and 25MB, which is about six professional images or 10 snapshots taken with a point-and-shoot camera. It was also important for us to see a thumbnail of the file once we uploaded it, so that we could confirm we had attached the correct one.
Securing Your Email
According to Mitch Stephens, a security consultant for Emagined Security, email attacks are the most common internet threat. “An attacker can send a link that looks similar to another link you are familiar with,” Stephens told us, and when you open it, you’ll see a site that looks legitimate and asks for your login information. Once you enter it, the attacker then has your credentials to log into the real site and gather even more personal information. These are known as phishing schemes, or phishing attacks.
According to Mitch Stephens, a security consultant for Emagined Security, email attacks are the most common internet threat. “An attacker can send a link that looks similar to another link you are familiar with,” Stephens told us, and when you open it, you’ll see a site that looks legitimate and asks for your login information. Once you enter it, the attacker then has your credentials to log into the real site and gather even more personal information. These are known as phishing schemes, or phishing attacks.
“The best way to protect yourself from phishing attacks is by only opening email from trusted or known sources,” said Stephens.
You can also install internet security programs to your computer that include antiphishing tools to help block these schemes from getting into your inbox to begin with. We’ve tested many internet security programs and recommend Bitdefender Internet Security and McAfee LiveSafe, which both come with antiphishing tools.
Email Safety Practices: How to Spot a Scam Email
If you have a landline, cell phone or email, you’ve undoubtedly received shady phone calls or messages. Scammers use shock and fear tactics to try to get you to quickly send money or give up personal information. In one of the most common scams, someone contacts you pretending to be from the IRS. In response, the IRS has released an article identifying the five tell-tale signs of an IRS scam. You should never give your personal information over the phone or through email.
If you receive an email or call from someone claiming your computer is out of date, be very wary. If they further ask you for your personal information, Wi-Fi information or IP address, you’ll know for certain it’s a scam. They’re simply trying to steal your identity or hack your computer. If you’re uncertain, contact the actual company they claim to represent to see if there is anything wrong with your accounts.
Further Ways to Spot a Scam Email:
- If they try to pressure you into giving personal or credit card info, it’s a scam.
- Look at the sender’s email address. If the name is a near misspelling of an established company, it’s a scam. (i.e. “Chase Bnk” instead of “Chase Bank”)
- If there are a lot of grammatical errors and fractured sentences, the email most likely wasn’t sent from an official company.
- Prize winner emails are always scams unless you specifically remember signing up for something. Even then, it could still be a scam.
- If they sidestep your questions and pummel you with threats and fears, it’s a scam.
To better protect yourself, consider purchasing eScan, an anti-virus software that recognizes spam messages that are specifically tailored to you.
More Internet Guides:
Best OverallGmail
Gmail is the easiest email service to use and the only one that doesn’t include inbox ads. Apps for college students. It has all the features the best service should, such as mail collection, auto reply and spam filters.
Best for Spam BlockingYahoo Mail
Yahoo Mail lets you add email addresses to a block list so that messages from these senders never make it into any folder in your account, including the trash and spam folders.
Best for Email Encryption ProtonMail
ProtonMail encrypts all outgoing messages so they can’t be read by anyone except the receiver once it reaches their inbox.
Product | Price | Overall Rating | Inbox & Folder Settings | Composition Tools | Security Tools & Filters | Conveniences | Help & Support | Ease of Use | Daily Message Limit | Mail Collector | Mobile Service | IMAP Support | Inbox Storage | Message Translator | Import Social Media Contacts | Aliases | Spam Filters | Suspicious Account Activity Alert | Secure Sign-In | Phishing Blocks | Virus Scanning | View Attachments | Average Upload Time | Multiple Image Upload | Auto Reply | Conversation View | Max Attachment Size | Pop-Out Window | Standout Feature | Task Calendar | Custom Themes | Video Chat | Chat/Instant Messaging | FAQ | Email Support | Forums |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gmail | View Deal | 5/5 | 10 | 9.8 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 100% | 100 | ✓ | 80% | ✓ | 15GB | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Automatic | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 16.5 sec | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 25MB | ✓ | Message Translator | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Yahoo Mail | View Deal | 5/5 | 10 | 9.8 | 10 | 8.8 | 10 | 85% | 500 | ✓ | 95% | ✓ | 1TB | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Automatic | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 4 sec | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 25MB | ✓ | Block Sender | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Outlook | View Deal | 4.5/5 | 9.8 | 10 | 7.8 | 10 | 10 | 80% | 100 | ✓ | 100% | ✓ | 1TB | * | ✓ | ✓ | Manual | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 4 sec | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 50MB | ✓ | 50MB Attachment Limit | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
AOL Mail | View Deal | 4.5/5 | 7.8 | 10 | 9.8 | 8.8 | 10 | 90% | 200 | ✓ | 75% | ✓ | Unlimited | - | - | - | Manual | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | .5 sec | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 25MB | ✓ | Fast Load Time | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
GMX | View Deal | 4.5/5 | 9 | 10 | 7.8 | 10 | 9.5 | 90% | Undisclosed | ✓ | 90% | ✓ | Unlimited | - | ✓ | ✓ | Manual | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 4 sec | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 50MB | ✓ | Unlimited Inbox Storage | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Zoho Mail | View Deal | 4.5/5 | 8.8 | 9.8 | 7.8 | 10 | 10 | 95% | 250 | ✓ | 90% | ✓ | Unlimited | - | - | ✓ | Manual | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | .5 sec | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 20MB | ✓ | Mail Collecting | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
iCloud | View Deal | 4/5 | 8.5 | 9.8 | 5.8 | 6.3 | 5.8 | 90% | 1000 | ✓ | 75% | ✓ | 5 GB | - | - | ✓ | Manual | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | ✓ | 2 sec | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 20MB | ✓ | Mac Compatible | ✓ | - | - | - | ✓ | - | - |
ProtonMail | View Deal | 3.5/5 | 7.8 | 7 | 5.8 | 5 | 6.8 | 90% | 150 | $ | 70% | $ | 500MB | - | - | $ | Manual | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | 2.5 sec | ✓ | - | ✓ | 25MB | ✓ | Message Encryption | - | ✓ | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | - |
Related Product Reviews
Best E-Mail Spam Filter 2019 - Software for Blocking Spam
After more than 60 hours of researching, testing and evaluating spam filters, we chose SpamBully as the best program because of the number of filters it includes, including a Bayesian filter. SpamBully works with both standalone mail servers, like Outlook, and with IMAP and POP3 email services, like Gmail and Yahoo. It does a good job filtering your email messages and keeping phishing schemes and email with harmful attachments from reaching your inbox.
Best OverallSpamBully
SpamBully works with Outlook and free email services, like Gmail, to block phishing schemes and message attachments that are harmful. It’s easy to use and has learning technology to help recognize which email you consider spam based on your email habits.
Best for MacSpamSieve
SpamSieve is one of the few spam filter programs that is compatible with Mac devices. It taps into public spam lists to block messages from known spammers and uses a Bayesian filter to block email designed to look like legitimate messages from someone you know.
Best for MobileMailWasher Pro
MailWasher Pro is compatible with both iOS and Android cellphones, making it a good choice for mobile email filtering. It is also a good choice for use on older computers because it’s compatible with all versions of Windows, including XP and Vista.
Product | Price | Overall Rating | Price | Blocking & Filtering | Compatibility | User Experience | Price | Quarantine Area | Sensitivity Settings | Public Block List | Block Attachments | Country Code Filtering | Bayesian Filter | Challenge Response | Identity Theft & Antiphishing Protections | Antivirus | IMAP & POP3 | Mobile Email | Gmail | Outlook | Yahoo Mail | AOL Mail | iCloud | Ease of Use Score | U.S. Telephone Support | Community Forum | Searchable Knowledgebase | Windows 10 | Windows 8 | Windows 7 | Android | Mac OS | Mac iOS |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Spam Bully 4 | View Deal | 5/5 | $29.95 | 10 | 9.5 | 10 | $29.95 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | 95% | ✓ | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | - |
CleanMail Home 4.6.1.3 | View Deal | 5/5 | $29.95 | 10 | 9.5 | 8.5 | $29.95 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | 80% | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | - |
MailWasher Pro 2010 6.53 | View Deal | 4.5/5 | $39.95 | 8.5 | 10 | 8.5 | $39.95 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | 85% | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
Avast Internet Security | View Deal | 4.5/5 | $59.99 | 7.8 | 10 | 10 | $59.99 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 95% | ✓ | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
eScan Internet Security Suite | View Deal | 4/5 | $45.00 | 7.8 | 7.5 | 9 | $45.00 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | ✓ | - | - | - | 90% | ✓ | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | - |
SpamSieve | View Deal | 4/5 | $30.00 | 6.3 | 8.5 | 7.5 | $30.00 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | - | ✓ | 75% | - | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | - | - | ✓ | ✓ |
Best Overall
SpamBully
Spam Bully 4$29.95
Blocks malicious attachments
Has adjustable sensitivity settings
Isn’t compatible with Mac devices
SpamBully is easy to install and works seamlessly with most email programs. It’s especially good with mail servers that run from your desktop such as Outlook. However, it also supports IMAP and POP3, the programs used by free email services like Gmail and Yahoo Mail. SpamBully’s biggest drawback is it isn’t compatible with mobile devices.
This software automatically blocks and deletes messages sent from blacklisted addresses and checks attachments for threats. It also automatically places your email contacts on its whitelist so it never blocks their messages. SpamBully includes a Bayesian filter, which it uses to recognize and block personalized spam messages. The software can block messages based on the sender and the sender’s IP address. It’s also one of the few programs we reviewed that can filter by an email’s country of origin, so you don’t receive messages sent from places known to have lots of spammers.
SpamBully has a clean, updated interface. It’s easy to install and set up in your email program, and you can customize some of the settings, such as the filter’s sensitivity level. If you need help, you can reach out to customer service via email or telephone.
SpamBully has a clean, updated interface. It’s easy to install and set up in your email program, and you can customize some of the settings, such as the filter’s sensitivity level. If you need help, you can reach out to customer service via email or telephone.
Best for Mac
SpamSieve
SpamSieve
Compatible with Mac computers and iOS mobile devices
Has adjustable sensitivity settings
Best Free Email
Doesn’t include antivirus protection
SpamSieve is the only Mac-specific standalone spam blocker we looked at, and it works on both Mac computers and iOS mobile devices. Though it’s a Mac program, SpamSieve is compatible with IMAP and POP3 email programs like Yahoo Mail and Gmail. Mac best portfolio tracker for mac.
Its control presets are effective, but you can adjust the filter’s sensitivity setting. The software taps into public block lists to keep messages from known spammers out of your inbox. While SpamSieve doesn’t filter messages by country of origin or block malicious attachments, it does recognize and block phishing schemes. Also, the program’s Bayesian filter recognizes when the sender’s email address and signature don’t match, when the header includes common spam language and symbols, and when a message is addressed to you but misspells your name.
We found SpamSieve was difficult to install, and the developer doesn’t offer telephone support. Instead a dated manual walks you through the setup steps, and you must know basic coding for some tools to work. There is a community forum where you can talk to other users and get answers to common, and not so common, questions.
We found SpamSieve was difficult to install, and the developer doesn’t offer telephone support. Instead a dated manual walks you through the setup steps, and you must know basic coding for some tools to work. There is a community forum where you can talk to other users and get answers to common, and not so common, questions.
Best for Mobile
MailWasher Pro
MailWasher Pro 2010 6.53
Compatible with iOS and Android cell phones
Checks email images and attachments
Not compatible with Mac computers
MailWasher Pro is one of the easiest programs to use, and it is just as effective at blocking spam on mobile email apps as it is on desktop accounts. It has a Bayesian filter that recognizes patterns in spam messages, for example if a sender’s email address and signature don’t match, and blocks new threats based on the patterns it detects.
MailWasher works with every popular email service, including Outlook, and with free and standalone email programs like Gmail. It’s compatible with Android and iOS devices, as well as with computers running Windows. However, it doesn’t work on Mac computers.
You can change filter settings and make custom rules about which messages MailWasher checks, blocks and deletes, or you can keep the program’s default settings. It filters emails by sender, IP address and information on public block databases. However, it doesn’t filter by the messages’ country of origin. MailWasher Pro searches all incoming emails, including attachments, for malware such as viruses, keyloggers and phishing schemes.
For technical support, you can contract a representative directly via telephone or email, and the MailWasher knowledgebase has FAQs and online user guides. There is also an online community forum where you can connect with other users for help.
You can change filter settings and make custom rules about which messages MailWasher checks, blocks and deletes, or you can keep the program’s default settings. It filters emails by sender, IP address and information on public block databases. However, it doesn’t filter by the messages’ country of origin. MailWasher Pro searches all incoming emails, including attachments, for malware such as viruses, keyloggers and phishing schemes.
For technical support, you can contract a representative directly via telephone or email, and the MailWasher knowledgebase has FAQs and online user guides. There is also an online community forum where you can connect with other users for help.
Avast Internet Security
Avast Internet Security$47.99
Includes antivirus protection
Using Avast’s antispam filters, you can redirect or completely block email based on the server IP address or email address it’s sent from.
Free Email Provider
It includes antiphishing tools to block messages designed to trick you into giving your personal information to hackers and identity thieves. Avast Internet Security comes with malware protection, so as it scans incoming email it looks for links that lead to dangerous websites or malware downloads. It also catches viruses, Trojans, rootkits and other threats as they sneak onto your computer through the internet or USB filesharing. We did notice that some important spam filters are missing from Avast Internet Security. These include filters by country and a Bayesian filter that recognizes more sophisticated spam messages that look like they were sent from a legitimate company but leave small traces that advanced filters pick up on.
CleanMail Home
CleanMail Home incl. 12 Months Maintenance
Sends challenge questions to senders
CleanMail Home is a bit dated, which makes it a good program for older Windows computers. It’s also compatible with Linux. It doesn’t work on mobile devices, however.
This spam filter integrates with email services that use IMAP and POP3 programs by adding a toolbar under the one already in your account. It took us a little time to figure out how to properly install this program, but once it was installed, the tools and settings were easy to find and use. CleanMail connects to public spam lists, so it recognizes and blocks known spammers. It also has settings that let you block messages based on IP addresses, email address and country of origin. CleanMail includes a Bayesian filter that recognizes spam messages specifically created to target you, which tend to include personal greetings from a legitimate-looking company. If you receive a message that you’re not sure about, CleanMail Home lets you send a challenge question to the sender. If the sender answers correctly you know the email is safe to open.
eScan Internet Security Suite
eScan Internet Security Suite
Automates processes based on your email habits
Because eScan includes antivirus tools, it warns you about links in emails that lead to malicious downloads and websites with hidden malware.
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eScan blocks messages that have malware and quarantines the threats. It also recognizes phishing schemes and lets you decide whether to redirect spam messages to a designated folder or completely delete them before they hit your inbox. You can set up eScan Internet Security to send an automatic response to spammers letting them know their message was blocked and that future emails will automatically be redirected or deleted. eScan uses non-intrusive learning patterns that track which types of email you open and those you delete and begins to automate those decisions for you. Its spam filters are compatible with both paid email services, like Outlook, and free email programs, like Gmail. However, eScan doesn’t work on mobile devices or Macs.
Why Trust Us
Top Ten Reviews has researched, evaluated and tested internet security software, including spam filters, for 15 years. We subscribe to news outlets and internet security blogs as well as attend security conferences and trade shows to learn about how these programs work, changes in the industry and current threats. We also develop and foster relationships with other internet security experts, including security consultants and company network managers, to help us learn about the tools and features these programs should come with and to more fully understand consumers’ needs. On top of testing programs for our readers, we think about our own families and look for software we would be comfortable using to protect them.
How We Tested
We couldn’t perform in-depth testing on spam filter programs because the process runs the risk of our own email servers being tagged and blocked as malicious. However, we downloaded each program to get a feel for how easy it is to set up and configure, as well as to find out how it generally works. We also spent two days collecting as much info as we could about each program by reading user guides and watching demos.
Recently we spent 120 hours physically testing free email services, which include some spam blocking tools, and six weeks testing antivirus programs, which often include a spam filtering component. As such, we understand how spam filters work and what features are most important. We chose the best standalone spam filters based on their feature sets, user feedback, ease of use and the support resources provided by their developers.
Do I really need a spam filter?
Mitch Stephens, a security consultant for Emagined Security, said the biggest source of malware is email, with phishing schemes being the most dangerous. Phishing emails are messages that look like they were sent from someone you know or a company you do business with. When you click on links or provide personal information asked for in these messages, hackers have enough information to break into your bank accounts, steal your identity or send malicious viruses to attack your computer. This makes it important to have a good spam filter that blocks phishing schemes.
Email services come with filters that do a good job, and most internet security programs, such as Avast and eScan, include spam filters among their protection tools. However, there still is use for a standalone program. They cost less than an all-inclusive internet security programs and are dedicated to blocking spam, so they typically include extra tools for that purpose such a Bayesian filters and customizable settings
How does a spam filter work?
Antispam software integrates with your email program, and the spam blocker tools should appear alongside the regular toolbar in your email account so the features and filters are easy to find. The best antispam programs let you set custom filters and can connect with public databases that list email addresses known to send spam.
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Programs with Bayesian filters learn which spam messages are created to specifically target you and quickly block them. A few programs have another important filter that blocks messages by their country of origin. Many spam messages are sent from a handful of countries or IP address, so having a program that tracks where emails are sent from is a good deterrent.
What other ways can I protect myself from spam?
No filter can stop every spam message. Many spam senders try to gather your personal information, and Stephens has some suggestions on how to be extra vigilant to avoid falling prey to phishing schemes.
His first suggestion: “Don’t open emails from unknown sources.” And if you do open an email that looks legitimate, double check any links before clicking on them to ensure they are trustworthy.
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Often, there are red flags that identify email scams. For example, check the sender’s email address for funky symbols and look at the company logo to see if it’s clear, spelled correctly and grammatically correct. If the message asks for personal information, look up the company’s website and reach out to them using the customer service numbers listed there, rather than those listed in the email. Most companies don’t ask for personal information through emails, and government agencies, such as the IRS, only send notices through regular mail.
Stephens also recommends changing your passwords often and making them difficult to figure out by making them long with “at least eight characters, upper case and lowercase [letters], numbers and special characters.”
How much does spam filter software cost?
Standalone spam filtering software costs around $30 and includes several filters, including Bayesian filters, and uses non-intrusive learning patterns to recognize which messages you tend to read and those you delete. You can get spam filters with an antivirus program for about $50 that includes malware protection but skimps a little on the number of spam filters included.
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