IMAP Email Hosting and IMAP Web Servers IMAP Email Hosting - What is IMAP Email Hosting and where do I find the best IMAP email hosting? IMAP Email Hosting Question from Jeff in Chicago: What is IMAP Email Hosting and where can I find the best IMAP E-Mail Server Hosting? IMAP E-Mail Hosting Answer: IMAP stands for Internet Message Access Protocol. It is a method of accessing electronic mail kept on an IMAP mail server. Those IMAP mail servers are remotely run hosted servers that deliver up your IMAP email hosting. In other words, with IMAP email hosting, you can use a "client" email program like Eudora or Outlook Express to access email messages and files stored on your web host's IMAP mail server as if they were on your local computer. The IMAP hosting account feature lets you use the IMAP server without the need to transfer messages or files back and forth between your various computers. Furthermore, IMAP email hosting ensures the best security because all of the email and files are left on the IMAP email server. So if this all sounds good, then you probably want IMAP e-Mail hosting! First step, find a web hosting provider that supports IMAP email. AN IMAP web mail server need not be expensive. In fact, you might be able to reduce your total email hosting operating costs by completely outsourcing your email to an IMAP email hosting company. Here at HostIndex.com we've found a couple of the best web hosting companies that offer IMAP hosting. Our #1 recommendation is the IX Web Hosting IMAP email server plan. Their IMAP E-Mail web hosting service is the cheapest and most affordable IMAP hosting around and costs just $3.95/mo. Our #2 top-ranked IMAP email web host is BlueHost. For companies that are large, Blue Host is the best choice for IMAP hosting since it provides unlimited IMAP email accounts included within their $6.95/mo IMAP hosting account. 2,500 Secure Affordable IMAP Email Hosting Accounts - $4.95/mo. - Click Here! Cheap Secure Unlimited IMAP Email Hosting - $6.95/month - Click Here! IMAP email hosting eliminates all the problems associated with downloading your email to one email client on your work computer and not having access to that email later from another email program or another computer. You can feel free to read your email from home, at work, when traveling, and never worry about losing information or not having all of the important email communication at your fingertips at all times. If you need secure IMAP web hosting, you can ask your web hosting provide if they can provide an SSL certificate for your domain account. Companies like IX Web Hosting and BlueHost do offer SSL with their IMAP email hosting. BlueHost IMAP services are nice since the company offers reliable uptime guarantees meaning that your BlueHost IMAP webmail will have a high degree of server uptime and IMAP account accessibility. For those wanting unlimited IMAP hosting, we strongly recommend HostMonster IMAP since they supply unlimited email address with their $5.95 HostMonster IMAP web host package. Always make sure that your IMAP hosting comes with a 30-day refund period so you can test-drive their IMAP hosts services. HostIndex.com wants to hear from you about your experience with secure IMAP servers and our review of IMAP email hosting companies. Please drop us an email if you have had a good (or bad) experience with a web host that provides IMAP email server hosting. This article was last updated in 2008.