| POP | IMAP |
|---|---|
| Post Office Protocol | Internet Messaging Access Protocol |
| Best if you use only one computer to check email | Best if you use many different computers to check your email |
| Downloads your email to the particular computer you are checking it on | Your mail is always on the server |
| Allows you to keep a large backlog of email messages only limited by the size of your computer. | You are limited by your mailbox size quota for how many messages you keep, although you can archive old messages and save them onto your computer manually. |
| Does not have a web interface (Some webmail companies, such as Yahoo, will let you check POP mail) | Has a web interface. If you are using NCF Webmail, you are using IMAP. |
| New messages are downloaded in their entirety, you have to wait for the message to download. | New message headers are downloaded so you see all your mail faster, the message you want to read is not downloaded to your computer until you click on it. |