Readers Respond: Which Free Email Service Do You Use? Why?
Responses: 86

By Heinz Tschabitscher, About.com Guide

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Which free email service do you use? Is your account years old, or did you switch recently?

What makes you stay? What made you switch? What would make you switch? Share Your Pick

Yahoo is not safe

I have been using Yahoo for at least 4 years, in these years hackers created links in Yahoo so they are able to send emails via my Yahoo account, these hackers are sending every few weeks marketing emails to all my contacts, I asked Yahoo more then 5 times to do something about this and it seems they can't sort this out. I don't have a choice anymore I have to look for another provider.
—Guest Sunshi

I am satisfied with my GMAIL. Every morning when I open my email box I receive all the email which is very satisfactory.
—Guest Amritlal

What is the deal with labels? All the files on my computer are in folders, which are easy to organize. Labels are not easy. For one u have to anticipate what's coming in for labels to be effective. Labeling after the mail is in can be done but is not anywhere near quick. I don't understand why people think labels are so great. On GMail u cant even view unlabeled email by itself. EVERYTHING has to have a label or it is a pain in the neck to deal with. Who ever designs GMail is weird. I sure hope GMail doesn't set a new trend b/c i need folders to organize my work. Also not everybody cares about POP or IMAP. The exact reason there is such thing as webmail was to avoid POP and IMAP lol! I know some people access their webmail that way, but i have webmail so i can access it from the web. Call me weird lol!
—Guest Sheba

Yahoo erases your email and everything in it without any notification or warning. You will lose everything. Even if you've been their faithful customer for 10 years.
—Guest BigBoy

I have been using hotmail but now when I print anything out, it only prints page 1. The page usually isn't complete because the ads and file information cover it up. I'm changing.
—Guest MHesley

I have been using GMX (German version) for over 10 years. Quite stable and best of all survived the dot.com bust when many free email services went under.
—Guest Eric

If you're really hoping for any sense of security, privacy whatever you want to call it... None of the free online services offer that. Gmail is pretty good but as intrusive as they come. Switch to pop mail and you will live forever!!! Cheers, Wonderguest
—Guest Wonderguest

Hotmail was the first email account I registered for. And, it remains my only email account. It has generous policies. For instance, you can fail to use your account for 200 days, and the account will still be around, unchanged. You get five gigs of storage space. And, you can open more than one account. I actually have two separate accounts. The new livemail features allow you to personalize your account. I setup my windowslive account to show favorite films, music, books. I love Microsoft. But, I do have one complaint. I do not like the autosave feature in the hotmail account. I just wish it had an option to turn that thing off. For, I don't really save my sent messages. At least, I do it by choice, and I save it to my wordpad. It's simpler to just copy and past my messages to wordpad. Then, if my email message fails to go through, I can always copy and paste it from wordpad. And, I don't really lose any time or anything. The autosave is the one thing I
—Guest kingspawn39

I've used GMX since I heard about it a while back. I've actually switched from Hotmail and Gmail to GMX. It's great but I'm only one opinion.
—Guest PoshNinja

Interface is great, and I got 5 acc. all from hotmail, I [am] using them all. And the fact, hotmail allows you to connect them togather, so you can acess them all with just one sign-in... awsome! But windows stupid spam about newest msn or smth (even i do have it istalled on my comp.) is realy annoying. If they get rid of it some day, this will be best mailservice ever. Ok just few more domains :P they could offer,
—Guest Zelva

I am using gmail for a clean, no hassle, & no spam. It's easiest so simple and elegant to use. There is none that can harm you as if you're mail is protected. No doubt to use it ever.
—Guest Gil

I agree with the person who is dubious of free email accounts when the provider requests your mobile number. I have a Gmail account & recently wanted another one , but they're now wanting a mobile number before they'll open another account. No thanks. What has my mobile number got to do with them providing a free email account? Hotmail / Windows Live I use & quite like too.
—Guest vicki

I use Gmail... it has the best spam filter, themes are good, labs are good, and I trust that Google wont do anything bad with my data. Do you think Google looks in your inbox every day to see your emails? I don't think so. It is safe enough.
—Guest Sinani201

All have their pros and cons. I have issues myself with Hotmail/Windows Live 'cause all I get is spam or emails from Windows. Yahoo is fairly good and that's what I've been using but been trying to find something "better". Gmail I dislike because when I send emails its a slow response and some people don't even receive the email I sent. Of the three I prefer yahoo so far. Although I did just open an account with yipple.com. So far I like it but we shall see how that one lasts.
—Guest Becky