Outlook is not as popular as Gmail or Apple Mail, but it still has a professional interface, availability on a variety of devices, and a solid set of free features. Check out the best Microsoft Office alternatives (opens in new tab) if you’re interested in learning more about other top providers. Ultimately, the right email client for you depends on your unique needs and preferences. That said, some users may prefer certain aspects of other email clients, such as Apple’s free desktop app or Gmail’s simple, classic design.

The free version offers more than enough for most individual users, and Microsoft 365 subscriptions are relatively similar to paid iCloud and Google Workspace plans. While there are a few key differences between Outlook and its top competitors, it matches most of the core features of Gmail, Yahoo Mail, and Apple Mail. Similarly, email encryption (opens in new tab) and forwarding prevention aren’t available on free accounts. For example, Outlook won’t check attachments or links for threats unless you pay for the subscription. Unfortunately, certain critical security features are locked behind the Microsoft 365 paywall. Integrating your Outlook account with Dropbox and other apps can streamline nearly every aspect of your workflow.Įmail encryption and other important security tools are only available to Microsoft 365 subscribers (Image credit: Microsoft )

Unsurprisingly, the application integrates seamlessly with other Microsoft 365 apps, like Excel and Word, as well as third-party platforms, such as Trello (opens in new tab) and Dropbox (opens in new tab).ĭropbox, for example, has a free add-in for Outlook that makes it easy to send attachments as sharing links or automatically download attachments to your Dropbox account. Outlook groups can access a shared mailbox, set up shared events, and send emails from a shared address. Microsoft Outlook also comes with support for groups.

Along with 15 GB of storage, free users also get basic tools like spam and malware blockers and the option to create custom folders for certain types of messages. Outlook has everything that you would expect from a free email client, and the Microsoft 365 subscription introduces several additional tools. Microsoft 365 subscriptions come with extra features for Outlook and other Microsoft Office applications (Image credit: Microsoft) Microsoft Outlook: Features

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