1. Gmail – Free Email Service – http://www.gmail.com

Gmail is the Google approach to email and chat. Practically unlimited free online storage allows you to collect all your messages, and Gmail’s simple but very smart interface lets you find them precisely and see them in context without effort. Unfortunately, Gmail does not offer IMAP, only POP access. Gmail also puts contextual advertising next to the emails you read.
Gmail Review | Gmail Resources | Gmail Screenshots | Gmail Tips

2. AIM Mail – Free Email Service – http://www.aol.com

AIM Mail, AOL’s free web-based email service, shines with unlimited online storage, very good spam protection and a rich, easy to use interface.
Unfortunately, AIM Mail lacks a bit in productivity (no labels, smart folders and message threading), but makes up for some of that with very functional IMAP (as well as POP) access.
AIM Mail Review | AIM Mail Tips

3. Yahoo! Mail – Free Email Service – http://www.yahoo.com/

Yahoo! Mail is your ubiquitous email program on the web with unlimited storage and RSS news feeds, SMS texting and instant messaging to boot.
While Yahoo! Mail is generally a joy to use, free-form labelling and smart folders would be nice, and the spam filter could catch junk even more effectively.
Yahoo! Mail Review | Yahoo! Mail Resources | Yahoo! Mail Tips

4. Inbox.com – Free Email Service – http://www.inbox.com

Inbox.com not only gives you 5 GB to store your mail online but also a highly polished, fast and functional way to access it via either the web (including speedy search, free-form labels and reading mail by conversation) or through POP in your email program.
Unfortunately, IMAP access is not supported by Inbox.com, and its tools for organizing mail could be improved with smart or self-teaching folders.
Inbox.com Review | Inbox.com Tips

5. FastMail Guest Account – Free Email Service – http://www.fastmail.com

FastMail is a great free email service with IMAP access, useful features, one of the best web-based email interfaces and few ads.
FastMail Review | FastMail Resources | FastMail Tips

6. Windows Live Hotmail – Free Email Service – http://www.hotmail.com

Windows Live Hotmail is a free email service that gives you a 5 GB of online storage, fast search, solid security and an interface easy as a desktop email program.
When it comes to organizing mail, Windows Live Hotmail does not go beyond folders (to saved searches and tags, for example), its spam filter could be more effective, and POP or IMAP access are missing.
Windows Live Hotmail Review | Windows Live Hotmail Resources | Windows Live Hotmail Tips

7. Bluebottle – Free Email Service – http://www.bluebottle.com

Bluebottle offers email accounts that are practically free of spam (using challenge/response filtering) and can be accessed on the web or using POP with any email program.
Bluebottle could offer more tools for efficiently handling mail, though, online storage is in a somewhat short supply, and challenge/response filtering comes with its own share of problems, too.
Bluebottle Review

8. BigString.com – Free Email Service – http://www.bigstring.com

BigString.com is a free 2 GB email service that includes rich secure and certified mail services and lets you password-protect, expire or edit sent messages, for example.
Unfortunately, BigString.com is not equally well equipped for handling incoming mail and lacks organizing tools.
BigString.com Review

9. HotPOP – Free Email Service – http://www.hotpop.com

HotPOP offers free, reliable email accounts you can use with any email program using POP3 and SMTP. In addition, HotPOP lets you forward incoming messages to multiple other addresses.
Unfortunately, HotPOP lacks IMAP access and a web-based email interface and is a bit short on storage space.
HotPOP Review

10. goowy mail – Free Email Service – http://www.goowy.com

goowy mail is your rich desktop email program on the web with a fast interface that lets you drag and drop, use context menus and enjoy lots of pleasant eye candy. In addition to email, goowy offers a calendar, an RSS feed reader and games.
More features are needed.

11. My Way Mail – Free Email Service – http://www.myway.com

My Way Mail is a clean, fast and fun (though not particularly advanced) free email service.
It lacks secure messaging and other advanced, non-essential features, though.
My Way Mail Review | My Way Mail Tips

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So you thought about signing up for Windows Live subscription. Which would give you easier access using the httpmail add-on to OS X’s Mail app but you decided against it.
That’s where If you are no subscriber, do not fret. Using MacFreePOPs interface translation tool comes in. It basically translates between web email interfaces and email programs allowing you access to your free Windows Live Hotmail right there in Mac OS X Mail.

To set up a free Windows Live Hotmail or MSN Hotmail account in Mac OS X Mail:

1. Install MacFreePOPs and make sure the freepopsd service is running.
2. Select Mail | Preferences… from the menu in Mac OS X Mail.
3. Go to the Accounts category.
4. Click + beneath the Accounts list.
5. Make sure POP is selected under Account Type:.
6. Enter "Windows Live Hotmail" under Account Description:.
7. Type your name under Full Name:.
8. Enter your Windows Live Hotmail address under Email Address:.
9. Click Continue.
10. Enter "localhost" (without the quotation marks) under Incoming Mail Server:.
11. Type your full Windows Live Hotmail address under User Name:.
    1. Mac OS X Mail probably has already entered your user name, and it’s enough to append "@hotmail.com" to complete the address.
12. Enter your Windows Live Hotmail password under Password:.
13. Click Continue.
14. Click Continue again, ignoring the error.
    We’ll take care of that in a bit.
15. Make sure Password is selected under Authentication:.
16. Leave Use Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) unchecked.
17. Select an existing mail server to send mail under Outgoing Mail Server:.
    1. You cannot send mail through MacFreePOPs. If you have no outgoing mail server through your ISP, you can use a Gmail or AIM Mail account’s.
18. Click Continue.
19. Click Continue again.
20. Now click Done.
21. Highlight the "Windows Live Hotmail" account in the Accounts list.
22. Go to the Advanced tab.
23. Enter "2000" (not including the quotation marks) under Port:.
24. Close the Accounts window.
25. Click Save.

And we are clear. Try it out. If it doesn’t work, try the tech support over at http://www.e-link.it/macfreepops/.
It’s donation ware so hook these dudes up.

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1. You have a Mac.
2. You love Aggregated Email.
3. You hate logging on to hotmail.com.

Following you will find instructions for those of use who refuse to pay $19.95 per month for free email. By the way, if you are a subscriber, maybe it’s time you thought about sticking it to the man and switching to any number of AWESOME free email providers. I detail the top 10 here.
If you don’t have a subscription and httpmail stopped working for you 2 years ago then check out the MacFreePOP’s service. I’ll tell how to do that here. It’s less comprehensive but still AWESOME.
Instructions after the jump.

To set up access to a MSN Hotmail account in Mac OS X Mail:

1. Make sure you have an MSN Hotmail Plus subscription for the Hotmail account you want to access in Mac OS X Mail.
2. Install httpmail for Mac OS X Mail.
3. Select Mail | Preferences… from the Mac OS X Mail menu.
4. Go to the Accounts category.
5. Click the + ("Create an account.") button.
6. Make sure httpmail is selected as the Account Type:.
7. Enter "Hotmail" (or something similar) as the Description: for this account.
8. Type your Hotmail address (something like "hmmzl@hotmail.com") under Email Address:.
9. Enter your name under Full Name:.
10. Make sure the Incoming Mail Server: is set to "hotmail.com".
11. Enter your Hotmail user name ("hmmzl", for example) under User Name:.
12. Type your MSN Hotmail password under Password:.
13. Select None under Outgoing Mail Server (SMTP):.
14. Close the Accounts window.
15. Click Save.

And you’re on. Fire up Mail and try her out. Let me know in the comments if it worked for you. Remember you have to have a Paid Subscription for the above to work. If you aren’t paying $19.95 per month to Microsoft then you’re not eligible. Check out the Free option workaround here.

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