If you use an email address with your own domain name and not a third-party one, you will be able to use an email software application such as Apple Mail, Outlook or Thunderbird to access and administer your mailboxes. The advantage of using such apps is that you can also take advantage of other features, such as calendars and address books. There are two different email retrieval protocols that you can choose from when you set up the app of your choosing to access your mailbox – POP3 and IMAP. With the first one, all email messages that are received will be downloaded to your device – mobile or desktop, unless you decide to leave a copy on the email server. With the second protocol, the email messages will be displayed at your end, but they will stay on the server at all times, so you can set up the account on multiple devices and view the messages from any location. You’ll also be able to view old emails if there is a predicament with your Internet connectivity, which is a big advantage over a web-based service.