10 AJAX-based & PHP WebMail Clients For a Great User Experience
- Posted in AJAX, PHP
- 64 Comments »
Employees need to access their email from wherever they happen to be – on the road, at customer sites, remote offices, and at home. WebMail clients allows receiving and sending email messages using POP3 and SMTP protocols through both local and remote mail servers. Providing secure filtering of unsafe content while viewing HTML-formatted email messages. WebMail clients can operate under different popular web platforms (PHP, ASP.NET, ruby on rails, java).
Today i wanted to share with you 10 AJAX-based & PHP webmail client that delivers the look and feel, usability and performance of a desktop application. Some of the webmail clients listed below are open source code that can be easily modified to better suit user’s needs, while others are not. So You must check their license to know the rules.
1. RoundCube
RoundCube Webmail is a browser-based multilingual IMAP client with an application-like user interface. It provides full functionality you expect from an e-mail client, including MIME support, address book, folder manipulation, message searching and spell checking. RoundCube Webmail is written in PHP and requires a MySQL or Postgres database. The user interface is fully skinnable using XHTML and CSS 2.
2. Zimbra
Zimbra provides open source email and calendar groupware software, with a browser-based AJAX client to deliver a rich experience with a message conversation view and visual search builder that makes multi-gigabyte inboxes easier to use. They also integrate 3rd party applications as “mash-ups” via web services so you can view CRM data, maps, or anything else without leaving the context of a message.
3. Xuheki
Xuheki is a fast IMAP client which has a browser-based AJAX client so you can access it from anywhere to read your email. It has most features that you would expect from a fine “Mail User Agent”. Xuheki is distributed under the terms of the GNU General Public License.
4. SquirrelMail
SquirrelMail is a standards-based webmail package written in PHP. It includes built-in pure PHP support for the IMAP and SMTP protocols, and all pages render in pure HTML 4.0 (with no JavaScript required) for maximum compatibility across browsers.
5. Atmail
AtMail, a free lightweight Ajax Webmail client software that is written in PHP that allow end user receive email via web browser and WAP devices. This webmail client software can be installed on variety platform like Windows and Linux. Plus more, it support various email technology like IMAP/POP3 mailboxes, and an optional email-server mode that uses Exim as the MTA.
6. afterlogic
AfterLogic WebMail Lite PHP is easy-to-use webmail script with modern interface, supports AJAX and skins. Users can receive, view, delete, compose, and send mail through web interface (POP3 and SMTP supported). Multiple attachments, multiple mail accounts and domains, preview panel, web-based administration. Easy installation, supports PHP 4.1 and above. Open source and completely free. Can be upgraded to Pro version with extended features….
7. Hastymail
Hastymail is a full featured IMAP/SMTP client written in PHP. Compatible with PDAs, phones, text browsers, and with all mainstream browsers. Hastymail has a powerful plugin system that PHP developers can use to alter the way it works. Plugins can add pages within the Hastymail application (including css files), alter existing pages by inserting XHTML, modify internal data structures within Hastymail, make AJAX callbacks using their AJAX system, and even communicate with a configured SQL server.
8. Mailr
Mailr is an open source webmail application written in Ruby which uses Ruby On Rails web application framework. The application is tested with Courier-IMAP but it should be possible to use it with any other IMAP server.
9. Claros inTouch
Claros inTouch is an Ajax communication suite with key features such as webmail, address book, post-it notes, calendar (in progress), webdisk (in progress), built-in instant messenger and rss reader. It is the first open source web application which features built in spam protection and instant messaging capabilities together with web 2.0 technologies. Built with Java, utilizes JSP/Servlets with the well known J2EE technologies & uses MySQL database.
10. Postaci
Postaci is a PHP based POP3/IMAP e-mail client that is very simple and easy to use. It supports SMTP authentication. It can handle both protocols and the defaul protocol can be changed from a single configuration file. Postaci is platform independent, it can work on any operating system which supports PHP. Postaci is also database independent, it can be used with MySQL, mSQL, Microsoft SQL, Sybase,
PostgreSQL.
RoundCube is great!!!
Useful post by the way
as mail client, thunderbird still no 1 for me.. :D
Unfortunately Atmail isn’t for free anymore.
nice list thanks..
Zimbra is great, I highly recommend it!
RoundCube is great but i like SquirrelMail too.
I`m agree, RoundCube I`s fantastic!! Very Useful!!
Why do they all mimic same old same old email interfaces?
They are not usable
Well, if Atmail isn´t for free anymore swap it for GMX.com. Best mail-client I´ve ever tried and there´s no upselling at all.
Atmail is still free. There are two versions of it, but the one located at atmail.org is free and open source. The commercial version can be found at atmail.com and has a completely different feature set.
This is a great list, btw. There were several on the list that I’d never heard of before and I’ve done what I thought was a lot of searching for alternatives to SquirrelMail!
SquirrelMail… doesn’t seem too ajax based, seeing as it doesn’t even use javascript.
Thanks for including Hastymail2 on your list! Development is active and we are approaching our first major stable release since a code rewrite began in January of 2008. We may not have the features of some of the bigger webmail clients but I have been told repeatedly by users that Hastymail2 is way faster than the competition.
Interesting list – I use Thunderbird for my main mail, and when I’m in the wild, I use MediaTemple’s AtMail; MT used to use Squirrel, but I’ve gotta say AtMail is a huge deal more efficient (and pretty). Haven’t tried RoundCube extensively yet, but it’s another MT option and it looks pretty good as well. Great post – Thx.
MakeDesign,NotWar
I’m on MediaTemple and went from GS to DV (which only has Horde). Installed RoundCube to try it out, but didn’t like it. AtMail is MUCH better. More features, better interface. I like.
good collection and small review is very handy, I am Thunderbird user too, but this sounds really promising in future!
Atmail is one of the worst webmail clients I have ever used! We were using it as part of my company’s website hosting package at one point… The interface is just abysmal and it doesn’t work properly with Firefox.
Bottom line? Steer clear!
are you mad ???? ATMAIL is great not only as webmail client also for mailserver. You are a donkey of the year…Ha..Ha..Ha
We started using Atmail and everyone likes it. It has a clean look and great features. We tried Zimbra too, but thought it was more work to manage.
As great as SquirrelMail is, I too was wondering why it’s on a list of AJAX mail interfaces.
RoundCube is really good. SquirrelMail isnt bad either from a usability and UI point of view. Zimbra is too heavy though its got an intuitive GUI. Some guys poited out Thunderbird in the comments. I dont find it really good compared to Outlook(comparing on the basis of usability/desktop clients). On those lines the Mail in Opera portable isnt bad compared to Thunderbird. Evolution is also worth a try(tried only on Linux)
wow,
- zimbra es java based (not php) and take over the whole machine (it provides it’s own smtp, pop3, etc servers), it suffers from NIH to comply the java norm…
- afterlogic lite does not support imap
- squirrelmail ajax ? very funny… (but the good thing is that it doesn’t need mysql or any db)
@ Everyone,
Thank you for your comments and feedback.
I guess i made a mistake in this post’s title. This post was meant to showcase different ajax-based, PHP only or ruby on rails webmail clients. So its not necessary everything listed here is using ajax, most of them does but not all.
Sorry for the inconvenience and hopefully you will find something useful in here.
Great post, very helpful. Thanks!
thanks for the post and u really did a great work collecting all these post. I have been using SquirrelMail for a long time i did not knw it’s a php based. But i have come to love Round cube
Zimbra is Great and the Best. Roundcube also looks cool.
cheers,
Sourav Mohanty
I think Horde DIMP should be in the top ten.
As great as SquirrelMail is, I too was wondering why it’s on a list of AJAX mail interfaces..
Wow, I’ve only ever used RoundCube, but I might take a look into some of the other for sure. Thanks!
excellent list. i wonder if you can use this on your website utilizing google business mail servers
i use roundcube and it was great one!
You just cannot beat Zimbra, any group that I place on it, I never hear from and they love it!
very good, thanks
Great post, thanks for including Atmail on your list.
Our development team are in the process to release the new Atmail 6.0 version, based on the Zend Framework and using the best jQuery has to offer.
Keep tuned, should give some of the other Webmail interfaces a good run for their old interfaces :-)
Roundcube is so amazing! got it myself.
Love it!
Simmessa.com
tha best are 1) RoundCube I use it! 2) Claros inTouch
Where did u get all the list?
Great,
Zimbra is very nice.
RoundCube is the best of the bunch as far as dedicated webmail clients go. Zimbra is sweet, but it’s way too much for most people.
That’s an astonishing collection you listed :).
I am definitely going to implement one of them for some of my other businesses.
Thanks a bunch bro!
nice list, i will test few on a server to see what is best…
As you can see by the email address, I’m just getting started with installing my own server from one of my son’s old PIII laptop discards. I’ve about gone bald pulling hair over atmailopen. Thanks for the list. I’m off to try RoundCube.
Roundcube is the only one of these which i could install without any problems. And it looks very slick…
I normally use Mail on my Mac or iPhone, but RoundCube is a nice alternative to my host’s default webmail. I just set it up a few minutes ago – it only took about ten minutes! The UI is pretty nice and the controls are very responsive.
SElam
I like this Emexis-Webmail a improve in SquirrelMail,with a interface very friendly.
http://sourceforge.net/projects/emexis-webmail.
11 – Emexis-Webmail
Emexis-Webmail, is a webmail application, based on SquirrelMail, developed by BRconnection team.
The SquirrelMail client, by itself, is a complete webmail system but the concern to make it compatible with various browsers and systems made its interface visually handicapped. With the goal of solve the handicap, was developed the Emexis-Webmail, that has all the functions of Squirrelmail, but with an interface friendlier to the user.
The Emexis-Webmail, uses the Squirrelmail message’s tools. The Emexis-Webmail’s function is to treat only the user interface, improving usability and presentation.
The BRconnection developed the Emexis-Webmail using the same license of the SquirrelMail, i.e. the licence (GPL).
As the Squirrelmail, it is avaliable for any platform, being necessary as requests, the Apache PHP 5 or supperior and SGBD PostgreSql.
The Emexis-Webmail is write in PHP 5 and Ajax.
Resources added:
*
Interface’s customization, turning it much more intuitive and friendly.
*
Implementation of resources in Ajax.
*
Calendar for new scheduled events.
*
Disk quota.
*
Webmail viewing in vertical and horizontal mode.
Access the demo version at http://webmaildemo.brc.com.br:10005/src/webmail.php
Running Version 1.0.3 Stable, based in SquirrelMail 1.4.19
For years I’ve used many systems, but none impressed me as EMEXIS-WEBMAIL. It’s amazing how it put together the main functions of Squirrel, but with a skin more friendly. Using it is so simple and functional that I’ve recomended for all my company mates. That is what I’ve been looking for many years and I’m feeling glad for having found it. Anyway all I wanna say is that, as user I recomend the EMEXIS-WEBMAIL, instead any other systems. It rocks!
I’ve experimented with numerous PHP webmail packages. The top two have to be Roundcube and Squirrelmail.
Roundcube has a wonder user interface, is easy to setup (under 10 min), and under continued development.
Squirrelmail is universal, secure, and packs a huge number plugins.
I think about Zimbra. It’s very powerful as roudcube but with most ajax methods.
Good article but looks a bit outdated now (for instance, afterlogic lite client is totally different now and also supports imap, while xuheki’s project seems already dead, no news for nearly a year and their live demo is no longer working). Are there any plans to update this post to reflect the fact y2010 is here now?
thanks for providing this list its very useful, i havent heard of most of these thanks for sharing.
How to use this on a website, having squl php system. I mean a cPanel website like one which is provided by byethost.com
Can I use this on a website which use wordpress?