SquirrelMail  
Donations
News
About
Support
Security
Screen shots
Download
Plugins
Documentation
Sponsors
Bounties





Junk Email Filter






Security Notice
Phishing campain
Version 1.4.15
Security Upgrade

Feature comparison of different email clients

1. General program/interface design limits/features

SquirrelMail is webmail interface written in PHP.
a) features are coded in PHP and external programs. Interface is limited to html, javascript and dhtml language features implemented in web browser software.
b) email and user data is stored in storage facilities provided by web and imap servers.
c) you should be able to use interface on any system that allows web browsing with cookies and frames.
d) interface is faster when you push CPU/Memory/IO intensive tasks to imap/webserver and these servers share their resources among all interface users
Outlook is stand alone application written for Windows and Mac operating systems.
a) you should be able to use it on your own station
b) email and personal data is stored user's station. there are options that allow storing data on mail server.
c) you can access data stored on mail server with browsers that can connect to mail server directly. User gets interface similar to Outlook, if email server's admin enables certain mail server features. There are features that might reduce usability of provided web interface, when you don't use one commonly used browser.
d) interface runs CPU/Memory/IO intensive tasks on user's station. It depends on speed of user's machine.

2. Basic email client features:

2.1. Email reading and writing

Supported by both
2.2. Address book
Outlook provides address book suited for personal information storage.
SquirrelMail provides address book suited for storage of email contacts.
2.3. Shared address books
Outlook can use address book stored on shared address book files, address books from mail server and LDAP directories.
SquirrelMail can use address books stored on webserver (csv format), SQL database and LDAP directories
2.4. Special email formats
Outlook can create emails in text, html or tnef formats.
SquirrelMail creates email in plain text formats. html formated email can be created, if special plugin is installed, tnef formated data can be read, if special plugin is installed.
Outlook displays external images by default.
SquirrelMail blocks external images by default

2.5. Email encryption

Outlook can encrypt traffic between email client and mail server.
{TODO: add encryption supported by Outlook here}
SquirrelMail encrypts traffic between client (browser) and server, if webserver supports SSL encryption. Some stronger encryption might be unavailable, if your browser is limited due to US export regulations.
Outlook supports PGP, if you use third party software.
SquirrelMail supports PGP, if you use special plugin.
{TODO: Add other Outlook encryption options}
SquirrelMail does not support S/MIME and email client certificates.
Update: there is a S/MIME verification plugin:
http://squirrelmail.org/plugin_view.php?id=54

2.6. Other email accounts.

Outlook can collect email from .... These features depend on Outlook setup, that you are using.
SquirrelMail can collect emails from other pop3 accounts or hotmail/msn accounts with special plugins.

2.7. Attachment security

Outlook can be secured and block use of dangerous attachments.
SquirrelMail can block dangerous attachments with special plugin.

2.8. Filtering

Outlook supports various email filters.
SquirrelMail supports email filtering, but use of server side filtering is recommended. Plugins that manage client and server side filters are available.

2.9. Anti-spam

Outlook supports Bayes filtering with third party program
SquirrelMail supports Bayes filtering with special plugins and third party program running on email server.

2.10. Email Search

Supported by both.

2.11. Email folder management

Supported by both

2.12. Spellchecking

Provided by both. Outlook supports inline spellchecking. SquirrelMail does not support it due to html limitations.

3. PIM features

3.1. Calendars

Outlook supports personal calendars and calendars stored on mail server
SquirrelMail supports personal calendars and shared calendars with special plugins.
Each program/interface uses own formats that might be unsupported by other calendaring software, but as of the release of Shared Calendars plugin v2.0 and SquirrelMail 1.5.2(ish), SquirrelMail calendaring supports the iCal standard.

3.2. Tasks

Outlook supports personal and group task management.
SquirrelMail supports personal and shared tasks with special plugins.
Each program/interface uses own formats that might be unsupported by other calendaring software, but as of the release of Shared Calendars plugin v2.0 and SquirrelMail 1.5.2(ish), SquirrelMail calendaring supports the iCal standard.

3.3. Journal

Outlook can track documents that are used user.
SquirrelMail does not track such data.
© 1999-2016 by The SquirrelMail Project Team