Email has become one of the main methods of communication in the modern world, and since 1997 it has been more voluminous even than physical mail. In order to stay abreast of the comings and goings of today’s world it’s important that you’re connected, and that you stay on top of your emails.
According to Litmus, in 2016 mobile represented 54% of all email opens, compared to just 16% on desktop and 30% through webmail. This was almost a 10% increase on the previous year which saw mobile account for 45%. Studies have also shown that younger people are also much more likely to use mobile for emails.
Judging by this it’s quite apparent that more and more of the emailing public are moving towards mobile devices as their primary tool. However, with as many different email apps as there are it can be difficult to find the right one for you, so take a look at CBR’s list of the best email apps currently available.
1. Spark
Spark is hands down one of the best email solutions available today, its smart and sleek design, combined with its speed and customisation options make it an absolute joy to use. The smart inbox automatically groups emails of certain types so you don’t have to waste any time getting to the emails you need, and the app is perfectly compatible with the likes of Dropbox, iCloud, and OneDrive.
Pretty much the only downside to Spark is that because there is so much to customise you could find yourself playing with it for days and still only scratch the surface. Don’t mistake this level of complexity for difficulty however, the intuitive design ensures that you’ll never feel overwhelmed or confused by the platform.
For anyone who’s had enough of tradition emails, or just wants to breathe new life into what can be a relatively tedious task, you could do a lot worse than picking Spark as your new email app of choice.
Spark is available for free download on iOS and Android.
2. Gmail
Gmail is one of the big standards in email today and the Google based email service has quickly become a popular choice due to its professional reputation and consumer friendliness. Currently there are over 1 billion Gmail users across the world, up from 490 million in 2012.
Gmail’s simplicity is one of its biggest selling points, the browser based email system allows users to easily see which emails are important, which have been automatically filed under certain tabs, and then even create new inboxes and groups themselves.
One of the problems with Gmail however, is that group messages tend to get a bit over complicated relatively quickly. Long email chains between three or more people often display in strange orders and it can take a few moments to find the information you’re looking for.
However, Gmail accounts also work across multiple platforms, so if you find yourself using a lot of YouTube, Google docs, or sharing calendar invites, then Gmail is a delight to use.
The Gmail app is available for free download on iOS and Android.
Looking for something a bit more professional?
3. Outlook
Outlook is part of the old guard when it comes to email, the service has existed in a multitude of different forms over the years, dating as far back as MS DOS. Thankfully the system has changed more than just its name since then and is still more than capable of holding its own against modern email solutions. Outlook has long been the dominant force in enterprise email because of its professional appearance, easy to master calendar system, and strong privacy and security.
However, some of the problems that have persisted throughout the products life cycle are just as prevalent in the app iteration of the software. For instance, the strange interface inconsistencies and inflexibility of the platform has long been a problem, customising the appearance and options as well as the bizarre decision to move the trash folder to the top of the screen can make it feel rather unfriendly at times.
Outlook is first and foremost an enterprise solution, and the ability to sync your business accounts to your phone quickly and easily is tremendously useful. Though if you’re looking for something with a bit more of a personal touch then keep on looking.
Outlook, is available for free download on iOS and Android.
4. Aqua Mail
Aqua Mail is an Android exclusive mail service that, despite being a relative newcomer, has already proven itself to be one of the best. As well as an offering of all of the usual email caveats and speedy load times, the app also boasts excellent connectivity options and is easily integrated with Dropbox and iCloud. The system is also best used in tandem with Tasker, the automation app, to make emails that little bit less of a chore.
Unfortunately, the basic free version only supports up to two accounts, so if you’re a frequent user of multiple email accounts then you’ll have to spend a little bit extra to get that functionality. The app also lacks the ability to use images or html as a signature which takes away the professional edge found in most of Aqua’s competitors.
However, the pro version is only $4.99 on the Google Play store so if you can part with some pocket money, then those multiple accounts can be yours. Similarly, if you can live without the email signature then there’s no reason that you won’t find Aqua Mail a suitable email solution.
Aqua Mail is available is available for free download Android.
5. myMail
myMail is a free email client that gives boring old emails a much needed makeover. The platforms UI is colourful in a way that makes checking your emails that little bit more pleasant, though the aesthetic isn’t the only thing that’s visually pleasing. The simplicity of the UI means that even newcomers will be navigating with ease in minutes and the ability to mark emails in a specific folder for later action is a surprise to be sure, but a welcome one.
However, there is one big downside for all of these upsides. Currently myMail carries out most of its functions on the server side as opposed to the client side, in some cases this means that the app is capable of opening emails without the users permission, or even knowing. Passwords are also cached in this manner, even after uninstalling the app, if security and privacy are your primary concerns then consider looking elsewhere.
Functionally, myMail is one of the more convenient email apps available but the security concerns, which should be a concern, could certainly be enough to warrant looking elsewhere. For a casual email account myMail is perfect, less so for anything containing sensitive information.
myMail is available for free download on iOS and Android.
