A webmail application enables you to send out and receive messages via an Internet browser without having to set up an email address inside an app like Thunderbird or Outlook. If you travel, for example, you'll be able to check your emails from an Internet café and you will not have to download, install or configure anything. Webmail clients are advanced enough to provide you lots of options such as having an address book or creating folders that will later on come in your e mail client. As a webmail application works with the messages on your server, it is important that you use the IMAP protocol if you set up an email account on your PC. You may still use webmail if you choose POP, but old e-mails won't be available because they'll have been downloaded on the PC. You can take advantage of webmail as long as there is any sort of email address set up with your website hosting account and using an e-mail client prior to being able to use webmail is not a requirement, so that you can control your digital communication completely from a web browser.