Updated by Tina Sieber on January 21, 2017.
When I purchased a virtual server for my website, I was presented with the opportunity to start a series of email accounts for the site, using the same domain name as the site. This is something that many people consider to be an element of professionalism and quality when it comes to an organization, so I was happy to elevate my email usage to that level.
I wasn't prepared to choose an email client that I wanted to use to access those emails. While Desktop Clients 6 Reasons You Should Ditch Using Desktop Email Clients in Favor of Web-Based Options 6 Reasons You Should Ditch Using Desktop Email Clients in Favor of Web-Based Options web-based I know suggesting that desktop clients have had their day around the MakeUseOf Crowd is like preaching to the choir. Most of us use Gmail, our own mail servers, or some form of cloud backup... Read More it's nice to have a webmail client that's almost as powerful for organizing and responding to your email when you're away.
There are some of the top contenders in the world of webmail clients, which can handle any email account just like your desktop clients do. Horde is one of the first webmail clients I used, but I always found it a bit clunky and confusing. When I decided to go to webmail for email management for my own website, I used Horde because that's what I was used to.
However, on a whim, I took Roundcube webmail for a test drive. Add the email client to your website with RoundCube Email. Add the email client to your website with Read More RoundCube. the two webmail clients head to head.
First, I'd like to point out some of the pros and cons of Roundcube. I have to say I wish I had tried it sooner. I love the simplicity of the interface, but it offers enough features to be comparable to using a decent desktop client.
If you take a look at the main interface below, you'll see what I mean. It becomes especially apparent when compared to the Horde, which I'll do in the second half of this article.
Roundcube's interface is clean and it's clear what each icon does. If you want to filter emails, it's obvious where to go. If you want to reply to all or delete an email, the icons are as clear as possible. You'll see an instant count of new mail in the left navigation pane, and resizing panes for a clearer view is as quick as a click and swipe.
Roundcube's webmail client has no problem displaying HTML messages, while also protecting you with security settings like blocking remote images until you allow them to be downloaded.
For slightly more advanced options, like viewing email headers or downloading email as a file, just click the settings icon and it's right at your fingertips. Don't hunt, scratch, and dig through a mess to find out how you do it. Everything feels intuitive and just a few clicks away.
Settings for your individual email accounts and the folders you use to organize your mail are easy to configure in the "Settings" menu. In one place, you can set preferences for your webmail client, create and organize folders, and organize "identities" that you want to use to send email from the client.
Email composition is also a very organized and clean affair in Roundcube. It features a nice WYSIWYG formatting bar that most people are used to these days if they've used any kind of web-based content management tool. You can quickly switch from plain text to HTML with the quick dropdown selection, and you can add attachments using the paperclip icon above, or by pressing + to add files in the attachment panel on the left.
As you can probably tell, it didn't take me long to realize that I really like RoundCube. There was no feature that I used in Horde that I thought was missing in Roundcube, however the interface was much cleaner and simpler.
Making that comparison wouldn't really be fair unless I was showing you what my Horde experience is like. Just by looking at the main screen, you can see how the interface looks a little less professional and completely cluttered with redundant links and icons. The links in the left navigation pane are also not very clear, as to what exactly they are for.
Displaying HTML or rich text emails is also a pain, as Horde always seems to want to default to plain text. As you can see with the email below that has an attachment and is also sent by someone using a rich text mail client, you couldn't even see the main message text unless you open it in a new window that you can handle it.
The only thing horde has going for it is how customizable it is. When you click Email Options, you'll see a window filled with all sorts of settings you can change, including server settings, how you can organize and filter email messages, and more. However, finding where to change the settings that will do what you want it to do is not an intuitive process, and will sometimes make you want to bang your head against the computer monitor multiple times.
What I like about Horde is its advanced filtering capabilities. It comes with a whitelist/blacklist feature which, when enabled, allows you to blacklist certain email addresses entirely. You can decide what is done with those emails:delete them automatically or move them to a spam folder. Setting new filters is not too complicated, just click “New rule” and the way is quite simple.
Another useful feature in Horde is Organizing section. When you expand it, you'll see that it's basically a little planner with an address book, calendar, notes, and tasks, just like in Microsoft Outlook (but not nearly as many features). It does a good job of letting you organize your meetings and take notes in the same place you get your incoming emails. And it's nice to have the ability to quickly view your calendar at the same time you sign in to check your email - one time purchase.
Of course, if you already use calendar/scheduler software like Outlook or Google Calendar, then the Horde “Organizing” feature is pretty useless.
Needless to say, I have now switched from Horde to Roundcube. It saves me a lot of time when I can receive and respond to HTML/rich text emails faster, and it's nice to work in an environment that looks and feels more organized and clean. I have yet to find a feature in Horde that I miss in Roundcube.
However, you may want to stick to your desktop email client. You should ditch webmail for a desktop email client if... You should ditch webmail for a desktop email client. Yeah... A few years ago, webmail was all the rage. Wondering if it's time to go back to a desktop email client? Look no further. We show you the merits of a local mail service. Read more . You can even read your Google mail on your desktop How to read Google mail on your desktop How to read Google mail on your desktop Email is a fundamental feature of the workday. If you're using Gmail, you might be wondering how you can get out of the browser and onto your desktop. Here are your options. Read more . And maybe it's time to switch to a different email account. The Best Free Email Accounts You Should Consider The Best Free Email Accounts You Should Consider Everyone knows about Gmail. If you think it's the best free email account out there, you're underestimating all other services. You have options and we have the details. Read more together.
Have you ever used Horde or Roundcube? What is your opinion of one or both? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
