I’ve had the opportunity to use several mail clients for Palm OS recently.

Before we start, my big requirement is that the client support IMAP access. This is mainly because I have 4 or 5 folders that I like to keep with me at all times, both at home and at work.

So, the candidates are VersaMail 2.5, Agendus Mail 4.0, and SnapperMail 2.0.

VersaMail is the standard by which all Palm mail clients must be measured. The grand daddy of this group (originally called MultiMail) was good enough that Palm bought the rights from Actual Software. Palm later made it the standard client on its Tungsten handhelds. Pro: The interface uses the 5-way navigator quite well; there’s support for a wide variety of attachments; reasonably quick message download; can configure hard button to retrieve mail; most recent Palm devices include it (read: it’s free). Con: There’s not a supported version for the newest devices, e.g. the Treo 600, that don’t come with some other version installed; the UI has some rough edges; IMAP folder support is limited.

Agendus Mail is iambic Software’s offering to the field. The 4.0 version has dramatically improved IMAP support and retains the SMS message support of its predecessor. Of the field, this one arguably has the most practical feature set. Pro: Full, intuitive support for IMAP folders; integrated SMS and mail messaging; able to connect and disconnect network directly from the client; explicit support for the latest Palm handhelds, incl. the Treo 600. Con: Somewhat slow message download; poor support of the 5-way navigator; some color and font issues; some user interface elements are packed too tightly.

SnapperMail has the dubious distinction of being the most expensive of the lot. On the other hand, it is also the only client that supports encryption even on clients that don’t have built-in SSL support (like my Tungsten|T). Pro: Good use of the 5-way navigator; support for encryption and the latest handhelds; full IMAP folder support; “finger navigation” mode; can configure hard button to retrieve mail. Con: At $60 for the version including IMAP support, it’s quite pricey; IMAP folder support may require an advanced degree to fully utilize; rather slow message download; user interface looks and feels clunky at times.

There are elements of all three packages that I really like. There’s no clear winner; however, for someone looking for a basic, but still functional client, it’s hard to fault VersaMail – if it’s available for your handheld. The price is right, and it’s still the standard. True power users will appreciate Agendus Mail for its excellent IMAP support and SMS message handling, as well as the fact that it’s 2/3 the price of its main competitor. For the features, though, I’d personally go with SnapperMail. To gain the ability to use encrypted mail I can handle the (more than a little bit of) “geekness” that shows up in the application, both in terms of the UI and with IMAP folder support. The only really troubling thing here is the cost, which is certainly substantial for a handheld application.

I guess that means, for now at least, I’m sticking with VersaMail…