3 Major Differences Between Gmail and Google Inbox

To be honest with you; I do not know the different between Gmail and Inbox, up until now. Just few minutes ago I received a mail from Google Trend that Gmail Inbox is shutting down soon, which got me worried, as I though our lovely Gmail is going down. You see, I have believed that Gmail and Gmail Inbox are the same thing, since you will always see Inbox in Gmail na. Luckily, I shared my ignorant on Facebook; which brought my good social friends to my rescue. Thanks to Jide Ogusanya and Gerrad Chigozie; these dude enlightened me. So, this made me to quickly do some research on the differences between Gmail and Inbox, which I am going to share with you today. As you might not be lucky as I was, you know.

Since more than 70% of emails are opened on mobile phones and tablets, Google launched its email app in 2014 to help people manage their busy lives. The main difference between the new Inbox and Gmail is their design philosophy and the way they evaluate each incoming email. Their focus is to assist people to organize emails and make every email count.  Gmail Inbox has several features like snooze, bundle and highlights which make sure that emails are served in a better way. So, I am going to discuss three major differences between Gmail and Inbox. But before then, I will like to discuss what it means for Inbox to be shutdown.

What it means for Inbox to be shutdown

Remember Inbox is another email system like Gmail, but with additional features. Secondly, Inbox and Gmail works with the same Google email system. So, even when Inbox is shutting down; it won’t affect your Gmail account. So, there is nothing to fear.

Major Differences Between Gmail and Inbox

1. Gmail vs. Inbox: Difference In Design

The first difference I will like to discuss between Gmail and Inbox is there design differences.

Gmail has a red-bar on top with a list of all the emails you’ve received below it called (All mails). Each one shows the name of the sender, the subject along with a short excerpt, and the date on the right side. The app also features a menu that pops out from the side and shows additional options including the email sent, drafts, and so on.

Inbox has a blue-bar on top listing all the emails below it (Inbox). The emails are categorized by timeframe (today, yesterday, June, and so on), making it easier to find the one you’re looking for. Also, the Inbox app shows the attachments under each email, so you can open them without opening the email first. Although, this feature is present in the web version of Gmail, but not in the Gmail Android app.

2. Gmail vs. Inbox: Difference In Email Management

Gmail takes a traditional approach to email management. Messages come in, you read them, maybe organize them with labels, then archive them, delete them, or just leave them in your inbox forever. As you can’t move an email out of your inbox when you’re done with it unless you delete it. The emails you’ve received are always on display, which clutters your inbox and makes it harder to know which emails still need attention. This is even worse if you’re bad at replying to emails as you read them, like me.

On the other hand, Inbox was designed around the inbox zero philosophy. Which means that when you’re done with an email — either by responding to it or just reading it — you can hit the “Done” button to move it out of your inbox. Alternatively, you can select the Snooze option to deal with it later on. This results in an inbox with only the emails you haven’t dealt with. That way, you know exactly which ones you still have to reply to or read, which saves a ton of time. When you mark all emails as “Done,” the only thing you’ll see in your inbox is an image of the sun surrounded by blue skies (above), which means your job is done.

3. Gmail Vs. Inbox: Difference In Email Bundling

Although, both Gmail and Inbox group similar emails into categories, but they do it differently. Gmail will automatically place each incoming email into one of these five categories: Primary, Social, Promotions, Updates, and Forums. The most important emails go into the Primary category, emails related to Facebook, Twitter, and other networking sites go into the Social category; emails from advertisers goes into the Promotion Category and so on.

Inbox offers more email bundling options. It places each email in one of these eight categories:

  • Promos: deals, offers, and other marketing messages.
  • Social: emails from social networks and other social media services.
  • Updates: notifications from online accounts, such as alerts and confirmations.
  • Finance: money-related messages including bills and bank statements.
  • Purchases: receipts, delivery updates, and other info from retailers.
  • Trips: travel-related emails like flight confirmations and hotel bookings.
  • Forums: emails from mailing lists and discussion groups.
  • Low Priority: emails you’ve labeled as less important.

That is not all, Inbox lets you create your own categories and configure which emails it should contain. You could create a category called “EarnBase Clients” and set it up to include every email sent to you from your official email. Which enables you to see all the relevant emails at once without using the search box.

You can also configure when the new emails for each category should show up in your inbox. You can choose between daily, once a day, or once a week.

In conclusion: I am sure 85% of people reading this post aren’t using Inbox but Gmail, which was what I use even till now. As for me, Gmail has all that I need; so, I am not bothered by the Inbox shutdown, and I am sure it’s the same with some of us too. So, this shurtdown is not going to affect your business or gmail accounts; except you are used to Inbox.

1 thought on “3 Major Differences Between Gmail and Google Inbox”

  1. SaneBox is a great alternative – you can keep your inbox organized and clutter-free with very little effort. Smart algorithms learn your email habits so you only see what you need to see.

    Reply

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