A practical field guide from Automation Ace.
The short answer
Use the Gmail or Outlook app if your mailbox is on Google or Microsoft. Use IMAP by Zapier and SMTP by Zapier for any other provider, or when you need to send from your own server. Use Email by Zapier for quick internal notifications or a throwaway address that triggers a Zap. Use Email Parser by Zapier when you need to pull structured fields out of emails that follow a consistent format.
These options are not rivals so much as tools for different jobs, and many good workflows combine two of them. Background on the protocols is in SMTP vs IMAP.
Comparison at a glance
| Option | Best for | Receives email? | Sends email? | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IMAP by Zapier | Triggering Zaps from any IMAP mailbox or folder | Yes (New Email, New Mailbox triggers) | No | Polling delay; password and app-password changes |
| SMTP by Zapier | Sending from your own domain through any mail server | No | Yes (Send Email action) | Provider send limits; formatting options; DNS authentication |
| Email by Zapier | Quick internal notifications and a forwarding address that triggers Zaps | Yes (New Inbound Email at a zapiermail.com address) | Yes (Send Outbound Email) | Sends come from a Zapier address; low send limits (Zapier documents 5/day on Free, 10/hour on paid plans) |
| Email Parser by Zapier | Extracting structured fields from emails with a consistent format | Yes (at a robot.zapier.com address) | No | Template-based; needs consistent formats; limited number of templates |
| Gmail / Microsoft Outlook apps | Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 mailboxes | Yes (rich triggers, labels, searches) | Yes (drafts, replies, attachments) | Tied to one provider; OAuth reconnects; provider sending limits |
IMAP by Zapier and SMTP by Zapier
These are protocol-level connectors. They work with nearly any provider, including hosting-company email, Zoho Mail, Fastmail, iCloud, and legacy servers. IMAP gives you New Email and New Mailbox triggers; SMTP gives you a Send Email action from your real address.
Choose them when your provider has no dedicated Zapier app, you need a specific folder or shared mailbox, or you want sent mail to come from your own server. Setup is covered in how to connect any email provider, and ideas in 10 SMTP and IMAP use cases.
Email by Zapier
Email by Zapier is a built-in Zapier tool that gives you a custom zapiermail.com address. Its New Inbound Email trigger fires when mail is sent or forwarded to that address, and its Send Outbound Email action sends simple messages without connecting any mail account.
Choose it when you need a fast internal alert, or a unique address to forward messages into a Zap. Forwarding rules from any mailbox to an Email by Zapier address are a common way to get email into Zapier without IMAP. Pair it with plus addressing for per-workflow addresses.
Avoid it for customer-facing email: messages come from a Zapier address, and Zapier limits outbound volume (its help docs list 5 emails per day on Free or Trial plans and 10 per hour on paid plans, shared across multi-user accounts).
Email Parser by Zapier
Email Parser by Zapier gives you a robot.zapier.com address. You forward sample emails, highlight the values you want, and the parser learns a template. New emails to that address become structured fields such as order ID, name, and total that your Zap can map.
Choose it when emails follow a consistent layout, such as order notifications, lead alerts from a website builder, or system reports. Avoid it when formats vary widely; a Code step, Formatter, or an AI extraction step handles messy text better. If you use AI, check for PII first.
Gmail and Microsoft Outlook apps
The dedicated apps connect with OAuth and offer richer features than raw protocols: label and search triggers, replies in thread, drafts, and attachments. For Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 users, they are almost always the right first choice. See Google Workspace automation and Microsoft Zapier integrations.
Decision guide: which should you use?
- Is the mailbox on Google or Microsoft? Use the Gmail or Outlook app.
- Is it on another provider? Use IMAP to receive and SMTP to send.
- Do you just need an internal alert? Email by Zapier is quickest.
- Do you need a Zap-triggering address to forward mail into? Email by Zapier or Email Parser.
- Do you need structured fields from consistent emails? Email Parser, or IMAP plus Formatter or Code.
- Must customers see your domain as the sender? SMTP or the Gmail/Outlook app, never Email by Zapier.
- Sending in bulk? None of these. Use an email marketing platform such as Kit.
Combinations that work well
- IMAP + Email Parser: forward matching messages from an IMAP folder to a parser address when formats are consistent.
- Gmail trigger + SMTP send: watch a Google mailbox but send from a separate transactional domain.
- Forwarding rule + Email by Zapier: the fastest way to get email from any provider into a Zap without connecting the mailbox.
- IMAP + AI + Human in the Loop + SMTP: AI drafts replies, a person approves them, and SMTP sends from your address.
Whatever you choose, keep workflows simple enough to maintain; see Zapier points of failure. When your provider is not Google or Microsoft, start with IMAP by Zapier and SMTP by Zapier.
Frequently asked questions
Should I use IMAP or the Gmail app in Zapier?
Use the Gmail app for Gmail and Google Workspace mailboxes because it uses OAuth and has richer triggers and actions. Use IMAP for providers that have no dedicated Zapier app.
What is the difference between Email by Zapier and SMTP by Zapier?
Email by Zapier sends from a Zapier-provided address with low volume limits and needs no mail account. SMTP by Zapier sends through your own mail server from your real address.
What is the difference between Email Parser by Zapier and IMAP by Zapier?
IMAP by Zapier triggers a Zap from new messages in your own mailbox. Email Parser by Zapier gives you a separate address and extracts structured fields from forwarded emails using templates you train.
How many emails can Email by Zapier send?
Zapier's help docs list up to 5 outbound emails per day on Free or Trial plans and up to 10 per hour on paid plans, with the hourly limit shared across multi-user accounts. Check current limits in Zapier.
Which Zapier email option is best for sending customer emails?
Use SMTP by Zapier or the Gmail or Outlook app so messages come from your own domain. Do not use Email by Zapier for customer-facing email.
Disclaimer: Zapier features, plan availability, and settings can change. Confirm current details in Zapier's help documentation and your email provider's settings pages before relying on a specific setting. This article may include links to apps, products, or services; some links may be affiliate links, which means Automation Ace may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.