Email client software manages a user’s email account or accounts through a desktop application. Email clients work similarly to webmail email managers provided by email software available via browser, but are instead accessible through a downloaded program. Some email account providers also offer email clients, but most email clients do not provide email accounts themselves.
One of the main benefits of email clients is the capability to house a unified inbox for multiple email accounts. While some webmail options consolidate emails from multiple accounts from the same provider, email clients can collect email from different providers in a single space. Like their webmail counterparts, email clients will either natively provide, or integrate with, outside calendar software so users can easily coordinate meetings and record dates.
To qualify for inclusion in the Email Client category, a product must:
Be available as a downloadable desktop application
Provide an inbox that can collect emails for one or more accounts
Be capable of auditing emails and contacts for errors, duplicates, etc.