Pop3.io pulls mail from the accounts you already pay for—website hosting, Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, and similar—and puts it in one calm inbox. This guide explains how to use the product day to day, without the technical fine print.
Getting started
After you sign up, check your email for a verification link. You must verify before you can log in. Once you are in, connect at least one identity (a mail account) under Settings → Identities.
Until an identity is set up and mail is fetched, folders may look empty—that is normal. Use Get Mail in the top bar after saving an identity.
The free tier includes 3 mail identities, 500 MB of storage, unlimited drafts, templates, custom folders, filter rules, and mailbox import from Gmail Takeout and other .mbox exports. Paid plans add more identities, storage, read receipts, full bulk sending, faster fetch, and automated background fetch—see Plans.
Identities & connecting mail
An identity is one email address you send and receive as—for example [email protected]. Pop3.io does not replace your mail host; it connects to the server your provider already gave you.
What you need from your provider
In Settings → Identities, create an identity and enter the connection details your host or IT person provides:
Incoming mail — POP3 or IMAP hostname, port, username, and password. Many hosts use POP3 on port 995 (SSL) or IMAP on port 993 (SSL).
Outgoing mail (SMTP) — SMTP hostname, port, username, and password for sending. Common ports are 465 (SSL) or 587 (STARTTLS).
Display names — optional “send as” and “reply-to” names shown to recipients.
Turn on secure connection (TLS/SSL) when your provider recommends it—which is almost always.
Website hosting (cPanel, Plesk, WordPress hosts)
Log into your hosting control panel and open the email section for your domain. Look for “Configure mail client,” “Email accounts,” or “Connect devices.” Copy the POP3/IMAP and SMTP settings into Pop3.io exactly as shown. If you are unsure, ask your host’s support: “What are my POP3 and SMTP settings for this mailbox?”
Google Workspace & Gmail for your domain
Google often requires an app password instead of your normal login password when connecting outside Gmail. In your Google account security settings, enable two-step verification if needed, then create an app password for “Mail.” Use that password in Pop3.io together with Google’s published IMAP and SMTP servers (typically imap.gmail.com and smtp.gmail.com). Workspace admins may need to allow IMAP access for the user.
Microsoft Outlook & Microsoft 365
For business mail on Microsoft 365, open Outlook on the web or ask your administrator for IMAP/SMTP settings. You may need an app password or modern authentication policies enabled by your org. Enter the Microsoft hostnames, ports, and your full email address as the username—same idea as Google: the credentials live in Microsoft, Pop3.io only stores what you paste in to fetch and send on your behalf.
Tip: After saving an identity, click Get Mail. A small typo in hostname, port, or password is the most common reason nothing appears.
Identity folders & fetch options
Each identity can have its own folder in the sidebar (often named after the mailbox). That folder shows mail tied to that identity. The main Inbox is still your command center for everything together.
When editing an identity, Include in master fetch controls whether Get Mail (with Master selected) downloads that account. If it is unchecked, choose that identity in the fetch dropdown to download its mail manually.
Each identity also supports multiple HTML signatures (for example Work and Personal). Set them up when editing the identity; choose one from the Signature dropdown in compose.
Fetching mail (Get Mail)
Pop3.io downloads new messages when you fetch them. On the free tier, mail arrives only when you click Get Mail (there is no automated background fetch).
Get Mail — the button in the top bar. Fetches from the account selected in the dropdown next to it.
Master (all in master fetch) — fetches every identity that has Include in master fetch turned on.
Single identity — choose one mailbox in the dropdown to fetch only that account.
Your plan sets a minimum wait between manual fetches (for example, 5 minutes on the free tier). The button shows a countdown when you need to wait.
Standard and Business plans include automated background fetch, so mail is downloaded on a schedule without clicking Get Mail. Manual fetch still works whenever you want a refresh, with shorter minimum wait times on paid plans.
Your mailbox & folders
The left sidebar lists system folders—Inbox, Sent, Drafts, Trash, Archive, Important, Spam, Templates—and custom folders you create. All current plans include unlimited custom folders.
Inbox — incoming mail for all identities (unless filters file it elsewhere).
Sent — messages you sent through Pop3.io.
Drafts — saved drafts waiting to be sent.
Trash — deleted messages; you can empty trash from the toolbar when viewing that folder.
Archive — mail you archived out of the inbox flow.
Templates — reusable message templates (included on all plans).
On desktop you typically see the message list and a reading pane side by side. On phone the list fills the screen until you open a message. In Settings you can switch to full page reading if you prefer the list to disappear while you read.
Use the search box above the list to find messages in the current folder. Sort and pagination follow your Settings → messages per page preference.
Reading messages
Click a row to open it. Unread rows are bolder; opening a message marks it read (unless you use a special link that skips mark-read for previews).
In the read view you will see From, To, Cc, Bcc, and Date. Use Show more details for folders, size, spam score, and other metadata. Back returns to the list with your place preserved.
Previous and next arrows at the bottom move through messages in the current folder and sort order—handy for processing a stack without returning to the list each time.
Draft pills, reply arrows & opened pills
Small badges beside a subject line tell you what happened to a conversation without opening every thread.
Draft pill (orange border)
On incoming messages in the mailbox list, an orange Draft pill means you already started a reply and saved it in Drafts. Click the pill to open that draft in the composer. If you have several drafts for the same message, the pill opens the most recently saved one. (The draft pill appears in the list only—not in the reading pane.)
Reply arrow
A small reply arrow beside the subject means you have sent a reply linked to that message. Click it to open the sent message in your mailbox (usually in Sent). This appears when the message is marked as replied or when Pop3.io can match your outgoing reply to the original.
Opened pill (read receipts)
On messages you sent with read receipts enabled, an Opened pill may appear in the list or read header when the recipient has opened the mail. Click or tap the pill to see the exact date and time in a tooltip—useful for knowing when to follow up. Bulk sends can show how many recipients opened.
Tip: Read receipts are available on Standard and Business plans, not on the free tier.
Writing, reply & forward
Click Compose in the sidebar to start a new message. From an open message use Reply or Forward in the read toolbar. Compose and bulk compose auto-save drafts about every minute—see Drafts for details.
Choose the identity that should send the message—From address and SMTP server follow that identity.
Add To, optional Cc and Bcc. Recipient fields support suggestions from your history.
Use the editor for basic formatting, links, and images—see HTML editor for what it can and cannot do.
Signatures — each identity can have several HTML signatures with one default; manage them under Settings → Identities and pick one in compose when needed.
Attachments — use the attach control to upload files before sending.
When you are ready, click Send. The message goes out through your identity’s SMTP server and a copy appears in Sent.
HTML editor
The compose and signature editors are basic WYSIWYG tools for everyday mail: bold, italic, underline, links, font-size tweaks, and straightforward text edits.
Pop3.io does store and send full HTML. If you need a complex layout—multi-column blocks, branded tables, or design-heavy signatures—build the HTML in another tool (or an email designer) and paste it into the editor, or open Show HTML source below the editor and paste there. The toolbar may not show every detail while you edit, but the message or signature goes out with the HTML you saved.
Tip: Use the ? help icon in the editor toolbar for a quick reminder.
Drafts (important)
While you compose—normal or bulk—Pop3.io auto-saves your draft about every minute, the same as clicking Save Draft or pressing Ctrl+S / Cmd+S. Work is written to your Drafts folder in the background.
Before closing the tab or navigating away, save once more with Save Draft or the keyboard shortcut if you just edited something you care about.
You can also save explicitly any time:
Click Save Draft at the top or bottom of the compose screen.
Press Ctrl+S (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+S (Mac) while the compose window is focused.
Saved drafts live in the Drafts folder. Opening one returns you to the composer with recipients, subject, and body restored. Reply drafts stay linked to the original message—the Draft pill on that message in the inbox list is the fastest way back.
Remember: Sending a message is not the same as saving a draft. Auto-save and Save Draft write to your Drafts folder; Send delivers mail.
Drafts are included on all plans, including the free tier.
Templates
Templates are reusable messages—price lists, onboarding blurbs, holiday hours—stored in the Templates folder. Create one from compose with the Save Template button, then open Templates to use or edit them later. Templates are included on all plans.
Templates are separate from drafts: a template is a starting point you can load into compose; a draft is work in progress you have not sent yet.
Organizing & bulk actions
Select messages with the checkboxes on the left, or use Shift/Ctrl/Cmd-click to select a range. The toolbar above the list offers:
Delete — move to Trash (or permanently delete when already in Trash).
Spam / Not spam — train the spam filter.
Read / Unread — toggle read state in bulk.
Important — flag or unflag.
Move / Add / Remove — file into folders; Add keeps a copy in the current folder, Move removes it from the current view.
You can also mark a single message important or move it from the read toolbar. Settings let you turn on a warning before bulk-deleting many messages at once.
Custom folders can use icons and colors—handy when you run several brands from one login.
Filters
Go to Settings → Message filters (link on the Settings page). Filter rules are included on all plans. Rules run when mail is fetched: the first matching rule wins and can file mail into a folder, including Trash.
Match on sender, recipient, subject, body, and more. Use Import from Gmail on the filters page to bring over XML exports of Gmail filter rules instead of rebuilding years of sorting by hand.
When you create or edit a filter, you can optionally re-file existing Inbox messages that match the rule. Otherwise, rules apply to newly fetched mail going forward.
Mailbox import (.mbox)
Settings → Import mailbox lets you upload archived mail from a .mbox file—most often from Google Takeout after you export Gmail, but any provider that offers an mbox export works the same way.
Gmail Takeout (typical steps)
In Google Takeout, select Mail and choose the labels or folders you want (Inbox, Sent, All Mail, custom labels, and so on).
Download the archive and unzip it. Each folder is usually a separate .mbox file.
In Pop3.io, open Settings → Import mailbox. Pick a target folder for each upload, then choose the matching .mbox file and click Upload and import.
Large exports upload in chunks; you can leave the tab open while import runs message by message.
Upload limits
Each upload has a size cap and your plan sets a monthly import upload total (shown on the import page). Imported mail counts toward your normal storage quota once messages are saved.
Duplicates and overlapping folders
Some providers, including Gmail, store the same message in more than one place—for example both Inbox and Sent, or again under All Mail. If you import several mbox files, a message that already arrived in an earlier upload is skipped as a duplicate. Your mail is still saved once; import status may show skipped or rejected copies, but nothing was lost.
You may need to reorganize folders afterward (move mail between Inbox and Sent, for example). That overlap is a limitation of how exports label the same message in multiple places, not a bug in Pop3.io.
Tip: Import one logical folder at a time (Inbox, then Sent, then custom labels) so you can pick the right target folder in Pop3.io for each file.
Mailbox import is included on all plans, including the free tier.
Spam
Pop3.io includes an adaptive spam filter that improves as you use the mailbox. Mark unwanted mail as Spam; mark mistakes as Not spam. Over time the system learns what you consider junk for your accounts.
The Spam folder holds suspected messages. You can read details in “Show more details” for spam score notes on incoming mail when the filter is enabled.
Read receipts
Standard and Business plans include read receipts. Toggle Read receipt when composing an outgoing message (or set a default per identity in Settings → Identities). Recipients do not see a special banner—tracking happens quietly.
After sending, check Sent or the read view for an Opened pill. Click the pill for the precise open time. Receipts can take a few minutes to appear; automated security scans are ignored so you are not fooled by bots.
Bulk email
The Business plan includes full bulk sending—one message to many recipients from the bulk compose flow (paste a recipient list, compose once, and send). Free and Standard accounts can use a one-recipient bulk preview to try the workflow before upgrading.
Read receipts on bulk sends can show how many recipients opened, with per-recipient detail on supported views. Always follow anti-spam laws and only mail people who opted in.
Attachments
Attach files in compose before sending or saving a draft. Incoming attachments appear in the read view; download or open them from there. Storage limits depend on your plan and add-ons—check Settings → Billing if uploads are rejected.
Very large messages may be blocked by your provider’s limits even if Pop3.io allows the upload.
Settings & appearance
Settings (sidebar) covers the experience:
Dark mode — easier on the eyes at night.
Messages per page — how many rows appear in the list (5–200).
When opening a message — split reading pane vs full page.
Mobile zoom — enlarge text and controls on phones.
Time zone — automatic (browser local time) or a fixed region; applies to message dates, read receipts, and support tickets.
Bulk delete warning — confirm before moving many messages to Trash.
Password — change your Pop3.io login password.
Reset interface — restore layout defaults without deleting mail.
Import mailbox — upload .mbox archives (Gmail Takeout and similar); see Mailbox import.
Identities, Filters (via link on Settings), Billing, and Help live in their own sections. Signatures are edited inside each identity.
Business — 50 identities, 50000 MB storage, automated background fetch (Every 2 minutes), manual fetch every 15 seconds, read receipts, full bulk email, high-priority support, unlimited drafts/templates/filters/folders, mailbox import (.mbox)
Paid plans can also buy add-ons (extra mailboxes, storage, faster manual fetch) from Settings → Billing. Read receipts and full bulk sending are plan features, not add-ons.
Pop3.io billing is designed around permanent upgrades. Once you move to a paid plan or a larger allowance, the system does not support reversing that change.
No downgrades after you upgrade
After you upgrade, you cannot downgrade to a lower plan (for example from Business to Standard, or from Standard to Free). When you subscribe, storage and mail-account limits are allocated for your account. We cannot partially remove mail or shrink that allocation.
Yearly billing is also one-way
If you switch from monthly to yearly billing, you cannot move back to monthly on the same subscription.
You can still upgrade to a higher plan or move from monthly to yearly (that starts a new annual term and credits unused monthly time toward the charge, as described on the billing page).
How to cancel
You may cancel your subscription at any time. Open Settings → Billing, find your current plan workspace card, and click the billing portal icon (payment and invoices) on that card. Stripe’s customer portal is where you cancel renewal—Pop3.io does not charge again after a proper cancellation, but access through the end of the period you already paid for continues until that term ends.
What happens after cancellation
When a subscription is cancelled, your account keeps paid-plan access for the remainder of the term you already paid for (the rest of the month or year, depending on how you were billed). When that period ends, the account moves to the Free tier automatically.
If you still have more mail or connected identities than the Free tier allows, fetching and sending stop until you bring usage back within Free limits yourself. Pop3.io will not automatically delete messages or identities to make room. You need to manually remove excess mail (for example large attachments or old folders) and disconnect extra identities under Settings → Identities until you are at or below the Free quotas.
Tip: Before a paid term ends, export or delete mail you do not need, and remove identities you will not use on Free—especially if you imported large archives or upgraded mainly for space.
How Pop3.io compares to Roundcube, SnappyMail, Thunderbird, and others
People often evaluate Pop3.io next to webmail clients (Roundcube, SnappyMail, Horde, Rainloop), desktop clients (Thunderbird, Mailbird, eM Client, Outlook), or hosted inboxes (Gmail, Zoho). The difference is what problem you are solving.
Pop3.io is a web-based, aggregated inbox: it fetches from many POP3/IMAP accounts (on different hosts) into one organized workspace with shared folders, filters, templates, optional read receipts, and bulk mail on Business—without replacing your mail provider.
Roundcube (Webmail client)
Popular open-source webmail you install on your server or host. Strong for reading one mailbox through IMAP in the browser.
Typical limitation: It is built around a single logged-in mailbox at a time—not a product-wide aggregated inbox that pulls several unrelated POP3/IMAP accounts from different hosts into one unified workspace.
Where Pop3.io fits better: Pop3.io connects many identities (different domains and providers) and funnels them into one master inbox with shared folders, filters, and send-as settings.
SnappyMail (Webmail client)
Lightweight browser webmail (successor to Rainloop). Fast UI for one account on your server.
Typical limitation: Like Roundcube, it focuses on one account per session. It does not aggregate mail from many external servers into one cross-provider inbox.
Where Pop3.io fits better: Pop3.io is purpose-built for operators who need every business address in one place—not six separate webmail tabs.
Horde (Webmail / groupware)
Webmail and groupware suite often bundled with hosting control panels.
Typical limitation: Typically tied to mail on that host or one account context; not a dedicated multi-host fetch-and-merge layer for scattered domain mail.
Where Pop3.io fits better: Pop3.io fetches from any host that gives you POP3/IMAP/SMTP settings and organizes everything together.
Rainloop (Webmail client)
Earlier minimalist webmail project; many users moved to SnappyMail.
Typical limitation: Same category as SnappyMail: one webmail login per mailbox, no unified multi-account aggregation across providers.
Where Pop3.io fits better: Pop3.io replaces a stack of per-domain webmail logins with one calm inbox.
Mozilla Thunderbird (Desktop email client)
Free desktop client that can hold multiple accounts with separate folder trees.
Typical limitation: It is not web-based—install per computer, profiles to maintain, and no single URL your team opens from phone and desktop alike.
Where Pop3.io fits better: Pop3.io is full webmail in the browser with the same workflow on phone and desktop; nothing to install for end users.
Mailbird, eM Client, and Mailspring (Desktop aggregators)
Desktop apps that combine several accounts into one window.
Typical limitation: Still desktop-only: licensing per machine, updates on each device, and harder for non-technical staff than a shared web inbox.
Where Pop3.io fits better: Pop3.io gives aggregated mail through a browser—ideal when your team should not manage local mail clients.
Microsoft Outlook (Desktop and Microsoft 365)
Industry-standard client; Outlook on the web for Microsoft-hosted mail.
Typical limitation: Multiple accounts appear as separate folder trees; external POP3 fetch from random hosting mail is awkward and not the core workflow Gmail used to solve.
Where Pop3.io fits better: Pop3.io is built for hosting and domain mail scattered across providers—with fetch-all, filters, and folders designed for that job.
Gmail and Google Workspace (Hosted mailbox)
Excellent if all mail lives in Google—but Google largely removed reliable “check mail from other accounts” POP3 fetch.
Typical limitation: Your [email protected] mail on cPanel or old hosts does not reliably land in Gmail anymore.
Where Pop3.io fits better: Pop3.io is the fetch-and-organize layer Gmail stopped being for external domain mail.
Zoho Mail (Mailbox provider)
Full mailbox and hosting product when you move DNS and mail to Zoho.
Typical limitation: It replaces your mail stack rather than unifying mail that must stay on existing hosts.
Where Pop3.io fits better: Pop3.io keeps mail on the servers you already pay for and organizes it centrally.
Front, Missive, and Help Scout (Team shared inbox SaaS)
Collaboration inboxes for support and sales teams—often per-seat pricing.
Typical limitation: Geared toward team queues and integrations, not inexpensive unified fetch of many small-business POP3/IMAP boxes from random hosts.
Where Pop3.io fits better: Pop3.io targets owners and small teams who need every domain address unified without enterprise shared-inbox pricing.
Rule of thumb: Choose Roundcube or SnappyMail if you want simple webmail for one mailbox on a server you control. Choose Thunderbird or Mailbird if you want a desktop app and do not need a shared browser inbox. Choose Pop3.io when you have several addresses (often on different hosts) and want them in one calm, web-based inbox with modern organization and optional read receipts.
Help & support
Logged-in users can open Settings → Help (or Help & support) to view tickets and contact us. Describe what you were doing, which identity was involved, and any error text you saw. We do not need your mail password in a ticket—never post passwords in support messages. Free plans receive lower-priority support than paid plans.
Quick tips & shortcuts
Ctrl+S / Cmd+S — save draft while composing.
Get Mail — pull new messages; use the dropdown for one identity or all.
Draft pill — resume a reply draft from the inbox list.
Reply arrow — jump to the sent reply from the original message.
Opened pill — click for exact open date/time on tracked sends.
Save Draft often — compose auto-saves about every minute; use Ctrl+S before leaving if you just edited.
Mark spam / not spam — teach the filter with real examples.
Shift-click — select a range of messages for bulk actions.
Still stuck? Read the Privacy Policy for how credentials are handled, or create an account and explore—the inbox is designed to feel familiar if you have used webmail before, just unified for every address you run.
