Welcome to the 100 Free Email Providers Directory! They are listed in order from excellent to average.
• AltaVista Email
AltaVista is famous and detailed search engine, recently they have added free Internet access, and of course to keep up with all the trends they have added to their package free web-based email.
I checked out the email information page and was intrigued by their offers and different extensions available. But I had one major problem, I couldn't find the sign-up page! I searched for over 20 minutes and was never able to get the in depth scoop on all of their features and gizmos.
But I will give you a quick run-down of what they say they offer. I have no idea if this is true or even a very good service, but based on the informational page it just might be (if you can ever find the sign-up page that is.)
One catching feature is this is available for life, your email will not be taken away from you, unless you do something against their rules of course. There are several extensions you can choose from, many relating to occupations. So if you're a doctor, you can get a corresponding email address. Another plus is that it is completely private, nobody will be able to read your email but YOU.
If you do ever find your way around to the sign-up page, please do let me know so we can check it out.
Update: To join AltaVista Email, go to http://mail.altavista.com. Thanks to everyone who tried finding this page.
• Angelfire Email
Created to accompany their free web hosting service, Angelfire Email doesn't have any special features that stand out, but was created for more of a complement than a stand-alone service.
So don't look for anything extra exciting, but do look for the nice features that have been standardized throughout other email services. Including spam blocking, the handy address book, mail filters, and a few more.
However, they do cover all the standard features nicely. To create a more personal email template, you can add your own special signature file including your name and maybe one of your favorite quotes. Also be sure to add all of your Internet buddies to your address book for quick access in the future.
If you're going to be away from the computer for a few days and don't want your friends to be worried because you aren't answering your email, you could always set up the auto-reply email. In this case, when someone emails you, a reply will be sent to them with whatever message you want, maybe a quick hello or you can even include a funny joke.
• ApexMail
ApexMail is a great service loaded down heavy with features galore. The list of features goes on and on, but obviously I can't list them all but I will give you a great run-down on some of the top and most worthwhile gizmos and gadgets.
One feature to take note of is the service is available both in the English and French languages, just click a few buttons and you'll be looking at things from a whole new world. Once you join you'll find out all the options they have waiting for you. If you're a forgetfulness person you can take advantage of their reminder service and an email with your note will be sent to you on your important date.
Also, the auto-responders are great and are of much help when you're out of town or like the rest of us take forever to answer your important email. Then there's always the popular signature file for out-going email, get your point across and promote your website at the same time.
Or if you're tired of hearing Aunt Velma complain about your cat, you could block her email and never hear from her again or filter all of her messages to a designated folder that you'll accidentally forget to read. Also works great for spam and junk mail protection.
Again, this is a great service worth checking into, as most are.
• Email.com Email.com which is owned Snap.com is pretty basic as in standard features but has some great advantages, as any web-based email service does.
First advantage that really stands out from the crowd is the extension of your email address, just imagine having bob@email.com as your email address, so simple and easy your friends will never forget.
Although all features are pretty standard and basic, Email.com made sure to hit all the right spots to make everything run perfect and smooth. What I mean by this is they cover every aspect of email, signature files for outgoing email, message filters so you don't hear from your ex ever again, forward all of your email to another address whether at work or play, and a few more interesting features.
Another great plus is the ability to edit and customize the look and feel of the account screen. You can set it to show only 5 emails at a time, or maybe even 50.
So if you're in need of a very Snappy (pun not intended) email address, you might want to check out Email.com
• EmailChoice
EmailChoice hits the bottom of the scale when it comes to features, but it does get the job done. If you're like many others and don't like all the "extras" when something is as basic as email, this could be the web-based email service for you.
Like many others, all the basics are covered from top to bottom, but no extra effort was set-forth to create a new and unique service, maybe that's what you want, sweet and simple. Writing your email is easy as it comes, everything is laid out neatly to where you can find it without a problem, no matter how computer illiterate you are. The address book comes in handy for remembering all of your buddies and family. Another must are the several folders you can create and store your email in, resulting in a very organized mailbox.
But, EmailChoice does have one feature that I thought really stood out. It really gets annoying coming to a site over and over again, having to type in your user name and password each and every time. This service takes away that pain. You can choose to have your computer remember your member name and password, so every time you come to the site you will be directed right to your inbox. Pretty slick!
• Hotmail
Hotmail, one of the newest members to the Microsoft Network, is one of the oldest, most popular, and most versatile web-based email services on the Internet today. It's ease of use and many features make it a very hard company to compete with.
Although many of the features are standard in web-based email services, like attachments, address book, and access from the Internet, there are a few features that stand out from the rest.
As many companies stress the point that they can be accessed and used from around the world, Hotmail goes the extra distance. Six different languages are available: French, English, Dutch, and Italian just to name a few.
One great, unique feature is the anti-virus scanner provided by McAfee. This comes in handy if you're skeptical about downloading files from the Internet. Before you actually download the file, it will run through the file and check for anything that could be damaging to your computer. Although it isn't 100% virus-proof, this could save you a couple hundred bucks in the long run.
As far as standard features go, they cover them all. Use the address book to remember all your friends and business contacts, run a quick spell check before you send out email to ensure the professional quality, or filter email between friends and family to keep your email better organized.
• Mail.Com Mail.com, packed with resources, tools, and a huge listing of domains to choose the perfect email address from.
Many different extensions that you can choose from, targeted towards occupations such as lawyers, doctors, teachers, and even an accountant. When you send out email, everyone will know what you do, pretty handy when trying to make new contacts and friends.
If you would like to you this as a email address to give out to potential clients but would still like to receive all your email and messages in your POP account, it's no problem. Click a few buttons and all email will be sent to the address of your choice. Or maybe it's the other way around, you're out of town and you want to check your POP mail at home, but how? This allows you to retrieve any email from a number of POP accounts and be able to read and access them via the web.
Then there's always the popular signature file you can include with all your outgoing email. Here's your chance once again to tell folks of your beloved profession, or maybe you know a quick cool quote you would like to share with the rest of the world. It's no problem at all.
Other features include filters, a handy address book, junk mail catching, and many more. If you don't decide to use this service, at least take the time out to check all of the possible email domains available.
• MailExcite
MailExcite is of course ran by the popular search engine, Excite.com. So one instant plus of grabbing your free web-based email address here is that you have access right away to all of the great features offered by Excite, chat, message boards, planners, greeting cards, and many more.
Yet another plus just for joining is the free voice mail service and the free business cards provided by iPrint.com, all is set up automatically when you sign-up for the free email service. So although you may get bombarded with many advertisements, each one can be of great help to you whether you're in the business world or not.
As far as the email service goes, it's actually a pretty plain and simple package with very basic features and often doesn't meet up with other free services. They've gone from one extreme to another. But, if you're into simple things this might be perfect for you.
Features include an address book which always comes in handy, a signature file, external POP email checking which is great if you have several email accounts, account configuration which includes sending name and colors, and a few other small but useful features.
Again, they have gone from one extreme to another in supplying many great, free business tools but falling a little short when it comes down to the common, basic email.
• NetAddress
As a good American would, support your country with the appropriate email domain. No just kidding, but it would be nice to support your country by using it in your very own email address. Let the world know where you're from!
If the domain isn't enough of a reason to join NetAddress, some of their great features just might be enough to persuade you to change email addresses. It's free, it's simple, and they provide a quick little form to fill out which will tell all your friends about your new identity.
But other than the above, features are pretty common here with nothing extraordinary to specifically point out. Nonetheless, it is a great service like so many others.
Add all your best friends and email buddies to your address book with just a quick click, brag about your latest creation in the website world by sporting your address in your outgoing signature files, customize the look and feel of the login page by choosing how many emails you will see as well as icons, and many others.
The most unique feature here is indeed the email domain. Bob@usa.net is rather catchy, don't you think?
• Yahoo! Mail Yahoo!, the world famous web portal has jumped in with the crowd and is now providing its very own, free web-based email service.
Although there are no extra features that jump out, all standard features are covered very nicely and precise. Going into extra detail and making sure that all accounts can be completely customizable, Yahoo! Mail has created an excellent and very easy to use interface. Just point and click and you'll find your way around to many nifty tools.
Although the features are pretty standard, small twists and spins have been incorporated so at least something will catch your eye. Signature files are great for sharing your favorite quote or website, the mail filters stop all unwanted email helping prevent a mailbox full of spam, folders are ready for separating business email and friend email, and many more.
The address book is very expansive with details and features. Alphabetically stores all email addresses with many details including name, address, phone number, Yahoo! ID, and many more. Also has a nice search feature so you can find the person you're looking for in a hurry.
• Youpy
Youpy has many standard features, as many web-based email services do, plus quite a few "extras" that caught my eye.
First off, they wanted to grab your attention as a world email provider by offering several different languages with appropriate extensions and domains. Each language type comes with a bundle of different domain names you can choose from, cornering in on occupations such as lawyers and doctors, the list does go on.
Another feature that grabbed me was the "memos", just as it sounds you can write yourself quick notes to remind you of an upcoming event. Set the date you created the memo and when to remind you, when that date rolls around Youpy will show you the note you wrote so you don't forget that important event.
Other standard features include the popular address book, folders for keeping your email neat and organized for no more muss and fuss, signature files for a more professional looking email, and many other greats.
• ZDNet Mail ZDNet took one extra step when adding a free email service, it's more of a free e-commerce service! This is great if you're into e-commerce and even "real world" business, but if you're just looking for a simple email service you may want to look elsewhere, as ZDNet can get a little complicating.
Although they do have a great web-based email service, they take it to the next step by adding both free fax and free voice-mail loaded with features so you can keep up with the business world. These services stay free because of advertising, like many other popular services today.
There are no catches, fax and voice-mail both work as a normal service would. People can call the number and leave a message, later on you can call and punch in your 4-digit PIN number to hear all messages. One problem though is since this is a free service, access numbers may not be so local and you might have to dial long-distance to hear voice messages and faxes. So you would probably be conservative in taking advantage of these great free services so you don't rack up a hefty phone bill.
Again, if you're looking for quick, free and easy email with no hassles or complicated gadgets, you may want to go somewhere else. But, if you need the extra features or you like bragging to all your friends how you now have your own fax number, ZDNet is worth the hassle.
